Office of Study Abroad

Profile: Lola Hamilton '26

Major/minor: German Studies and Anthropology

Study abroad program: Language, Culture, and Politics in Berlin (IES), Spring 2025

Reason you chose this program:  I choose IES Berlin because I was seeking a program that would allow me an option to take all my courses in German at a local university. It was also a great option for me because it had course options in German that applied to my Anthropology major and diverse interests. The IES program also provided an opportunity for me to pursue an internship opportunity for course credit, which ended up being a pathway into the research I started for my senior thesis!

Favorite classes: My favorite course at IES Berlin was definitely German Pop Culture with Professor Neuenfeldt. The class was structured in a seminar-style format, so I had an opportunity to practice a lot of language skills while learning new things about German culture. Like a lot of my classes at IES Berlin, this course also took advantage of the cultural history of Berlin by taking us on field trips to theaters and museums throughout the semester. One moment I'll never forget is getting to see my professor direct her play for opening night!

How did you incorporate your Brandeis areas of study into your study abroad experience? Studying German while in Germany was a great experience for me! Suddenly, I had a lot more classmates to practice with and tons of fun options for courses. Plus, German was everywhere I went! Luckily, IES Berlin helped me to find a research internship at an anthropology program at a local university. My internship provided a huge opportunity to continue my anthropological research interest in the language I was studying. I got of lot of practice reading German newspapers and I had a chance to see how anthropological research translates across cultures.

Housing situation:  I was placed in a studio apartment about 15 minutes from the downtown area of Berlin. I loved my housing placement because of its location to the city as well as the great, local food options that were a short walk away. Berlin has great nightlife options and my location in the city made it really accessible for me to find friends in the area and local events to attend. I also quickly learned how useful public transportation becomes in a city!

What were some parts of your identity that you thought about while considering study abroad? Being Black abroad definitely taught me a lot about how race translates across culture. While I wasn't the only Black person at my study center, I definitely had a lot less community than I was used to in the States. When I encountered bias and discrimination I hesitated to reach out for help from my program or from Brandeis - that's definitely something I regret. However, when I did bring my experience up to my program advisors and the Brandeis advisors I received an unmatched level of support that any Brandeis student should know is there waiting for them!

What was your greatest challenge? Speaking a second language has always been challenging for me, but living in such a international city really forced me to get outside of my comfort zone to actively practice and improve my language skills. For anyone who wants to study and language abroad, I'd encourage them to practice their self-advocacy skills early on! Don't be afraid if people want to speak English and know that you can always ask to practice with locals regardless!

Favorite memory: One of my favorite memories from my semester abroad is doing a massive spring break trip with my friend Ava. For the first two days we flew into Amsterdam. Then, once we were back in Berlin, we took a bus to Prague. After a few days in Prague we caught another bus to Vienna. Once we saw the opera, we headed to our next bus, taking us to Budapest. Once we we made it into the city, we spent less than 24 hours exploring before we headed back to Berlin on a 14 hour bus. Four countries in 10 days is a once in a lifetime experience that I'll never forget!

Did you apply for any scholarships? If so, which ones and how did they impact your time abroad? I did apply for scholarships within my program. The scholarships I received were financial-aid based and specific to my IES program. The aid I received had a huge impact my ability to afford going abroad and my ability to travel outside of my host city. I highly recommend applying for scholarships throughout your study abroad journey - often there are opportunities that will reimburse you for time spent abroad anytime during that fiscal year, just make sure you always keep receipts!

What do you know now that you didn't know before? I learned so much about myself and what I'm capable of through study abroad. I would have never thought I could see seven different countries in three months, order dinner cohesively in a foreign language, or even take the bus to a festival across the city, before I studied abroad. I learned that making mistakes isn't the end of the world and no one even really cares. I learned about the importance of true friendships and how essential it is to maintain relationships with people, even across borders. I am a whole different, better person after study abroad and I encourage everyone who can to challenge themselves with this experience!

Fact about Germany that you think people would be surprised to learn: Even though Berlin is the capital of Germany, it is the quietest city I've ever travelled to. From the bus, to the train, to the busiest tourist streets, Berlin and Germany as a whole is a very quiet country. When friends visited me from places like France and London they were always shocked by how quiet the city could be, especially in comparison to the active night life in the city. The quiet, calmness is something I definitely miss all the time!