An illustration of Aiden's profile. He has light skin, short brown hair and is wearing a blue shirt.

six MIT students walk into a german bar by Aiden H. '28

iap '26 #2

For IAP⁠01 MIT's J-term, where there are no classes and students can take part in a variety of opportunities or take a much-needed extended winter break this year, I took part in the famed GTL⁠02 Global Teaching Lab program for the first time, in which MIT students are sent to dozens of countries around the world to teach high school students. I was placed in Regensburg, Germany along with 5 other students, and oh boy do I have thoughts!

Let’s start with what I did: (with photo credits and much love to Selma P. ’28, Ryan J. ’28, Jasmine X. ’28, Eliska L. ’27, and Julianna L. ’26)

What I Did

While most GTL programs involve students being placed in pairs at high schools and staying with host families, the Regensburg program is different. Instead, a larger group of students (the six of us) worked in tandem with the Chemistry Education⁠03 In Germany, Chemistry Education is a separate major than Chemistry department at the University of Regensburg to design a unit-worth of curriculum to be taught (by us) at a private all-girls school in the city. As a result, instead of staying with a host family, we actually stayed in one of the student dorms at the university, which was only a short bus ride away from the school we taught at.

I arrived on a bus from Prague and checked in to international office to receive my dorm key. Upon this, I was greeted with the most German-looking dorm room I could have imagined. It is green and red, unwelcoming, and extremely functional. (Note: I was on the bottom floor while everyone else was on higher floors. I legitimately had to kill 4-6 spiders every time I entered my room, because I guess I’m just that attractive to the arachnid population? There were even sacs.)

A small, tidy room with light wood flooring features a single bed with unmade sheets, a window with beige curtains, a radiator, and a gray chair by a table.
Study room with a beige desk and chair, red accent wall, and empty beige shelves. A book with a penguin design rests on the desk, under soft lighting.
A small bathroom with a white toilet, sink, and shower. The floor is dark tiled, contrasting with white wall tiles, creating a clean, minimalist look.
Small bathroom with white tiled walls, a shower head, and a curtain. A compact shower tray is next to a white sink. The scene is clean and minimalistic.
this shower was genuinely so small that one of my shoulders was forced to touch either the curtain or wall at any time

So I didn’t spend a lot of time in my room if I didn’t have to!

Most of the week was spent on the teaching part. We taught grades 10 and 12 in chemistry and English,⁠04 none of us know German, so all of our lessons were in English, which counted towards their English classes with a couple fun lectures in more general “fun” topics like AI, animal welfare, gene editing, and even one on MIT. Most of the classes blended together as we repeated lessons on the properties of water and the surface tension and yada yada, so a typical morning at school looked like this:

Snowy urban street, flanked by modern buildings on the left and pastel houses on the right. Trees and parked cars are dusted with snow, conveying a serene winter atmosphere.
the street outside of the dorm
Snow-covered trees under a gray sky, creating a serene winter landscape. The branches are delicately coated with fresh snow, evoking a calm atmosphere.
a view from the high school's window
A group of five people sit around a table sharing a meal in a bright room with large windows. They appear engaged and cheerful, creating a warm atmosphere.
The program director loved to take pictures of us (cute!) and especially while we were eating (what?). There's a Google Drive folder that is 60% us having lunch.
A person in a striped sweater playfully poses with hands on cheeks, while another smiles next to them. A phone in the foreground shows a similar pose. Bright, cheerful classroom setting.
Someone pointed out we accidentally dressed like Blues Clues
A smiling person in glasses is in front of a wall collage featuring various cut-out images of celebrities, characters, and a drawing labeled
every classroom had a "crush wall"

However, we didn’t teach all day every day, which meant a large deal of down time to explore!

The town of Regensburg is a UN World Heritage site for its extremely well-preserved historic old town, especially compared to other German cities after WWII. The second day we were there, we met up with two German university students (who we would become besties with!) and they took us on a hike to a famous monument, Walhalla.

People walk towards a neoclassical building resembling the Greek Parthenon, set against a cloudy sky. Snow covers the ground, adding a serene winter atmosphere.
Snow-covered steps lead to a neoclassical building with tall columns under a cloudy sky. A person stands, capturing the scene with a camera.
Snow-dusted ancient temple with columns on a hilltop, overlooking a serene river and vast landscape under a partly cloudy sky, conveying tranquility.
Snow-covered landscape with a building on the left, silhouetted trees on the right, and a tranquil river below. The sky is dramatic with scattered clouds at sunset.
People walk between tall, classical stone columns under an overcast sky. The structure's grandeur contrasts with their casual winter attire.
View of a serene river at sunset with a bridge crossing over, surrounded by snow-dusted trees. The sky is painted in warm orange and blue hues.
Ornate architectural hall with a glass ceiling, golden framework, and classical statues in niches. The space feels majestic and historical.

