The following testimonials share the experiences of U.S. students who participated in Buffalo State College’s J-Term program in Dortmund, Germany.
Skyler Cole (2018) - Dortmund is a city full of wonderful and different people
Dortmund is a city full of wonderful and different people from all sorts of backgrounds. We got to experience the different cultures in Dortmund when we all toured the Nordstadt or the North City. We met with a lot of groups that help refugees and people that have just come to Germany or whoever is an immigrant that may need their help. The work that these groups are doing is incredible. Many of the people that work in these programs are social workers. They do so many things for their community like teach the language, help some people find jobs, help children with their school work, and keep them busy so that they aren’t getting into trouble. While in Dortmund We all got the wonderful opportunity of meeting the Dortmund Burgermeister. The meeting with the Burgermeister was extremely informative and taught us a lot about the city we had been staying in for the past couple of weeks. We also got a tour of the Gestapo museum that is next to the Auslandsgesellschaft. This experience hits hard but is extremely informative if I had the opportunity I would love to go back and learn even more. We also got to tour the BVB stadium, which if you’re into soccer would enjoy greatly. Another event we went to while we were in Dortmund was The Konzerthaus in Dortmund. It is extremely elegant and since the President of the Auslandsgesellschaft got us tickets we were extremely lucky to witness a wonderful concert there. Lastly, I would like to talk about my host family. They were extremely wonderful people that would do anything to make you feel comfortable. During my stay, I got to know them a bit better and we all seemed to be more comfortable around each other. My favorite activities with my host family have to be our game nights we had a few during my stay with them and they were always extremely fun while my host family was also very competitive. My host mother also took me to a park that was filled with lights during one of my first nights and it was a wonderful experience. I will miss them all so much, just as I miss Dortmund.
“We got to experience the different cultures in Dortmund when we all toured the Nordstadt or the North City.”
Our first trip from Dortmund was to Berlin. We took the train which only took a few hours. In Berlin, we stayed in a hostel and it was nothing I expected it to be. It was sort of like a dorm room that was like a hotel. You had a room key and everything like a hotel but there were three of us in the room in two bunk beds. I would definitely recommend it since they tend to be cheaper than hotels it was really wonderful. For our dinner we all had together we went to the Pirates Restaurant and Bar they had great drinks and great food. After dinner the restaurant turned into more of a bar the lights went dim and they turned on a bunch of colorful lights on and turned the music up. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. The Topography of Terror is one of the museums that I could have spent the entire day in. In this museum, we learned about the government during the holocaust and how everything had progressed into what we now know as Nazi Germany. I believe that it was all extremely important and if you can spend as much time as possible in there.
Visiting the holocaust museum was the most influential event during our time in Berlin. This museum touches your heart in a way nothing else can. Take time if you are there to take it all in because it’s a very emotional experience. I don’t believe I can even put the magnitude of this museum into words everyone must experience it. When we were in Berlin we also got to tour the entire parliament building and see where all the past records were kept and were discussions and voting takes place within the government. We toured where the Berlin wall used to be and where some portions are still up. We got to see how exactly the wall was laid out where no man’s land would be and see the memorials of everyone that lost their lives due to the wall. Through this tour, we learned that the wall was not put up just to keep other political ideals out of the east but to keep people in and control the side that the Russians were in charge of. Checkpoint Charlie represents where people would have to cross the wall border to enter from the east or west of Berlin, it was under the control of the united states hence the name Checkpoint Charlie. The East Side Gallery is covered in marvelous art pieces that are changed from time to time. This art gallery spans the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall that is left today. It is filled with beautiful art pieces with many different styles and is really a site to see. We also got to visit the Brandenburger Tor two separate times, once at night, and once during the day. But this landmark is worth the trip you always see pictures of it but it is so much more marvelous in person.
“The East Side Gallery is covered in marvelous art pieces that are changed from time to time. This art gallery spans the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall that is left today.”
Our second trip was to Cologne, we had only gone for the day. Cologne was amazing it’s a wonderful city but I wish that we could have spent more than a few hours there. I hadn’t seen her in 3 and a half years so this part of the trip was one of my favorites. This city looked more like what people typically think when they think of a German city instead of being entirely modern you are reminded of the traditional architecture. In Cologne, we got to visit the Dom and it was huge, so huge I can’t even remember it all. It is a magnificent work of architecture. There is more detail in this building than any other building I have ever been to. It is worth as much time as you have. For lunch, we went to XII Apostle. Our last stop in Cologne was to the Chocolate Museum. The chocolate museum was not what my group and I thought it was. You just learn about how chocolate is made and tells the history
about cocoa beans.
“In Cologne, we got to visit the Dom and it was huge, so huge I can’t even remember it all.”
