Did any of you study abroad in college?

**mretzloff** · 04-05-2010, 08:04 PM

While you gentlemen were in college, did you ever study a semester or a year in a foreign country?

I just got accepted at the University of Mannheim (Germany) and plan to study next year there. Their business school is the best in Germany and one of the best in Europe. I plan to finish my German major there and get a third of my accounting and finance majors done. The best part is, Munich is only four hours away

**AustinC9** · 04-05-2010, 08:08 PM

Heading off next semester to do a field research/environmental program in Kenya.

**mretzloff** · 04-05-2010, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by AustinC9

Heading off next semester to do a field research/environmental program in Kenya.

That should be interesting. I really want to go to Africa one day.

**Austin** · 04-05-2010, 08:15 PM

Congratulations Matthew. I hope you have a great experience.

**Mr. Imperial** · 04-05-2010, 08:18 PM

Congrats!

I did my final semester of college in Melbourne, Australia. Besides being away from my fiance, it was one of the best experiences of my life.

**Live2Ride** · 04-05-2010, 08:30 PM

I studied as many broads as I could. Fell under the heading of "electives".

Seriously though - congrats to you. Should be an awesome experience.

**AustinC9** · 04-05-2010, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by mretzloff

That should be interesting. I really want to go to Africa one day.

And I really want to go to Germany one day. Good luck. Let us know about your experience.

**DSB** · 04-05-2010, 09:42 PM

I spent my junior year of college at the University of Lancaster, England. Best year of my pre-marriage life. Have fun!

**mretzloff** · 04-05-2010, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by AustinC9

And I really want to go to Germany one day. Good luck. Let us know about your experience.

I will. Be sure to post back about your stay in Kenya.

**mr_economy** · 04-05-2010, 10:10 PM

Congratulations!

I did a summer study abroad program with a focus on the European Union, which took us through Berlin, Prague, Brussels, The Hague, Strasbourg, and Paris. It's probably the second best experience in my life, eclipsed only by teaching high school in France for a year.

Living abroad is a great experience, and in the age of Skype and unlocked GSM cellphones you can stay in contact with friends and family back home to keep the homesickness away.

My best advice, particularly if you're interested in being fluent in German, is to stick to local hangouts where few English speakers are found. It's easy to cluster together with English-speaking friends, but you end up with a pretty isolated experience. Hanging out with a bunch of people who only speak German will rapidly improve your language skills, and you'll find yourself learning slang and incorporating the nonverbal actions of a native speaker.

Have fun!

**TimmyBoston** · 04-05-2010, 10:13 PM

I wish I had studied abroad. Enjoy your time.

**airplanedoc** · 04-05-2010, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by TimmyBoston

I wish I had studied abroad. Enjoy your time.

+100 for me.

**gaseousclay** · 04-06-2010, 04:48 AM

yep. went to Japan my senior year but it felt like I was cheating because my mom is a Japanese national and I grew up there

**KarthVader** · 04-06-2010, 05:33 AM

I studied in India for a year after college. The learning experience made me leave India, but living there was very cool.

Good luck in your studies!

**Chimensch** · 04-06-2010, 06:07 AM

I didn't but I really wish I had. You're doing an excellent thing that will pay off with big benefits in the future. Another thing you could do, which provides great experience for your future career, is the Peace Corps, which I also didn't do.

**tg16** · 04-06-2010, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by Live2Ride

I studied as many broads as I could. Fell under the heading of "electives".

Seriously though - congrats to you. Should be an awesome experience.

I took those same classes.

**antoine1** · 04-06-2010, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by mr_economy

My best advice, particularly if you're interested in being fluent in German, is to stick to local hangouts where few English speakers are found. It's easy to cluster together with English-speaking friends, but you end up with a pretty isolated experience. Hanging out with a bunch of people who only speak German will rapidly improve your language skills, and you'll find yourself learning slang and incorporating the nonverbal actions of a native speaker.

Have fun!

That's quite true except the German's can also usually speak better English than you can.

**Obsessed** · 04-06-2010, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by TimmyBoston

I wish I had studied abroad. Enjoy your time.

+1

Not studying abroad is probably my biggest regret from my college years.

**SalvadorMontenegro** · 04-06-2010, 09:19 AM

I'm curious about this. I don't know anything about it, but I'd like to go overseas to finish my schooling. Do you have to speak the language of the country in which you study? I'd like to go to Paris. I speak a little French, but certainly not enough to attend lectures in French. Do they teach in English?

**maxroach** · 04-06-2010, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by mretzloff

While you gentlemen were in college, did you ever study a semester or a year in a foreign country?

I just got accepted at the University of Mannheim (Germany) and plan to study next year there. Their business school is the best in Germany and one of the best in Europe. I plan to finish my German major there and get a third of my accounting and finance majors done. The best part is, Munich is only four hours away

Go. I was offered a free semester in Vienna to study music in college, and turning it down is one of the dumbest decisions I've ever made. At the time, I thought it would be disruptive to my pre-med schedule. Of course, I later realized I had no interest in going to medical school. So, I lose. In this case, it fits in to your course program, so it's a no-brainer.