The present article analyzes the service-learning experiences of US students during a short-term study-abroad trip to Germany in July 2017. The study identified a key, overarching challenge: the gap between students' expectations and the actual study-abroad outcome. The overall service-learning study-abroad experience was deemed very positive for the students. Almost all students reported to have gained a significantly increased knowledge about Europe's Migration 'Crisis' and a significantly increased understanding about integration processes in Germany. However, the analysis also pointed to a gap between students' expectations and actual outcomes. The article suggests recommendations how this gap could be narrowed, if not overcome for future experiential/service-learning courses. The recommendations provide an innovative model for future short-term experiential/service-learning pedagogy.