by Langley Smith| Summer 2025 |
My internship experience started off differently than I anticipated. It started before I even got on a flight to Leipzig, Germany. My experience started in January when I learned that the placement of my internship was going to be changed. I admit that this change made me nervous. I knew what to expect in my original placement. However, with the organization change, I was thrown an unexpected curveball. This curveball ended up being an amazing learning opportunity for me.
Upon arriving in Leipzig, Germany, I started interning with Leipzig Notenspur. Notenspur is a public history organization dedicated to educating the public about the musical history of Leipzig and the surrounding area. I worked on the Jewish culture team, which focuses on discovering and memorializing the erased and forgotten history of Jewish composers, musicians, and instrument makers in Leipzig. My specific project focused on how music helped Jewish women survive the Markleeberg forced labor camp, just outside of Leipzig. This work not only remembers and memorializes forgotten individuals but also encourages conversation, education, and understanding. It reminds the public of what can happen when there is a mindset of hatred, fear, and destruction. This sense of purpose and meaning motivated me to work each day. I also loved the diversity of my coworkers and the activities we did. I got to attend multiple academic conferences, educational events, and even participate in creating a media portfolio for upcoming events. It was a joy to be able to work with Leipzig Notenspur and learn from everyone there!
While my internship was a large part of my abroad experience, I had a lot of positive experiences outside of my workplace. One positive experience was learning German. Before getting on my flight, I knew next to nothing about the German language. Learning German was hard but beneficial. I had to constantly get out of my comfort zone to practice. While I am still a beginner speaker, I found myself growing personally and academically as I took on this challenge.
Another positive experience was my decision to live in Leipzig as much as possible. Instead of simply retreating to the Villa every day after work, I tried to explore different parts of the city. The first time I went abroad to Montevideo, Uruguay, I made the mistake of only exploring the places I traveled to. I was determined to learn from this experience and explore Leipzig just as I would any other city I traveled to. This decision led me to a ton of amazing experiences. I got to experience several orchestra performances in different venues in the cities. I explored new parks, museums, cafes, churches, and stores. It truly felt like I lived in Leipzig instead of just passing through. While living in Leipzig, I also loved traveling. I traveled to Rijeka (Croatia), Salzburg (Austria), and various places throughout Germany.
My experience living in Leipzig was full of the unexpected. But each unexpected experience made traveling and working more exciting. While at times I felt uncomfortable in the unexpected, it pushed me to realize that I never really know what will happen. Instead, I need to rely on God’s timing and the hospitality, wisdom, and support of those around me.
