2022 Munich Migration and Integration Service-Learning Study-Abroad

                                                                                                                                                      Now that our journey has came to a close, I think that it is important to reflect and digest. We had a very busy week with a lot of information thrown at us.  The social workers: awesome wonderful people The culture: unique and integrated  And there are plenty of people that need assistance   Prost!                          ...

  München Germany has been nothing but breathtaking, to be in such a beautiful place has been an experience in itself. Learning the history of the buildings that surround this beautiful city was interesting considering the tragedy that it had once faced. München had been reconstructed due to World War II and the bombings of Germany’s architecture. Approximately seventy five percent of these buildings had to be reconstructed due to this war. Having a guided tour on the history of München throughout these two weeks has been both beneficial and eye opening. At times, there was a lot of information to process but helps show the importance of history to appreciate the beauty more and try to make change where it is due.  This whole experience has been a lot to take in, but has been extremely eye opening in many different ways! Thank you to all of our friends and families for keeping up with our blogs, there will be many more to come to learn more about our journey these past two wee...

  Thank you for following us on our service-learning study-abroad in Munich.  We had amazing (and sometimes hard) conversations and encounters with people who did and do amazing (and sometimes very hard) things.  This is how the rest of our week here in Munich is shaping up: 7/4 Monday: Morning Students work with their assigned groups/agencies; 5 pm – 8 pm: 2nd Migration-Integration Workshops: Migration Germany and Europe: Comparative Narratives 2015 vs. 2022 Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria ; Exchange with faculty and students of Technische Universit ä t M ü nchen, Junge Akademie Task Force International, Dipl. Ing. Peter Finger at the Amerikahaus, Karolinenplatz 3, 80333 München. 7/5 Tuesday: Morning Students work with their assigned groups/agencies; 4 pm: 3rd Migration-Integration Workshop: Migration, Integration and Othering in Germany organized and led by Dr. Simon Goeke; meeting at Track 11 at Hauptbahnhof (Main Trainstation) and walking to Eine-Welt Haus to t...

Why do countries make it more difficult for refugees to have the basics of life?  Today, my group had the opportunity to meet a few refugees from Afghanistan.  One was kind enough to share some fruit, almonds, candy, and their coveted Afghan tea with us. I must add, that tea was amazing!  Not only did we get to talk and have some delicious food and drinks, we learned about some of the processes they have to go through as a refugee. The main one we focused on was the process of getting a job. It is a long and extensive process, often confusing and elusive. And if one paper is not filled out correctly, they will not be hired. The refugees we spoke to seemed frustrated, yet grateful, by this process. They stated they came here to work and build a better future for themselves and their family, but they felt slowed down by the required paperwork. They also spoke about wanting to contribute to the workforce in their new country, but that they were unable to because of a piece o...

Today we started off at the Caritas headquarters with Claire. She explained to us the volunteering at Caritas and how it works. During the pandemic there was an influx of young volunteers. Volunteers are trained to help refugees live in the real world, find and apartment, and learn how to live on without the assistance of a social worker. Currently there are around 250 refugees in Munich. She also explained that during the influx of refugees from Ukraine they also had an increase of people wanting to be volunteers. After this we then went with her to a hotel next to the central station where Ukrainian refugees who have disabilities of illnesses are taken to. Before we could go in we were required to complete a Covid test and sign in since the people living here are at-risk. It was interesting to hear that so many people wanted to help Ukrainian refugees even though there were already refugees in Munich who needed help. Volunteers are very essential to this work. They provide support to...

 One of the many (seriously so many) activies we have done over the last week have been meeting with other professors and students from the Universities here in Munich. We have spent hours sitting and talking about a dozen topics. My main take away is that we are not alone in the battle for democracy and justice. It sounds cliché but sometimes you do feel alone, like the only person in the world who sees the signs and fears the worst. It is comforting in a way to know that there are more of us who are trying desperately to stop the wave of crashing democracies and waning rights. As long as we stick together who is to say the war is done? Maybe I have been reading too many novels with flowery language on the plane over here but I mean it all the same! 

Coming from the US-Mexico Borderland I find doing this work exhausting when major segments of the population lack any empathy towards migrants or others seeking asylum or refuge. Conversations surrounding migration are viewed exclusively through lenses of race at home in the U.S. Buzzwords like 'hordes' and 'masses' are used to describe groups of asylum seekers approaching our southern border. Our seeming inability as a society to look past these lenses and find empathy for people fleeing from danger is constantly disappointing. Some part of me hoped it would be different here but from day one, my hopes were dashed. After talking to two different social workers about their experiences and the process of arriving in Germany and applying for asylum the disparities between the treatment of different groups was clear. Outside of the process itself, we learned that the treatment of refugees varies dramatically depending on where they came from and what they look like. Ukrain...

  We have had the honor to meet other college students from two different universities. Our first workshop was focused on civil society, volunteerism, and migration with students and faculty from Hochschule München. The second workshop was focused on the migration in Germany and Europe with students from Technische Universität München. Within these workshops with these two universities we were able to learn more about Europes migration and gain a new perspective on migration and integration as a whole. Talking to other university students that live in the area we are exploring is insightful in learning more about Munich itself along with continuing our rich conversations at dinner and making connections. Blog post by: Amber Sedillo 

I think that as a society we sometimes think more about groups of people instead of individuals. For example, it is easy to generalize refugees. There are Ukrainian, Nigerian, Afghanistan refugees, etc and even though they come from the same country they are individuals all with unique personalities and problems. Today, my group met with Hanna and Neele. They are both social workers and really seem to care for the individuals they council. As a young political science student, it is important to remember policy effects real people. Working with people involves the ability to make connections with people, and it is very inspiring to see Sozialarbeiter (social workers) working so hard. 

Today was a full day for my group. We started off our day at a refugee camp where we were able to tour the facilities, sit-in on a consultation, and talk with social workers. It was interesting to see how this camp differed from one we previously attended. After the refugee camp we attended a meeting with other Caritas members we had previously worked with. We did a short presentation over our experiences with migration in the United States. We finished off the day at the AmerikaHaus where we were able to watch presentations as well as share ideas with other students.  Sign in social workers office Housing at the camp Children's room at the camp

      After my day talking with and following two social workers, I have seen the hard work social workers put in. Caritas acts as a multi-functional tool. Refugees at the camps come to the social workers with all kinds of problems and questions, anywhere from roommate issues to a social worker translating a letter from the state mean. They seem to provide support throughout the long application process.       Brennan and I outside of Caritas-Haus Ottobrunn The view outside the Taufkirchen camp