Honestly, I don’t think I can pinpoint one or even a couple best days abroad. Every day in Germany was incredible and I learned so much each day. However, some of the most notable days I can recount would be within the first two weeks of being in Berlin and attending the language course at the school from 9:00 am to 1:30 and then going to find somewhere to eat with
a couple people in my class. After that, we would go explore without much of an itinerary or idea of where we are going and we would stumble upon the most amazing museums, buildings or memorials. Some historical sites that I visited during these days were the quarters of the Secret State Police during the Nazi regime, the remains of the wall that separated East and West Berlin and the Berliner Dom. We also went to one of the many Jewish Museums and saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I learned so much about World War II and the Holocaust and how it impacted Germany forever. In the classroom on campus I always have appreciated how wonderful the teachers are and how they teach us but nothing beats being on the same grounds that these experiences happen to these people. I really got a sense of the terror that the Nazi regime had on the Jewish population and other disadvantaged groups in the country and the sickening effects of World War II and the Holocaust on Berlin specifically. I also have seen and learned about “Stolpersteine” or “Stumbling Stones” which are all across the ground in Germany that pay respects to and acknowledge the victims at the residents in which the memorials are in front of. I have learned so much about myself during this time as well such as that I am truly a hands-on learner. In the classroom in Germany, we do a lot of workbooks and speaking exercises in order to learn the language which I value so much. Also, being able to see these memorials and museums have allowed me to connect with the history and understand more about what these landmarks mean. I never was super into history but being abroad in a city that has so much interesting and rich history has made me enjoy learning about it so much more. This experience abroad has also made me aware of the cultural diversity and differences not only because Berlin is a very international city but also because traveling around the city and immersing yourself really makes you see each beautiful culture within the city.