German Student Stories

Nick Friedman - Heidelberg, Germany

Nick Friedman

Major/Minor - German, Chemistry and Secondary Education
Program - Heidelberg Junior Year Summer Program
Why go? - To improve my German, learn more about German culture and explore more of Germany.
Quote - "The only way to truly understand what it means to be German is to live and breathe German culture. Textbooks can only take you so far; then you have to experience Germany first hand. This applies to any foreign language or culture."

Allison Knauff

Major/Minor - German and Chemistry
Program - Heidelberg Junior Year Summer Program
Why go? - Improve my German skills, take classes in Germany and explore Europe a bit.
Quote - "We had these language partners, and one of them was this guy named Reinhold. When we were out together, he would make fun of my German pronunciation. We would spend hours at the pool trying to get me to roll my r's. It was good fun."

Kari Schmidt

Major/Minor - German and Chemistry
Program - IES Vienna - Spring Semester 2006
Why go? - "I always wanted to study abroad, so that I could just throw myself into a completely different culture. I also wanted to expand my German knowledge, both with the language and the culture. I even got to experience a special Viennese culture!"
Quote - "Studying abroad was the best experience of my entire life, I don't think anything will ever be better than it. I got to visit 9 countries in 5 months, I made wonderful friendships and memories to last me a lifetime! I would do it again in a heartbeat. Someone please put me on a plane right now!"

Kelsey Davenport

Major/Minor - German, International Studies, Political Science
Program - Students in International Training: Central Europe: Nationalism, Ethnicity and Culture - Frei University Institute for Summer Study
Why go? - To improve her language skills, experience a different culture, and have a chance to conduct research in a foreign country.
Quote - "Studying abroad is an incredible experience. There is nothing like immersing yourself in another culture and learning to look at the world from a different viewpoint. Berlin is a great place to do just that. It is a city with a culture unlike any other."

Meagan Hinze

Major/Minor - German and Chemistry
Program - Heidelberg Junior Year Summer Program
Why go? - I wanted to greatly improve my German, since I am at a disadvantage for not starting German until college. I also went for the atmosphere and to learn more about the German culture.
Quote - "I really want to learn German, so going to Germany for six weeks in the summer made sense. What better way to improve and learn a lot more German than in Germany?"

Katie Bartholomew

Major/Minor - Arts Administration and German
Program - Butler Exchange - Tübingen Universität
Why go? - I went to continue learning about the culture that is Germany, and to further my knowledge and understanding of the German language. Also, I went to learn to be more independent and experience other parts of the world while I have the time.
Quote - "You can never truly understand a culture, language, or what you see in photographs until you live there. Studying abroad is a lifetime experience that is one of a kind, because every country, program, and city is different. It is a journey I would suggest anyone take because you grow drastically as a person."
Expanded Coverage - Not only do you have the opportunity to study and live in another country, but you also can do a great deal of traveling. I traveled to multiple destinations in Germany, as well as other countries throughout Europe. The traveling allows you to see a variety of cultures and their unique beauties.

Melissa Tienes

Major/Minor - Biology and German
Program - Tübingen University Exchange Program
Why go? - I wanted to experience a new culture and a new way of life, in addition to improving my German speaking skills and vocabulary.
Quote - "The opportunity to tackle something like living and studying in another country all alone was a great boost to my sense of independence and self confidence. It is something that has changed who I am as a person and an experience that I would recommend to everyone."