Jeremy Gouteix
Provider: AIFS
Berlin, Germany
2024 Fall

Berlin has been both surprising and exactly what I imagined. I expected the city to feel big and a bit overwhelming, which it did at first, but I quickly realized it’s more like a collection of neighborhoods with their own personalities. What surprised me was how relaxed the city can feel despite its size—people here love their parks and green spaces, and it’s easy to find quiet spots amidst the chaos.

This is the Friedrichstadt-Palast theatre lit up at night. It is by my programs location so it was a common sight to see.

I thought Berliners would be cold and distant, and while they’re not overly warm, they’re not unfriendly either. They’re straightforward, and once you get past the initial formalities, they can be surprisingly open. I also assumed the city would be very industrial and gray, but Berlin is full of color—graffiti, markets, and even unexpected pops of nature in the middle of the city.

The TV Tower and surrounding area all lit up by the lights of a Christmas market.

I know I’ll miss Berlin’s pace of life—the way people balance work and leisure so seamlessly. I’ll miss the ease of hopping on the U-Bahn to explore new neighborhoods, and I’ll definitely miss the food—currywurst, fresh pretzels, and the endless street markets. Mostly, I’ll miss the feeling of being in a place that’s constantly changing and always surprising.

My friends and I enjoying a traditional Glühwein, mulled wine, at a Christmas market in the center of Berlin.

My advice for any study abroad program is to go in with an open mind and be ready to embrace the unexpected. Things won’t always go as planned, and that’s part of the experience. For Berlin specifically, I’d say brush up on basic German before you go—it’s not a must, but it really helps to connect with the locals. Also, pack for layers—the weather changes constantly—and leave some space in your suitcase for all the things you’ll inevitably bring back.

Jeremy Gouteix
Provider: AIFS
Berlin, Germany
2024 Fall

I’m proud of how quickly I’ve adjusted to Berlin. Navigating the city, speaking German (even at a basic level), and feeling at home here are huge achievements for me. I never thought I’d be so comfortable in a new culture, but it already feels like my own. Exploring places beyond the tourist spots and knowing how to blend into Berlin’s rhythm has made me feel like I’ve really embraced the city.

In my free time, I’m usually out exploring whether it’s hitting up museums, trying out new foods at street markets, or just hanging out by the Spree, the main river in the city. Back in the U.S., my free time is mostly on campus or in town with friends, but here, it’s all about discovering something new every weekend. I’ve been to art exhibits, open-air flea markets and even a few local clubs, which is definitely not my usual scene back home.

Here I am looking philosophical while admiring the statues in the Altes Museum, Berlins Museum on Ancient Italy and Greece.

My German is slowly improving! I’m starting to feel more confident with basic conversations, but I still mix up words sometimes. One funny moment was when I asked a cashier for eine Ente (a duck) instead of eine Entenbrust (duck breast). She just laughed and corrected me, but it was a good reminder to double-check my words before speaking!

Here I am enjoying the classic Berliner dish, currywurst. It is a sausage with a “curry ketchup” sauce and fries. A truly high-class meal.

In class, I’m studying politics, basic economics, sociology and most importantly the German language. Outside of class, I’m learning about Berlin’s culture, how to navigate the city, and even how to cook some basic German dishes such as pork roast. I’m also learning the art of blending in, learning when to speak English and when to give German a shot.

On the edge of the city is a neighborhood called Köpenick. I like to come here to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city center. I took this picture at the Schloss Köpenick, an old Hapsburg summer palace.

Berlin has such a vibrant techno scene, which is something I wasn’t really into before. But it’s everywhere here, and it just feels like the city. I’ve found a few spots that play great music, and now I have techno playlists on my phone!

The City of Berlin holds their Festival of Lights yearly where they display some pictures onto famous landmarks. This is when they illuminated the Berliner Dom.

