Fell in love with Germany during my first time abroad

Berlin is an incredible city, so filled with history and culture! I felt at home very quickly at the start of my program, and I have to attribute much of that to the lovely staff at IES's Berlin Center. They welcomed us in with much care and support, and the faculty were really knowledgeable. My courses were striking and very relevant to my degree in International Affairs. I feel I've returned with a better understanding of the relationship between America and Europe, and how my identity fit as an American in Germany. The staff took us on day trips to Hamburg, Potsdam and Dresden, which were very enjoyable! They also provided opportunities to attend cultural events and visit local museums. Our pre-departure information meetings with the Center staff were very informative; learning about grocery stores and prepaid cellular providers beforehand saved me time during our first week of adjustment. The neighborhood our student apartments were in is a very cool area, and public transport across the city is great. I became really close with the other students in the program, and we bonded more because we lived in the same building. I'd highly recommend Berlin to anyone looking to visit Europe for the first time, and I'd advocate for any of IES's other programs in Germany as well!