Landon Carre stands in front of Il Duomo, just one of the many things he saw while studying abroad.

Name: Landon Carre

Student Classification: Junior

Major: Computer Engineering

Why did you want to study abroad?

I wanted to study abroad to expand my horizons both professionally as an engineer and as a member of a shared world. Studying abroad gave the chance to not only go on an adventure but to face new challenges and encounter new people across the world. I wanted to expand my world from beyond the just the United States and expose myself to rest of the world and new perspectives it holds. With this experience I hope to work on developing intercultural communication skills that allow me to work on projects at a global level. Study abroad with the Purdue GEARE program has been a great experience.

Where did you study abroad?

I studied abroad in Germany. I worked an internship for Micron and now study at Ruhr University Bochum. I choose to study and work in Germany because it has a very large economy and there is a lot of opportunity to meet new people and travel since Germany is centrally located in Europe. Ruhr University Bochum also has very good exchange relationship with Purdue ECE and there are English language options for ECE classes there. 

Best Experience:

Although traveling has been a dream, my best experience so far is actually where I stayed during my internship with Micron in Munich, Germany. I lived with a German-Irish family for three months. They were very welcoming and made my transition to living in Germany much easier giving me a home-away-from-home feeling.

What have you learned about yourself?

I have learned that it is within my power to connect with a lot more people with a little confidence. I have had good conversations with people in Germany where we can communicate clearly. I have also had conversations that were more challenging to understand each other and took a lot of effort. However, through both I have learned how to push myself outside of my safe comfort zone and engage with those who will really be able to offer new perspectives. I also learned that exposing myself to new cultures and peoples is something I want to prioritize more in my life.

Would you recommend study abroad to other ECE students?

I would strongly recommend study abroad for ECE students. It is a great opportunity to explore and see the world while you are young and have the time. It gives you the possibility to grow both as a professional and as a person. Getting to navigate a new culture has been incredible to experience and has been key to understanding what my place is in the world as a whole. I am personally in the Purdue work/study abroad GEARE program. The program is organized very well and is run by a great group of people that help guide you through the process. Studying abroad is a very achievable goal especially with the amount of resources at Purdue and I hope to see more ECE students take advantage of a great opportunity like this.

Learn more about Study Abroad opportunities here.