I’m taking public transit everywhere, which is a big change. I take the U-Bahn daily, and I’ve gotten used to the “mind your own business” vibe. Also, back home I don’t often go out to clubs, but here it’s almost a rite of passage. I’ve also gotten into the habit of shopping for groceries more like a local, just picking up what I need for the day instead of stocking up for the whole month. I spend most of my time with other international students, especially those from my apartment. We’ve cooked together a few times, and it’s great hearing about their cultures. I haven’t met any other H-SC folks here yet, but I’m meeting a lot of new people who make Berlin feel even more like home.

This is a photo I took while me and a few classmates were studying for a midterm in one of the spare classrooms.

The IES Berlin Center is modern and well-located in Mitte, close to some of Berlin’s biggest landmarks. The classrooms are bright and simple, with a big world map in the hallway that reminds me of all the places everyone’s come from. It feels comfortable and familiar, as many of my classes are similar in size to those back at H-SC.

 

Me and Mom in Copenhagen at Nyhavn, the old main port. It’s a beautiful stretch of town with colorful houses, well they would be if it hadn’t just rained.

Inside of the Director of the Stasi’s office. It’s well preserved as the staff left in a hurry, but very few images of it in use survived.

 

 

Jeremy Gouteix
Provider: AIFS
Berlin, Germany
2024 Fall

 

To get to my classes from my apartment I have to take two different modes of transportation. First, I take an intercity train from one Bahnhof (train station) to another, once I arrive I get on the metro for 4 stops until I reach the nearest metro station to my school. From there, I walk for about 7 minutes and go inside. On my journey I hear the bustling sounds of Berlin, the cars, trams and trains all going by bringing thousands to their destinations. I see the various architecture, from modern to classic German architecture. I smell the air which is a mix of the various parks and pollution from all the different factories, cars, and people.

Train station in rural Germany.

 

I live in a studio by myself, it is small but it gives me everything I need. I have a single bed, a desk, full kitchen, and full bathroom. I live amongst many other internationals, some in my program. It is different from my home in the US as I am fully on my own, no parents cooking or food from the dining hall. I am learning how to fend for myself in a bustling city.

Building on my way to school.

 

I mostly packed clothing and medications. It serves me well as my apartment came furnished so I had no need to bring things like sheets or cutlery. I wish I had brought warmer clothes as it gets very cold, causing me to layer up when I go out.

 

The people of Berlin dress a lot more plain. Not in a bad way but rather they wear solid colors, black being a favorite as opposed to how some Americans wear clothes with logos or designs to represent themselves. It was entirely surprising but many people blend together as I see a lot of the same outfit. I have started to wear simpler clothes but I did not dress too crazy beforehand.

 

Everything seems more fast paced. I come from the south where we take a more relaxed approach to life, but people here are fast walkers, and rushing to make trains despite one coming only minutes later. I have come to appreciate this as it helps keep me moving and exploring. I move with a purpose now, so I tend to see more of the city.

Berliner Dom at night.

Neue Watch (memorial to all fallen soldiers).

 

My favorite foods so far have to be currywurst, a sausage with a ketchup and curry sauce, and schnitzel. They are familiar enough to the cooking I am used to, but different enough that I enjoy the new experience. I have really enjoyed the freedom of being able to walk outside and decide where I want to eat on a whim.

 

 

Keegan Kennedy
Provider: AIFS
Paris, France
2024 Fall

 

I’m settling into Paris well; the city already feels like home to me. There is life on every corner and on top of every cobblestone. The metros, cars, busses, trains, and pedestrians are the lifeblood of Parisien(ne) culture. It is truly an expensive city, meaning I can sneeze and spend money. I would say Parisians are kind people, just impatient, they aren’t going to work with you to figure out your problem, but they sympathize with you. My classes are 3 hours at a time so the whole weeks content is in one session, that is a little overwhelming, but it means I only have classes Wednesday through Friday so, I’m able to familiarize myself with French culture on the weekends.

Here I am in Copenhagen on a long weekend on the Nyhavn. This is where the main port was in ye olde days because it was near the Kongens Nytorv where the market was and the ships could sell their goods quickly. Now it is a tourist trap with the colorful houses and cafes.

