FINAL BLOG (WHEW!) 12.4.G.

It’s been really great to throw myself back into German culture with this course over the summer. I’ve always been fascinated by the language and the music ever since I was a kid. All of my earliest memories from childhood and school are from living in Heilbron and going to Kindergarten. It’s been neat because there have been a lot of times while studying that I’ll see certain things that have a kind of warm nostalgia that you can’t really place.
German culture in general just seems very comfortable to me, I don’t necessarily like some of the stand-offishness but I do respect it and understand the superficial nature of American greetings, which is actually something that used to bother me. Now when I ask “what’s up” I’m constantly catching myself and walk away feeling like a huge jerk! Thanks German 102. I like what seems to be the German ethic, countering the “work hard/play hard” ethos of the United States the Germans tend to be more “do good work and you won’t have to work so hard/go chill out.” I’ve always wanted to visit Germany and actually spend a fair amount of time there and after this course I can hardly wait to make it happen.
I’ve really grown to appreciate the German culture even more than I used to think I did. In the past, in addition to living there, I was always watching a lot of German films and I even worked in a German restaurant and bar. But seeing and hearing about the real deal really makes it clear that everything really is different in America. I think German food is fantastic, so starchy and hearty and goes so well with a nice cold beer. I think I’d fit right at home somewhere around Frankfurt or Cologne.
The class has also taught me to appreciate foreigners living in my country, not that I didn’t before, but it helped me to recognize the amount of effort they put into learning our language and their desire to see our country and that it’s important to be helpful to everyone, because their experience with you might end up on Auf Geht’s!
I’m really glad to have been doing such an intensive course over the Summer and I can’t wait to take 203 in the fall.

- Ben Pittard