The trip taught me a lot. It definitely helped me relax and understand the importance of patience and remaining calm in a very unfamiliar environment. I learned very quickly how different things are from home, from everyday conversations to the average day to day traditions and activities. I feel that I generally adapt well to…
Author: rjt67
Saturday: Heading Home
I woke up this morning before the long travel day and went on a nice hour long walk. I wanted to have one last coffee overlooking the town square in Augsburg. Throughout the past two weeks, I had eaten meals and snacks there many times. Eating there was always very peaceful, and it is definitely…
Free Day: Friday
I decided to stay in Augsburg on the last day of the trip. Ironically, our final day ended up being the nicest weather we had the entire time, and I did not want to spend any more time on a bus or train. I woke up, had our awesome hotel breakfast, and then spent around…
Presentation Day: Thursday
This morning, I was able to sleep in a little, wake up, and enjoy our awesome hotel breakfast while putting the final touches on our group presentation about KUKA, the robotics company we toured the week prior. It has been very interesting learning about them as a company and understanding how manufacturers like BMW and…
Audi: Wednesday
Audi on Wednesday was a great experience. Personally, I wish we had been able to spend another hour or so there. I definitely liked the Audi facility more than the BMW tour, mainly because the path we took through the factory made you feel as if you were actually on the production line. Cars were…
AUMOVIO and Regensburg: Tuesday
AUMOVIO as a company is hard to explain, but in short they are an extension of Continental AG and focus on two business units: Safety and Motion, and Architecture and Network Solutions. The sensors in and around your car are probably made by Aumovio. Hearing about the process and then actually seeing it play out…
MAN and Nuremberg: Monday
I was definitely very tired going into the tour today, but I did my best to pay attention. MANN definitely did a great job of keeping me engaged. The guide was very knowledgeable, and it was interesting to learn about a company I had never heard of before and how it currently operates in 127…
Dachau Tour: Sunday
My first impression of Dachau was how quiet it was when we first entered. Every other place we have visited so far has felt joyful or welcoming, often with a boisterous atmosphere. Dachau was completely different. The size of the camp also seemed much larger than I expected. It is difficult to imagine that there…
Munich Travel: Saturday
The train ride was very smooth and efficient. Similar to public transportation back home, the outside of the station felt somewhat dirty and depressing. However, the inside of the German train was very nice. It felt state-of-the-art, clean, and much more well-kept overall. The atmosphere in Munich was awesome. The city felt both historic and…
Augsburg(Bloomberg): Friday
As a group, we ventured to the museum located in the middle of the city square. Unfortunately, we were not able to see as much of the museum as we had hoped because there was actually a wedding taking place that extended into the museum garden area. Even so, it was very interesting to witness…
The University of Augsburg: Monday
The university was honestly not what I was expecting. It felt very similar to some of the smaller colleges I toured in the United States. However, the lake and vegetation surrounding the campus definitely gave it a different atmosphere compared to schools back home. The cantina was awesome as well. From the students I spoke…
Neuschwanstein & the Alps: Thursday
The ride to the castle was awesome and vastly different from the drive to Munich earlier in the week. The trip involved little to no traffic and mostly consisted of winding back roads through farmland. Even today, I can understand why this area would be viewed as a getaway destination. The hike up to the…
KUKA TOUR: Wednesday
The first thing I began to realize was that KUKA has a larger human presence within its factory. In comparison, BMW, which we visited on Tuesday, has around 90% automation in its body shop, all using KUKA robots ironically. Automation within the industry is only becoming more advanced, and customers expect processes to be as…
BMW: Where Engineering Meets Identity: Tuesday
The glass design of the BMW facility was very impressive and unlike anything I had seen before. The inside of the building felt extremely modern and high-tech, and the operations throughout the facility seemed to run very smoothly. The employees at the front desk who handed out our IDs were also very friendly and welcoming….
Arrival: First Impressions of Germany and Augsburg (Day 2): Sunday
The first thing I noticed was the local markets and grocery stores that were actually inside the airport. This was very unique compared to what we have in the United States. The prices also did not seem outrageously expensive, which again was very different from airports back home. During our travel day, a water and…
Travel Day: Saturday
Compared to the last few flights I have taken, this trip was longer but much smoother overall in terms of communication from the airline and staying on schedule. The last three flights I had taken all involved some type of cancellation or delay, so it was nice for this trip to be completely on time….
Reid Tiskus PLUS 3 Germany 2026
Hello! My name is Reid Tiskus. I am currently a junior at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing a degree in Marketing. Academics aside, I enjoy running, cooking, and weightlifting. I am currently training for the Boston Marathon, along with several other races throughout the summer. Currently, I work at Fleet Feet, a specialty running store,…