 

I take 2 metro lines to school in the morning, and it usually takes me about 30 minutes, no more rolling out of bed at Whitehouse and sleuthing down to the Rhetoric Center. Nobody talks on the metro; it is strictly a mind your own business environment. At the stations there are sometimes people playing music looking for tips, but so are pickpockets so you must be vigilant. On some newer metro lines, they even announce “Attention, pickpockets sont présent à bord” followed by it repeated in Italian, German, and always the  English “Beware of Pickpockets” last. Parisians do not enjoy speaking English since they had to take it in school and many have not practiced it since, especially since Brexit many French are trying to learn other European languages like German to not speak English.

I live with a retired doctor, she gives us a meal once a week and she cooks really well, the only downside is that the French eat dinner late, like 8 or 9pm and by then I’m hungry. My favorite dish so far has been something she’s made, Tartiflette, which is potatoes, ham, cream, and a whole wheel of cheese melted on top, it is typically eaten after skiing. Everyone uses 24h time so I must do math to figure out the time. Plus, when people say 94 cents at the grocery store it’s literally translated as four twenties fourteen and it doesn’t sound like an actual price and when that happens, I pay with my card. My neighborhood is nice with shops all around for quick things, and anything specific is usually only a 15-minute walk. I would go to cafes more often if they weren’t 5€ for a little coffee. My apartment is behind hers and has its own kitchen which is nice, and the windows have nice views all around. My room is nice with a bookshelf, a dresser and lots of little trinkets and paintings that are my host grandma’s things.

No Parisians wear shorts. Shorts were most of the pants that I packed so I had to look for more and I found some jeans at a Sunday market and had to buy a couple of pairs at H&M. Parisians also seem allergic to color in their clothes, if I wear anything that isn’t black or white everyone immediately knows I’m an American.

This is a photo of a snack at a Café opposite L’Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) enjoying a drink with some cheese and some sliced baguette.

This was an event at the Paris Archives that I stumbled on one day while walking around. They had crafts, books, and music!

Here is the Musée d’Orsay, an art museum built inside of an old train station, just across the river from the Louvre (and better than the Louvre too).

At night, every hour on the hour the Eiffel tower sparkles and looks like a nice light show.

Here I’m at the foot of Montmartre with the Basilique Sacré Coeur in the background. (Do you notice the American in the shorts?)

 

Keegan Kennedy
Provider: AIFS
Paris, France
2024 Fall

It took me 3 days to get here. That sounds like a lot because it is. Last year my mom moved back to Montana and that’s where I left from. I had to make the 2-hour trek to the airport the night before my flight since it left at 7am. The check in desk at the little 6-gate airport in Great Falls, Montana even said “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone actually go to Paris” which should tell you the travel habits of Montanans. I felt so nervous at my layovers in Denver and DC, but I knew that where I was going would be cool. I arrived in Paris at about noon on Sunday the first. My suitcases hadn’t been working at my layovers, so instead of dragging them on the train I took a taxi. I was able to talk to the driver in French which was great practice. Most people here when I speak French ask “English?” and then continue in English. Even many of the international students don’t speak French but they speak English, like a guy I met from Brazil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am at the Jussieu Metro Station near the AIFS office during one of the frequent neighborhood markets throughout the city.

 

This week has been long. I am settling into my homestay with a retired lady, she is very sweet and cares a whole lot, but she does not like my Canadian accent when I speak French. My roommate and I call her our grandma.  I did my orientation with AIFS the study abroad provider on Monday, then orientation at the American Business School of Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday in the 10^th Arrondissement (district) of Paris. ABS even arranged for a boat ride on the Canal Saint Martin and the Seine River. There are people through AIFS and other study abroad providers at ABS, in total at ABS there are about 80 international visiting students. The 10 of us through AIFS became automatic friends because we were interested in doing many of the same things.

This was taken from a garden in the 5^th arrondissement looking at Notre Dame de Paris still being restored after a fire destroyed the roof and the spire in 2019. It will be open for the public on December 8, look out for a blog post about that in December ;).

