When Davis High School senior Adelle Porter heard about the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program, she thought at first that it was a study-abroad program she would have to pay for. “But when I realized it was a scholarship where you basically get paid to go,” she said, “I thought, ‘this is the best thing that could happen to me!’”

Even though she believed her chance of receiving the scholarship was low, she sent in her application.

Porter progressed to the semifinals of the application process and flew to Dallas for a final interview. “I was overjoyed just to be able to go and to tell my friends that I was doing this,” she said. “And then when the word got out that they were calling people to say that they got accepted, I was waiting by my phone. For the entire hour that it took for them to call me, I was just holding my phone and praying that I would get in.”

When the phone finally rang and Porter received the news of her acceptance, she was ecstatic. “I was so happy,” she said. “I’ve never been that happy in my life.” In celebration, her parents made a German dinner full of pastries and her favorite BLTs.

Porter has always been deeply interested in travel, languages and other countries. “I feel like there are a lot of countries that are misunderstood or stereotyped for what they look to be like on the surface,” she said. After being awarded the CBYX scholarship, she researched the culture and people and food of Germany, and her excitement built.

“It kind of grew on me after a little bit,” said Porter. “Where in the beginning I applied because I was like ‘oh well, I’m not going to get accepted, I might as well.’” Porter looks forward to exploring castles, eating the best bread in Germany and most of all, learning German.

In the past, she has attempted learning Dutch, Russian, Spanish and even Scottish Gaelic. This time, with German, it will be different. “There’s so much pressure on the full immersion process,” said Porter. “I’m excited to be able to fully learn a language.” She looks forward to finally becoming bilingual.

Porter anticipates there will be a few challenges for her during her time in Germany. Navigating the city streets is one, and the other is the high school experience. “I’m anticipating that teenagers will be the same everywhere,” she said. “So I think it will be difficult to find a group to settle in with there.” She hopes to find someone in the process of learning English so they can help each other practice their languages.

Receiving the scholarship means a great deal to Porter, who is the second of six siblings and has sometimes felt overlooked and overshadowed. “When I got this [scholarship], I was like ‘wait, they actually saw me?’” she said. “I think it’s cool that they picked me for how I displayed myself as opposed to what my reputation would have been if they knew me back in Kaysville. They thought I had the potential to go to Germany and learn German and become an exchange student.”

After the program, Porter plans on continuing to pursue her goals, which include serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and becoming a doctor of veterinary medicine. But for now, she’s enthusiastically preparing for her school year in Germany.

“I’m excited to go,” said Porter. “I’m worried about packing up my entire life in a 50-pound suitcase, but I think it will be fun.”