Author: Jacob Holmes | Major: Indusrial Engineering and Operations Analytics | Semester: Summer 2025

Reading the history of the Würzburg Residenz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with baroque architecture

As hour 4 of 8 passed on flight UA 907 from Chicago to Frankfurt, I was peacefully asleep. I was no stranger to long flights after working for United Airlines during the eight months beforehand (and heavily utilizing the standby flight benefits). I got the sleep down to a science: blanket tightly wrapped around my torso, headphones on, pillow as a back support, and shoes untied and loosened. After having studied in Grenoble, France, for a month with a University of Arkansas (U of A) faculty-led program, I felt prepared for the next six month that I was going to spend in Darmstadt, Germany, but man was I wrong. I found that I would then go through different phases of homesickness and exhaustion, but nearly at the other end, I see that I have learned and gained so much through this process.

Studying at the Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt), I participated in the international engineering program between the U of A’s College of Engineering/German Department and TU Darmstadt. Before coming to college, I studied French and Spanish in high school and had always had an eye set on learning German at some point. Plus, the established program at the U of A made it easy to determine a program that matched both of my goals of learning languages and applying them in an engineering context. Typically, students will go to Germany for the Fall semester and do an internship in the Spring of their fourth year of college; however, I ended up getting an internship for the Fall, switching my schedule to go to Germany to the Spring (and experiencing the more pleasant weather).

During this experience, I took two French courses, two German language courses, and three engineering courses in German, which indeed proved to be very challenging. Their structures are very different compared to those in the U of A: most of them only have a cumulative final as the sole grade in the course. However, my language-focused courses had 30-minute technical presentations that would split the course weight by two with the cumulative final. This reversal to how courses were structured drastically changed my typical study routine. What was once focused on application-based homework and exams, was now shifted to abstract theory and research-synthesis techniques to develop comprehensible presentations and deeply understand the content without technical practice to reinforce key ideas. Overall, I found this method more challenging than how I usually learn; it required much more work on figuring out how to successfully structure presentations or information so that I can remember precisely what I want to say or demonstrate, all the while in a foreign language.

These courses did teach me a lot! This “rewiring” of how to think became a central component in all the courses, regardless of specific of topic. The main skill I learned was how to communicate clearly, which I knew would be beneficial in the future. Whether it was technical presentations, argumentative-synthesis essays, or even an oral exam, I felt like I extensively flexed my critical thinking and organized communication skills throughout the entire semester. One moment that stood out in particular was my presentation in my German Technical Language for STEM course. I discussed a close, project-related topic from my internship with United last semester: baggage handling. I organized the process visually and reflected on which problems could arise and risk-reduction steps that could be taken. Meanwhile, I communicated this all in German. After the presentation, I was able to engage in thoughtful questions from my classmates and professor, and I felt how greatly I had improved in German to that point. Speaking is the most difficult part of language learning, and this experience helped me prove to myself that I had finally reached a level to successfully communicate.

Outside of academics, I learned a lot through this program. My time in Germany allowed me to figure out a different way of generally organizing my time throughout the week, how to communicate with anyone, and how to spontaneously solve problems as they arise. With my course schedule being more flexible with only one lecture per class per week, I ended up with a lot of free time to schedule out. This change taught me how to structure my day in a way that I had not been challenged to at the U of A, where it was slightly more rigid. I would have to think more proactively not only about courses but also about social activities and any weekend trips I wanted to accomplish. I also was forced to grow interpersonally. I met with many international students, learned about their stories, and became friends with many of them through a shared sense of community. Now, I will continue to hold these relationships close and understand how to get to know individuals more quickly. While traveling on some weekends, I also needed to spontaneously solve problems with travel logistics or accommodation bookings. Being able to stay flexible and level-headed while dealing with problems as they arise is a skill that I foresee myself using when I get back to the U of A and beyond. All these experiences have widened and deepened my skills and knowledge built at the U of A, and I believe they will further benefit me being a well-rounded person throughout life.