Words cannot merely measure up the experience I had studying abroad in Leipzig, Germany. Summed up in a couple of words, studying abroad to me was: a life-changing adventure. The relationships, cultural awareness, application to business, breathtaking beauty, and sobering moments will forever be cherished and held close to my heart. Studying abroad helped me see the beauty in a different culture and how enriching it is to immerse yourself in that. I am so grateful to the honors college for helping me go on this transformative journey.
Week 1
My first week in Leipzig was more than I could have hoped for. From touring Leipzig with our villa’s host, Leipzig Lindsay, and going to Wittenberg and learning about Martin Luther, I was blown away by the beauty and history found in these quaint towns in Germany. Being present in a culture that doesn’t speak English humbled me and taught me so much all in one week. We navigated restaurants on our own to riding the tram by ourselves. This weekend we went to Prague and got to see Old Town Square, the Castle, and Saint Charles Bridge.
Week 2
The highlight of my week was going to Berlin as a class. All the laughter and reflection times were so much better shared altogether. This weekend’s getaway had some hard times as well. We went to the Topographie des Terrors museum that was about the political timeline of the holocaust, an experience that really humbled me. It had me reflect on the misfortunate and tragedy that can come from a rundown society looking for and needing a leader to follow. Unfortunately, Hitler and that political system he led destroyed innocent lives and made it the norm for years. Learning about this deeply is so important to ensure, as a society, we do not let history repeat itself.
Week 3
The week was a week filled with fun times and yet again, really sobering moments. Our trip to Buchenwald, a concentration camp in Weimar, impacted me in ways I can’t even truly put into words, and I am so thankful we went there. To see the barracks where prisoners were executed. To see where they kept the little camp and where so many lives were lost. It was sobering and saddening. Not only did it make me thankful for democracy and the freedom in Christ that we live in today, but it also made me reflect on what I would do given a situation like that. I read a quote in the artwork section of Buchenwald that said “Either keep silent, or say something, which is better than keeping silent.” I think that is a challenge to us all with anything that we need to stand up to. We learned in class about psychological safety and how it is important for us as future leaders or managers to make the atmosphere comfortable for every voice to want to be heard. Then to the weekend, our next stop was PARIS!!!! In Paris, we witnessed the Mona Lisa, the Arc de Triumph, the rest of the Louve, the last parts of the TOUR DE FRANCE, the Eiffel tower, and the Sien River.
