Germany Perspective Changed my Perspective

Since my first year here at Pitt, I knew that I wanted to study abroad, preferably in Germany. I wanted to do this because I had considered living and working in Germany after graduating from college and perhaps even going to graduate school here. Because of these professional and personal goals, I continued studying German at Pitt and even researched companies in Germany that I could possibly work at in the future. When I arrived at Pitt my freshmen year, my advisor told me about the International Internship Program and one of the locations was Berlin. It was a program where I got to live in Berlin for eight weeks while completing a full-time internship in my field of study. I knew I wanted to do this and worked with him to fit it into my schedule. Before all this, I was still considering living in Germany. This goal of mine was even the main reason why I chose to major in supply chain management as Germany is a global powerhouse when it comes to supply chains. My internship here was in logistics and I did a bit of work in my field. It was interesting to see how it all functioned and this was also my first internship and professional experience, so it was a good introduction to the field. Now that my program is over and I have spent eight weeks here in Berlin, my plans are very different. I can not really see myself living in Germany anymore. I did enjoy my time here yet something has changed. Whether it was the way of life, the challenges I faced, or the small things I missed from the US, something changed my mind. I am still grateful for my experiences here and do not regret a thing. It added a lot to me personally, professionally, and academically whether that was growing my German skills or adding to my practical business knowledge. I can see myself returning to Germany in the future, perhaps for a holiday or a soccer match as that was the main reason that I started learning German. I do not want this to be the last time I come to Germany as I still want to revisit. Maybe, when I am back in Pitt and reflecting on this experience, I can pinpoint what changed my mind and think back on my experience as a whole after I have had some time to think about it.