The decision to participate in the UA in Germany: Language and Culture program was an easy one. I first learned about the program during the Fall study abroad fair hosted at UA, and as soon as I heard about it, I knew I had to go. I’ve been committed to learning German for years – I took it for two years in high school, am currently majoring in German along with Psychology and Advertising, and I plan to do my master’s abroad after graduating. I love language learning and cultural immersion, so obviously “Language and Culture” was the perfect study abroad program for me. After the Spring semester ended, I went home and impatiently waited for two weeks until it was finally time to hop on a plane and head to Europe.
Before heading to Munich (“München,” in German!) I stayed in Amsterdam for three days, exploring the city and connecting with an internet friend I’ve known for years. With the ocean between us, we’ve never had a chance to meet, so I obviously took the chance to finally say hello in-person as soon as possible. The Amsterdam sidequest was an amazing addition to my experience, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to visit the Netherlands. We visited some of the classic Amsterdam attractions – the tallest swing in Europe, the city center, museums – as well as taking a day trip to the nearby city of Utrecht. It was a whirlwind three days, and at the end, I hugged my friend goodbye and went off to navigate the hell labyrinth that is the Amsterdam Airport, ready for my next stop in München.
