Very few students get or take the opportunity to study abroad. It really takes a special student to chose to spend their hard earned money (or their parents’ hard earned money) on a study trip to another country. 9 such students from USC Upstate have chosen to experience what so many don’t—a month long study abroad trip to Magdeburg Germany (from May 31- June 25).
The following will be blog entries by each of the individual students studying in Magdeburg. They will be telling you about their study abroad experience: the different cities we visit, the experience of living in another country, personal tales, triumphs, hardships and basically anything they wish.
We hope you enjoy what these 9 very brave and excited students have to say. But first let me introduce them.
THIS IS KENDALL:
Kendall wears toe shoes and now everyone wants a pair. He also says that he would rather run than walk. I think he may be the only student who actually said he couldn’t wait for the class to start, which secretly makes me happy. After this program is finished, Kendall received a Kaschade scholarship to continue his studies for another month in nearby Stendal.
THIS IS ANNABELLE:
I’m convinced Annabelle is narcoleptic. She can fall asleep on any form of public transportation, in the middle of a park, or even on the table of the cafe at the Checkpoint Charlie museum (for example). Her interests in psychology and film make for very interesting conversation—and after talking to her, I’m ashamed at the number of good movies I HAVEN’'T seen.
THIS IS SABRINA:
Perhaps the most inexperienced traveler of the whole bunch, Sabrina possesses an amazing cache of graphic t-shirts, that I call her Spencer Gifts Collection. She has surprised me with her openness, her fearlessness and her desire to make the most out of this once in a lifetime experience.
THIS IS CHRIS:
I never worry about Chris. He’s so easy going that I knew adjusting to this new country would not only be easy for him, but also a welcome experience. Chris can stare straight ahead in silence for hours, which makes me think he’s some sort of zen-master. And just when you think he’s not paying attention he’ll bust out with some new vocabulary word you told him about three hours before, to which he gave you no initial response of even having even heard it when you said it.
THIS IS KIRSTEN:
Note the giraffe luggage. Believe me when I say, there is more where that came from. Much, much more. It only took me an hour sitting next to Kirsten on the plane to realize she had MAJOR food issues. So I asked her what she eats and she said “ Chicken and hamburgers mostly”. I said “Okay, we’re going to have a problem.” Mostly because Germans eat lots of pork and Italian food, which is not chicken and hamburgers. Well, Kirsten has showed me up, willingly trying so many new foods and flavors (and even actually liking some of them) that I cannot help but truly appreciate how determined she is to try new things. Currywurst, anyone?
THIS IS BRITTANY:
Every time I take a group abroad, there is an unknown quantity on the trip. Someone you don’t know very well. Someone who may be a little quiet or someone whose personality you haven’t gauged quite yet because of the limited interaction you have as a professor with a student. Brittany was that person for me. Let me just say that I have found her to be good natured, relaxed, curious and excited about being in Germany, which makes me good natured, relaxed, curious and excited about being in Germany.
THIS IS REGINA:
Regina is the youngest of the group (not by much) and the daughter of one of my colleagues at USC Upstate. She’s also a vegetarian, but gave it up for a week because German’s love FLEISCH! You know what they say: “When in Deutschland….”. The other day she said she was tired of eating meat, which I can’t wrap my mind around. I love when someone this age gets to experience a foreign country. It can be life changing.
THIS IS DUSTIN:
America may lose Dustin to Germany. I think he’s said that he’s not coming back to the US at least a dozen times. IAs long as there is Currywurst, Doener Kebab, and Eis he’ll be fine. And as a note to Dustin’s grandmother: He is definitely buying ANY beer with the money you gave him. Dustin also had to scrape together every cent of his own money to make this trip happen. That will make it all the sweeter.
THIS IS GENIE:
Genie’s energy is infectious and her curiosity can take you from one end of the city to another before you’ve even had time to take a breath. I think of all the students on the trip, she’s the most easily “German”. She fits in here somehow. Her haircut says Germany and her attitude says “Talk to me”. One time she was sitting on a stump in the middle of the forest and you could have mistaken her for a wood nymph. See…she fits in here.
THIS IS ME:
I am the taker of group photos. I am the tour guide. I am a fountain of “more information than you wanted”. I am a requirer of blog entries and journal assignments. And I am repeatedly inspired by the thoughts, experiences, observations, and adventures of these amazing students, whose blogs will hopefully keep you informed, entertained and inspired in the weeks to follow.
Herr Coffman
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