Study Abroad

In 2004-2005, I took off a year from JMU and went overseas to live and study in Lüneburg, Germany. I wanted to learn the language and experience the culture and way of life first hand. I took a non-traditional approach to my study abroad experience. I didn’t go through any program arrangement that most schools offer. I don’t even think JMU had a program for Germany, at least not one that would have worked for me. I think there may have been a program for Business majors, but not for average Joe/Jane from the SMAD department. I took it upon myself to figure out how to make it happen and started my research in the Fall prior to studying overseas. It was the biggest challenge trying to figure out how to apply to a foreign university, in a foreign language, with placement tests, etc. I had no idea what I needed to do, other than I needed to learn German. Learning a language in the United States is a joke and even after many semesters of German instruction, I couldn’t really communicate (spoken or written). I knew there was no way I would be able to pass the DSH test! There was no way at all. I had a hard enough time trying to read websites in German, figure out how to apply, submit my information, etc. However, I made it happen!

After all the hard work of applying to about 10 universities, mailing off transcripts, letters, and any other information needed, I was sent a couple of acceptance letters, and a few rejections letters too. I decided to just accept to the northern most university after my Dad recommended I study in the north where the German would be better for me (hochdeutsch). I chose Universität Lüneburg as my new home and university for the next year. I arranged to go a few days early to get settled in prior to everything going on with the language courses and so forth. I met lots of new people, made some new friends (and yes, some that I am still in touch with believe it or not).

Overall, that was probably my happiest year – it was drama-free, exciting, new, challenging, and simply fun. I was a college student in a foreign country learning a foreign language (and really learning it), and traveling a lot! I went on a 2-month backpacking trip during the semester break and went to 7 countries or so in that time.