Hi, I’m Anna from Germany. My gap year is definitely my dream life because it revolves all around politics.
My first stop is the European Parliament in Brussels. There I’ll intern at the office of MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen. Parallel to that I joined a French course. The best thing is that I can directly use my new French knowledge in Brussels. While I stay in Brussels I also anticipate traveling on the west coast of Europe (e.g. Paris, Amsterdam) with an interrail ticket on the weekends. Through my political engagement, I have friends all over Europe who I hope to visit while traveling on the west coast.
Then in January and February, I want to visit the US for the first time. Duke and Durham is obviously on my bucket list. But I’m also going to have the most emotional meet-up with friends of mine in Nashville and Franklinton. So look out for blurry fotos with us two jumping up and down on my Instagram account.
Recently, I was elected as a European Parliament candidate for my party. So, from May until the beginning of June, I’ll be intensively involved in my election campaign and will temporarily step away from the Duke Gap Year Program. I’m already really hyped because I get to invite my political role model Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann to my hometown – ahhhhhhhhhh!
Additionally, I’m going to help shape the campaign of the Free Democrats of Germany while living in Berlin.
After the election, I plan to perfect my Spanish skills. My current plan is to participate in a volunteering program of AFS in Panama with a focus on politics and society.
Let’s hope that I can sleep with so much exciting stuff going on!
