Moremen, James

E-mail: jmoremen@nd.edu

Language: German

Location of Study: Munich, Germany

Program of Study: Carl Duisberg 6 week Intensive

Sponsors: Nanovic Institute for European Studies, the College of Arts and Letters, and the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures

Blog URL: http://sites.nd.edu/sla2018/author/jmoremen/

 

A brief personal bio: 

I am from Louisville, KY originally, and I currently live in St. Edward’s Hall here at Notre Dame. I am studying International Economics with the focus on German because I hope to one day conduct business internationally and because I am find myself interested in other cultures. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy fishing, meeting new people, and writing brief personal bios.

Why this summer language abroad opportunity is important to me:

In the future, I am interested in working for an international company, conducting business both abroad and in the United States (because my mom wouldn’t be happy if I lived exclusively abroad). So, it is naturally of great importance to learn about both my target language and culture. If I am to one day conduct business in Germany, I of course need to understand and speak German– which is the goal of my instructional program– but also be familiar with the culture and social customs of the land– which will come from meeting people and experiencing the city outside of the classroom. To be an international businessman, it is also important to be culturally aware in a more broad sense. The only real way to achieve the necessary level of cultural understanding and openness is to live in another country (and I don’t think family vacations to the Bahamas count) for a significant period of time. This SLA grant will allow me to begin my journey of cultural experience and help me mature as an intercultural citizen.

What I hope to achieve as a result of this summer study abroad experience:

I hope to work toward two facets of fluency: of the language and of the culture. Inside the classroom, I hope to expand my vocabulary to use more idiomatic phrases in order to strengthen my ability to hold a conversation. Outside of the classroom, I hope to better understand German people and the German culture by experiencing what the city of Munich has to offer. By growing in these two respects thanks to the SLA Grant, I hope to continue on my journey of learning that will hopefully one day lead to me being a productive and fruitful global citizen. And having a job.

My specific learning goals for language and intercultural learning this summer:

1. At the end of the summer, I will be able to speak confidently about abstract and serious topics, rather than more simple small talk (because everyone knows Germans love small talk).

2. At the end of the summer, I will have made the acquaintance of someone in Germany who could offer insight on where to find a job or internship in the country.

3. At the end of the summer, I will be able to listen to and understand German films, podcasts, and television shows (i.e., I will watch “Dark” on Netflix without subtitles).