A Beginning

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. 

Word Count: 422