By A’ser Mostafa
How many of you would like to improve your German language skills by spending a year where everyone speaks the language? That is just what Tempe Prep Class of 18’ alum Kat Camberg is doing right now in Germany through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange.
Kat said she found out about the program through Mrs. Moffitt. “Mrs. Moffitt gave me the flyer and encouraged me to apply. The program looked interesting and I have always wanted to learn another language so I thought why not see what happens.”
Kat also seems to be adjusting to life in Germany quite well thanks to friendly locals and others. “I think I am adjusting pretty well. My host family is very accommodating and nice so that is definitely helpful. The people here in Berlin are overall very friendly and I have been able to make friends here pretty easily.
“There are definitely things I miss about America, but I feel adjusted and happy here, and to be honest there is a lot of things I like better about Germany. The hardest adjustment so far (other than the language) has been getting used to not relying on my phone because data plans and service here is a lot less reliable and comes with only a small amount of data per month. This has been a good thing for me, though, to talk more with friends and get better at directions.”
She also notes that slowly but surely her German is getting better by spending time in the country. “My German has been doing much better. After four years of German at TPA, I was able to stumble through sentences at the beginning and now after a month I feel like I really understand all the German I hear and can express myself pretty well through speaking. Don’t get me wrong though, it is definitely nowhere near perfect yet. I had to write an essay for a test the other day and that was extremely difficult and definitely sounds like a 10-year-old wrote it. Every day I feel like my German is improving though.”
She mentions her favorite part of the experience so far has been visiting small German towns and exploring the German capital Berlin. “In my first month I was in a tiny town called Hedersleben (population 1400), and we stayed at an old and very haunted nunnery for a language camp. I really enjoyed exploring the small town and nunnery. During our camp we visited Magdeburg and Leipzig, which are fairly large cities in Germany. I also visited a town called Quedlinburg, which I absolutely loved. It was not damaged during the world wars, and looks absolutely beautiful. Now I am living in Berlin, and have visited the Brandenburger Tor, Berlin Wall, Mauerpark, TV tower (Fernseher Turm), and other neighborhoods in Berlin. I have lots left to explore in Berlin because it is massive, and I can’t wait.
“Berlin is one of the most beautiful cities in my opinion, the architecture is cool. There is street art and graffiti everywhere you look, the city is very green, and there’s so many sights. Berlin is definitely my favorite spot in Germany. There is no shortage or entertainment here, and the city is wonderfully diverse.”
She encourages students to apply, work hard on their applications, and show their flexibility and open-mindedness throughout the selection process. “I would just apply even if you’re not sure because the more options you have the better. It is important to work hard on the application, but the most important part is your interview. If you really want to do this program show that you’re flexible, willing to make mistakes, and outgoing. If you like learning languages, learning about other cultures, or like the idea of a year of adventure before college, I would definitely recommend the program.”
All students interested in the CBYX program can speak to Mrs. Moffitt about the application process.