After an incredible month in Germany and traveling in Europe, I am finally back home in the US and able to reflect on my time abroad. Following the three and a half weeks I studied German in Freiburg, I took a train through the Alps to Milan, Italy, where I spent a week meeting up with a friend and exploring the Italian city. Ultimately, I was able to visit four different countries, since I studied in Germany and took smaller trips to France, Switzerland, and Italy. Since this was my first time abroad, not only did this month allow me to learn German intensively, but it also allowed me to travel more extensively than I ever had before and experience four countries other than my own. I highly recommend using a study abroad experience to explore the culture that you are visiting but also surrounding regions and cultures. Using this opportunity to experience as many countries as possible allowed me to interact with more people, languages, and cultures, and it has definitely broadened my perspective on the world and my own culture.
Reflecting on my time in Germany, I find that the experience was incredibly rewarding and noticeably improved my German language skills and understanding of German culture. I was enrolled in an intensive language course in Freiburg, Germany, and over the three and a half weeks I was there, my language skills greatly improved. Even more importantly, I was able to put these skills to use in real-life scenarios in Germany. Whether ordering food, shopping at a store, or meeting new people at social events, I was able to actually use and encounter the German language in an authentic setting. Although many Germans speak English and will comfortably use English to interact with you as a foreigner, it is important to insist on using German in everyday interactions and not be afraid to spend more time and effort to use the German language. This has immeasurable benefits on speaking and listening skills, and it allows you to pick up on more colloquialisms and subtleties of the language that are not taught in the classroom. Although my German is still far from perfect, the experience has reinvigorated my love for German and reminded me of the joys of learning and using a foreign language.
Returning home, I have gained a new perspective on the cultures I encountered as well my own culture at home. Immediately on arriving at the airport in the US, I found myself experiencing seemingly mundane interactions, such as reading signs, ordering food, and talking to my family, in a new light. While these interactions came to me more easily because they were conducted in my native language, I also began to see the differences between my experience in Germany and my experience at home. Since being abroad, I am now able to examine my own life and experiences in a new light and question why I speak or act in the ways that I do. Studying abroad has given me a broader, more global perspective and has given me a more nuanced view of my own culture at home. I cannot recommend studying abroad enough, both for the experience it provides as well as the new perspectives you gain from it. The University of Alabama has provided me amazing resources and opportunities to make this experience happen, and I encourage all students to consider studying abroad during their time here. Thank you for coming along with me to Germany, and I hope to be back soon!