“My name is Hannah, and I am 17 years old. I am from Germany. Last year I lived on Mercer Island in Seattle. I was there from the summer through December of 2016. Looking back, I can definitely say it was the best time of my life so far. Not only did I improve my English skills, I also learned how to make friends in a different country, to be more self-confident, open-minded, and independent, and to make my own decisions.

Living in another country far away from home seems difficult, and yes, it is a hard decision. But it is the best thing to do when you want to discover the world, making new friends and find yourself. That is what I did, and since I left Hamburg to go on my journey, I changed a lot.

I am interested in different languages and cultures. In my future I want to do something with languages. Maybe become a teacher, maybe something else. My exchange experiences affected me in many ways and made me who I am today. I am still in contact with my friends and will never regret the decision I made two years ago.”

– Hannah Bluhm from Germany, Fall Semester 2016