How I Chose to Study Abroad

     While studying abroad is an amazing opportunity, it also comes with a million decisions to make. Where to study? What to study? How long? Despite this, I knew I wanted to study abroad. I knew I wanted to go to a German-speaking country from the get go. I’ve been taking German classes since I was thirteen years old and continue to study the language in college. I wanted to learn German and expand my vocabulary in a natural way. The best way to learn is to speak it everyday. My aunt spent time in Germany and said it was such a great way to improve your speaking skills (as well as a ton of fun). I may have studied the language, but nothing could beat speaking the language with natives. I looked through the study abroad website at my own university, sorting through the options based on country. I ended up deciding on Germany as it had the most options to improve my use of the language. 

     All the different companies and programs made me feel incredibly overwhelmed. Originally, I was against Berlin. I was worried there would be too much English. I was worried about living in a city. It felt too far from what I know, yet not immersive enough. After endless calls with my parents, I still had no idea of where I wanted to study. I got an advertisement on Instagram for IES Abroad. It instantly piqued my interest. A group of people my age, walking around a gorgeous city with the IES Abroad logo at the top of the page. I try not to click on Instagram advertisements, but this seemed like a sign. After stalking their page for a while, I checked out the IES Abroad website and saw even more happy looking people in other countries. Huge smiles, breathtaking nature, and stunning architecture covered the website. This cemented my mind on studying abroad. That could be me. 

     I had decided on going abroad over the summer because it just made sense with timing. I had signed a lease for the next year, I had changed majors and had to rearrange my classes, it all seemed to make sense. I found four programs in Germany. Three are in Berlin and one in Freiburg. The image for my chosen program caught my eye. It showed a person wearing the coolest black dress with blue hair, standing on a staircase in front of framed art. I wanted to be that cool. I looked through the different options and decided on Language & Culture in Berlin. I began the application immediately. I have been learning German since I was in middle school, I wanted to speak German in Germany! 

     I then went to ask my German professor for advice. She had spent years in Europe, bouncing between German-speaking countries and throughout Germany. What did she think of Berlin? Would I be able to speak German? With her warm smile, she soothed my mind and spoke highly of Berlin. It was a super cool and unique city. It would be an amazing opportunity to spend time there. I did more research on Berlin, specifically in the summer. One article I read included a picture of a random person dressed as Darth Vader in Berlin. I decided then to submit my application. Within a few weeks, I was accepted and I await the beginning of my adventures in Berlin! I can hardly wait! Auf wiedersehen!