A horcrux is a powerful item where dark wizards place a fragment of his/her soul, as a means of attaining mortality. Lord Voldemort used horcruxes to one day return to life, as he did in the last Harry Potter films.
After 1 year, I undoubtedly believe that I have left a large part of me back in Germany- a horcrux that I hope to return to someday. Months prior to my arrival, FU-BEST was abundantly helpful and kind. From all of the rumors, this was not to be expected by anyone. On top of that, niceness flowed throughout the top and bottom of the administration. They care about their jobs and they care about you as well, so long as you show you care about your time abroad. The program provides ample amount of resources in and out of the program, so it is important to take advantage of these as the program moves along. Amongst all the paperwork and all of the stresses that come along with operating/maintaining a program, it was all nice to wander into "Haus S" or room L205 and see happy faces, delighted to help with any questions, especially from students who had shown initiative by trying to solve an issue on their own first. It was a nice balance of German culture within an American program.
The language class was phenomenal. I don't mean that in an exaggerated way. My personal growth was quickly noticed as I completed A1 (beginner intensive German) in just 8 weeks. By the end of the program, I had reached B2 (intermediate 2). Although I had not taken German before, it was great for me to be in the intensive courses because it had pushed me beyond where I imagined I would go,. I would recommend that if you have had more than 2.5 years in one language then it is best to choose intensive. I learned Spanish for 5 years before coming to this program. Within only 4 weeks, you can begin to construct short, non-complex sentences and people can understand you (more or less). This is very useful at the grocery stores. Don’t use English as a clutch. Try the German, if you can! Take a pause, stutter even, if that’s what it takes for you and you will understand the language better and speak better in the end.
I loved my experience, so much so that I will try to come back. I ventured out and joined a dance school. I checked out the club scene. I traveled to 17 of the 28 E.U. nations. I looked for job opportunities to return to. I met a lot of native speaking friends who helped me improve my German. I went on a few dates because why not? I had a tandem partner, as well as getting close to both the program’s Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 cohorts. The second cohort is where I met my boyfriend! Oh! And food. I ate LOTS of food and took a ton of photos.
I realize many people are scared to put themselves in very uncomfortable situations, but in the end it really can be worth risk. Who knows, you might leave a horcrux or two!
What would you improve about this program?
The only critique that I would give to the program is the lack of diverse perspectives amongst students accepted into the program. Germany is still a very homogenous country and the only way to disband that is by promoting diversity, multicultural inclusion, and racial differences as a representation of other needed perspectives. Because many students enroll into this program in pursuit of a holistic understanding of European politics, culture, and life, students of all backgrounds should be made aware of cultural norms. For example, it is normal to receive the “German stare” for an extended amount of time. As time goes on it happens less, but it never really goes away. It is important to mention that if you really would like to have a conversation with a German, and have the time to, then it would probably be best to take the German intensive course. With the stresses of going abroad, many students forget to consider the different types of language barriers. I’d suggest the approach be more along the lines of “how can I immerse myself into this culture and not stick out so much?” I never thought that a German guy would have said to me in Prague that “all blacks go back to Africa!” I come from a low -socioeconomic, African- American family and I can see how many people from such a background would seldom be attracted to put themselves outside of their comfort zone and study in Berlin, or Europe. It’s a great opportunity within a phenomenal city, there are just ways that the program could better prepare resources for ALL students regarding culture shock (including race and LGBT issues), not just the “white” norm. It takes more than putting it in the handbook or sending an email or two.
