Spring Study Abroad Trip

Students enrolled in the German 190/ Geography 390 course had the opportunity to travel abroad over spring break to Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

The three-credit course was taught jointly by Dr. David Wildermuth from the Geography/Earth Science Department and Dr. Allison Feeney, from the Global Languages Department. Their goal for the first half of the course was to prepare students for their ten-day trip. Students learned about the relevant history, culture, and geography of Germany and the history and culture of beer within the region.

Nicole Hardy and Cole Pearson attended the study abroad which traveled to Munich, Germany, Salzburg, Austria, Budejovice, Czech Republic, and Bamberg, Germany. During the class and on their trip abroad, students learned the geographic, physical, cultural and historical factors which have contributed to the development and popularity of beer in Germany.

According to Pearson, before he knew what major he wanted to pursue, he knew that he wanted to spend time studying abroad during his undergraduate career.

“At each city, we toured a brewery central to the development of the region’s beer culture and got to taste a sample brew at the end of each tour. We also had guided tours of each city, providing us a detailed look at each location’s history, culture, and significant sites,” said Pearson. “Students used their free time to embark on a wide variety of adventures: scaling mountains, touring castles, relaxing in cafés, enjoying a violin concerto, or just taking in each city.” Hardy was interested in studying abroad in Germany because she is German studies minor and wanted to have the opportunity to use the language.

…insight to be gained from conversation with other humans is invaluable and will reshape the way one looks at the world.

“We had several wonderful experiences on this trip. The trip itinerary involved walking tours around the cities we visited, and touring several breweries and cathedrals.

There was also free time in which I had the opportunity to choose my own experiences.

The two I found most interesting were the Salzburg Fortress in Austria and the Great Synagogue in Plzen,” Hardy said. “The biggest takeaway for me is that studying abroad even for a short time is a unique experience that is difficult to find elsewhere.

Sure, I could read about the places we went for this trip, but there is nothing that compares to experiencing it firsthand.”

According to Pearson, the unique interdisciplinary approach to understanding a key part of central European history piqued his interests as a German studies minor and a chemistry major.

“My greatest takeaway was the memories made by getting the chance to converse with so many people from such a wide array of backgrounds. Whether it be in their origins, perspectives, or experience, the insight to be gained from conversation with other humans is invaluable and will reshape the way one looks at the world,” Pearson said.