A semester in Freiburg

I studied spring 2017 in Freiburg, as part of the Language and Area Studies program, and I fell in love with the city and the program. I studied there from February to July in the city and had the opportunity to study and do an internship during the time I was there.

The living situation was great for immersion. I lived with 3 native Germans, and then one international student who also knew German, and so the language of the apartment was German. They also understood that I wanted to learn German, so they were helpful by speaking German with me, which improved my German skills a lot.

This program allows for the opportunity to take classes directly at the university. I had the opportunity to do this along with a few other individuals in my city. You typically have to stay in the city for an extra month, so it works better for the spring semester, but it was a great experience to improve your German through having a class with native Germans. The program also allows for an internship opportunity for credit. I did translation work for the university's alumni office, and it improved my German substantially.

When I said that I fell in love with Freiburg, that is 110% true. I loved the old buildings, along with the nature that was surrounding the city. Being in the middle of the Black Forest with ample amount of places for hiking, along with being an hour from France and Switzerland made it the perfect location for me.

Well, I had a fantastic time in my study abroad semester and plan on going back.