Having the opportunity to study abroad over spring break allowed me to experience a vibrant and cultural city while gleaning insight into how business is conducted in Germany. The program was a healthy mix of structured class-related content and personal exploration. Portions of the program included meeting high-level employees at companies such as Arena and Steelcase as well as cultural outings to Allianz Stadium and Olympiastadion. In addition, I had the opportunity to explore many of the churches in Munich and reflect on my visit to the Dachau concentration camp. As someone who likes to study history, it is very enriching to be able to go to a country that lives alongside history in every aspect of daily life. As Americans, we have a rather young country in comparison to other areas of the world. Therefore, sometimes it is hard to comprehend when visiting other countries that the church you walked past has been in the same sport for the past 500 years or the brewery you explored was started by monks.

During my time as an undergraduate student here at Michigan State, I had a similar opportunity to study German language in Mayen. While on that program, I had the opportunity to take a weekend trip to Munich. That trip was the driving force behind why I wanted to attend this program while in graduate school. Over spring break, I had to opportunity to use my German in real life interactions with Germans. I felt a lot of confidence in my German speaking ability and saw a stark improvement in my knowledge since my last trip to Germany.

I would recommend that anyone who has the opportunity to study abroad over spring break to take advantage of it. You get the opportunity to explore a culture different from your own all while gaining class credit toward your degree. While at first it may seem daunting to explore a culture you are unfamiliar with, you will soon discover there are some similarities that help you embrace and explore the differences.

Name: Tyler Korber
Status: Graduate
Major: Master of Business Administration
Hometown: Macomb Township, Michigan
Program: MBA Global Marketplace in Germany