Experience with the Praxis Summer Camp

Posted on September 16, 2026 by meinertk

After completing their semester at the university, three of our students, Hailey, Kate and Kris, took the opportunity to not only study abroad but also gain practical experience in Germany through the Praxis Summer Camp. Once the program came to an end, they took the time to share their experiences…

As part of the Praxis Summer Camp at the University of Bremen, we had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with German companies and organizations. Over the course of a couple of weeks, we worked in teams on real-world projects provided by partner companies, allowing us to apply what we had learned in the classroom to professional challenges. Along the way, we developed skills in teamwork, communication, problem-solving, public speaking, and project management while experiencing a German professional environment firsthand.

Although we all participated in the same program, each of us had a very different experience. We worked with different companies, took on different responsibilities, and approached different challenges. Below, we share our individual perspectives on what we learned and what made the Praxis Summer Camp meaningful to us.

Haley Henderson

During my internship as part of the Praxis Summer Camp at Uni Bremen, I (as well as Kate) had the opportunity to work with Danach.de, a start-up in Bremen specializing in digitalizing end-of-life planning and legacy storytelling. Our group was able to help this newly formed company develop a marketing strategy from scratch. This experience initiated by Praxis was a great opportunity to gain internship experience, meet new people, practice public speaking, and work together as a group to create a final product, all within the span of a couple of weeks.

One of the most interesting parts of the practical seminar was thinking about the different ways we could work together to create the best final product. We went through many phases of trial and error with brainstorming, drafting, writing scripts, and more before reaching our final product. I really enjoyed getting to interact with a German start-up company and seeing the different ways they operate. While the camp itself was conducted in English, I was still able to use my German language skills when communicating with the company and my teammates.

Working on this project also gave me a better understanding of how much thought goes into creating an effective marketing strategy. It is not only about designing an attractive advertisement or choosing a social media platform. It is about understanding your audience, considering what they need, and finding the right way to communicate with them, especially when working in a country whose market and culture are different from what I am used to.

Overall, my experience with Praxis and Danach.de allowed me to apply ideas from my German and international business studies to a real-world project while also learning how a start-up develops its ideas and works through challenges. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to experience all of this while living and studying in Germany.

Katherine Elmes

The highlight of my experience in the Praxis Summer Camp was getting to meet and work with so many new people from so many different places. My teammates were American, Ukrainian, British, and German. Although we had different experiences, cultural perspectives, and ways of approaching the problem, we put our strengths together to create a professional and polished project. They were also lovely people, who I genuinely enjoyed spending my time with!

In addition to the teamwork aspect, I appreciated the opportunity to apply what I had learned in the classroom to the real world. Classroom material can sometimes feel like it only exists in the classroom, or like it is disconnected from its practical applications, but my experiences at Praxis Summer Camp allowed me to see firsthand how these concepts and theories can be used in a real professional environment.

Ultimately, I left Bremen feeling more confident in various professional skills, including teamwork, communication, and leadership.

Kris Nguyen

several weeks I had with the Praxis Summer Camp were definitely a one-of-a-kind experience. I was assigned to a team of five working in tandem with smart insights GmbH, a market research firm, to develop a basic, locally operable Large Language Model (LLM) that could accelerate solution delivery. By the end of the internship, we had successfully built an AI model—the Wissenassistent, or Smart Assistant—which uses data uploaded by the company to process information and respond to relevant queries.

Within my team, I took on the tasks of troubleshooting and testing the model, as well as developing weekly timelines and dividing tasks. Notably, our group was made up of members from greatly diversebackgrounds, majors, and education levels, which initially led to some challenges in internal communication and task management. However, this experience taught me the importance of stepping up and assuming leadership in such team dynamics.

The Praxis Summer Camp served as a great wrap-up to my semester abroad. It offered a unique glimpse into German working culture and professional environments, both of which were incredibly valuable. Overall, my experience this summer has equipped me with the skill set, mindset, and resources that will be valuable for my future professional endeavors.

Although our experiences with Praxis were all different, we each left the program with new skills, experiences, and perspectives that we will carry forward. Studying abroad through Dickinson opened the door to opportunities like the Praxis Summer Camp that allowed us to experience Germany not only as students, but also as young professionals. Being able to work with German companies, collaborate with people from different backgrounds, and apply what we had learned in the classroom made this an especially meaningful part of our time abroad. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in such a unique experience and to bring these lessons with us as we continue our studies and future careers.

