|
||||||||||||||||||
| US-American Students Abroad A roundtable conversation with US-interns doing a “Praktikum” in Germany focussing on topics such as their reasons for an internship in Germany, their main tasks as a “Praktikant”, the language barrier, everyday life, and the differences between the US and Germany provided a variety of ideas and information. The experiences shared with other interested students help to prepare a stay as intern outside the country and especially overseas.
Aerospace Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities: “I was asking around for opportunities to work abroad in Europe. One thing led to another, I began learning German, and loads of paperwork later, I arrived in Germany. The language barrier was a definite obstacle for the first few weeks, but thanks to patient co-workers and having a small background in the language I am learning more and increasing my confidence every day. I work in an office, much like an office one would also find in the USA. The work is likely comparable, although here I think we work more efficient and drink more coffee. I must take the bus and train to work because I live in the countryside. I was lucky to find a nice room for rent with a family in a small village. After work I often go to the city to meet with friends and enjoy some German culture. Then in the evening, if I plan my travels right, I can get home in just one hour. There are many differences between the States and Germany, small and large. I find the cities and the landscape here to be much more beautiful than back home, and there are better restaurants and incomparable beer. However, I do miss our 15.000 lakes and Mexican food! I have made a few small weekend trips in Germany, but most of the time I hang around Frankfurt and explore the city with my new friends. I will miss them, German breakfast, refreshing beer on every corner, riding the train, and meeting new people from every part of the world. In a foreign country everything is a little adventure: going to the grocery store, taking a cab, or asking for directions. I will remember these little adventures because back home everything will be so commonplace again.“
Chemical Engineering and German, University of Connecticut, Storrs: “Along with a degree in chemical engineering I am working towards a degree in German Studies. Overcoming the language barrier took time and courage. By the end of my three-month internship I was much more confident with my German, though there is always room for improvement. Most of the time I worked in a lab although later on I returned to an office to analyse data. I worked eight hours a day, 40 hours a week. My schedule was flexible. I was given a project to work on while an advisor oversaw what I did and helped with the procedure. While this was similar to work I have done in America, it was immensely different since all the equipment, computer programs and communication with my boss and colleagues were in German. Luckily, my workplace found an apartment for me. It was a single apartment with a small kitchen and I shared a bathroom with other tenants on the floor. I was within walking distance of restaurants, a bakery, a drugstore and several grocery stores. Bread here is delicious and there is no comparison to bread in America. The markets also have such a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, which taste so much better than store-bought. It is more fun to go into the city and buy fruits and vegetables at a market than in a store down the road. I have had so many great experiences and will mostly miss the fact that my opportunity to have more great experiences here in Germany has come to an end.“
German and Communications, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor: “I am a double major in German and Communications so my goals were to both learn about and experience the culture and gain insight into the marketing strategies of a German company. Attitudes toward work seem quite different from those in the US. Here, you do not let work define who you are. But while we are at work, it is “strictly business”. Most people are busy all day long and really use breaks as a real break from work. There is no such thing as taking lunch at your desk unless you are really crunched for time. It seems like people here get together with groups of friends for dinner or drinks more frequently. When they eat dinner, they do not just order a main course, pay and leave like people in the States frequently do. It is almost expected that you take your time, order a couple of drinks, appetizers, main course and coffee or dessert. After everyone is done, it is perfectly normal to sit for an additional 20 minutes or half hour to talk before you leave the restaurant. My tasks as an intern have varied from translating questionnaires for customers to creating and presenting a competitor analysis. I really feel like I am getting good working experience. I work 35 hours per week and have the opportunity to work overtime to get days off. This system has given me a lot of flexibility. What I will probably miss the most is being able to see so many things with so much historical importance without having to travel very far. Travel here is much less expensive and easier. My family and I drove down to the Alps and back, stopping at cities to see the sights. Each city has its own history and local flavor, with gorgeous buildings centuries old. People I have met enjoy experiencing other cultures and learning about other countries’ history while on vacation whereas most of my friends at home prefer to go to beaches and resorts. I have truly been spoiled living in Berlin – with so many museums, galleries and events I have not been bored a single day this summer.“
Mechanical Engineering and Business German, Northwestern University, Evanston: “With all of my German studies, I felt it would have been a waste to not use them in a practical environment. Being an engineer usually makes it hard to study abroad and the summer seemed like the perfect way to go to Germany. Not only that, but Germany is known worldwide for its mechanical engineering. I worked in an automation and drives division. My work was interesting, and they got me involved in the engineering process right from the start. I was given a main project involving document generation, and also got to work with Computer Aided Design (CAD) on the side. Different is that Germans work to live and Americans live to work. I did not see people working 60 or more hours per week here and they take a lot of vacation (relatively). On the other hand, Germans seemed to be very efficient when they work. They are very focused at the workplace and people do not waste time with small talk. I also found the punctual stereotype of Germans to be quite accurate. A big difference between the US and Germany is the length of time that people work for a company. Many of my co-workers had been working with the company for 20 years or more. Once one adjusts to the smaller cultural differences, everyday life is quite similar to life back at home. I worked about seven to eight hours a day and then had free time after that to work out, cook, grocery shop, etc. My weekends were typically spent going out in Berlin with co-workers, and when possible I would try to travel. Considering that I will be searching for a job soon after I get back, I am going to miss the work-life-balance people have in Germany.“ Juliane Adameit, D.E.A. Coordinator USA-Interns Program Steuben-Schurz-Gesellschaft e.V. 069-71448609 info@usa-interns.org www.usa-interns.org itchy feet Nr.5, Ausgabe 2008 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
