Basic Overview

Da ist es! (There it is!). München! (Munich). In the bottom right corner. At first I was a little saddened by my limited choices in where I could study abroad in Germany (the German department has very rigorous standards), but now I can't be happier with where I will be studying. I can't imagine studying abroad in Berlin or Köln (Cologne) or anywhere else really. Sure southern Germany has a bit of a reputation of being a little backwards, but having now read my travel book on Munich and Bavaria from cover to cover, there's just truly no city like it. I can already feel the sweet summer breeze gently wandering through the Englischer Garten, bringing the scents of freshly baked pretzels and brötchen and freshly brewed beer. Ok, maybe I'm hyping things up a bit, but still, I'm excited (to the point that I feel as giddy as a little girl sometimes - it's ridiculous how excited I am sometimes).

The program I'm going with is Wayne State University's "Junior Year in Munich" Program. Now I know, you may be thinking, "Corbin, you're not a junior and you're not even going for a full year" which is correct. I'm only going for the second semester due to the tight schedule of my education methods courses bloc. And really as long as your German is up to a certain level, whether you're a sophomore, junior, or senior, is all too relevant. I'll be taking courses from both Wayne State's program office in Munich (much like Miami's Luxembourg campus - though not in a castle) and the Ludwig Maximilians Universität München (LMU - in English: the University of Munich). LMU was founded in 1472 (nbd) and has quite a rich history with numerous alumni including nobel prize winners in the sciences, Thomas Mann, former presidents of Germany and secretary generals of the UN, the Scholls and the White Rose (famous anti-Nazi resistance group), and Pope Benedict XVI. It's amazing what all you can learn with a few links on Wikipedia.

The program will last about four months. I leave March 29, arriving there around 8am local time, 2am USA time, on March 30. From then until April 19th is a period of orientation: intense language work, getting adjusted, etc. Classes don't start until the 19th since there's a break in the European university calendar from mid-February until then. So it seems like I'm just doing a summer abroad, but really, it's a full semester - just delayed a little bit. 

They have us set to live in student housing from LMU in an area called StuSta (Studenten Stadt), where we each will have our own private (small, single) apartment, that way I won't be living with another American (tempted to speak English) or with a German (can't escape Germany/German life 24/7). It's in the area of Schwabing which from what I can tell is much like the Broadripple/Butler area of Indianapolis. It also buts up against the Englischer Garten - it's literally only a block away! :D

Details in Brief:

What: Wayne State University's Junior Year in Munich Program (WSU's JYM)

Where: Munich, Germany (surprise!)

When: March 29-July 31

Why: Studying abroad, taking classes from both WSU's JYM office and the Ludwig Maximilians Universität München (LMU)

Needless to say, I'm very much looking forward to it. However, I am glad to be in the States for most of March Madness and for the Intercollegiate Male Choruses National Seminar, which the Miami Men's Glee Club is hosting this weekend!

336 hours, 12 minutes!

Bis Später!

 and yes, I do plan on returning with some Lederhosen!