Zu Guter Letzt

Learning German last semester and this semester has shown me what it is like to delve into another culture full on. I myself am Pennsylvania Dutch and my dad was born on a military base in Nuremburg, so I have always been interested about the German culture. In a way, it is like learning about my past’s culture. I have also enjoyed learning German because I can grasp the language much better than Spanish or any romantic language. I am guessing this is because English is a Germanic language so they are related. While the German and American cultures share many similarities, they are still so different, which in turn makes learning about the German culture a unique experience. Learning about the traditions, their way of life, and the native foods and there love for beer and wine was many times interesting and exciting. It is also fun because when I was 14, I went with my family on a tour of Bavaria, where my dad is born. It was very interesting learning about cultural experiences that one has seen put in practice. For example it was fun learning about the Christmas markets in Nuremburg, because I have been there and eaten Lebkuchen and I have drank Glühwein. It was also intriguing learning about the difference between the languages. Such as English is a much more idiomatic language than German and how English can also be superficial at many times or how Germans are very pessimistic. For example, in Germany when one asks “How are you” or “Wie geht’s Ihnen” a simple good will not suffice as in America. One will usually divulge about the problems of the day. These things are helpful to know so one will not get lost in translation, both language and culture wise. Altogether, my German learning has been a unique and sometimes fun one, and I hope to have a further grasp on the language in the future.