 

I have already been to the Eiffel Tower, the Musée du Louvre, Place de la République, Place de la Madeleine, Notre-Dame de Paris, Montparnasse tower (Paris’ ugliest building according to locals), and took a walking tour of the Latin Quarter. I chose this program because it would have classes that could transfer back to Hampden-Sydney, some of the other schools I looked at would not be able to transfer. I love everything public transit and Paris is one of the best places for that. There are 200-year old metros, 2-year old metros, trams, trains, busses, it’s all so fun to take around the city. I love being where people are since in all its hecticness I live on the edge of Paris near the boulevard périphérique in the 17^th arrondissement on the “right bank” of the city.

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am on the boat tour on the River Seine in front of the Eiffel tower still with the Olympic rings! The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, is considering leaving the rings on the tower for a while longer.

 

Jeremy Gouteix
Provider: AIFS
Berlin, Germany
2024 Fall

I chose the IES Abroad program in Berlin because I wanted to better my German speaking skills but also, I wanted to immerse myself in the German culture and how it is spoken outside of a classroom. The German language is a difficult one and after gaining a basic understanding of the language at Hampden-Sydney, I wanted to dive head on into it. This specific program suited what I looked for in a program as it allowed to me to take classes in what I intend to major in, Foreign Affairs, whilst also doing excursions in the country to give me a chance to practice my language skills but also see parts of Germany I would have otherwise not seen.

The Reichstag (Parliament Building)

River view of the Reichstag and the office of the Chancellor (Chancellor’s offices have the blue flag atop).

 

I am looking forward to living and breathing German. Whether it be on my commute to school, or grocery shopping at ALDI for the bargain deals, I can better my skills and come back with a unique view on Germanty. This ability to see German everywhere and hearing it throughout the streets and train stations has already bettered my understanding of day to day German. I am nervous about being in over my head. As it is a tough language to learn as an English speaker, I am worried of having trouble or inconveniencing the locals if I struggle to find the words in German.

View from the tram station near my apartment.

 

My travel experience was smooth. I flew through Lufthansa which helped with the ease of getting to Berlin from Atlanta. It was a long eight hours to Frankfurt before my connecting flight to Berlin. The airports were not too difficult to navigate and security was no issue. Once I arrived, I went to a hotel prior to receiving my studio apartment for the year. My move in was simple with the wide spread public transport and elevators.

Sign at Checkpoint Charlie indicating that West Berliners were leaving West Berlin.

 

During my time in Berlin I hope to be able to hold conversations with Germans and be able to order from a restaurant or buy groceries without the need of Google Translate. I also hope to be able to see as much of the diverse culture Germany has to offer. Each state varies drastically in culture. Berlin and Bavaria are just as different as some countries. The ease of use train system will hopefully allow me to explore as much as I can all over the German speaking world.

 

Berlin TV Tower

 

River view of Berlin near my apartment with the TV tower in the background.

 
Berlin Cathedral

 

The Bundesrat which is the government department which manages the German States.

We are delighted to have the following students blog for us this fall.  Follow us on Instagram to see when a new post is added.

Jeremy Gouteix
Berlin, Germany
Program: IES Berlin Security Studies & International Affairs
One of the aspects that enthralls me the most is the opportunity to live amongst locals. It’s a chance to go beyond the tourist experience and delve deep in to the heart of Berlin’s unique lifestyle.  From eating authentic local cuisine to engaging in local traditions, I look forward to forging genuine connections and gaining insights that textbooks cannot provide.

Keegan Kennedy
Paris, France
Program: AIFS American Business School of Paris
France is the home of culture, history, philosophy, language, ideas, and more. France is where you can experience the big city life and a countryside lifestyle where the wine and food flow from Michelin star restaurants. I am looking forward to being able to use the metro everywhere, I love the feeling of being able to go somewhere without worrying about a car to park or spending so much time walking. I love public transit across the world and Paris has some unique aspects I am excited to see like the Grand Paris Express, the RER, the metro with frequent stops, the TGV trains (just means very big speed trains), and so much more