My UA group this summer in Germany
My time abroad in Germany has recently come to an end. While abroad, I have made many new friends and learned a lot about German language and culture. My last week, which was spent in Munich and other parts of Bavaria, was by far my favorite part of the trip. I was able to see a wide variety of locations, and had the opportunity to try many different Bavarian foods. I found the city of Munich itself to be especially scenic, and spent many hours wandering the city.
Looking back on the trip as a whole, I definitely believe it was a worthwhile experience. I had the opportunity to travel to another country for the first time, and was able to become intimately acquainted with that culture. Additionally, I was able to significantly develop my knowledge of the German language, which will be very helpful for my major. After spending more than a month in Germany, I feel much more comfortable using the language conversationally and have a much wider range of vocabulary to choose from.
Perhaps the biggest adjustment for me was my return to the United States. Whereas I did not experience significant culture shock when I went to Germany, upon return I felt very strange seeing most advertisements in English and being able to order from a restaurant without using german phrases. Nonetheless, it took only a few days to adjust back to normal life and to get back into old routines. I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and would definitely be interested in trying something like this again in the future. Until then, I will be continuing my studies at the University of Alabama this fall.