Best Experience Ever!!

Let me give you the run-down:

Pre-Departure:
USAC needs to improve their stuff ASAP. The people helping me did not fill me in on the order I was supposed to complete the process and it was a nightmare. I was highly unprepared even when I thought I would be prepared — but don’t be scared, people will help you once you get there if it happens! Not to mention the actual USAC office is on my university campus and they still weren’t helpful. If you have questions ask old USAC students that are available pls. There are lots of us. Also ask people travelling with you — some of them have done this before!!! Otherwise, basic knowledge — pay your phone off before to use Airlo for phone plans and find a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees — also being at least 2 CC and 1 debit card — losing your stuff is possible.

Arrival/Experience:
The beginning is a lot, but stay active and your sleep schedule will adjust. I thought I was good at German and then I got there and it was HARD — but now I know soooooo much more German it’s amazing. The school campus is kind of far from Leuphana, but their plan is to integrate to the main campus so hopefully that happens for you! Otherwise, they have student leaders who are from Germany and speak great English and our two Leuphana student helpers were awesome, we used to go out with them and stuff and have fun. If you’re 18, go to the karoke bar in Lüneburg it’s awesome! Otherwise explore and don’t be afraid to mess up. One time I was ordering a bratwurst with this man at one of the markets and he turned out to just be a customer and not a worker and everyone laughed at me and I was so embarrassed but I laugh about it now — you will too. Try new things and put yourself out there. If you explore alone just make sure you know what you’re doing and are safe. Make friends with your USAC program people because they are awesome and all looking for friends just like you. Make friends with your apartment roomies (I still talk to mine because they were amazing — we’d have nightly dinners and chat for hours at a time together it was amazing and I miss them dearly) or if you have a host family go on family outings with them and practice your German with them — they’re very helpful. Make sure to explore other countries/German cities because it’s fun. Try to figure out public transportation and remember Deutsche Bahn is not reliable. If you’re a frequent traveler to long distance places or plan to go all over Germany, get a trial Bahn card — it’s cheap and discounts your tickets by 25% — just make sure to cancel it in time (like 6 weeks before it expires). Otherwise I can’t think of anything else, but have fun and put yourself out there! It’s a fantastic experience. You also may get home sick, but you can talk to your resident director or a therapist if you struggle with stuff it’s very helpful. I was only really home sick around the Super bowl, but otherwise it was nice. And go on the field trips!!! Our Berlin/Hamburg field trips were awesome and all of the history field trips they take you on are very educational/interesting and sometimes sad. Otherwise, I miss all my friends so use the time wisely. Locals are very nice and friendly.

Post-Germany:
I’m sad and miss it — post-study abroad depression is real. Getting back to normal life is hard, so remember to take lots of pics and stay in contact with your German/USAC friends to help missing it. And occupy yourself getting back helps too — hang out and catch up with your old friends :)