Auburn Abroad ePortfolio Examples

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

 

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, I knew I would want to spend time abroad someday. I was always curious about other countries, cultures and languages. I was ready to get out of my comfort zone and travel the world. 

 

I believe that every student should have the opportunity to study abroad. It is an amazing, life-changing experience that you only receive once in your life. Study abroad gives you the chance to be immersed in a new culture and try and experience things that you would not or could not have at home.

 

The great thing about taking German classes in a German-speaking country was that my language learning wasn't finished when class was over. From ordering coffee before class or purchasing tickets to an independent excursion, I was immersed in German.

 

From the art museum to the beautiful palace of Schönbrunn, it was a constant feeling of “Wow, I’m actually here”. One of my favorite things to do was go explore around the city. I strolled along the Ringstrasse, a road circling the first district of Vienna, passing locals and tourists alike, the great Döner kebab food stands, and seeing the Parliament building and the town hall.

 

I loved experiencing the new food in Vienna, whether it was Döner kebabs, Wiener schnitzel, or just grocery shopping at Billa. The Viennese are known for their coffeehouses and there is no surprise why when you first taste the coffee.

 

On my program, we had two excursion weekends to Munich, Germany and Prague, Czech Republic and two free weekends, one of which I used to travel to Salzburg, Austria. I learned how much German I really knew in Prague and fulfilled a childhood dream of going to Neuschwanstein outside of Munich.