One of the best parts of a study abroad program is exploring the host country you are in. I am currently on a study abroad program in Munich, Germany. It has been a lot of fun seeing the city while here. The entire city is walkable, but there are also numerous public transportation options available for a faster commute. I recommend using an app like Google Maps or Apple Maps to help navigate the trains and buses.
It can be overwhelming to choose where to spend your free time. I did not know much about what I should check out when I came to Germany. On the first day, we met our German buddies, and they recommended some locations and good food places to try. Using map apps is also a good way to find places to check out in your free time.
One nice thing about the program is that there were events scheduled into the program to explore the city. On the second day abroad, we went on a guided tour around the heart of the city. This allowed us to learn about the area we were staying in and get ideas for different locations to explore in our free time. We also went to a food market as part of one of our classes. We got to try some traditional German foods like bratwursts and haxensemmel. Some of the other places we traveled to were the BMW museum, the Allianz Arena, and various restaurants.
Additionally, we had a lot of free time built into our schedule, so there were plenty of opportunities to explore the city on our own. Students would often plan to go to different places during their free time as a group, so it was also a great opportunity to spend time with the other study abroad students. The city of Munich is a very walkable city. Most streets have sidewalks and crosswalks available, so it is never a challenge to travel around. Some of my favorite places I have gone to were a cat cafe, shops in Marienplatz, and Spring Fest.
One place that I went to was the Deutschen Museum, where they had some interesting exhibits. My Pitt ID was also valid to get the student discount on the entrance fee. There were multiple locations that offered a student discount that included students from Pitt. All information cards around the museum were written in both German and English, so I was able to easily read about each exhibit. The museum had a wide range of exhibits available to go through. There were many exhibits relating to science and math topics, but also areas like agriculture and health services. All of the exhibits were interesting to go through, had interactive elements, and went into a good depth on the topic. My favorite exhibit in the Museum was the aviation section because it went through engines and the creation of lift for planes. It was neat to see how concepts that I have learned in my mechanical engineering classes are being applied to aviation and other technologies.
I am very grateful for the chance to explore the city of Munich, Germany. This is my first time in Europe. It has broadened my worldview, and I have enjoyed experiencing Germany’s culture. There is so much to explore in your host country, so I would recommend taking advantage of your time abroad as much as possible!
Swanson School of Engineering 