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This foreign architecture now feels like home to me. These “half-timbered” houses feel so characteristic to the region I live in. Still, there are a lot of things that I’ve noticed while traveling around.

Der, die, oder das. Those are the three haunting indefinite articles that threaten to send shivers down my spine at night as I jerk awake.

I often think about my exchange year, and even now – five years later – I’m reminded of how incredibly lucky I was to live such a meaningful experience.

Traveling within Europe is almost too easy! In the U.S., I can drive for house without making it out of the state. But from Germany, other countries are a mere jump away!

I went to the Christmas market expecting the familiar comforts I’ve come to associate with December here in Germany.

I pull up the hood of my jacket to block the biting cold winter air, walking past the auto barricades and into the Christmas market.

As Andy Williams croons, Christmas is the “most wonderful time of the year,” and the Germans truly work to make the season a yearly miracle.

Why are there bikes everywhere?

Someone told me that the biggest difference between American schools and German schools is that American schools have culture.

We scan our tickets and walk through the turnstiles. This ain't Disney; we're in Europa Park.

The goal of CBYX is to connect the United States and Germany through direct human interaction.

At long last, the snow has arrived here in Bavaria.

If there is any piece of advice I would give to future CBYX’ers, I would tell them to sort out high school graduation credits with guidance counselors prior to the exchange year.

My bedroom in the United States lacked personal touches. I liked my room plain: Having fewer items meant that I had less to dust and clean.

When I moved to Germany, I thought I escaped the clutches of ball sports with rackets, but I never saw myself willingly replacing one court sport with another.