By Noah Mack, Gaylord Class of 2025
Visiting another country is one of the most invaluable and life-changing experiences a student can have.
This past summer I had the honor to join the RIAS program in Berlin to learn about German journalism, politics and history. We toured German news stations, met with German politicians and visited several historical sites. I even had the chance to stay longer and travel through Austria and France.
I have learned so much during my journey in Europe, and it is hard to condense it all down to a few sentences. In short, I have learned that human connection penetrates cultural and linguistic boundaries, and spreading those connections to others is at the heart of my job as a storyteller.
I met so many remarkable people on this program, all with their own story; all stories on the broader timeline of Germany’s history. I knew the history before, but after these 3 weeks, I vicariously lived it through these people. East Side Gallery artist Kani Alavi did not speak English, but his smile and enthusiasm for art spoke to me more than anything he could have said.
Emotions are what connect people, and storytelling is a mechanism to spread those emotions around the world. Meeting with Ukrainian refugees on our last day was the most meaningful experience of the trip. Not only did I get to listen to their harrowing stories, but I got to have lunch with them, laugh with them, and become friends with them. Before I left the lunch, a wonderful woman named Nadin told me when I get back to the United States, to “talk about this war” and tell their story. I have never been more sure about my career than in that moment.
Special thanks to Gaylord—especially John Schmeltzer and Mike Boettcher—for getting me involved with this opportunity.
