I was given the opportunity to spend three weeks in Europe with the European Planning and Practice program. As a graduate student in Urban and Regional Planning, my studies are focused on ensuring beneficial and suitable land use.

My program took me to Dortmund, Germany, Amsterdam and Den Haag in the Netherlands, and Thessaloniki, Greece. At each location, my group and I connected with the local universities to learn alongside their students from their faculty about their planning methods. We discussed the cultural differences in our practices and collaborated on projects such as Spatial planning and Geographic Informational Sciences. We took field trips to ancient ruins, cultural monuments, and museums. I learned about European planning laws, environmental protective measures, and the public transit system… oh, the public transit! Now, I feel as if I have learned a new perspective on urban planning that I can use in my professional career.

Some of my days were spent biking 17 miles around the city of Amsterdam, pedal-boating on a lake in Germany, and eating meat gyros and goat milk gelato in Greece. Yet, one of the most rewarding aspects of my program was the connection we had made with the local students at the universities we visited. Though we were there for a short time, close connections were made fast. They accepted us into their community, took us to the best restaurants and shops, and showed us what games they play in their spare time. The students taught us phrases in their native languages, and by the end of one week in Dortmund, I was ordering my meals in German.

Not only did I form a bond with the European students, but I formed life-long friendships with the other Spartans on my program. Before my program, I had doubts about sharing a 6-bed room with strangers. However, an experience like that is something unique. I felt like I was a young kid at summer camp again. These academic credits were the last of my degree requirements, so I was given one final chance to soak up the closeness with my peers that only college can give you. As a low-income student, I would not have been as fortunate to experience this if it were not for the scholarships that I received.

This was such a wonderful, educational, truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity. I would highly recommend studying abroad to any MSU student.

Name: Sommer Nafal
Status: Grad Student (Masters)
Major: Urban and Regional Planning
Hometown: Novi, Michigan
Program: European Planning and Practice