Hallo! I am Caden Wilcox from Portsmouth Ohio. I am looking forward to spending my junior year abroad in Germany as a Rotary Exchange student. I am excited to see a part of the world unknown to me and becoming more knowledgeable about another culture. Although I will have difficulties in learning another language, I hope that this challenge can push me to broaden my horizons as a student and an individual. Even though I am nervous about the many unknowns of this experience, I cannot express how excited I am for my exchange. Furthermore, I am so thankful for everyone who helped make my exchange possible. Without the hard work of my friends, family, the Portsmouth Rotary Club, and D6690, this transformative experience would not happen. As a fifteen year-old sophomore in high school, I enjoy playing tennis, participating in boy scouts, doing musical theatre, playing piano, and volunteering in the community. Hopefully, this experience can introduce me to new activities and help me meet new people. I have always enjoyed to travel and will be counting the days until my departure.

October 1, 2018

In the past month, I’ve been able to see so many things that I never expected: I’ve traveled around the country with the yearly Deutschland-Tour. Also, I’ve visited different places with my amazing host-family and the wonderful friends I’ve made during my time in Germany. I’ve seen so much already, I can’t wait to experience more of this amazing land.

At this point, I have no complaints about my host club, family, and country. So far, my exchange has been the most wonderful time of my life. Thank you everyone for this amazing experience.

November 1, 2018

It’s been an amazing first two months and I am so happy with how my exchange is going. I’ve already been able to experience so many amazing things and I cannot wait to see where my exchange leads me.

One of my first experiences of the month was at Oktoberfest which was both incredibly fun and as well as an amazing German cultural experience. Furthermore, I visited London with my host family which was beyond remarkable. Even with all the amazing things I’ve been able to to see, everyday life here is still wonderful and so incredible. Seeing the seasons change on a different country and watching another culture looking forward towards the holidays is so interesting and truly an experience I could only have had through an exchange.

Also, as I am taking part in everyday German life, I am beginning to learn both the language as well as the culture. Although I am nowhere near fluent, I am slowly picking up some German and I am truly enjoy the experiences that have come from this education. While learning a language is an incredibly difficult task, it is also very fun and provides many wonderful experiences.

Every day in Germany has been an amazing and wonderful experience; thank you everyone who made my exchange possible.

December 1, 2018

I have had a great month in Germany. I have been able to see so much more of this extraordinary country and learn so much more about the culture. Although I have made countless memories, there have been a few moments that are particularly notable.

First, I was able to bake Weihnachtsplätzchen [Christmas cookies] with my host family. This was so fun and interesting. I am beyond excited for the Holidays. Next, I went hunting with my host brother for wild boar. We traveled to the Sauerland at five in morning to try and find an animal. Even though we were unsuccessful, it was still a enjoyable and great experience. Furthermore, I was able to make a Thanksgiving meal for my host family. It was very nice to give back to them a little and introduce them to a small piece of American culture.

This has been another amazing month. Even though I miss America, every day here has been an exciting and wonderful experience. Thank you everyone who made my exchange possible; it has been a wonderful three months.

January 1, 2019

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This has been another amazing month of my exchange and I have had made so many more memories.

For example, I was able to experience the winter holidays in Germany. This was so amazing and different from what I am used to. For an entire week we met with family, ate, exchanged gifts, went wild boar hunting, and spent the time together. Although I missed my family during the winter holiday, my Christmas in Germany was beyond amazing.

Also, we had our rotary district Christmas party. This was incredibly fun and it was wonderful to meet with all of our district’s exchange students again.

From ice skating to visiting Weihnachtsmärkte, winter is truly amazing season in Germany and December has been a great month. I hope January and the rest of the new year stays just as wonderful.

February 1, 2019

It has been another great month in Germany! Along with adapting more to the culture and learning much more of the language, I have been able to see even more of this amazing land.

I started this month with my host family in London. This was so incredibly beautiful and beyond wonderful. New Year’s was a blast! It was wonderful to stay up late into the night with my host family: dancing, eating, and spending time together.

Then, I switched to my second host family marking the half way point of my exchange. This is both incredibly sad and exciting at the same time. It is sad because it’s going by so quickly and I had to say goodbye to my first host family. Yet, it is also exciting because it marks a new beginning within my time here. My new host parents are absolutely wonderful and I cannot wait to spend the next couple of months with them. We have enjoyed many hours talking over the kitchen table.

This month we had to say goodbye to our “oldies,” or the exchange students that come and leave in the winter season from the Southern Hemisphere. This was so sad. Fortunately, we were also able to welcome in the “newbies.” I’m so excited to grow closer to our new friends and family members.

Although this month has marked an end to some key aspects of my exchange, it has also been an incredibly amazing month; I cannot wait to see where the next adventure leads.

March 1, 2019

March has been another wonderful month for me. I have spent most of my time this month on the Rotex Euro Tour. We were able to explore 17 cities, in 11 different countries.

It was incredible to spend this much time together as an exchange group, traveling across the European Continent. I had heard previously from Rotarians and rebounds that it would be similar to traveling with a mini United Nations. There were 53 exchange students from 18 different countries speaking 9 different languages.

Although I was not in Germany for most of this month, it was by far one of my favorite months yet. I have made so many memories and made such deep bonds with the other exchange students. This is where I feel the student ambassador and creating world peace one exchange at a time takes root.

March has been a great month and I am sad to see it and Euro Tour come to an end. I cannot wait to see where April and the Spring season will take me.

May 1, 2019

April has been another amazing month! I was able to see even more of Germany, and I can’t believe that I could have so many more great experiences this far in my exchange.

First, we had our spring break and Easter holiday. That was so amazing and so different from what we do in the US. We met with family, took part in an “Easter Fire”, and spent time together. It was a lot quieter than back home, but altogether a wonderful experience.

Also, I was able to see so much more of the country during the holiday weeks. I visited the family from my host family in Frankfurt and I also had the opportunity to meet again with the family from our exchange student in the US, in Dessau.

This has been another great month, and even though I only have 2 full months left, I can’t wait to see where they lead me—hopefully they are as amazing as the previous.

June 1, 2019