Diplomacy Freshman Experiences a Youth Exchange Year in Germany

Living and studying in Germany during a gap year gave freshman Luc Escobar-Rivera more than cultural insight. It confirmed his decision to enroll at Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy and International Relations and he is now studying international affairs in the bachelor's degree program. In his gap year, Luc enrolled in the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals program for high school students. This program, ongoing since 1983, offers the chance for American and German high school students to live and go to school in each other’s country. The exchange program is designed to facilitate cultural and social ties while developing a mutual understanding between young citizens of the two countries.

Luc lived with a family in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, an area adjacent to the part of the former Inner German border that separated East and West Germany. There, Luc learned about the history of the fall of the Berlin Wall from his host father who lived under the East German regime for years. Through conversations with him, Luc gained a new perspective of German history.

During his year abroad Luc also traveled extensively in France, to Berlin and Prague. His most memorable trip was the one to Berlin. There he was able to sit in on a session of the Bundestag, where he witnessed debates between the German political parties and was able to “see government in action.” Luc left with a better understanding of German government politics and with a renewed sense of clarity in the direction he wished to take at Seton Hall. Luc had planned to choose the diplomacy major before his gap year and the experience of the Bundestag and living abroad reinforced his decision. During his gap year he also gained a new cultural outlook and a “better understanding of what it means to engage with people who have come from different cultures who, due to history or any other factors, have a different perspective than you.”

Luc came away from the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program with nothing but praise and fully recommends it and the collegiate version to anyone wishing for something similar. He now embarks on his journey towards a diplomacy degree with a new perspective and a wealth of experiences to draw on.

Categories: Nation and World