My name is Uma Miskinyar, and I study International Affairs at the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs. I decided to study abroad in Berlin because I have always been fascinated by Cold War history and had spent three years studying the German language prior to my time in Berlin. I wanted to put my language and cultural knowledge into practice, and expand my outlook on foreign affairs all while living in the most fantastic city in Europe.

I look back on my time abroad in Berlin with a smile knowing that I accomplished my four study abroad goals: (1) explore every corner of the city, (2) immerse myself in the local German culture and way of life, (3) travel anywhere and everywhere, and (4) eat lots of döner. The only goal I did not accomplish was to attend a Borussia Dortmund game at Signal Iduna Park (if you know, you know), but that is okay. Now I have another reason to return to Germany!

When I got past the three-month mark of studying abroad in Berlin, I felt a shift in my daily routine, aside from the academic knowledge I accumulated at FU. I knew the public transportation system like the back of my hand, which coffee shops had the most skilled baristas, and to, when in-doubt, walk everywhere! When I would ever find myself homesick, I would find bits and pieces of the United States history in Germany, my favorite being John F. Kennedy Platz, where the late President Kennedy gave his renowned “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. An excursion for my German class introduced me to JFK Platz, and my German professor and I are both JFK fans, as you can tell from the following photo

Berlin is the place to be, whether you enjoy music, nightlife, history, culture, sports, or just exploring a vibrant city, and FU-BEST makes sure you get the most out of your time here. The largest component in bolstering my German comprehension and spoken skills was living with a host mom. She, by far, taught me more about German culture, food, and mannerisms than any classroom ever could. Every single morning, we started off with a typical German Frühstück, reading the newspaper, and talking politics, and ended our days discussing philosophy, telling funny life stories, and recapping the day. The opportunity to do this every day in Germany, while solely speaking German, was invaluable, and allowed me to expand my vocabulary, improve my confidence in communicating across cultures in a foreign language, and better understand everyday German life. My host mom and I still keep in touch, and she is by far the #1 highlight of my time in Germany, thanks to the FU-BEST program matching us. Our outings consisted of going to the German Ballet, exploring the Brandenburg countryside, visiting the Sunday flea markets, and my favorite of the following: Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake), which is a staple component in German life– not only fun, but also quite delicious.

I owe my thanks to the Freie Universität Berlin European Studies Program (FU-BEST), which made my time in Berlin nothing short of incredible. The academics, staff, cultural environment, and connections I made with fellow students were truly special. My German improved tremendously over the four months, reaching near fluency, and my courses in European + Media Politics (especially with the excursions) made the classroom experience much more immersive. The level of care and support from the program is outstanding. More than anything, Berlin taught me how much growth happens when you let yourself become part of a place— not just by studying it, but by living it every day. My advice to future students is simple: say yes to the excursions, talk to your host family as much as possible, get lost on public transportation at least once, and let Berlin surprise you.