By Jamie Goldman, Journalism Senior

Jamie Goldman was one of 15 students who participated in the Globalizing American Sports study-abroad program from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, held Nov. 1-6, 2023 in Frankfurt, Germany. To read other stories from the program, visit here.

“15 Strong.” That’s how Dylan Meyer, B.S. Telecommunications 2023, and I dubbed our study-abroad group in Frankfurt, Germany. For a little backstory on that group nickname, I’ll have to take you back to the first night of our study-abroad program. 

After the welcome dinner at the hostel, some members of the group, including myself, were still hungry and didn’t want the night to end. So, we decided to look for a place to go eat and hang out. Next thing we knew, all 15  students were on board to try and go to the same place. Hence the name, “15 Strong.”

We started at a local pub. It took a while to move around the seating to accommodate all 15 of us. After some chaos and a lot of noise, we were seated and ready to order. That’s when Media Production, Management, and Technology senior Marisa Braverman pointed out a sign in the corner that read “CASH ONLY.” This wasn’t going to fly for our group as only a handful of us had euros on us at the time. The group didn’t waiver, though. We got up as a 15-man unit and started searching for a different spot to eat.

After going back and forth for a while, the group finally landed at a restaurant called Jesse James. And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. We didn’t even care that we had to sit outside in the 40 degrees (Fahrenheit) weather. 

We were together and we were just enjoying life in a random restaurant in a foreign land. Our waitress spoke perfect English and became friends with the group. The food was also awesome. A perfect mix of German and American cuisine.

We ended up going back to Jesse James on the last night of the trip. When we left Germany, it felt as if Jesse James was an additional member of the class.

Heidelberg Castle

The visit to Heidelberg Castle was another experience that I’ll never forget. Hearing about some of the city’s history was really interesting. Our tour guide did a very good job of explaining the history of the church to us in great detail. However, my favorite part of the half-day trip was the views from the top of the castle. The scene looked like it was taken out of a movie. Being able to gaze upon the city and the beautiful greenery from above was absolutely breathtaking. It made for some fantastic photo opportunities as well.

Dolphins vs. Chiefs

Now the reason we went to Germany in the first place: the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. As a Dolphins fan, watching my favorite team play in a foreign country was an unforgettable experience, especially in a season when the Dolphins have been a playoff-caliber team. Both Dolphins and Chiefs had a 6-2 record at the time, and both were near the top of the NFL standings. So, this shaped up to be one of the most anticipated games of the season.

Leading up to the game, the NFL experience was no joke. For the entire week, it seemed as if the league had taken over the city of Frankfurt. We couldn’t walk 20 feet without seeing someone wearing some kind of NFL jersey. I was genuinely surprised at how much of an effect the NFL had on the city. It really seemed as if the city embraced the game coming to town. While interviewing people for our project, one person mentioned they had seen all 32 teams represented by people wearing jerseys in the city. The city also set up an “NFL experience” right in the middle of town. It had games and interactive challenges for fans to get a true feeling of an American football atmosphere.

The game itself was an amazing experience. However, surprisingly enough, my favorite moment of the game had almost nothing to do with football. With about 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the classic American song “Country Roads” by John Denver played in the stadium, and the whole stadium joined together and sang the timeless tune together. It reminded me of a Gators game when they play “Won’t Back Down”. However, it was even more special than that because so many cultures from all over the world were in communion in Frankfurt. I am proud to say that I do NOT have a video of this moment because I was truly living in that moment and taking it all in. It was a moment that I will never forget.

Also, to make the moment even more memorable, I was sitting next to Journalism senior Reighan Sheppard, my classmate not only in Frankfurt but also in Paris and New York City. Going on these CJC trips together have made Reighan and I very close and I wouldn’t trade any of them for anything. It was the perfect way to cap off a perfect week!

To sum up, the study abroad trip to Germany was another unforgettable experience made possible by the College. It brings me much joy to be able to say that I have been lucky enough to participate in THREE study abroad programs through CJC. Also, I want to give a HUGE shoutout to Media Production, Management, and Technology Department Chair  Roxane Coche for not only making these trips possible, but going above and beyond to make each moment of each trip the absolute best it can be. Coordinating awesome excursions and looking after 15 students in a foreign country is a tall task, yet Dr. C always makes it look easy. 

Finally I’ll finish by saying, if you ever have a chance to participate in a study abroad program through the CJC, I absolutely recommend it. It makes for unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and lifelong friends. I wouldn’t trade any of these experiences for the world!

Posted: December 13, 2023
Category: CJC in Frankfurt, Sports, Study Abroad Projects
Tagged as: Globalizing American Sports, heidelberg castle, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, NFLFrankfurt, sports, Sports@CJC, Study Abroad, Study Abroad experience