Unprecedented Times

Not only studying abroad an incredibly new and challenging experience, but the COVID-19 pandemic is adding extra challenges to the experience. From little things like wearing masks to full cancelation of travel plans, the pandemic has played a large role in how my trip has been shaped.

Mask on, Mask off

Masks are one of the little things I have become so accustomed to that its second nature now. I have even accidentally started putting my mask on when I enter my own home. Thankfully with classes and my piers we were able to have enough time spent outside without masks so we could all see each other’s faces and get to know what everyone looks like. Other things like social distancing in classes and needing to show a vaccine card when entering a building are other smaller examples of how the pandemic has affected my trip.

Not to mention how traveling has been affected. The university has been highly against people leaving the country and made it clear that any time missed to independent travel and possible quarantine/ lock down would not be excused by the school. I was fortunate enough to have my ISA program trip to Prague approved by the university, and was able to sneak out a few days to Vienna. Typically, students travel much more frequently and further while they are abroad, but obviously due to concerns of the pandemic that is not possible.

…I am so glad I am able to go when I did now and meet the friends and family that have come on this program with me.

Of course, the pandemic has had some very large effect on my trip overall. I am fortunate enough to be able to go on this trip at all. The first time I applied to study abroad it was over a year ago and was canceled twice before I was finally able to go, both times due to COIVD-19. While it was extremely upsetting each time it was canceled, I am so glad I am able to go when I did now and meet the friends and family that have come on this program with me. The program numbers are down a lot this year, but I don’t mind this, as it allows me to get to know the students a lot better and make a closer group. I am also fortunate enough to travel while the vaccine is out. Knowing I have been vaccinated is a huge comfort whenever there might be some risk of catching COVID-19. I have been fortunate to not have caught it yet.

A Second Second Home

But that does not mean I still haven’t been affected by COVID-19. As staying with a host family with younger children, an attending a university myself, there are plenty of ways COVID-19 could get into our household. With about three weeks left in my time in Germany my younger host brother had tested positive putting the whole house in quarantine. My university determined that since it was so close to finals and the term deadline, it would be safest for me to switch host families. So, there I was, after 3 months of living in Berlin with my host family, with a developed routine and comfortable lifestyle, switching it out completely for a new unfamiliar family with unfamiliar customs.

So, there I was, after 3 months of living in Berlin with my host family, with a developed routine and comfortable lifestyle, switching it out completely for a new unfamiliar family with unfamiliar customs.

While it has been a difficult adjustment it has also been a wonderful opportunity. I am a rare student who get to have two host families. I get to have a second personal bond with the people in Berlin. It allows me to see which family practices are personal to that family and which one are cultural and more widely practiced in Germany. So while highly unexpected, it is a interesting opportunity to enjoy having.