Instead of participating in a traditional 11th grade year, I participated in an exchange program called Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange, or CBYX for short. CBYX is a German and American exchange program, where 250 students from America and 100 students from Germany are chosen to become student ambassadors of their country for one year. I was one of 50 students selected from the southeast. This program is a full scholarship that brought me the best experience of my life.

I have written dozens of essays on Germany since I have been back. I have talked about it in every college application, and it finds its way into almost every conversation. No written words can explain how much this experience meant to me. Everything I did in my exchange year has been documented in my mind as life-changing. The importance of this year on my life was incomprehensible before I left. But now that I am back, I recommend it to everyone I talk to, because this is an experience that should not be limited to the few who are lucky enough to hear about it.