Charlotte Maguy
Charlotte Maguy (she/her) - Stanford in Berlin
Major: Symbolic Systems
Minor: International Relations
College year while abroad: Junior
About the photo: This was my first time trying Doner- my favorite food in all of Berlin! We went after class on our second week there and Ruyam quickly became our favorite place to eat. We got to know the chefs on a first-name basis and I even took my mom there!
Contact
Email Charlotte or schedule an appointment
Q&As
Why did you choose to study in Berlin?
I love going on adventures and exploring new cultures and locations, and Berlin felt unique from any place I had visited before. I studied Berlin more than most cities in my history courses, a city with such drastic change in the last century, but I still felt like there was a tremendous gap in my understanding of Berlin; I wanted to see how the city has changed. Ifound that the culture is so unique because it is so aware of its past; every Berliner interacts and engages with it every day. For me, it was a great balance of known and unknown cultural elements.
What were your expectations before you went and how did they change once you were in Berlin?
I had expected Berlin to be a harsh, edgy place ( especially in winter!) with strict Germans and techno music, but after living there, I can say that Berliners are some of the friendliest and most welcoming people I have interacted with, and the city is ripe with incredible arts and diverse cultures. Every type of person can find a piece of Berlin that resonates with them and the city has beauty around every corner. Berlin uplifts freedom and expression so much that it makes people feel welcome to be themselves, and maybe discover that you like techno after all!
What were some of the academic benefits from studying abroad in Berlin?
Studying in Berlin felt so different from being on campus, in teaching style, course structure, and material. I was exposed to opportunities and experiences I never would have had the access or resources to before, and getting to know a culture on such a deep level in such a short amount of time is truly unbeatable. The small class sizes made it super easy to connect with teachers and classmates, and administrators were always open to new ideas. Every one of my classes took content outside the classroom to connect history with the present, like the Berlinale Film Festival!
What did you learn about yourself while studying abroad?
I learned how excited I am to try new things and explore new places! Berlin quickly became a space in which I gained the confidence to explore and do things on my own that I found intriguing. Having so much freedom and time to branch out, I was able to find my favorite spots in the city and meet new people. I also gained more insight into my own upbringing and culture as I learned about a new culture. It took me traveling to a new country to learn more about my own!
What was the most challenging experience you encountered while abroad and what did you learn from it?
It was hard to balance and schedule out my time, because there were so many things I constantly wanted to do without burning out. Attempting to focus on school while also exploring a city as rich in activities as Berlin (in a limited ten weeks) initially led me to sacrifice personal time out of a need to rest and reset. I eventually learned to plan in structured time for myself, prioritize experiences which I was most excited about, and to accept that you can’t do it all.
What was the biggest cultural adjustment you had to make?
Germans are extremely straightforward and don’t sugar coat anything, which was very different from my Southern Californian habits. I had to learn how to take people at exactly what they say and make sure I was communicating clearly back. This brevity often came at the risk of appearing blunt or rude, but once I got used to it, I found it was a much faster and more efficient way to communicate.
What was your favorite part of everyday life?
Surprisingly, I actually loved our daily German classes! I felt so much more comfortable exploring the city after learning the basics of German because I was able to understand day to day interactions and be more observant of the world around me! It was also the perfect way to bond with the cohort because we were in the Villa every day at the same time which made it easy to get closer.
What was the most memorable experience you had while in Berlin?
There’s no way to narrow it down to my most memorable, but one of my favorites was a night that I had dinner at my friend Felix’s homestay where I met his German family and friends! I learned more about their everyday lives, made friends with Berliners my age, and shared our stories. We ended the night with a game of the Headbands Guess Who game, where they challenged me to play only in German! I could understand around 70% of the conversations around me, so I was able to compete with my new friends, and I even picked up some new lingo!
What 5 words would you use to describe the experience?
Enriching, discovery, diversity, community, and openness.
What was your favorite food or music?
In the class “Exploring Berlin Through Its Music”, we went to a different music performance every week which ranged from Experimental Rock to Chamber Music to Russian Opera! Though each type was fascinating, I discovered my affinity for the type of music which the city is one of the most famous for: techno. It’s something I never thought I would enjoy, but I found it to be more of an experience than just a type of music.! And I’ve realized that no other city really does it like Berlin, so guess I’ll have to go back!
What was the most valuable item you took on the program?
A comfortable, compact backpack for school and excursions was the most helpful so I could be out and about the whole day without having to go back to drop off my bag.