The past seven months in Heidelberg, Germany have been a transformative experience for me. Embarking on a Fulbright taught me to venture out of my comfort zone in order to experience living in a totally different country and culture to the fullest. When I first arrived to Germany back in mid-September, I was very anxious with regards to encountering a language barrier, as I didn't know any German. However, what really helped was using the same skills I used in Spanish classes back in grade school to attempt to learn a new language. I realized that when I approached the German language with an open and relaxed mind , I was actually able to pick up more than I had anticipated (for example German numbers from 0-500 in only 2 months!).
Another essential aspect of my Fulbright Germany experience has been learning about the scientific research landscape in Germany. Germany has many renowned research insitutions such as Max-Plank, Frauenhofer, Helmholz, and the DKFZ (German Cancer Research Center), which my lab is currently a part of. Germany is a global leader in STEM research and, in fact, over 3% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) is invested in thsi sector.