Hannah Schul (2017) - Reflect and then reflect again
The very official dictionary.com states that a reflection is “an image; representation; counterpart.” Dortmund, upon arrival, boasted of a fluorescent-lighted, graffitied subway station and a small army of host families ready to begin their small journey with an exhausted, motley crew of American college students. This was at first, the image of Dortmund that I was privy to. As the days passed, gradually passing faster and faster as I became more comfortable, Dortmund began to boast of much more. Days had to spent there and understanding was vital. Being open, and being ready to experience
was probably was the most vital to understanding better and understanding more completely.
Dortmund is a reasonably sized city, boasting a few interesting sights like the Dortmunder U, the TV Tower, the Phoenix-See, and the Thier Galerie. I saw these sights, and then had the opportunity to take one step closer to them, and then another step, and then I was running towards every opportunity afforded to me because I knew the opportunities were going to end. Dortmund, Germany is bold. It hosts an incredible myriad of people, people from hundreds of different backgrounds and descents, in one companionable city. Every school day I had the opportunity to walk a quick five minutes to the U-Bahn stop to catch my train, and then rode the U-Bahn to class. Public transportation was a completely unknown concept to me, and I did not think I would look forward to, or ever enjoy shuffling around on cold concrete, watching the clock and the electronic train memo board to see when the train heading to Westentor or Unionstraße was coming to pick me up. Each morning, except one where I had to hastily jog to my platform, I arrived before the subway, watched the others waiting with me, observed the small cars that jolted by on the powdered streets, and listened to fighting crows that dove after one another in the small field opposite the stop. “In den Börten“ were three words that began to look and sound like home to me. Sitting here, typing this, I feel like I would like to be back at that home, riding the train on a fabric red and purple window seat, looking out into the darkness that set at 16:32. I can type, with absolute certainty, that if I stepped into the Dortmund Haupbahnhof now, I would feel like I was home again. To step off that platform one more time and complete the usual trek into the Auslandsgesellschaft, or into the city where I spent almost every day with the boys or my host sister, trekking around, trying to fit in and sometimes failing miserably—often failing miserably.
“Being open, and being ready to experience was probably was the most vital to understanding better and understanding more completely.”
I remember watching from the plane as Europe came closer. We were almost in Deutschland. In reality, we were almost in Poland, because the cheaper flight we bought took us past our final destination by a couple hours and almost 700 miles. But that’s what it’s all about, creating experiences and doing things the harder way—seeing things I wouldn’t have seen on a first class direct flight from Buffalo to Düsseldorf (if there is such a thing). The interactions made with people in those couple extra stops, the bus ride, the few extra hours of sleeplessness with strangers that I would have to spend extreme amounts of time with in the next couple weeks—those are the things I will remember, and those are the things I get to smile now when I’m having a down day. The things I think about when I miss being in cloudy Dortmund with those people who are no longer strangers, but friends, friends I wish I didn’t have to leave, and a school and a class I looked forward to because I felt independent, separate, and so very at peace being 4,000 miles away from where I was used to carrying out everyday life. But I have memories now, memories of German couples surprising each other with beer
(#couplegoals), memories of complete uncomfortableness in the middle seat of a very tight plane, but laughing because that stranger I sat next to from the group is now someone that I call “friend”. Smiling to myself because „Handschuhe“ doesn’t just mean „gloves auf Deutsch“ anymore.
In essence, take the cheap way, make it harder, and work for the experiences, because at the end of the day, and at the finale of the trip I remember better and that is actually what traveling is all about. It is about the mistakes. It’s about being embarrassed. It’s about saying „Alles gute zum Geburtstag“ on accident because I didn’t realize that it’s bad luck to wish someone a happy birthday before their birthday. Turn red, blush a little, and be okay if when I’m laughed at.
“It is about the mistakes. It's about being embarrassed. It's about saying "Alles gute zum Geburtstag" on accident because I didn't realize that it's bad luck to wish someone a happy birthday before their birthday.”
That is what I learned, and that is what my reflection has shown me. Do not sweat the small things. Do things that might be a little uncomfortable. If I could do it all over again, and exactly the same way, I would. There is nothing I would change, because even every embarrassing blunder or awkward moment shaped the experience into an adventure that will not be forgotten. I hope to begin applying my experience into the life that I now must move forward with in this cold state of New York, and will keep on reflecting, and remembering, and reflecting again.
Zachary Snellings (2017) - Everything just felt correct and orderly in Dortmund
The Buffalo State group arrived in Germany on January second of this year. Though the group was split in two, one for German language courses, and another for higher education administration. Our group, the German language course group, consisted of five people. Once in Dortmund, we began our classes at the Auslandsgesellschaft with Christina Schultz. Even though we only had classes for about thirteen days, we were able to cover a wide range of subjects in regards to German. The class was a mixture of serious and relaxed. Other than the writing and speak in the language, we discussed everyday life in Germany, recent events, and politics. Christina was also able to practice her English with us from time to time, and since she has yet been able to go to the USA, we were able to tell her the differences between our country and hers.
