Student Experiences Studying Abroad in World Languages and Cultures

Clearly, there are amazing bonus educational experiences to studying abroad. There are elements of the German language that become second nature when used daily, and hearing German spoken by natives is truly a wonderful way to boost your language skills. I had been studying German for a long time before coming to Germany, but being in the country really helped me to begin speaking conversational German comfortably on a regular basis. Plus, I was able to learn so much about Germany through traveling to its many historical sites.

Even just in the town Lüneburg with about 70,000 where I studied, there was a rich history. The town’s older buildings remain largely intact. I learned about how the town was built on the salt trade, which led it to be very wealthy throughout time. The elegant architecture of facades in the Altstadt (old city) added to the everyday aesthetics of learning and living in a foreign place.

The experiences I received in Germany are truly unforgettable. I was given a host family who was so helpful in guiding my studies and enriching my cultural experiences. There were various groups and activities at the university I got involved with such as sports clubs, native German-speaking partners and day trip excursions. Once I asked an on-site program advisor about the organs in town, and I was set up with an unforgettable opportunity to play on an old organ in a church where Bach himself used to play. 

Studying abroad is an experience that I would highly recommend to anyone, even if they had not studied a language prior to living in a country. The people who came to Germany without any German skills improved the most. Regardless of the language barrier, there are so many new cultural experiences that I could not truly appreciate until I was able to be there in person. The experiences I gained have shaped me in who I am today, and the skills that I have developed abroad are an important part of my future. I am so thankful to CMU for that amazing opportunity to leave my stamp on the world!

Megan Frey, '20
Majors: German & Psychology

During the spring semester in 2020, I studied abroad in Bochum from January to March. My initial intent was to stay there until July, but due to the Coronavirus pandemic I was inevitably ordered to return home. However, though I only stayed a little over three months in Bochum, I gained a lot from the experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life. 

Because of an 8-week long intensive language program, my German-speaking abilities benefitted greatly, and at that time I gained so much confidence in my abilities as a German speaker. The teachers were all exceptional and helped me integrate the German I knew from home to what I was taught there. I also met so many new friends in my class that were mostly foreign exchange students or even students who had been living in Germany before I arrived, which opened my eyes and helped me establish a diverse mindset when interacting with other individuals. At the end of the class, I successfully passed several exams that aimed at testing my reading, writing and conversational German. This is where the bulk of my time was spent, but I also spent my time on other things as well. 

I traveled extensively where I could, visiting places such as Köln, Dortmund, and Bonn. Unfortunately, I did not get time to travel too much outside of Germany, but the places within gave me just as good of an experience and in my free time I would often take a day trip to these places just to walk around. 

Some of my free time was also spent volunteering for a local Gymnasium in Bottrop, where I was assisting teachers with educating students about the United States and the English language. This was interrupted in March due to my forced departure from Germany, but I am thankfully still serving the Gymnasium virtually and it has been an extremely rewarding experience for me. 

Finally, while the above items gave me a lot to positively reflect upon, none is more so than the hardships I faced and conquered while there. I lived alone in an apartment right next to the university, and there were many times when I had to set things up myself and travel into town and buy things; I had to learn to effectively negotiate challenges with little to no help while almost always speaking German. Though these were definitely daunting tasks for me, I knew I had to insert myself into these situations and as a result this ironically became my favorite part of the trip because I felt like I had grown so much as a person. 

Thank you Dr. Niederhoff for always helping me when I needed it; I could not have asked for a better advisor. An additional thank you goes out to CMU Study Abroad who helped me throughout the initial process. Last but not least, thank you to Dr. Richter who inspired me to take on this adventure; it has truly changed my life and I hope that everyone that chooses to study abroad considers Bochum as a destination; it is a truly unique place with a lot of history and so much to do.

Nate Mansfield
Major: International Business
Minor: Finance, Information Systems & German
Expected Graduation Year: 2022

2018/2019

In the middle of my senior year at CMU, I became interested in doing a study abroad in Germany. I knew that I had another year left in Mount Pleasant and studying abroad is something that I had always wanted to do, so I began to look into it. Studying my options, I decided that a six-week course in Berlin would be my ideal trip - a good way to start when one has never traveled abroad before. Being from a small town in Michigan, I hadn’t really known many people who had traveled abroad. I wasn’t sure how to get my passport, which steps to take next. This is when I discovered that it’s really not all that difficult to do these things. While CMU’s Office of Study Abroad kept me on top of deadlines, I found that the process of going abroad is quite simple and I wondered why more people didn’t do it.

Once I made it to Berlin, I was definitely overwhelmed with the sheer amount of culture being thrust upon me. A city almost completely destroyed by WWII, separated between the West and the East after that, and an epicenter of art, music, and culture. The capital city of Germany is amazing, and I was so ready to experience it.

During orientation, the students took a competency test to see where they should be in class. I was lucky enough to get into a class with the American professor, the first and only one at Freie Universitat. Our professor was ...different. He didn’t seem to teach like normal professors did - he taught philosophically. He taught about the beauty of learning German, he taught about the culture and war. He took us on outings throughout the city to learn about the people who lived there and the struggles they faced. The course was strange and amazing, and we all loved coming to class.

In my evenings and days off in Berlin, I would travel around the city with some friends, but mainly my friend from Philly. Heather and I would hop on the bus and U-bahn and see what there was to see, eventually ending up back at the dorm, sitting on my balcony and chatting. On hot days we would take the U-bahn down to Schlachtensee, a lake in Berlin. There we would grab some Pommes to eat, swim in the cool water, and generally relax.

The program ended too soon, but afterward Heather and I had time to travel around Europe. We went to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Paris before heading back to the states. It was a whirlwind of a summer, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. From my classmates, my flatmates, my professor, and friends I met along the way, to the wonderful sights of ancient buildings and natural wonders in Europe, the trip was well worth any struggles I might have had in between. I highly encourage anyone who’s learning a language to dive in and immerse themselves in that country. Study abroad to learn the culture and you’ll learn a bit about yourself on the way.

Morgan Thomas, '20
Major: Mechanical Engineering Technology
Minors: German, Leadership