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Devon Cholon

About My Study Abroad Program

Major/Minor: Biomedical Engineering - Minors: Neuroscience/German
Program: Universität Tübingen
Location: Tübingen, Germant
Email: devalex@ad.unc.edu
Term: Summer (June) 2024

 

Why did you choose to study abroad and how did you select your program?
I chose to study abroad because I have never been able to afford leaving the US before and I qualified for the aid scholarship, but also because I am minoring in German and wanted to enrich my language learning. So that’s why I picked Germany in general. For Tübingen specifically, it was an incredibly affordable program, and also, my family is from Switzerland (and it’s very near the border), so I got to see Basel, where my grandmother was from. 

 

What did you learn about yourself?
I am much more capable of long term travel than I thought and I can’t wait to do it again!

 

What is one of your favorite memories from your program?
The intercultural evening!

 

What advice do you have for future study abroad students?
Don’t put too much pressure on what experience you expect to have. If you come in prepared to go with the flow, you will be pleasantly surprised by a billion spontaneous moments.

 

How do you identify?
LGBTQ+, Scholarship Recipient

 

Could you share any experiences where your identity played a role in your time abroad?
I’m Jewish, and being in Germany while the AfD is rising in power was certainly interesting, but I was very lucky to be in an incredibly safe area and surrounded by wonderful people.

 

Is there any advice you would give to other students who share your identity?
Don’t be afraid to be honest, but definitely safely gauge your surroundings.

Memories