It was finally the day I had been looking forward to for the entire trip — our visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, the 19th-century castle built by King Ludwig II as a personal retreat and fantasy escape from the industrial world around him. Leading up to this day, everyone had talked about how beautiful the views…
Category: Plus3 Germany
Check out all the Plus3 Germany blogs below!
Behind the Robots: Day at KUKA
On our fifth day of the trip, we visited KUKA, a company that specializes in industrial robotics and automation systems. After visiting BMW the day before and seeing KUKA robots actively building parts of BMW vehicles, I was really excited for this visit because we were finally getting to see where a lot of that…
Day 4: Visiting BMW
On Tuesday, we got on the road bright and early at 7:00 a.m. to head to BMW in Munich. After what felt like a long bus ride, we finally arrived at the BMW facility, which was one of the visits I had been most excited for throughout the trip. Since BMW was also the company…
Day 3: Exploring the University and City
On our first full day in Augsburg, we started the morning with breakfast at the hotel before heading over to the University of Augsburg to meet with our industry analysis groups. This was also our first time using the public transportation system in Augsburg. We took the tram to the university, and I was immediately…
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…
Arriving in Augsburg
After arriving in Munich and taking the bus to Augsburg, my first impressions of Germany were very different from what I expected. One of the first things that stood out to me was how clean and organized everything felt, especially the roads, buildings, and public spaces. Compared to what I am used to at home…
Departure Day: Pittsburgh to Germany
For the departure day to Germany, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness that made the experience different from any trip I have taken before. Most of my past travel has been either family vacations or shorter trips where everything felt planned out and familiar. This trip feels so much bigger because it combines…
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…
Day 7: Trip to Munich
I woke up this morning feeling the best I did the whole trip. Following our chill day, I was able to destress and get a good night’s rest. This allowed me to feel refreshed and locked in for one of the most important days of the trips. We were going to Munich. This is another…
Day 5 – A Day at KUKA
Today was my groups assigned company visit, and we took a quick tram ride to the KUKA factory in Augsburg. I remembered seeing KUKA robots the day before at BMW and being amazed by what they were capable of, so I was excited for the visit. When we arrived we watched a cool video and…
Germany in Review
After seeing my friends abroad this past semester I knew that something was missing from my college experience. While a semester couldn’t fit with my schedule and I could not do Plus3 my freshman year, I am very grateful that Plus3 Germany was available and fit for my schedule. There is something that I believe…
Day 15- Back to Pittsburgh
This experience has completely exceeded my expectations in every way. I came into the program knowing that I would enjoy it, but I didn’t know the impact it would have on me. I have learned so much about German History, automotive companies, and about how to work with those of a different background from me….
Day 14- The Hills are Alive with The Sound of Music
Way before the program started I knew that on my free day I wanted to go to Salzburg, Austria. It has been a bucket list travel place of mine for a while now and having the ability to see 2 countries in two weeks was very appealing to me. The Sound of Music is also…
Day 13- Wrapping Up
I started my morning with a walk around Augsburg, taking in all the sites and landscapes I got to call home for the past two weeks. It gave me a lot of time to think and reminisce about my experience abroad. I was surprised with how many things were connected in Germany. Every site or…
Day 13- Presentation
When you’re moving from city to city, factory to factory, you absorb the next thing and move on. Today was the first time I had to slow down and find the thread that connects to every place I have been on this trip. There is a thread. The central argument of this program is building around is one I’ve been circling since about day one. Germany is one of…
Day 4 – Off to the Races
BMW day! I have been looking forward to this day for months, so although the wakeup was early, I knew it would be worth it. We drove to Munich, which ended up being longer than expected because of the morning traffic. The headquarters and museum were so uniquely designed that it was like nothing I’ve…
Day 6: My New Favorite View
One of my most anticipated days of the trip, today we visited the Neuschwanstein Castle and I can confidently say it lived up to all the expectations!! I’m not going to lie, the bus ride was rough and I experienced some brutal motion sickness… but I bounced back quickly and was ready to go. We…
Day 1: New Planes, New Places, New Perspectives
This trip has already unfolded in ways that are very different from any trip I have taken before. I have never traveled outside of the country, and I have also never been away for this long without some sort of family around me. Usually when I travel, it feels familiar and routine, but this experience…
Day 8: Reflections from Dachau
Waking up today, I knew it would be a heavy day emotionally as we were visiting Dachau, the first regular Nazi concentration camp. We got off the bus and began our tour through the Dachau concentration camp. We began walking and immediately, I felt sick at the sight of how small the camp was. When…
Day 7: A day in Munich!
The day in Munich was such a fun experience. I couldn’t contain my excitement as we left Augsburg and made our way to Munich! Getting off the train, I immediately noticed the change in atmosphere. Everyone in the train station seemed to be busy and in a rush. This was the kind of city atmosphere…