Sarah Petri

“Being in a completely new environment puts you in a really vulnerable place and you realize what can help you thrive.”

Program: Academic Year in Freiburg (AYF), Year

Student’s Majors: German, Environmental Sciences

Sarah after a long hike in the beautiful Black Forest.

Academic Life: When studying through AYF, you have a lot of class options that can expose you to a variety of different students. You have the option to take classes through AYF which allows you to study with other students from your program. You can also take classes through the technical college in the area, through the university in Freiburg or through the international office of the university. By taking classes at each of these institutions, you have the opportunity to not only study with other American students, but also international students from all around the world, as well as German students, both local and from around the country.

On Germany Becoming A Second Home: Germany definitely became my second home, a realization that my fellow students and I noticed when we began referring to our new apartments as “home”.

What Sets Her Apart: I have a more global perspective than others, meaning that I have more knowledge about international issues, other cultures, and how those cultures view America. I am more open to new experiences and feel far more independent now that I have completed this stage in my life.

On Her Internship Experience: I worked with the city of Freiburg in managing the waterways in and around the city. This included doing educational work with school groups from the area, testing the water quality, promotional events, and even assisting in leading an Iraqi delegation in a discussion of environmental issues. My boss was a wonderful woman from Berlin who was passionate about the environment and educating others about how to be ecologically friendly. I learned a lot from this experience and gained a valuable reference for the future!