German Interim Abroad

Most off-campus interims are three-week touristic extravaganzas, the furthest cultural submersion being in a hotel swimming pool. But the German Interim Abroad is not most interims.

This four-week trip to Germany stresses cultural integration, offering four stays with host families, each in a distinct region of the country and, at $2,650, it's exceptionally affordable.

German Professor Mary Buteyn, who has led the interim four times since 1988, said of the trip, “This is not a superficial trip through history. It is a very immediate interaction with Germans in homes and schools.”

Students live with host families in former East and West Germany, in both rural and urban settings. This provides a glimpse into the diversity of German life, and forces students to apply their language in everyday settings.

Junior Jordan McNeilly, who participated in the interim in 2010, said, “The interim helped me to break down cultural barriers and understand more. I enjoyed the cultural submersion of the home-stays, they gave me the opportunity to use knowledge learned in the classroom.”

Students also visit major German cities like Berlin and Munich. At the end of the trip, students have a free week to travel on their own.

With the dorm-housing credit and scholarship opportunities, students can cut around $800 from the final cost of the trip.

Participants are required to have taken German 215, a conversation and culture based course.