Copyright Altoona Mirror
A year into his adventure and with 27 countries marked off his list, McCoy said he is becoming “not afraid to do anything.” Moving to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, was a big step for the 24-year-old McCoy, but he didn’t go without some preparation. Family roadtrips His mother, Lori McCoy, believes her son’s affinity for travel began in his childhood during family road trips. The travels by vehicle, which took them to 48 states, allowed the family to make stops along the way to visit factories, historic and natural sights, as well as national parks, she said. “As parents, we wanted to focus on learning about our country, its history, and what makes it special, rather than acquiring material things,” Lori McCoy said. Adam McCoy took that zest for learning with him to school, where he decided to take German as his foreign language class requirement at Hollidaysburg Area High School. He chose German because a large portion of his family immigrated here from Germany and he felt an “underlying connection” to the culture, he said. He had a knack for the language, according to German teacher Alicia Schmouder, who said it was “obvious from the beginning” that McCoy was a “natural German language learner.” “He would pick up things super fast,” Schmouder said, stating that he would ask advanced questions that were “beyond where he should have been.” During McCoy’s high school experience, his family hosted a German exchange student. Then he learned that he could become a foreign exchange student himself and ended up spending a summer in Germany. Being an exchange student and hosting exchange students was a “wonderful experience” for her son, Lori said. After high school, McCoy moved to Waco, Texas, having been accepted into Baylor University. There, he had a “change of scenery” and “a chance to see a different part of the country,” he said. He also roomed with a Russian student, which he said gave him the opportunity to learn about another culture. At Baylor, McCoy said he learned “how to be on my own, and it helped me learn how to be more open to the idea of moving to Germany.” McCoy graduated with a bachelor’s of science in marketing with a minor in German, and, after being immersed in the German language for eight years, knew he wanted to spend more time in the European country. That led him to apply and be hired for a custodial position at the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, a small ski town in Bavaria. The resort is owned by the U.S. Department of Defense and hires employees on a 15-month contract with travel orders to work as civilian DOD workers, McCoy explained. He applied for a general job and the administration then places workers in a position best suited to their skill set. He arrived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in mid-September 2024 and is set to return home in December, when his contract is fulfilled. The resort is “a fun environment to work in” because many people from difficult cultures work with him at the lodge, McCoy said. He even had the chance to reconnect with his high school German teacher, as Schmouder took her students to visit Germany and McCoy became their tour guide. Schmouder said the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort is featured in one of the students’ curriculum books, so it was a “fun” moment to tell them that McCoy works there. One of the coolest aspects that her students saw first hand is how McCoy “is using the language, and he is better than when he left the classroom,” she said. Sharing adventures During his time off, McCoy said he has traveled to different European countries, such as England, France and Spain. “I’ve been kind of everywhere,” he said. While she isn’t there in person, his mom gets a feeling for all he is experiencing as he often calls on FaceTime to show her the sights. “He loved sharing his adventures with us,” Lori McCoy said, adding “he is having a wonderful experience in Germany.” Last holiday season, he explored the country’s famous Christmas markets, and while he said the markets were “awesome,” he is ready “to be home for a while, especially for Christmas.” “People are much more warm and friendly in the U.S.,” he said, adding that he misses “being able to talk to the cashier in line at the grocery store.” Once he returns to the U.S., McCoy plans to take up marketing, his field of study, and use the skills and global perspective he gained in Germany to make an impact at home. McCoy said he learned that “everyone is truly unique.” Schmouder said it’s important to travel, as it provides an “open mind” about what lies beyond state lines. “You can’t understand your culture or appreciate your culture until you’ve been somewhere else,” she said. As he talked about his adventures, McCoy said he was about to leave for a trip to Portugal despite being unfamiliar with the language and territory. Now, though, he is comfortable with traveling and he’s proud that he decided to “go for it” and take a chance on a job far away from home. “If I didn’t do it (then), I never will,” he said. Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.
