Jeanette Millard was part of the 1974-75 JYF cohort. She is the founder and owner of CJM Consulting, an organization development, coaching, and consulting firm based in Hudson, MA. Jeanette came to Freiburg from Dickinson College and shares part of her Freiburg story today.

Jeannette Millard (JYF 1974-75)

Do you remember arriving in Freiburg? What was one of your biggest worries and how did you get over it? —

I hardly knew any German when I got to Freiburg and tested the very lowest in language proficiency. This felt terrible! I was lucky, though, as I had been connected to a few fantastic German students in Freiburg by a former JYFer. They took me under their wing and taught me German by discussing politics, history, and life when we had breakfast together, or while sitting in a North German bar in the Salzstraße.

By the end of the year I was about 10 kilos heavier than before – but I spoke fluent German and had solved most of life’s big issues!

I also met my good friend Marianne White in Freiburg – another JYFer who was from UVA. We are still great friends, and just had our annual cookie-baking day. What a sturdy friendship we forged in Freiburg!

What’s a favorite memory of your year in Freiburg? Did you have any favorite courses? —

I was a religion major and by the second semester (April-July) I was able to take graduate level courses in the religion department in Freiburg. One was called “Spirits and Faeries in the Near East.” We heard great folk tales every week.

What helped you make the most of the year in Freiburg? Did you have a job or an internship? —

What helped me the most was speaking German ALL the time. Not everyone made that choice, but I would encourage people to leave the home group of American students and get out there into the Uni.

How has the year in Freiburg enriched/impacted your life? Be specific. —

It led me to grad school with Tufts, back to Tübingen for 2+ years, then teaching German for 7 years in Boston. I thought I’d have to leave German behind when I switched careers and got an M.S. in Organization Development. But over the past 20+ years I have had a good number of German clients, who have global companies and appreciate my understanding of German culture, as well as cross-cultural hurdles between the US and Germany.

So, instead of leaving German behind, it came back around to further my consulting career and give me some amazing experiences working internationally.

How would you describe your year in Freiburg in one sentence? —

It was an eye-and mind-opening experience that made a huge difference in my life.

Jeanette shared her story via the AYF Alumni Profiles Project page. We welcome your contribution to our communal story telling!