Christiana is a third-year Bachelor of International Business (BIB) student in the German language stream. She is studying at Universität Augsburg in Augsburg, Germany. (All students in the BIB program are required to study abroad for their third year at one of our partner institutions.)Introduce yourself! Tell us a little bit about your goals and interests:I would describe myself as someone who is constantly seeking out the next opportunity to challenge myself, as I really do believe that it is in pushing yourself outside your comfort zone that growth is achieved. This mindset is exactly what drove me to apply for BIB, as I knew moving to Ottawa and studying abroad would present me with many unique challenges that would help me grow and learn more about myself.A couple things about me: 1) I am originally from the beautiful prairies, born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 2) I am a passionate advocate for financial literacy - I was fortunate to have worked with Junior Achievement Canada in both Ottawa and Saskatoon on projects to educate Canadian youth about economics & money management 3) I am a huge music fan - whether that be playing piano or curating my own Spotify playlists, music is a very big part of my life & I'm constantly looking for the next concert to go to! 4) I take great interest in meeting new people and learning about how they think, which is one of the main reasons I'm in marketing. I firmly believe that every person you meet has a lesson to teach you - so one of my main goals on exchange is to meet lots of different people and get to know more about them!Why did you choose your language?I chose German for the same reason I chose BIB - I was looking to select a language that would be a completely new experience for me. Growing up in a french immersion program, I wanted to deviate from what I felt comfortable with and explore something new - so I debated between German and Mandarin. After a lot of thought, I settled on German, as I knew I wanted to be able to explore Europe while on exchange.Have you ever travelled overseas before? If so, where? My parents have always been very active travellers and they definitely passed their love of adventure onto me. I am very fortunate to have traveled to many different spots in the world, but my favourite travel memory is the summer my family spent touring France. I was absolutely captivated by the French culture and their way of life - I knew I had to go back. I returned later in high school to visit Italy, England and France again, and then China after graduating. I have made some of the best memories of my life travelling with my friends and family, and I'm very thankful that I've been granted this opportunity to learn more on my year abroad!What 3 things MUST you take with you while abroad? 1) A good playlist - because listening to the songs again post-exchange will be a great way to remember the feelings and nuances of that time in my life2) A camera - to capture all the special moments I can3) an Open Mind - I am going to try my best to address the challenges I face with a more open spirit :)What are you most looking forward to?Relationships with people very different from my friends at home, delicious food, going to some amazing concerts, learning more about myself and experiencing German culture, to name a few.
