Drew Grass
Location: Europe (Germany & Switzerland): Managerial Perspectives on Globalization
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Term Abroad: Summer '16
Major: Finance/Accounting
What's your best memory from your time abroad?
I don’t have a “best” memory. I enjoyed every day and enjoyed all the people that I went with. It’s the students and the teachers that make the trip great.
Academic Planning
The study abroad program counted as one of my cultural classes I was required to take..
Money Matters
Try to plan ahead. If you know you want to study abroad start saving now! The programs are not cheap, but they are worth every single penny. Also, there are scholarships out there that will pay for some of your trip. Do your research and apply to as many as you can.
Locals
The best part of the program was interacting with the locals. A lot of us would go out of our way to talk to the locals and learn a little bit about them. Most of them will speak some English, so the language barrier isn’t an issue.
Cultural Adjustment
One aspect of the culture that was different is how they pay for food. Most restaurants prefer you to pay in cash rather than credit cards. The food was incredible though, I would advise anybody that is going abroad to eat A LOT, you won’t regret it. Overall, I didn’t have to adjust too much, I fit right in from the second we landed.
Leisure & Travel
My group went on two amazing excursions. The first one involved taking a boat ride down the Rhine River. The views were amazing and it was interesting to hear the history behind some of the land structures. We also visited a castle! The guided tour was very informational and you could just feel the history coming from the walls.
Advice
My advice for anybody thinking about studying abroad, is to do it. My experience was fantastic, I met a lot of new people and saw things that I will probably never see again. The most important part about studying abroad is trying new things. Not many people get the chance to travel abroad, so if you have the opportunity and you find yourself in the middle of Germany, don’t be afraid to try some new things and talk to some new people. Also, see as much as you can and take pictures!
Effect on Career Goals
This gave me the opportunity to meet new people and see how other cultures work. Some of the things that you see and do will be completely different than how you do things in America. So it really opened my eyes and gave me a better understanding of things.