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My summer in Muenster
By Julie Midgley ’08
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This past summer is definitely one that I would list as a favorite. From the end of May until the beginning of July, I studied in Muenster, Germany, through a program sponsored by Sweet Briar, Vassar and William and Mary. The program began with a week of trips through Cologne, Ruedesheim, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. I was also able to take a boat tour of the Rhine River, which was full of some of the most beautiful sights and castles I have ever seen!

After arriving in Muenster, we met with our host families. It was certainly nerve-racking to be staying with a family whose language is different from my own, but by the end of the trip I was convinced that staying with them was the most fulfilling experience I had had while there. The family was so welcoming and hospitable, and I have been keeping in touch with them on a weekly basis since I returned from the trip.

Classes, amazingly enough, were another great aspect of the program. The classes were challenging and fun, and we were finished by noon each day, which allowed us to enjoy the city that has been named “the most livable city in the world”. We were also given a three-day weekend to travel to nearby cities and had several field-trips to beautiful places such as Paderbon.

After four weeks of classes, we had to say goodbye to Muenster after a fun “farewell evening”, which included a nice dinner, as well as fun skits and songs performed by all the students participating in the program in honor of our host families. We then left for our last week of the trip, which we spent in Berlin. While there, I was able to see plays, operas, museums such as the Pergammon Museum, and even go shopping in the largest department store in Europe, KaDeWe!

The trip was so fantastic that I did not want to leave. I could not imagine a better way to spend six weeks, and I hope Sweet Briar students continue to take advantage of this program and all the other study abroad programs that Sweet Briar offers. There were so many benefits to this program, starting with the improvement of my German conversational skills. A summer program allows a person to gain confidence in their language and travel skills before deciding to go for a junior year program. I am now looking forward to going to Munich for my junior year and hope the experience will be as interesting, fun and rewarding as my summer in Muenster.