Hey! My name is Merle and I come from a small village in northern Germany. However, my “wanderlust” has repeatedly led me abroad, so I associate different places with different aspects of “home.” I love exploring other parts of the world, their people, traditions, and food. Therefore, I am so grateful that I get to know the incredible hospitality of the Glaswegians, the delicious seafood of Barcelona, and the infamous student-life of Göttingen. Besides my (some might say “unusual”) passion for whole grain bread, I love scuba diving, musicals, and dancing, which are interestingly represented by all three cities together.

For my undergrad, I studied American Studies and Sociology at Leipzig University with a focus on US foreign policy and economics. I also had the opportunity to study at Ohio University, where I participated in the Global Leadership Program to learn more about policy writing and addressing global problems from a local perspective. This corresponds with my interest in economic development, which I developed after working in India in the field of village development. Since then, I tried my hand at various other fields such as project management and NGO management, which further increased my interest in studying how economics, business, politics, cultures, and development intersect.

That is why GLOCAL suits me perfectly: It combines all these subjects and enables me to connect theory and practice. But GLOCAL is so much more! It’s about finding a new “family,” working across cultures with people of 27 nationalities, and broadening my horizons. I have learned so much in the last two months already and can’t wait to see what is still to come!