Update: Loving life abroad

The past month has been incredibly busy but very exciting. Mannheim has so much to offer, and it's been great being in the center of Europe. Earlier this month I traveled to Bruges, Belgium with three of my friends. As much as I enjoyed my solo travels in September, it was really nice to have people to see the city with. We had a lot of fun walking around the beautiful historic city together, and we rented an Airbnb right on the Belgian coast, about 20 meters from the beach. After that weekend, however, I was forced to really jump into my classes as they were getting harder and more intense. I took a forensic psychology seminar that lasted 4 full days, which was really interesting, but involved a lot of long hours. As my classes have gotten more difficult, I have also started to enjoy them more. It was a little difficult for me to get into them at first, just because they weren't exactly what I was expecting. In my social science, most of my readings are empirical studies, which were difficult for me to understand at first. There has also been more coursework than I am used to, which involves writing three or four short response papers per class. This month I learned that as fun as it is to spend my time meeting people, socializing, and traveling, it is necessary that I take my classes seriously and dedicate enough time to them. Now I'm really enjoying my classes, and am able to participate more during class discussions. The readings make more sense, and I am used to the workload.

This month I also decided to extend my study abroad experience and stay in Mannheim for next semester. This was a big decision that was influenced by how much I am enjoying my time here, and my desire not to return to my home school, Mount Holyoke, right away. I think I need some more time to experience everything that study abroad has to offer, and I am so excited that I will be able to continue to study here. I will go home briefly for winter break, and then come back before the spring semester starts in order to have time to travel. Next semester I hope to go to Ireland, Poland, Morocco, and Greece. I might not be able to do everything I want, but either way I know it will be a great experience. I feel very good about my decision and am no longer sad about the time passing so quickly.

traveling alone

This past week, I took a trip into Eastern Europe by myself. After a couple classes got cancelled, I found myself with 6 free days, and decided to take advantage of them. I planned the trip only a couple weeks in advance, and decided to travel by bus to Prague and Budapest. The trip was amazing--both cities are absolutely beautiful, with a lot of art and culture to see and experience. I also enjoyed the brief break from classes, although I did have to do some reading while I was traveling to prepare for the upcoming week. The most challenging aspect of the trip was traveling alone, something that I have never done before and especially not in foreign countries. Thankfully most everyone in Prague and Budapest speaks English, which is helpful when trying to navigate the city and eat at restaurants. And of course, the Internet makes it easy now to plan a trip and figure out where you want to go and what you want to see. It's also great to travel alone because you get to go at your own pace, spending as much or as little time at each destination as you want. While there were a couple hurdles (missing my bus from Prague to Budapest, getting locked in my hostel room when the door jammed and almost missing my train) the trip was phenomenal overall.

After returning from my weeklong adventure, I have compiled a list of tips for young people traveling alone:

1. Stay in hostels

     Hostels are great for young people because they are very inexpensive. They are also a great way to meet other people when you are traveling by yourself. In every hostel I stayed at, I met other students or recent graduates from all over the world, and enjoyed spending time with them. If you want to check out the nightlife in a new city, going out with people in your hostel is a great way to have fun and stay safe. Also, many hostels offer some sort of "family dinner," where you can pay a small amount to share a homemade dinner with your fellow guests. The people working at the hostel are a great resource if you have questions about the city you're staying in, or want tips on where to go.

2. Get a map

     While Google Maps is a great resource, if you're traveling internationally you'll likely not have service/data everywhere you go. Buying a good old-fashioned city map at a tourist center or train station is the safest way to avoid getting lost. Tourist maps also usually include public transportation routes as well.

3. Keep your valuables close

    Make sure your wallet, phone, camera, and other valuable items are safe at all times. Most hostels have lockers where you can keep you items safe during the day. When you're out and about, make sure you don't keep your phone in your back pocket or another place where it could easily be stolen. Be especially aware of where your valuables are when using public transportation or walking in a crowd.