Community Engagement – Volunteering at Johanniterhaus Bremen

Posted on August 12, 2026 by gablera

Typically, when folks hear “study abroad” they think about cheap flights to Italy or weekend excursions to Prague. In other words, “abroad” usually comes first and “study” second in the archetypal image of study abroad. But what comes third? While travel adventures and classwork certainly were part of my experience abroad, I want to share in this post about the less rumored but equally (if not more) meaningful elements that shaped my time in Bremen. These being community engagement and volunteering. In doing so, I also hope to convey precisely why these experiences are so meaningful during study abroad and how they contributed to my time in Germany.

To begin, it is important to mention that volunteering isn’t something that always “comes third” during study abroad. The Dickinson in Bremen program is unique in this way. Built into the Germany program is a student community engagement requirement. While the idea of seeking out and applying to volunteer with local Bremen organizations is – to be fully transparent – usually met with a certain degree of fear by the students, I’d like to share how my perspective changed through and after volunteering. I, too, had reservations in the beginning, but was able to outgrow these fears and build connections in Bremen through volunteer work.

How did I get engaged? Scrolling through the “Freiwilligen-Agentur” website (linked below), Bremen’s online platform where organizations seeking volunteers post opportunities, I stumbled upon a posting from Johanniterhaus. The nearby retirement home, located in Bremen Horn, was requesting cheery individuals to bring companionship to retirees. With many doubts about the aptness of my German skills but convinced that I could brighten the lives of a few retirees, I decided to reach out to the retirement home.

My doubts were assuaged by the immediate and enthusiastic welcome I received from staff at the home. At first, I was puzzled by just how welcoming the staff members were. My hand was shaken at least ten times and I received more smiles from strangers than I had in the previous five months of being in Germany. I couldn’t see what I had done to deserve such a warm reception on my very first orientation visit. The following week, upon meeting with a group of residents for the first time, however, I understood.

To those unfamiliar with retirement homes, everything works on practically the same schedule, day in day out. Despite attempts to liven up the routine with programming such as bingo, movie screenings, and the occasional concert, there is just no helping the fact that life in a home can be utterly dull; especially for residents with decreased mobility, which is to say most. Thus, an eager 20-year-old walking through the doors of an assisted living facility is essentially like the sun entering on two legs. Add to it that I was an exchange student from the United States and you can believe I was the most interesting subject that had stepped foot inside the home in a decade.

And so I began my weekly visits to the retirement home. On Mondays, I would visit two specific residents, with whom I chatted and exchanged stories with. One gentleman, whose name I will not share for privacy reasons, a Bremen native who was mentally very sharp, despite being unable to leave his bed. We enjoyed talking about German literature together and he would recite poems from the likes of Goethe and Schiller from memory. And then there was an elderly woman, Frau Krause, who had migrated to Bremen from Poland in the 1970s, with whom I spent the most time. Frau Krause had been a teacher for Polish, German, and Choir in a neighboring school district. She told me stories about learning German as an immigrant, how she managed to gain respect in the classroom as a young teacher with an accent, her home in Poland, and her grandchildren.

On Wednesdays, I assisted with the larger gardening group, which served as a good opportunity to bring the residents outdoors and get some fresh air. Both my individual visits and time spent gardening with the residents were great fun. I enjoyed bringing positive energy into the home and virtually everything I shared with the residents was met with wonder. I don’t know if I have ever encountered a more supportive bunch than the retirees who constantly expressed what a kind young man I was and that I was bound to accomplish great things.

Too soon, it was time for me to depart back to the United States. On my last day at the home, the staff and residents threw me a goodbye party, emphasizing that if I were to ever come back to Bremen, that I should not hesitate to stop by for a visit. I said goodbye with a heavy heart, knowing that, if I were return someday, many of the residents I had gotten to know over the past four months would no longer be there.

