The prospect of traveling to a foreign country felt exciting and intimidating. I questioned how well I would adapt to the culture and the other students, but above all I was determined to utilize the opportunity to enhance my language skills. Being totally immersed in German all the time greatly improved my ability to use the language naturally in day-to-day life. Being in a foreign country with other students also built close bonds and allowed me to make friends I've kept in touch with even after the program.

I remember arriving in Germany, and how the weather was quite cloudy. Looking out the window of the bus at the autobahn and telling myself that I really have traveled across the Atlantic. I was nervous to meet my host family, I kept thinking: what if my language skills aren't as good as I thought? Yet as I finally met my host family, I realized that we would not have trouble communicating at all. My host family was very accommodating, and they were definitely a highlight of the program for me.

I believed that my highlights would be seeing all of those famous landmarks and sights in Germany and surrounding countries, but truthfully my most memorable experiences were other people. Whether they were locals or fellow MSU students, my best memories were interacting with other people. In this way, going abroad forces you to be more communicative and helps you out of your shell.

Overall, I am very glad to have gone abroad and experienced a new culture as well as meeting people with different cultural backgrounds than my own. It has widened my own worldview, and I got to sharpen my own language skills in the process. It truly was an unforgettable experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in studying abroad at some point in their college career.

Name: Anthony Kosinski
Status: Sophomore
Major: Computer Data Science
Hometown: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Program: German Language and Culture in Mayen