When abroad, one can learn more than just the language
Aside from a brief jaunt in the Ukraine while in high school, Europe was a foreign notion to me before I began my semester abroad in Germany.
My imagination was clouded with a myriad of thoughts about medieval architecture, new varieties of food to tantalize my palate and the prospect of a good deal of confusion.
My first week in Lüneburg I was keen to go grocery shopping for the first time to see what new items I might encounter, and I also was happy to find old favorites like peanut butter. It is, in fact, not only available but stamped with the slogan ‘US Quality!’
The farthest that my curious taste buds have ventured yet is to trying herring; and I am not sure they have fully recovered yet. During my grocery shopping adventures, I discovered that they only provide bags for those who pay a fee. It is a small difference, yet all the little differences create such a fresh environment.
Navigating the German world has been quite an adventure. My basic language skills allowed me to arrive safely at the tiny main train station in Lüneburg where I met my orientation buddy.
After she helped me settle in, I was on my own for a while. At times I found it exhausting attempting to understand and adapt to a new culture. I tried not to make the grievous mistake of falling into my own culture’s practices and habits, but I was not always sure of the best thing to say or do in various situations.
As I became more comfortable, I began to notice wonderful features that only a smaller town can afford. In Lüneburg the shops close early in the evening (as compared to the around-the-clock convenience drugstores in Reno).
Local festivals and open-air fresh produce markets make downtown a lively place to spend the day or weekend. I still cannot get over how green it is here and how efficient the public transportation system is. I am still, however, getting used to drying my clothes out on the line.
Speaking German is definitely a daily challenge, but I have to admit that it is exciting. Truth be told, there really is no better way to learn a language than through thorough immersion. Speaking spontaneously with other people in German allows one to make mistakes and learn from them.
I have said things that had rather risque or negative connotations I never picked up in my German classes. I get a jolt of excitement nearly every time I attempt a conversation in German with a local; you can find me at the cash register grinning, ear to ear, over a very simple monetary transaction because I was able to respond appropriately to the clerk.
The experience of living in a foreign country has given me another perspective of living. It has made me see myself against a new backdrop.
Cynthia Kapteyn is a columnist writing from Germany for The Nevada Sagebrush. She can be reached at editor@nevadasagebrush.com.
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