I had, however, learned a great deal from the residents and my visits to the retirement home. I learned, for instance, that there is a personal benefit to community engagement while abroad, beyond the benefits that one provides to the community. By getting involved in Bremen, I felt a sense of belonging and the responsibility for something beyond just myself that I had been lacking. Second, simply by conversating and chatting with the residents, my German speaking and comprehension skills improved. And lastly, through my many conversations with Frau Krause, I learned two things: that I shouldn’t fear making mistakes in the language and that immigrants like her and millions of others can really, truly overcome the challenges of living in a new place and succeed. Her example was the undeniable proof that I, too, could adapt and thrive.

Link to the Freiwilligen-Agentur Bremen: https://www.freiwilligen-agentur-bremen.de/

SoLaWhat? – Alternative food systems in Germany

Posted on February 19, 2026 by gablera

by Alex Arnold ’27

Dear reader,

I’d first like to extend to you a belated new year’s greeting. Wherever you may be tuning in from, us students of the 2025-26 Dickinson in Bremen cohort wish you an exciting and successful start to 2026. Now, on to the meat and potatoes. Well, maybe not so much meat, but the potatoes were no figure of speech. The topic of this blog post is SoLaWi’s!

“Wait, So La What?”, you may be asking yourself. Well, stick around and let me to explain, because if you like to eat food, enjoy nature, or perhaps just playing in the dirt, I wager that you’ll be interested in learning about this topic and that you may even be inspired to discover more after reading this brief post.

Figure 1: Pamphlet advertising for the SoLaWi Sophienhof in Bremen

Allow me to begin by writing a little bit about my background and why I care to share about SoLaWi’s (SO-LAH-VEE’s). My name is Alex Arnold (‘27) and I am a German major studying in Bremen for the full ‘25-26 academic year. Beyond my major in German, I am also pursuing a Food Studies certificate and am, when in Pennsylvania, engaged with the Dickinson College Farm. In the summer of 2024, after finishing my first year of college, I stayed on campus in Carlisle to work on the farm full time. That summer, I not only became intimately acquainted with each and every street in a 10-block radius of campus, but I also learned about organic farming and alternative food systems. Before I knew it, I had become fascinated with agricultural and food production.

My interest in food systems did not decline after that summer; it developed further as I enrolled in a variety of Food Studies courses, eager for more knowledge about the field that I had been working in–literally. With some information regarding my background provided, I’d like to transition back to Germany and explain why this whole SoLaWi business is so exciting.

Finally, a definition! SoLaWi is an acronym for “solidarische Landwirtschaft” which, directly translated, means solidarity agriculture. For those readers already familiar with alternative food systems, I have a comparison to the U.S. that I will provide in just a moment to help you visualize what sort of system this blog is about. For readers less familiar with the topic, a quick summary of this “food system” talk is helpful for understanding what makes SoLaWi’s special.

Things can quickly become abstract when talking about food systems, but don’t worry, the concept is actually quite simple. A food system consists of all the interactions along the supply network which, beginning with the producers (that’s the farmers who grow food), result in food getting to your plate. In between farms and you are any number of processors, distributors, and sellers, which changes based on commodity, location, etc.[i] When we look at today’s conventional food system we are looking at systems based on large-scale, intensified agriculture (many crops per unit of space, i.e. high density) in which, worldwide, the number of food-producing farms is decreasing, and size of those remaining farms is increasing.[ii] Furthermore, the length of food chains–the distance food is traveling and how many intermediaries there are in between producer and consumer (that’s you!)–are far longer than they were in the not-so-distant past (1980s), when free trade agreements began allowing for more specialization in food production.

Phew, that got a little dense. I hear you, reader; I’ll get to the point. As you can imagine, today’s food system isn’t without its flaws. Although specialization and intensified agriculture have provided us with year-round access to all sorts of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products at prices that are relatively affordable, this has also resulted in a host of problems, both environmental and social. First, intensive agriculture relies heavily on the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and lots of tillage to achieve high yields. Among other consequences, these practices result in a loss of biodiversity and, counterproductively, make soil less and less fertile for crops as time goes on.[iii] Perhaps just as importantly, our current food system has resulted in a disconnect–not just in terms of distance–between us consumers and the places our food comes from, farms and farmers, that is.