4. Don't look like a tourist

    It's hard not to look out of place when you're exploring a foreign city. However, walking around with your map in front of your face is a surefire sign that you're not a local. Try not to call too much attention to yourself whenever possible, so you don't label yourself as a target for potential thieves or scammers.

5. Respect the locals

    While you may be on vacation, local residents of wherever you're visiting are not. So, especially when you're going out, make sure to be respectful. This means not being loud/drunk on the streets, following local laws, and being respectful of local culture and customs. Remember, you're a guest in another country, so act accordingly.

6. Don't panic when something goes wrong

   Traveling, especially long distances, doesn't often go off without a hitch. If and when you encounter a problem while traveling, it can be really stressful and nerve-wracking, especially if you're by yourself. However, try to stay calm and approach the problem in a constructive way. For example, when I missed my bus from Prague to Budapest, I was able to book another one that left only a couple hours later. Don't worry if not everything goes according to plan--it probably won't, and that's part of the adventure. Do make sure to carry cash in case of an emergency, and be willing to be flexible in case a change of plans is necessary.

~Photos from my trip~

View from the Charles Bridge, Prague

Old Town Square, Prague

Chain Bridge crossing the Danube, Budapest

Széchenyi Thermal Baths, Budapest

Heroes' Square, Budapest

classes begin!

The summer academy has ended and the semester has officially begun. Prior to arrival, I was not sure what my classes would be like. My home university is very small, so most of my classes there are small discussion courses where you really get to know your professor and fellow classmates. My summer academy course was similar to this: about fifteen students, lots of participation, and a good relationship with my professor. Since the University of Mannheim is a larger institution, I expected the class sizes to be larger and the courses to be more lecture-based, rather than seminars. I also expected there to be more self-teaching, since the classes only meet once a week.

I have now completed my first week of classes, and they were a little different than I expected. My first class was a lecture with about 30 students, and was more or less what I expected. The professor lectured for the entire class and the students took notes. There was very little class participation. My other courses, however, were seminars, so there were fewer students and more discussion as a group. I felt at home in these classes because the structure is what I am used to. While I was expecting to be learning out of a textbook, none of my classes so far have required one. Instead, we read articles each week that are posted online by our professors. This is also very similar to most of my classes at home. I suspect it may be because political science as a field relies a lot on current events and up-to-date information. I like my classes so far, but I have a lot more free time than I expected because they only meet once a week. That means that most days I can sleep in, and my time is a lot less structured than at home. I think this will be a challenge for me, because I will have to figure out how to organize my time and motivate myself to do work on my own.

This weekend I took a trip to Berlin to visit my grandparents. I have been to Berlin before, but never on my own. This was my first time traveling alone in Germany. I took the ICE train from the Mannheim Hauptbahnhof to Berlin, and found that it was fairly easy and straightforward. The ICE trains are also much nicer than the trains I have taken in the U.S., and they have nice dining cars and free Wi-Fi. While I was on the train I got to see a lot of the German countryside, which is very beautiful. I also got to practice my German with people on the train, at restaurants, and at the hotel. Altogether I had a very good trip and am currently planning a trip to Prague and Budapest for the end of September. For this trip I am going to travel mostly by bus and stay in youth hostels, which I have never done before. I am very excited to visit new cities and experience the culture there.

Photos from Berlin:

