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Esther N. • IRSEP - Germany Program • Journalism Major
“You’re
exposed to a lot of things that you have to analyze and adjust
to, and you have to find your way through it, but it’s
totally worth it.”
—Esther N. |
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Esther spent a year in Berlin, Germany on a scholarship from the Learning Abroad Center’s exchange program, IRSEP. She used the experience to learn about German culture through courses at the Free University of Berlin, courses she could not have taken at the University of Minnesota. And the time she spent traveling and making friends helped her learn about the culture from an insider’s perspective.
“When I went over there, I saw the opportunity I had to try new things,” said Esther. Instead of taking only German language and culture courses, she branched out in her studies. She learned Hungarian, for example, which is not offered at the University of Minnesota. She also took courses about the history of disabled persons in Berlin, and the journalism of the country. “Instead of taking something that I could learn here, I chose to take courses there that I wouldn’t get the chance to learn here. That was really rewarding.”
As part of her coursework in journalism, Esther took some time to write for a newspaper. She found that publications in Berlin showed remnants of the World War II division between East and West. “Berlin is so unique in its journalistic atmosphere. It’s really interesting to study about and to see, with the split in the markets, to see which kinds of political ideas go through each of them, because they’re very different. You can still see the division in Berlin. Not only in journalistic means, but also in political ideas, in economic ideas, Berlin is still very split. I think that’s very interesting for a journalism major to go and see.”
Esther thought the two most important skills she gained from her experience in Berlin were independence and confidence. She found that being open to new experiences helped her adjust quickly to the unexpected situations. “I think that is also my perspective when it comes to careers, because I’ve learned that actually if I keep my mind open, I can be confident and flexible with whatever comes my way,” she said. As far as her future goes, Esther plans to travel again soon. “I’m already thinking about doing a Fulbright, and I’d like to do that in Austria, because I’ve already spent time in Germany. I’d like to get to know other dialects and other cultures. So, teaching English in Austria for a year or two is my next step. This experience really affirmed to me that I could do it, and it would be a cool experience. That isn't to say that it isn’t hard studying abroad, because it is. You’re exposed to a lot of things that you have to analyze and adjust to, and you have to find your way through it, but it’s totally worth it.”
Last modified on November 21, 2008 |