Since the late 20^th century, these issues have not gone unnoticed. One concept that emerged in response to these trends in the food system was the banding together of communities to collectively bear the costs–and some of the responsibility–of operating a farm. That’s what SoLaWi’s are all about. A community supported farm, so to speak, or a community supported agriculture (CSA). Perhaps you’ve heard of CSA’s; they are essentially the U.S. counterpart to the German SoLaWi. Interestingly, German ideas surrounding agricultural in the early 20^th century, such as Rudolf Steiner’s exploration of biodynamic farming, happened to serve as a foundation for CSA in the U.S. The idea of community supported farming isn’t unique to just the U.S. or Germany, however. Similar movements can be traced across the globe, yet their origins are largely independent. Today, however, this network of community-supported, small-scale farms is more connected, with knowledge and experience being shared through various pathways.

This brings us to a small farm in northern Germany called Sophienhof, one of a few hundred SoLaWi farms in the country today. As of 2021, the total number of SoLaWi farms in Germany according to the solidarische Landwirtschaft network stood at 368, reflecting major growth since the founding of the first SoLaWi in 1989.[iv] Sophienhof is located in a small town about 25 miles outside of Bremen called Oldendorf. In 2013, Sophienhof began operating as a SoLaWi and, as of 2024, supports and is supported by around 420 members, with visions of continuing growth into the future. The farm is ecologically certified under the German Öko certification (similar to an organic certification in the U.S.) and operates with the guiding principles of sustainable resource management and fair treatment of animals. Yes, there are animals on the farm as well; a small herd of cattle, specifically. Beyond a diverse offering of vegetables, members of the SoLaWi can also choose to receive beef as part of their share.

After arriving in Bremen in early October, I soon realized a part of me was missing my work on the Dickinson College Farm and the accompanying supply of seasonal vegetables, the kind so fresh that you can still smell the earth on them. It was in my exploration for fresh produce that I discovered an online tool designed by the solidarische Landwirtschaft network, allowing me to search for SoLaWi’s in my area. A quick search led me to Sophienhof, which appeared to be just what I was looking for. Having some experience with CSA’s, albeit from the producer side of things through Dickinson College Farm’s very owncampus supported agriculture, I was eager to see what it was like being a part of a SoLaWi in Germany. Not to mention, it was becoming harder to ignore the restless dreams I was having about Lacinato kale and radicchio.

A quick inquiry form was all it took, and I was signed up to receive vegetables from Sophienhof! The way it works in practice is sort of like a subscription service. Members of the SoLaWi pay a monthly “subscription” fee and, in exchange, receive a box of fresh vegetables each week, available for pick-up at select locations across the city. Sophienhof offers a choice between three different portion sizes, at varying price points: small (for a single person), medium (two people), and large (four people). After selecting your preferred portion and pick-up location (in my case, a small portion to be picked up from the nearby home of a long-time SoLaWi member), the fun begins! Each week on Friday, the team from Sophienhof delivers boxes full of vegetables to the different pick-up points. Members of the SoLaWi–“Solawistas” as we are affectionately addressed in farm communications–flock to the depots to pick up our vegetables.

Figure 2: Crates of fresh vegetables ready for pick-up on Friday afternoon

On a regular fall/winter week, I receive cold hearty vegetables such as kale, cabbage (of all varieties), kohlrabi, as well as vegetables that hold up well in storage such as beets, carrots, onions, and lots of potatoes. To any of our readers who have a favorite potato-based recipe, I encourage you to share it in the comments as I would be thrilled to find new ways to eat the high volume of starchy tubers slowly colonizing my shelf space.

Figure 3: My first portion of vegetables from Sophienhof in November

An important question is how much this all costs. As I began considering the possibility of joining a SoLaWi, I wasn’t sure that it would be feasible on our stipend budget. However, I was surprised by the affordability of vegetables through Sophienhof. Per month, it costs €61 for my “small” share of vegetables. This puts the cost per week at just over €15, which is still well within my weekly grocery budget. I found the relatively low cost surprising, having conceived the price for fresh, organic vegetables to be much higher. In fact, after doing some comparison, I discovered that if I were to purchase the same quantity of organic produce at a supermarket, it would cost the same if not more than what I pay to directly support Sophienhof.

