The German exchange has begun and with full force. Arriving into Stuttgart and moving into my new home for the next six weeks, has been an exciting, yet emotional experience. This is the first time I have travelled and lived alone and my initial feeling has been nervousness. I assume this feeling is due to ‘the unknown’, the uncertainty of what is coming my way and how to approach this new journey. I chose to stay at the dorm primarily because this is all new to me and I hope that this will help me grow as a person. I also hope this personal growth will guide me and allow me to learn and understand other cultures. Through small-scale travel of Europe, I hope to learn and understand a greater amount of these cultures and their ways of living.
Germany has ‘a history of extremes’ and as a lover of history, I have become greatly focused on the German past. I came to love learning about German history and I decided to learn the language. Through my love of German history I hope to fully engage and learn much more of the German history through sight-seeing and visiting relative museums.
When learning a language, what better way to fully grasp emphasis and pronunciation than to go to that country and engage with the locals? I cannot wait to use Deutsch in each aspect of my everyday life here in Stuttgart over the next six weeks. I hope to learn a lot more Deutsch and to consolidate what I already know. To further my speaking skills and to be able to comprehend much more is my highest learning expectation. When spoken to in German, I hope to be able to recount every word and to be able to reiterate or respond much faster than I do now. In the next six weeks it will be interesting to see what I can achieve and how it is done.
I really like that you decided to live at the dorms, I imagine it would have been nerve-breaking initially. However, I think we discover ourselves more when we are on our own and are out of our comfort zones. I really hope you get an awesome experience out of the next coming weeks. Also, that your increasing knowledge of the German language and culture helps you connect the dots between modern Germany and its history. Viel Spaß!
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm staying with a host family, I know exactly how you feel in terms of moving away from home. I think the first week or so is the hardest, because we have to get used to being in a completely different place and being away from our family and friends. It's quite funny I guess, but one of the hardest things for me so far has been getting used to waking up in a completely different bed and bedroom! I suppose its little things like that that can make quite a big difference, but I strongly believe that it can only make you a stronger and more adaptable person!
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