Hey there! So, let me take you through my whirlwind journey from Austria to the BFTF program:

It all started with a flight from Salzburg to Frankfurt, where I bumbled my way through the airport to get to my chaperoned flight to Chicago. Honestly, navigating that airport felt like a scene from a spy movie—minus the cool gadgets. So in Frankfurt I joined forces with a bunch of other European fellows. Picture us all trying to look sophisticated while simultaneously freaking out about the adventure ahead.

Once aboard, we bonded over our shared excitement and nerves, wondering what awaited us in the land of deep dish pizza and skyscrapers.
From Chicago, it was a 2.5-hour bus ride to West Lafayette. Imagine a bus full of sleep-deprived but hopeful teenagers, staring out at miles of cornfields and thinking, “Are we there yet?” Spoiler: we weren’t.

Finally arriving in West Lafayette, we were greeted with open arms (and a lot of paperwork) by the BFTF staff. The first day, Sunday, kicked off with a lecture on Benjamin Franklin—who knew a guy from way back when could be so fascinating? We also got the grand tour of campus, which was cool until we realized how big it actually is.

Monday kicked off our school journey. Professor Leming’s talk sparked our interest and made us think. Asta introduced our projects, getting us really excited. In the evening, we celebrated our global diversity with cool presentations about different countries and states, each one showing us how different and awesome the world can be.

Tuesday brought more thinking and learning. We got into spirited talks about privacy rights, thinking about what’s right and what’s legal. The day was made even more interesting with more great presentations about different countries and states, each one showing us more about our friends’ lives.

Wednesday was a standout. We got to be part of a fake trial about privacy rights, turning a classroom into a courthouse for the day. Later, we had a fun birthday party for a friend, with laughs, a piñata, and a bond that felt like family.

Thursday kept making our BFTF trip even better. We were lucky to hear from a family member of Benjamin Franklin and a past BFTF member from Hungary, who gave us great advice and made us feel inspired. Riding the cool Boilermaker train was a great experience. The day ended with us all talking about the first presidential debate between Biden and Trump, showing us how leadership can affect our lives.

Friday started with new things to learn and new friends to make. We found out about journalism and how the news can change how we see things. Bowling at the Purdue Memorial Union was a great time, with friends showing off their skills and us all getting closer.

Saturday was our first weekend together, and it was awesome. A trip to Walmart became a tour of American snacks and random things to buy. Playing Volleyball outside and watching movies in the cinema made us all laugh and gave us memories we’ll always remember.

From Friday’s bowling to Saturday’s Walmart trip, BFTF has been a blast. Sunday in Lafayette means mall time and later, gearing up for talent shows. Plus, we’re hitting the field for some American football fun!

From big talks to happy times, the BFTF trip has been a rollercoaster of feelings.
As we look forward to the next three weeks, we’re thrilled for more adventures, deeper friendships, and countless memories to cherish. Here’s to making the most of our time at BFTF!