“Other than the writing and speak in the language, we discussed everyday life in Germany, recent events, and politics.”
Outside of the classroom, we had free time to do whatever we pleased, either individually or with others. I had time to do some various shopping in the city limits, along with eating out. Though most of the time I stuck to eating at the Hauptbahnhof, train station, as the food was fairly cheap. Besides our
free time, both groups would come together for the scheduled events. Personally, I preferred some over others but for the most part they
were all enjoyable to some degree. The few that were more memorable for me were: the Steinwache tour; the Signal-Iduna Park tour; Amsterdam; the weekend in Berlin; andmy trip with my host family. Of course I remember the various other events we had, like the Nordstadt tour, but these were the ones that I enjoyed most.
- Steinwache: Steinwache was a prison that was used before the Third Reich, during, and after. Presently it is a museum that centers on the Nazi period. Located directly next to the school, we went on the last Friday of our trip. Here we went on a small tour that taught us of the various atrocities carried out by the police in Dortmund. Many were as expected, beatings, starvation, torture, but seeing the place in which these things
- Signal Iduna Park: Signal-Iduna Park is the largest football stadium in all of Germany, and one of the largest in Europe. It's the home stadium to Borussia Dortmund (BVB), a popular German/European football team with an ever growing fan base. I must admit that I am not a sports person, but the stadium was impressive as it was far larger than it appears at a distance. I did, however, buy a Borussia Dortmund scarf, meaning I now will be trying to get into European football. Something that I never really looked into past one team, the Celtics from Glasgow, Scotland.
Amsterdam was only a one day trip for the language group, which was both good and bad. The good was that we were able to tour the city, visit a couple museums (Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House), and do a bit of shopping. The downside was not being able to stay for another day, which in itself is a small blessing since the other group that did stay ended up spending a lot more money there. Seeing as we had to stay for a month, we had to keep to a budget and spending a lot in the first weekend would be counterproductive to the rest of the trip.
The longest trip we did, the weekend to Berlin, was simply amazing. The highlight for me was the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German History Museum). The museum was massive, with artifacts and paintings spanning the entirety of German history.
Admittedly, the majority of my phones memory was taken up by pictures from this museum. If, or when, I go back to Germany, I’ll make sure to return to Berlin for more of the museums, as we did not have the time to visit all which the city had to offer.
My last trip was with my host family, the Gögel’s. On Saturday, January twenty-first, Burkhard, Margret, and David took me to Detmold, Germany, about an hour and a half away from Dortmund. Here we went up to visit the Hermannsdenkmal, a memorial statue to Hermann the German. It was erected in the early 1900s in his memory as the Germanic chieftain that led an army to fend off the Roman invaders, thus keeping Germania separate from the Roman Empire. Afterwards, we went to the Externsteine, a seven million year old natural formation. In pre-Christian days it was considered a sacred space by the Germanic pagans of the area, modern day Germanic pagans still return to Externsteine yearly. The family more than likely did not know, but being of a Germanic pagan faith myself, this held further personal significance to me than what they might have expected.
“It felt like a returning to a home that I have not been to in so long.”
The trip in its entirety was absolutely amazing. It felt like a returning to a home that I have not been to in so long. Even during the times when I got extremely lost, I felt relatively no stress in comparison to everyday life in the States. Everything just felt correct and orderly in Dortmund, and in Germany as a whole. Though this sentiment is naive, since I do not live there I do not know the stresses of every day life and of recent events. However, if anyone were to ask me whether or not a trip to Germany is worth it, I only have one thing to say: Without a doubt.
Anthony K. Rosado (2017) - The country I admire most
I had never thought I would see myself in the country I admire most, Germany. I sought the opportunity from Buffalo State College to study abroad and enhance my German skills. This trip has really helped me comprehend more than just the German language, but the culture as well. During the trip we were to stay with designated host families, which at first I thought would not go so well, but in reality it was the best experience ever. I was taken in as if I was one of their own, and I could have not asked for anything better. The purpose of this trip was to study German in a local academy, The Auslandgesellschaft Intercultural Academy.
My group and I were thought by a German Professor, Ms.Schulz, she has only spoken German when teaching, putting us in a learning environment forcing us to use our German skills. This has really helped me improve on my vocabulary and my speaking skills. Every day we had to take the public
transportation to the school, meaning we were engulfed by the city of Dortmund. Learning how to read the maps, how the ticketing system works, even how figure out how the train schedule works.
“I was taken in as if I was one of their own, and I could have not asked for anything better.”
My favorite part was going to restaurants, having to order my own food. It really gave me the first hand experience. Although I would get the word order or articles wrong, the people knew the point I was trying to get across. During our studies, we went to two side trips, Amsterdam and Berlin. We visited several museums, which some were entirely in German. Being able to see the Berlin Wall and also getting across it was a great experience. Overall, this J-Term was well spent learning many new things ranging from language to culture, even the individual people. I would recommend this program to everyone.