the first few days in mannheim

I have now been in Mannheim for two weeks, and there is so much going on I barely have time to stop and think. Summer Academy classes are well underway, and I have also spent a lot of time getting to know Mannheim and the surrounding area, and my fellow classmates from all over the world. Since this is not my first time in Germany, I did not experience too much culture shock upon arrival. I am not obviously American, so people tend to treat me with some impatience when they realize I don't speak very much German, but for the most part my interactions have been pleasant. I have been a bit overwhelmed because of how much I had to do when I first arrived, such as registering as a resident, enrolling at the university, opening a bank account, and figuring out everyday things such as where to buy food and how to use the public transit system. The trams and buses here have been a real blessing. They run often and are usually on time, and they are extremely convenient for getting around the city. I also signed up for the Nextbike system, which allows me to rent a bike for an afternoon or even just a few minutes. 
I have noticed a few things that are different about Germany which I had not noticed before. Germans are very polite, but they do not make small talk. Alcohol is extremely easy to get, as they sell even hard liquor in the grocery stores, and it is legal and socially acceptable to drink in the streets. Groceries are much cheaper here than in the U.S. But while it may be easy to buy food and drinks, other things, like buying a SIM card and opening a bank account, were much harder and required extensive proof of residence in Mannheim.
It has been really fun exploring the city with my friends, but I also have loved the excursions organized by the Summer Academy. In the past two weeks, I've been to Heidelberg twice and got to hike up a mountain and tour the old castle. Heidelberg is gorgeous and looks much more like a stereotypical German town than Mannheim. The excursions are also a great opportunity to spend time with other people in the Summer Academy. It has been really great meeting people from all over the world, and hearing how their culture differs from American culture and German culture. It is also helpful that not everyone I've met speaks English, because that requires me to practice my German. I think my German has already improved in the short time I've been here, because I've been using it so much.
My first two weeks in Mannheim have been very exciting, but also exhausting. Navigating the city and doing simple things like shopping or going to class take a lot of energy because I am in a new environment. Generally, though, the people in Mannheim are friendly and helpful, and I've been harassed on the street much less than in the U.S. I definitely count that as a win.

Heidelberg

The Bridge in Heidelberg

The Heidelberg Castle

The Schloss in Mannheim lit up rainbow for Christopher Street Day

counting down the days

Hallo! In this blog I am chronicling my semester abroad in Mannheim, Germany.

I chose to study abroad in Germany mainly because of my interest in the German language. I am a German Studies minor, and my goal is to become fluent in German. I chose Mannheim because the university’s schedule allowed me to study abroad during the fall semester, and I wanted to experience the fall months in Germany. I am somewhat familiar with German culture because I have family in Germany and have been there several times, but I have never been on my own in a foreign country, which is both daunting and exciting. I expect that Germans will be very polite and helpful, while somewhat reserved. I hope to make friends with German students but am anxious that it will be difficult since I am an outsider. My goal is to immerse myself in the language and culture as much as possible. I will make an effort to read German books, newspapers, and magazines, watch German television, and really get to know the city. I expect it will be fairly easy for me to navigate in Germany, since I have a general understanding of the language and some experience traveling abroad.

            I am unsure of what to expect when it comes to academics. I know that my classes will be a lot larger and more lecture-based than my smaller courses at Mount Holyoke. I also know that my grade will be determined by one or two exams and papers, and that I will have to do a lot of studying and learning on my own. I am excited to experience a different teaching and learning style, but I am nervous that it will be challenging to adapt to the changes and that the courses will be difficult. I am also interested to see how language learning in Germany is different than in the U.S. I have taken two years of German so far in college, and plan to continue with German classes in Mannheim. I hope to improve my German significantly, especially my conversation skills. The university environment will also be very different. My home university has a very small campus, with everything within walking distance. In Mannheim, my apartment will be across the city and require me to take the bus to and from class.

            I am nervous about leaving home and being so far from my support networks at home and at school. However, I really think I will benefit from being away from home and experiencing life in another country. I am at a point where I am unsure what my next steps will be after I return from abroad, and I’m hoping that my abroad experience will help me figure out what it is I want to do. I hope to learn a lot about myself during this semester and take the opportunity to visit other places around Germany and Europe. I am also excited to meet new people, especially those from other countries. I am glad to be leaving my small campus behind and broadening my perspectives. I will miss my family and my close friends at home, but I know that I will be able to stay in touch with them fairly easily. I’m incredibly excited for this new adventure and can’t wait to board the plane to Mannheim!