Interacting with locals - Germany

Author: 
Peter Busch, Plus3 Germany'22

Interacting with the people of Germany was one of the biggest positives of my experience studying abroad. Every person I had the chance to talk to welcomed me to the country with open arms. The people of Germany were more than happy to share their customs, traditions, and experiences with me. The students and faculty of the University of Augsburg, where I had the chance to study while I was in Germany, were the best hosts that any student could ask for. The German students that I worked with were very relatable, and we became friends by exchanging stories about our lives growing up in our respective home countries. The conversations we had were interesting and engaging, and the time we spent working together allowed us to understand each other better. Of all the things I accomplished during my time abroad, the thing that I’m most proud of is the relationships that I was able to build with my peers.

Being an American abroad was exciting. It was interesting to interact with the German students and to see if I fit the bill for what they consider to be a stereotypical American. My friendly demeanor, simple humor, and creativity seemingly fit that criterion. I enjoyed answering any questions the German students had about American life. They really opened my eyes to which things are considered “American.” I had never considered things like grocery store fireworks, root beer, or chicken wings to be uniquely American, but I was surprised to learn that things like these weren’t common in Germany. I learned that even chocolate in the United States is manufactured differently. I found the differences in consumer goods abroad to be something simple, yet interesting to think about.

Finally, the research portion of my program included touring five different German companies related to the automobile industry. We toured Hoerbiger, Faurecia, Webasto, Grob Werke, and BMW. Each company we toured was incredibly hospitable, and provided in-depth knowledge on their respective positions in the automobile manufacturing industry. The students of the Plus3 Germany program were divided into five teams, with each team tasked with analyzing one of the toured companies and presenting their findings. The company that my team was tasked with analyzing for the project was Webasto. The research teams included students from both Pittsburgh and Germany, allowing us to work together closely towards the final presentation. As I’ve said before, working with the German students at the University of Augsburg was one of the greatest experiences of the trip. Being able to share our perspectives on the same problem was a unique learning experience, one which required adventuring out and beyond the classroom. Learning to work with people who have vastly different backgrounds is a skill that I was happy to develop during my time abroad. I am forever grateful for the opportunity that I’ve had to do so.

 

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