As a student of the German
language since 8th grade, actually taking a trip to the country itself has been
a dream of mine for quite some time. Upon entering college I hoped that at some
point I'd have the opportunity. When I transferred to North Central last fall,
one of the first things I looked into were study abroad courses. As a member of
both the cross country and track teams, I was excited when I saw that the
school offered courses over winter break that wouldn't interfere with the
competition season. Now, just months away from the trip itself, it still
hasn’t quite hit me that I’ll be leaving the country for the first time. Then
again, I only just applied for my passport a few ago. In any case, I’m excited
to finally have this chance. Of course, I’m looking forward to learning and
experiencing a lot about German culture and history, as well as improving my
language skills. From what I’ve heard from those who have taken the trip in the
past, the three weeks we’re there goes by incredibly fast and each day is its own
trip in itself. While I’m sure I’ll learn plenty of history throughout the
various tours and castles, I do hope to learn more about German people
themselves. American media portrays Germans in generally negative, or at least offensive, light—ranging
from goose-stepping Nazis to lederhosen-clad overdrinkers, along with others we
discussed in our first meeting. I’m often asked why I choose to study such an angry,
harsh-sounding language. Apart from being a lover of language, I suppose the
real reason is because of the many characteristics and beliefs I share with the
German people—despite not having a single drop of German blood in me. I would say
that this reason, above all others, is also the reason I’ve wanted to visit
Germany for so long. I want to speak with these people and ask what their
opinions on certain matters—and then share my beliefs as well. This will not only
be an invaluable experience for personal growth, it’ll also be useful later in
life as I’m an International Business major in addition to my German minor.
Career advancement aside, I really am looking forward to immersing myself in
the language and culture, if only to see things from a different perspective
for eighteen days. I think it’s absolutely necessary to get out of one’s
comfort zone every now and then.
There's more to Germany than just beer!
Brandenburg Gate: One of Berlin's most well-known landmarks.
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