My study abroad experience was such an eye-opening time. I not only learned about the culture of Germany, but also things about myself. We toured many companies and got to see how their business values differ from in America. We went to Volkswagen, BMW Motorcycles, I C Berlin, and Jägermeister. These companies all had different values that help enforce their culture.
We also went to tour historical sites such as the remnants of the Berlin Wall, castles in multiple cities, and a library from the 1800s. The thing about Germany that I learned, is that they do not hide the past whether good or bad. This was interesting to see, since in America we only highlight or display our good history. I believe that by showing both sides, it shows the world that you are not proud of where you came from, but also how you have improved yourself in the modern day.
During our stay, we had nights free, so me and some of the other students would explore all parts of the city. It was very nice to see how the cities differ at night vs. during the day. We went to the different restaurants, stores, and places that the locals enjoyed going to. I did experience a bit of culture shock for the first few days, since I do not know German. After a few days, however, I picked up on some common phrases, so I used those the remainder of the trip in order to eliminate part of the language barrier.
I am glad that I decided to go on this trip with UTC faculty and other students, so that way I would know more people once I got back to the States. I highly recommend to students that think they want to study abroad, but do not want to worry about not knowing anyone there or not getting credit to go on faculty led trip. In my opinion they give the best of both worlds. I have even talked to the faculty about possibly going to the local university, Ostfalia, for a semester. This all depends on how the terms would line up and also whether or not I could get credit for all of the classes that I would need to take while there.
Dilynn Wray is majoring in Accounting and spent part of May 2019 participating in a faculty-led trip to Germany through the Rollins College of Business. Dilynn had the following to say about studying abroad, “Studying abroad is such a great experience. Whether you want to just get away from the norm for a few weeks, or go for an entire year, you will learn a lot about yourself and others.
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