I’ll leave you with this reflection about what makes this concept of community supported agriculture so special. By choosing to buy my produce from a small, local farm, I am accomplishing a few really cool things at once. First, to my benefit, I am receiving fresh veggies at a fair price that are, without a doubt, tastier than what I can find in stores. Additionally, shifting toward the broader social benefits, I get the privilege of knowing exactly where my food is coming from, who is growing it, and what their philosophy for tending the land is (e.g. what types of inputs they are using, how they are treating the soil and ecosystem, etc.). At a community level, I am supporting a local business and in turn supporting the region itself. By being a part of a SoLaWi, I am not just paying for vegetables, I am paying to support well-paid agricultural jobs in the area, to strengthen community ties through food, and to support folks who manage the land in a respectful and sustainable way. Lastly, there is the environmental aspect to consider. By taking part in an alternativefood system, I am choosing a path that seeks to remedy some of the flaws in today’s conventional system. Sourcing local vegetables through a SoLaWi means less transport and associated emissions, little to no packaging waste, and more responsible land stewardship without the use of harmful chemicals.

Thanks for reading along and I hope that I’ve sparked some curiosity regarding where your food comes from!

[i] Parasecoli, Fabio. 2019. “Making Sense of Food Systems.” In Food. MIT Press. 45.

[ii] Lowder, Sarah K., Jakob Skoet, and Terri Raney. 2016. “The Number, Size, and Distribution of Farms, Smallholder Farms, and Family Farms Worldwide.” World Development 87 (November): 16–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.10.041.

[iii] Gomiero, T., M. G. Paoletti, and D. Pimentel. 2008. “Energy and Environmental Issues in Organic and Conventional Agriculture.” Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 27 (4): 239–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352680802225456.

[iv] Netzwerk Solidarische Landwirtschaft e.V. 2021. Solidarische Landwirtschaft: Das Netzwerk stellt sich vor. Accessed on 01.18.2026 from https://www.solidarische-landwirtschaft.org/fileadmin/media/solidarische-landwirtschaft.org/Das-Netzwerk/Ueber-uns/Selbstdarstellung_2021_DRUCK.pdf

Ehrenamtliche Arbeit beim Bremer Suppenengel

Posted on October 28, 2025 by gablera

by Makayla McCloskey ’26

To complete my volunteer hours, I spent many Monday mornings in the Bremen Suppenengel with Nina. When you arrive, you are either asked to work in the kitchen making soup or to sit around a table and make Brötchen (sandwiches) to give out in the afternoon. My first day I worked in the kitchen, but found I preferred making the Brötchen instead.

Makayla preparing sandwiches for the Bremer Suppenengel

Working at the Suppenengel was a really fulfilling experience; the work wasn’t overwhelming, and it was a useful way to get more practice hearing everyday German, instead of the academic German I was getting used to. The people in charge were incredibly friendly, one of my favorite memories was everyone discussing the pronunciation of my name and playing “Michaela” by Bata Illic for me because I had never heard it. Everyone there made sure we felt comfortable and hydrated!

Overall, I found the Bremen Suppenengel to be a very achievable and meaningful way to give back to Bremen, even with a busy school semester.

Internship Experience in Bremen

Posted on September 9, 2025 by gablera

Former Dickinson-in-Bremen Vanderbilt Student Ben Wiggins ’24 talks about his internship experience in Bremen.

If you are also interested in doing an internship during your study-abroad time in Bremen, please contact us early on and we will support you with the process.

Volunteering with the Bremer Suppenengel

Posted on September 2, 2025 by gablera

by Nina Grafton ’26

When studying abroad with the Dickinson in Bremen program, students are required to earn 15 to 18 hours of community service. While it can be challenging to balance this in addition to the other requirements of the program, it is important to serve the community you are living in for an extended period of time.

Starting in May, I volunteered weekly with the Bremer Suppenengel. The non-profit is a soup kitchen on wheels: after preparing the food, volunteers bike or drive to various distribution points around the city. The Suppenengel use donations from big grocery retailers and bakeries to make soup and sandwiches to distribute for free. Individuals in need can also take fresh fruit, vegetables, and other food items that aren’t used in the soup.

Nina, preparing sandwiches during her volunteer work with the Bremer Suppenengel

As a volunteer, my job was to make sandwiches using bread donated from local bakeries. While buttering bread and assembling cheese sandwiches isn’t the most exciting task, I was able to practice my German speaking and listening skills with the other kind volunteers. One of my favorite aspects of volunteering was seeing their familiar faces every Monday.

