Castles, Kebabs and Chatham Friends Abound While Studying Abroad in Germany
Aaron Zabrinas (rear, second from left) and Ava Krepp (rear, third from right) discussed their journey studying abroad in Germany this spring. (Photo via Ava Krepp.)
It was at the massive Neuschwanstein Castle in the lush, green foothills of the Alps in south Germany that Chatham University students Aaron Zabrinas ’23 and Ava Krepp ’25 had their favorite experiences studying abroad.
For Zabrinas, a third-year psychology major, the May trip was an opportunity to see the beauty of the German countryside, but it came with a steep hike through the mountains.
Aaron Zabrinas takes a selfie in the foothills of the Alps. (Via Aaron Zabrinas.)
“I thought they were joking when they said we were going to walk up there,” he said over the phone. “But we all as a group climbed up this little mountain area, and the view was just incredible.”
While Krepp, a political science major, said the hike up the castle was amazing, she also enjoyed spending time in Berlin and other urban areas, doing “little things like riding the train everywhere and feeling like you’re blending in with the locals.”
She also said it was great to spend the two weeks in Germany surrounded by Chatham friends as part of the study abroad program that followed a semester studying 20th century regime change in Germany.
Professors David Rossbach, an associate professor of political science and the chair of the Department of Social Sciences, and William Biss, an associate professor in the School of Arts, Science and Business, guided students on the trip.
“I’m really grateful for them, that they did all this planning for us and made it happen,” Krepp said of the instructors.
She said Dr. Rossbach, her advisor, left her feeling prepared for the trip after taking classes with him. “He did everything with us. He’d answer any question you had and explain more,” Krepp said.
The spring course on regime change, which covered modern German history from the Weimar Republic to the fall of the Berlin Wall, coupled with the study abroad program was a great way to take a closer look into a country’s history, Zabrinas said.
“My experience and my knowledge of Germany was kind of the Nazi period, a little bit of Berlin, and then, like, Angela Merkel,” he said. “To be able to do a deep dive and learn about that stuff in the classroom, it really made it a more enjoyable experience. You really see firsthand the things that you learn about.”
Ava Krepp sits in Berlin near the famous Brandenburg Gate. (Via Ava Krepp.)
Krepp, whose course research focused on housing, said it was interesting to see the differences between the architecture that was built before and after German Reunification, which began in 1989.
“We got to tour some of the Bauhaus-style neighborhoods, which is something I looked into during my summer research,” she added.
In addition to guided activities with their classmates, both Krepp and Zabrinas shared a similar affinity for the doner kebab, a Turkish street food they described as ubiquitous throughout Berlin.
“I ate that probably four or five times when I was there,” Zabrinas said. Krepp said she ate them nearly every day, saying they were “super cheap and amazing.”
The group packed a lot into two weeks, Zabrinas and Krepp said, including a variety of different activities like a visit to an urban art museum, the Reichstag building where the German parliament meets and the Mauerpark flea market.
“If someone’s considering studying abroad, I would definitely encourage them to do so,” Zabrinas said. “It’s a very enriching experience, it’s something that really adds to your education, and you get to visit another country after learning about it in a classroom. It’s a very rewarding experience.”
More information about Chatham University’s education abroad opportunities, including scholarships and exchange programs, can be found on this webpage and by contacting the Office of International Affairs in Falk Hall.
Mick Stinelli is a Writer and Digital Content Specialist at Chatham University. His writing has previously appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and 90.5 WESA, and he has a B.A. in Broadcast Production and Media Management from Point Park University. Mick, a native of western Pennsylvania, spends his free time watching movies and playing music.