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Semester in Germany / CHSBS study abroad / ROTC Raider Crucible By Tashana Taylor
CMU senior Tashana Taylor (back row, second from right) and other CMU students enjoy the view in Dresden, Germany. CMU senior Tashana Taylor spent the spring semester taking classes at Tandem Bielefeld, a language school in Bielefeld, Germany. When I was a junior in high school, I spent a year as an exchange student in Witten, Germany. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I lived with a host family who is now like my second family, I learned to speak German, and I met people who became my close friends, most of whom I remain in contact with today. That year abroad was a life-changing experience. Not only did I learn about Germany, but I also learned a great deal about myself. I came back as a more understanding and knowledgeable student. My time abroad also inspired me to major in German at CMU. This past spring I was fortunate enough to participate in another foreign exchange program. I traveled with seven other CMU students to study German language and culture in Bielefeld, Germany. We lived with host families and attended classes together daily. The experience surpassed my expectations. My teachers were kind and helpful, the other students I traveled with have become my good friends, and my host family was an unbelievably perfect match for me. The highlight of my semester abroad was traveling to cities such as London, Dublin, Dresden, Amsterdam, and Prague during our vacations. I valued the opportunity to experience other cultures, even if only for a short time.
Tashana Taylor views remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall. I’ve been back in the United States since early May, and I often find myself missing Germany. I miss the simple things like walking with friends through the city after class, playing with Emil, the family dog, talking to my host mom about politics and religion and my host brother about his girl problems, and eating my host mom’s food! Many people are afraid to study abroad, because leaving the United States means leaving your comfort zone. Going into a foreign land where people speak a language you’ve only learned in a classroom setting isn’t easy. I was nervous when I began my trip. There were people who didn’t believe I would be successful studying abroad, and my goal was to prove them wrong. That was the wrong attitude to have, because it simply made me feel tense and worried. Those feelings, however, were short lived. By being myself and applying all that I had previously learned, I was able to improve my German language skills and learn about Germany’s history and culture. I only have one German class left to take at CMU before I finish my major. Although I have had my ups and downs with learning German, I am proud that I’ve almost accomplished my goal. After I graduate from CMU next May, I plan to attend law school with an emphasis on studying international law. With my strong background in German language and customs, I might consider practicing as an attorney in Europe someday.
Tashana Taylor (far right) smiles with her CMU friends in front of Big Ben in London.
I am at a different stage in my life now than when I studied abroad during high school. Although I grew tremendously as a person then, I have grown in different ways during my recent semester in Germany. I look at situations from different viewpoints, I make it a habit to put my preconceptions about people aside in order to get to know them, and I’ve learned that through hard work and determination I can accomplish any goal I put my mind to. For those individuals who believed in me from the beginning, I appreciate it. Thanks to my experience studying in Germany last semester, I can truly say that I am ready to take on the world after I graduate from Central! Tashana Taylor is a senior from Benton Harbor. She will graduate from CMU in May of 2007 with a double major in German and Political Science, with a concentration in International Relations and Comparative Politics.
CHSBS leads efforts in study abroad The College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences is proud to lead CMU’s efforts to encourage more students to study abroad. During the 2005-06 academic year, 160 students with majors in departments from CHSBS studied abroad. CHSBS provided $7,000 from undesignated gifts from alumni and friends to assist foreign language students with the costs of studying abroad last year. The college also offers several annual scholarships for foreign study.
CMU students visit St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.
Lone cadet finishes ROTC Raider Crucible
By the end of the grueling two-day competition, Brun had earned a lifetime of bragging rights: she was the only cadet to successfully complete all of the challenges. During the Crucible, cadets had to complete a land navigation course, physical fitness challenges, weapons proficiency and first aid tests, and chemical training. The final competition was a 12-mile road march that the cadets had to complete in three hours while carrying a 35-pound ruck-sack on their backs. “It feels great to have finished, but I’m not sure I understand the magnitude of it yet,” said Brun. “To me, the Crucible was comprised of things that I was taught at basic training, so I thought of it as something I should be able to do as a soldier in general. I hope this helps more female cadets realize that they can become raiders, too, and maybe they’ll participate next year.” Brun faced her most difficult challenges during the land navigation course and the final mile of the road march. “It was frustrating to search for a metal pole in the middle of the woods when it was pitch black, but I managed to find four of the five checkpoints, which was one more than we were required to locate,” she said. “During the road march, it started to rain heavily soon after I passed the sixth mile mark and didn’t let up until about the ninth mile. After that I was soaked to the bone, and my gear seemed to weigh an extra 20 pounds. As I approached the last mile, my feet were on fire, my hip was throbbing, my ruck was rubbing a hole in my back, and I was miserably waterlogged. It took all my motivation to keep up my pace and ignore the discomfort.” Her favorite moments of the challenge were successfully completing the land navigation course, seeing the van at the end of the 12-mile march and realizing that she was about to earn her black beret and become a raider. Although she is proud of her individual accomplishments, she values most the camaraderie and teamwork that go along with participating in the ROTC program. “Your classmates become your best friends, your strength, and most importantly your motivation,” she said. “I’ve learned that if I don’t have the strength to do something for myself, I need to do it for my fellow soldiers.” The Crucible is modeled after the U.S. Army’s Expert Infantryman’s Badge (EIB). CMU’s Military Science Department hosted the challenge on April 21 and 22 at Camp Grayling. Jacqueline Brun will graduate from Central Michigan University with a major in recreation, parks, and leisure and a minor in military science. Her goal is to commission as an officer in the medical or aviation branch of the U.S. Army. |
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As
the lone female cadet participating in the Military Science
Department’s Raider Crucible, East Jordan junior
Jacqueline Brun felt an added pressure to make a strong
showing.