Brief comments from US journalists after September exchange program in Germany

Brief comments from US journalists after September exchange program in Germany

The RIAS Berlin Commission recently completed its two-week September exchange program with 10 U.S. journalists. They visited Brussels, Cologne, Erfurt and Berlin. There were about 30 appointments with German journalists, politicians, think tanks, artists and media experts. They also saw a Hertha Berlin soccer game at Olympia stadium. There were also three lively alumni reunions with German alumni from RIAS in Berlin, Cologne, Brussels. Here are some of the impressions from the 10 Americans who took part in the program.

Jordyn Siemens, KTVZ-TV in Bend, Oregon

The RIAS Berlin Kommission Program opened my eyes to just how interconnected our worlds can be. As someone who covers hyper-local issues for a small market in the U.S., I was impressed and surprised at how global issues and the lives of those abroad could be compared and applied to those my community faces. I’m looking forward to bringing this new perspective back with me; it’s sure to change the way I do my job, and hopefully open the eyes of others as well.