We also were given many tours and spent many nights walking around the historic old town, which I did not capture enough in photos, but is a quintessential cobblestone-coffee-shop-historic-german-rainy downtown. One of the most historic features is this really old bridge that I don’t remember the story behind, but that one of the high school teachers gave us a picture book on as a souvenir!

Snow-covered European houses line a calm river under a cloudy evening sky. Warm glows from the windows contrast with the cool blue atmosphere.
Twilight river scene with snow; a serene blue sky and clouds above. Houses and glowing streetlights line the riverbanks, reflecting on the water.
A mural on a building depicts a scene with two warriors, one small and one giant, in combat. The artwork is above a street-level optical shop.
A narrow European street at dusk, with tall, historic buildings on either side and a distant dome. People walk, one takes a photo, under warm streetlights.
Night scene of a pale, multi-story building with lit windows and an ancient stone archway. Bicycles and people are visible, conveying a historic ambiance.

Featured in the old town is one of the largest churches in Germany, which is undergoing permanent restoration but is still open to the public for service and sightseeing. There is a very famous boys choir that practices and performs here, but I did not get up early enough to see them.

Gothic cathedral at night, partially covered by scaffolding. Intricate stone facade with pointed arches and tall, narrow windows. Majestic and historic.
Gothic cathedral facade at night, with intricate carvings and two tall spires. One spire is covered in scaffolding, indicating restoration work.

One weekend, I even broke my steadfast patriotism⁠05 I need it on the record that this is sarcastic and went to a minor league “football” game of two rival cities, Regensburg and Ingolstadt. It is a big thing for German soccer fans (or maybe just Regensburg fans?) to have scarves for the team. I tried to buy these really cool socks but they were “members only” so I would have to buy an $80 annual membership to the team store just to pay $20 for the socks. I didn’t get them. I’m still peeved. We also lost the soccer game, despite my very loud, very non-German yelling at the players.

Three people smiling in front of Jahnstadion Regensburg at night. They wear warm clothing, including ear muffs and a scarf, conveying a joyful mood.
Four friends stand together smiling in a stadium. They're wearing winter clothing and red scarves with logo. Bright stadium lights and crowd in the background.
Foggy football stadium scene with players warming up on the field. Bright floodlights pierce the mist, creating a subdued, mysterious atmosphere.

We also travelled on the weekends! Munich was only 45 minutes by train, so I went for a quick day trip with Jasmine and Ryan and saw a bunch of cool stuff. I don’t remember what these were called, so pretty please don’t ask! One of them was a palace that we genuinely thought was never ending. Other people made trips to Prague, Berlin, and Nuremberg.

Majestic historic building with ornate stone facade and tall windows under an overcast sky. Flags and people in winter attire add subtle warmth.
Ornate historic building facade with arched windows and intricate statues in a courtyard. People are walking, conveying a serene, architectural atmosphere.
Historic building with ornate architecture and a green copper roof on a cloudy day. Tram lines crisscross above a street with passing vehicles and pedestrians.
A busy street scene in front of a historic city gate with arched passages, flanked by traditional buildings. People walk under a cloudy sky, creating a bustling atmosphere.
The image shows a historic building with a white facade, featuring rows of arched windows and niches with statues. A dome is visible in the background.
An ornate church interior with a decorative altar, intricate gold detailing, and large religious paintings. A Christmas tree adorned with ornaments stands nearby, creating a serene, festive atmosphere. Tall arched windows allow soft, natural light to fill the space.
A pigeon with white and brown feathers stands in a puddle on a wet pavement, reflecting its image. Another pigeon is visible in the background.

And of course, we made friends with so many Germans (like at least 10)! Either Germans aren’t as mean as people think or our extremely extroverted and pushy group just managed to find a group of Germans that were easy enough to crack. I have 100s of photos with everyone, so I shall not show them all here, but we had so much fun!

A group of ten smiling friends sits around a wooden table in a cozy bar adorned with posters and fairy lights, conveying warmth and camaraderie.
Two people sitting at a dimly lit bar, one smiling widely and the other giving a thumbs-up. Empty glasses are on the table. Festive lights decorate the room.
me and Gregor the German! (he hated us) (actually he loved us)
Three people gather closely around a smartphone at a dimly lit bar. Colorful lights hang above, creating a cozy and attentive atmosphere.
Three friends laugh together in a warmly lit café with vintage posters on the wall. They're visibly happy and enjoying the moment.
the ~cool~ americans
Three friends sitting at a table in a cozy, dimly lit restaurant. They're smiling and embracing, exuding warmth and joy. A phone rests on the table.
Two people smiling in a cozy, rustic setting with stone walls. A Metallica poster is visible behind them, adding a casual, rock-themed vibe.
Young man in striped sweater and glasses, focused, next to a woman in casual attire playing table football. The background is green with posters.
foosball tournament! (I lost)
Close-up of a person with glasses and a nose ring. They have a neutral expression and are wearing a light sweater, with a green background.
A person with short hair faces a bright green wall, wearing a white and dark gray striped sweater. Partial view of a colorful poster on the right. The scene conveys mystery.

