As an International Engineering student, this trip was beneficial for me to be able to see what kind of atmosphere I will be living in during my year abroad. I'm excited and nervous about my time in Germany, but being able to visit Germany for a short time before moving abroad for a year was a good way to start to learn more about German culture. I've been able to experience this culture and learn new things about the language and normal way of life that I may not have been able to learn before arriving in Germany in a few months.
Unfortunately, I didn't stick to the goals I had made before the trip. I wanted to stick to German speaking as much as possible. Because of the mix of language levels within the group and the safety net of speaking English to German residents, I only spoke German when required or for short sentences. I'm disappointed that I couldn't stick to my goal of not speaking English during the trip, but this has been an eye-opener. When I move to Germany, I will be sure to surround myself with native German speakers and push myself to refrain from using English as a safety blanket. From this trip, I have gained a new understanding of German living and have refueled my excitement to live abroad and learn from everything Germany has to offer.
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