Inside Student Blogs

Samuel Antill European Union, Fall 2011

Sam Antill was born and raised in a small town in Western Massachusetts. He is a rising junior at Pomona College, where he studies mathematics and economics. Besides academics and travelling, he enjoys playing guitar and piano, and performing in an acapella group. He is extremely excited to study abroad in Germany this coming semester, and find a better understanding of the European Union.

Samuel's Posts

• Wenn ich war in Freiburg

  1/04/12 • (0)

  I have to say, it’s pretty weird thinking of study abroad in the past tense. The entire thing seems like a fairy tale, and I’m left with a pile of photos, memories, and random tickets I thought were important (scrapbook for the win!).

  European Union, Freiburg, Germany, Reflections

• What I Will Miss: Part Two

  12/29/11 • (0)

  In my last blog I mentioned a number of things I will greatly miss once returning to the states, but there’s one thing I will miss so much that it warrants its own entry – confusion.

  European Union, Freiburg, Germany

• What I Will Miss: Part One

  12/22/11 • (0)

  As I sit here, attempting to process the fact that I’m leaving Germany tomorrow, it seems an appropriate time to start compiling the list of what I’ll miss.

  European Union, Freiburg, Germany

• Proud to be an American

  12/14/11 • (0)

  Rent an American is a program that works with IES to send American students to German highschools in order to speak with the students. It serves as an opportunity to let German students practice their English while getting first hand knowledge about American youth culture, and simultaneously allow American students to find out about the German education system.

  European Union, Germany

• Solidarity in Austerity

  12/01/11 • (0)

  A large part of what makes the European Union interesting to study is the variety in member countries. It’s fascinating how in times of economic crisis some countries can successfully implement policy measures that would crash and burn in other European countries.

  European Union

• It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

  11/30/11 • (0)

  Europe knows how to do Christmas. Germany’s unabashed anti-secularism combined with the lack of Thanksgiving to distract everyone from the imminent Advent means that celebrations start early. As in early November.

  Christmas, European Union, Freiburg, Germany

• Thanksgiving in Estonia

  11/29/11 • (0)

  It’s pretty amazing what can be considered normal after a few months of studying abroad. This program in particular involves quite a bit of travelling: we went to 5 countries before our first real test.

  European Union, Freiburg, Germany, Thanksgiving

• Discipline and the German Language

  10/30/11 • (2)

  A roommate of mine once told me he thought that German was “a good language to discipline your kids in”. I’m starting to think he’s on to something.

  European Union, Freiburg, Germany

• A Typical Tuesday in Freiburg

  10/30/11 • (0)

  So there you have it, more or less a normal day. It’s hard to qualify normal though – after all, I am writing this from Monaco.

  European Union, Freiburg, Germany

• On Greek Debt

  10/26/11 • (0)

  The Greek debt crisis has been all over the news. I get asked by American friends if the Germans are upset by this, so I did some polling and I now present my findings.

  European Union

• Three German Technical Innovations

  9/28/11 • (0)

  This is a slightly random entry, but I thought I would describe a few of the German innovations I’ve found interesting since arriving here.

  European Union, Freiburg, Germany, Innovations, Vauban

• Bruno Mars Owns the World

  9/27/11 • (0)

  Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, in 1770 and spent much of his life in Germany. But when I sit down in a restaurant in Freiburg, do I hear the Moonlight Sonata?

  European Union, music

• Waiting for Godot, Restaurant Edition

  9/19/11 • (1)

  Among the many nuggets of wisdom we were given during orientation, it was mentioned that Germans enjoy longer meals.

  European Union, Germany

• A Pre-Departure Reflection: 5 German phrases to add to your vocabulary

  8/23/11 • (0)

  Ernsthaft wenn ich eine weitere Wurst esse, birst mein Magen. “Seriously, if I eat one more sausage my stomach will rupture”

  European Union, Germany, Pre-Departure, Study Abroad Blogs