Course Overview
This course introduces students to international studies through firsthand cultural immersion rather than the classroom alone. Traveling across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, participants navigate unfamiliar languages, customs, transportation systems, and histories, learning to observe carefully and adapt quickly. Emphasis is placed on cultural awareness, historical context, and comparative perspective: understanding how geography, history, and shared values shape the way people live, work, and relate to one another. Students reflect on how immersion in another culture reframes their understanding of home, identity, and possibility, laying the foundation for a global outlook that informs later personal and professional choices.
Outline & Structure
1. Introduction
- The value of travel as a form of education
- First impressions: arriving in Central Europe
- Course objectives and scope
2. Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- Develop cultural awareness through direct observation and participation
- Understand the historical and geographic context of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
- Navigate unfamiliar environments with adaptability and confidence
- Reflect on how international experience reshapes personal identity and perspective
3. Modules
Module 1: Arrival and Orientation
- Navigating transportation, language, and daily life abroad
- Activity: Planning and executing an itinerary across borders
- Reflection: The discomfort and excitement of the unfamiliar
Module 2: History in Place
- Encountering European history through cities, landmarks, and memorials
- Case study: How the past shapes the present in Central Europe
- Discussion: Seeing history from a non-American perspective
Module 3: Culture, Craft, and Everyday Life
- Food, music, architecture, and precision engineering as cultural expression
- Practicum: Documenting observations through journal, photography, and conversation
- Discussion: What one culture values, and what that reveals about one's own
Module 4: The View From Abroad
- Seeing home differently from the outside
- Reading: Essays on travel, identity, and global citizenship
- Final Project: "Bringing the World Home: A Reflection on Global Perspective"
4. Assessment
- Travel journal entries and photographic documentation
- Mid-course reflection on cultural observations
- Final reflective essay connecting the journey to personal growth
5. Supplemental Resources
- Guides to the history and culture of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
- Travel writing and essays on cultural immersion
- Maps, rail networks, and itineraries from the journey
Notes
This course frames travel as education: an immersive encounter with other cultures, histories, and ways of living. By navigating Germany, Austria, and Switzerland firsthand, participants gain the cultural awareness and global perspective that later shape how they see their work, their communities, and themselves.