Posted By: Career Enrichment Network
Content contributed by Marlee DeBolt.
Marlee DeBolt, a double major in Economics and International Politics, with a minor in German spent last summer studying abroad in Germany’s capital city! Learn more about her summer in Berlin below.
I was abroad during the Summer of 2016, and the program that I took part in was with IES Berlin. With International Politics as my second major and German as my minor, I was able to choose courses abroad that would help me grow as a student and get ahead in my degree audits. This was one of the reasons I chose this program. The course content of my political science class was interesting and widened my horizons of different classes I could take. With the current events of Brexit, the Eurocrisis, and other issues in the EU, it was a unique experience to take a class about Germany and the European Union and have the opportunity to discuss and debate these topics. Taking a German class in Germany, where I would be able to practice everyday, was the greatest opportunity. The way my vocabulary had expanded abroad will definitely help me in the upcoming semesters.
My absolute favorite memory was when I was talking to my host about how she had learned English. She explained that she would watch an episode of The Big Bang Theory in English and then watch it in German to see what she would understand. And that’s how she learned English.
At Penn State, I am currently the Vice President of Tapestry Dance Company and we are involved in a variety of campus and community activities. Upon graduation, I hope to continue my education in economics and politics beyond my undergraduate degree. Studying a language abroad has greatly impacted my career goals because I was able to see how versatile my degrees are in different cultures.
My suggestion to students considering going abroad is to be wide open to the culture and the history of the country you are in. Study the good and the bad of the history to understand why the people do what they do today.
Interested in studying abroad? Learn more here. All Liberal Arts students are eligible to apply for enrichment funding to help support them with their global experience. You can also schedule an appointment with Jackie Smith (jds54@psu.edu ), Global Experiences Coordinator on Network Symplicity.