Volunteering with the Klimawerkstatt (Climate Workshop)

Posted on August 19, 2025 by gablera

by Naomi Mathewson ’26

To complete my volunteer hours, I decided to work with the Klimawerkstatt in Neustadt, allowing me to effect change right in my neighborhood. I learned about the Klimawerkstatt through my class “Kultur- und klimapolitische Stadtteilarbeit” (roughly: “cultural and climate-political city cooperation”). In this class, we came up with creative artistic projects to benefit the local area, as well as the Lucie Garten- the garden across the street that has been built by the community to create more green space in the city. For my volunteer hours, I had the opportunity to do different kinds of volunteer activities. For example, I helped with a zine-making workshop and made my own zine. However, the majority of my hours were spent on Thursday evenings gardening in the Lucie Garden. A couple of my friends usually accompanied me, and it was a great bonding experience.

I would recommend visiting the events of the Klimawerkstatt and the Lucie Garten even if you aren’t volunteering! I loved going to the flea markets and other workshops!

Making Bremen a better place!

Posted on August 21, 2024 by kolleri

During their studies in Bremen, our exchange students want to be active members of the Bremen community. Volunteer work is a great way to give back to the city that welcomes you during your studies abroad. There is a large number of ways that young people can engage with their community in Bremen. Most of our students participated in city cleanups. For the cleanups, a group of people meets up in a specific part of Bremen to collect garbage from the streets. A few of our Spring students participated in the cleanup.

Gabe on duty!

The equipment is provided by the Cleanup organization.

After a few hours of collecting trash, this is how many cigarette butts the group found – quite shocking!

Abby’s findings at a cleanup in Schwachhausen!

The students that participated in the cleanup shared that they were most shocked by the number of cigarette butts that were on the streets. At the end of the cleanup, they looked at how many they collected in total on that day – it was almost a bucket full of cigarettes.

Noah dedicated his time to a different project: He helped a lady plant a vegetable garden. Not only was it fun but also a great way to connect with other volunteers: “I primarily volunteered at a garden in Bremen. I helped to plant, learned a bit about certain plants such as Rotkohl (red cabbage), and weeded the beds, while enjoying getting to know the other folks working there. It was a great time and they were very welcoming! When I return to Bremen, I absolutely intend to find a similar program or return to that one.”

Getting ready to plant a garden!

Growing vegetables!

Memorable Experiences: Volunteering and Cultural Engagement in Bremen

Posted on August 13, 2023 by marschhs

by Vasilisa Pallis ’24

During my study abroad year in Bremen I was incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to not only study in a German University and learn so much, but also volunteer. Before coming to Germany, I feared I wouldn’t get the opportunity to use my Russian as much, since I am a double major in German and Russian. But I was happily surprised when I was able to not only take classes with Russian content but also volunteer with Ukrainian refugees at the “Nachbarschaftshaus Helene Kaisen”, an open space for events, social facilities, and recreational areas in Bremen.

Glance at American Delegation at Special Olympics in Bremen.

There are numerous opportunities within this cultural center for Ukrainian children and teenagers to participate in different activities, such as learning English, and German, or simply having a place to go to after school. There I started a “Sprachcafé” (a language café) for Ukrainian teenagers, to practice their language skills. It was an incredible experience to get to meet such brave young students who have gone through such a horrifying experience and get to simply speak with them and get to know them. I loved having a chance to use my Russian as well as German, it was so cool to be able to speak almost three different languages at the same time. I am so grateful to have had this memorable and fulfilling opportunity.

American Delegation being interviewed in the city center of Bremen.

In addition to my help with Ukrainian refugees, I also had the opportunity to help with Special Olympics Bremen. It was amazing to get to help during the Host Town Program when the US delegation came to Bremen before heading off to the Special Olympics in Berlin. I loved meeting the different athletes, making them feel comfortable, showing them around Bremen, and helping with their training before the Olympics. All in all, I am extremely grateful to have experienced my year in Bremen and to have helped in any way I could while in Bremen. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am proud to say I have enjoyed and learned so much from it.

Bremen Study Abroad Program

Dickinson College

Category Archives: Internships, jobs, and community service