Erlangen, Germany

Why I chose to go to Germany:

What I identified as the greatest challenges facing me as I began my study abroad program:

My ICRP: Amnesty International
AI is the largest human rights organization in the world. Members receive information from AI about human rights violations and concerns and then send letters, faxes, petitions, and emails expressing concern. It is hoped that, given enough outcry from individuals who alert governments and the press, human rights violators will stop. I joined and worked with amnesty international Deutschland (whose acronym is the lower case “ai”). I attended group meetings, asylum counseling, and participated in actions online in Erlangen and in Nurenberg. I got to know some of the amnesty people and their perspectives as well as how ai functions in Germany. I have grown interested in the history of Amnesty, the future of ai in Germany, the historical factors that make ai’s presence in Erlangen/Nuernberg uniquely symbolic, and in other organizations that work with amnesty or on similar issues.

I really enjoyed working with ai, and it brought me many contacts and opportunities. Joining a club is a hallowed German tradition. It is an excellent way to meet people, talk about a wide range of topics, and gain insights about how people behave towards friends, strangers, and in-group members. I also found out quite a lot about German attitudes towards the US; attitudes towards foreigners; asylum issues; human rights issues; themes of human rights, punishment, and awareness in German history, etc..

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Read excerpts from my letters home.