Out of such conversations grew a long-lasting back and forth of anti-German and anti-American memes, of which I did not create but I will tease a few of here.

Split image meme. Top: American flag with text
Bar chart titled
A young man in a classroom strains visibly, with veins bulging in his neck. A calm girl sits beside him. The text above humorously mentions Germans' superiority.
A person in a suit gestures with an open hand toward another person in a suit. Text overlays say,

Germans also apparently take Mario Kart very seriously? We entered into a Mario Kart tournament at the university without knowing how serious it was and that it was going to take 3 hours to get through the prelims (which only Ryan was able to make it through, despite my incredibly impressive Mario Kart skills).

A person watches a video game leaderboard projected on a wall in a dimly lit room. The scoreboard displays character names and rankings.
MarioKart8 loading screen on a large flatscreen TV in a bar.

I’m definitely missing a lot of things that I did, but honestly a lot of time was just spent being a resident of the city–using the university library to UROP, trying out and ranking different restaurants with everybody, or just going to work and then texting everyone to meet up in the evening.

And after 3.5 weeks, I flew back to the US!

What I Think:

I would give the experience as a whole a 6.5/10.⁠06 With 5 being perfectly neutral and above or below relating to positive/negative emotions, NOT a grading scale in which 6.5 would be a D. This might seem low, which is kinda is, at least in what I expected the experience to be? Even now, and especially while I was there, I have very mixed emotions.

What Went Well:

  • the people! I would have genuinely suffered if I was stuck in Regensburg alone with nothing to do, or if Germans were as mean as people said. by FAR the only way I made it through this experience was with all the people I met, which is an absolutely bonkers sentence coming out of my mouth if you’ve ever met me. but yeah, the people made it.
  • Edeka! it’s the grocery store chain in Germany that has a full deli/bakery section at the front. the number of days we would get out of class, walk across the street to edeka, and get a pretzel, sushi, and smoothie cannot be numbered.

What Didn’t Go Well:

  • I was tired. It’s tiring being away for so long, and even when I was having a lot of fun, a little part of me could always go home. This is pretentious and ungrateful, but true. By the end, I was okay ending the trip while still being grateful I went.
  • I kept getting sick! I got sick on two separate weekends, which completely knocked me out of a lot of travel or other sightseeing I wanted to do (including going to Salzburg with Ryan). Albeit I was pretty exhausted the whole time anyway, and a mandated break from everything wasn’t so bad, but still.
  • Food. German food is awful (not sorry). Most of the other food was just generally bad, too, and just as expensive as most meals in Boston. However, the one exception is Döner, which is essentially just shawarma/gyros. The best one I had was in Munich, and it deserves its own photo spot:

Hand holding a pita wrap filled with colorful vegetables, wrapped in brown paper. Background shows graffiti that reads "EETS." Casual street food vibe.

  • I’m pretty prissy. The dorm was not as comfortable as I would have preferred, which to some isn’t a big deal, but I’m kinda a little brat and it very much can make or break an experience for me. This isn’t anyone’s fault per se, but having to live there for a month with a verrrrrry thin mattress and pillow, a really small shower, a really gross kitchen, and a scary, dim laundry room started to add up by the end. I was ready to be in the comfort of home, not living out of a suitcase in a German box.
  • Cold. A southern hemisphere GTL is strongly advised.

Random Thoughts on Germany:

  • Y’all are so not punctual lol. Everyone told us to be super on time and that punctuality is #1 in German culture, but genuinely no one cared and most Germans were just as on-time-ish as Americans. We were almost always the earliest.
  • We have bread in America!!! Germans think we don’t have bread! We have bread! It tastes exactly like your bread! We don’t just have toast, we have like rolls and baguettes and stuff too! And we actually heat ours up and put stuff on it, so if anything it’s better than your bread!
  • Germans aren’t mean, they’re just quiet.
  • Germany is about 7-10 years behind in terms of music, and it did not bode well for karaoke night.
    While I was there, it felt long, but worth it. That opinion holds. I wouldn’t do an experience like this for a second time, but knowing what I do now, I would still tell past me to go on this trip.
    Tschüss!
  1. MIT's J-term, where there are no classes and students can take part in a variety of opportunities or take a much-needed extended winter break⁠ ↑
  2. Global Teaching Lab⁠ ↑
  3. In Germany, Chemistry Education is a separate major than Chemistry⁠ ↑
  4. none of us know German, so all of our lessons were in English, which counted towards their English classes⁠ ↑
  5. I need it on the record that this is sarcastic⁠ ↑
  6. With 5 being perfectly neutral and above or below relating to positive/negative emotions, NOT a grading scale in which 6.5 would be a D.⁠ ↑