It took me over 8 months to go through the whole application process to participate in the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program. Today here I am – leaving in less than 6 weeks to the USA. I couldn’t be more excited! But I would like to tell you about the past nerve-wracking months until I reached this point. So let me start at the very beginning:
July 11th 2013
My former college teacher introduced me to the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program for Young Professionals. I never heard of it before, but it sounded quiet interesting. Why not spend a whole year in the USA? I remember telling my parents about the program and their reaction was priceless! ‘Seriously, another year abroad?’
Well I looked up information about the program and realized two things immediately:
#1 The program is amazing and I want to participate so bad!
#2 It is almost impossible to get in!
Only 75 students will participate from WHOLE Germany?!?! Surely I won’t be one of the lucky ones! Why not apply anyways…
The first quick registration was very simple and the German organization GIZ (‘Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit’) sent me their detailed application form. I had to fill out lots of data about myself, sent a paper from my English teacher, a German and English CV and answer 8 deep and difficult questions about my motivation. At this point I was already doubting if I should really continue and apply.
September 21st 2013
I did finish it and sent the complete application. Now I was supposed to wait and see if I was making it to the next round of this application circus.
October 23rd 2013
A rainy Wednesday in the Netherlands… I checked my e-mails like I do every day. BUT that day I eventually got an interesting message! I got invited to a group interview in Berlin!!!!!!!! I can tell you, I was a very happy bee!!!
The following weeks I studied German and American history, geography, politics… In the end I felt more or less prepared for the next step.
November 27th 2013
I traveled all the way from the Netherlands to Berlin to meet for the first time other applicants and also some of the responsible and important persons of the program.
In about 3 – 4 hours we had to pass English and general knowledge written tests, a group presentation and a personal interview. The last part was by far the most difficult one. Having an interview with 3 important persons who will decide about your future with many tricky questions can be very nerve-wracking. Afterwards I was very insecure about how it all went. The only thing they told us was that around Christmas we will get a message with further information. So I had to patient again!
January 16th 2014
I already gave up all my hopes that I made it any further to a next round. But then I got another e-mail! This time it was not from the organization GIZ, but from a member of the German parliament! Klaus Mindrup, a German politician from the party SPD, invited me to have a personal interview with him in his office in Berlin!!!!!!! Oh my goodness!!!!! I was so excited and happy that I made it to the next round but at the same time I was scared to death to meet this important politician. What will he ask? Can I prepare myself for the conversation? How can I convince him to take ME and not one of the other applicants?
February 5th 2014
If I say I was anxious that day – well that is a total understatement! I was so nervous that I even forgot my ID / passport in Holland!!! Luckily enough they still let me into the parliament building. I had the interview with Klaus Mindrup and his assistant for about 30 minutes. They asked about 20 questions, about my motivation, my personal background but also questions about related German and American political topics. The atmosphere was really nice and we even had a few laughs but still I struggled answering some questions.
The following days I was going through this conversation over and over and over again! Did I say the right things? Maybe I should have said this or that instead?
They told me to wait until they made a final decision and then they will let me know. They also mentioned that the deadline was on February 15th to nominate a candidate.
During that time every day felt like a whole week and I was so so sick of waiting. With every round I made it further I was more motivated and willing to participate. On top of that I didn’t really have a plan B, so it just had to work! It think these days I was really annoying, complaining about the waiting all the time. I finally wanted to know if I made!
February 19th 2014
Day X!
That morning my dad messaged me that there was an envelope in the mail for me from the German organization GIZ. Live on the telephone he opened it. Did I eventually make it or was all the effort I put into the application the past monthsfor nothing???
The only thing my dad said was: ‘Congratulations Mrs. Günther’
I heard the words but I didn’t quiet understand them. He kept reading the letter but I just asked him, ‘DID I MAKE IT?!?!?!?!?!?’
And he just said ‘YES!’
YES I MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was surely one of the most happy days of my life! All the waiting, motivation letters and studying payed off! I made it! I am one of the 75 participants! Unbelievable! I received so much love and congratulations that day from my family and friends. Everyone was so happy for me and so was I.
That day I went to bed with the biggest smile on my face you can ever imagine.
Without anyone’s help I got this amazing scholarship. I was very proud of myself.
Anneke