Author: sarahvanhollebeke

One part of German food culture that I absolutely adored was the fresh food markets. In the US, fresh produce tends to be more expensive, but it was affordable in Radolfzell. There would be a market every Wednesday and every other Saturday in the main square. I would pop by to get a snack on Wednesday and then buy groceries after school. Fortunately, I knew most of the fruits and vegetables, but I wanted to buy fresh cheese. However, I did not know about the different types of cheese, and I was so nervous about speaking with the elderly gentleman. I finally plucked up my courage and spent thirty minutes sampling cheeses and answering his questions about Seattle. It was exciting to use so many German skills and sample the different cheeses. I made it my mission to try a different cheese every week, and on my last week in Radolfzell, the elderly gentleman gave me free cheese “to improve German-American relations.” I noticed Radolfzell residents bought food more frequently because the food was fresher. Also, when I visited other homes, the refrigerators were so much smaller than the standard size in the US. Overall, it was fun chatting with different people every week at the market. 

Here is a photo of me buying a loaf of bread as breakfast at the Wednesday market. Unfortunately, I did not have the sense to take a photo of myself holding my weekly cheese haul.

I noticed many microaggressions towards one of my housemates Paolo, who considers home to be China and Italy. After my time in Radolfzell, I planned to visit Milan, where Paolo was born. I knew Paolo was from Italy, but he never said which city as he had spent the past nine years in China. When my host discovered I was going to Milan, she suggested I ask Paolo for recommendations. I replied, “Achso, habe ich das nicht gewusst,” – oh, I did not know that. She automatically replied, “Ja sieht er nicht italienisch aus,” – yes, he does not look Italian. While there is a stereotypical “look” of Italians thanks to romcoms, I never put too much stock in it. Growing up in a multicultural country, I expect people to be of every ethnicity in other countries. Paolo also told me about a few of his experiences being profiled for COVID in other European countries. He is seventeen, so it is hard for him to cope with some of these situations, and I was happy he trusted me with some of his other experiences. 

One holiday I experienced while abroad was the Feast of Corpus Christi, a Catholic holiday. I did not know this feast day was coming up, but my teacher warned me that all the stores would be closed. Stores closing for non-major religious holidays and Sundays surprised me, but it is a common practice in Baden-Württemberg. Since I grew Catholic, I was familiar with the feast and asked some questions at my local bakery about traditions; however, the ladies working used the day to rest and relax. I used the holiday to explore the practically empty Ulm to see a library and cathedral. What was really interesting was talking about the holiday with my housemates, as I had four. My good friend, Ruken, was from Turkey and a practicing Muslim. She did not understand the concept of the Eucharist and the Blood of Christ, which Corpus Christi celebrates. My host and I explained the feast day, although it was difficult because I could not use specific religious language. Later, Ruken also approached me about the Trinity in Christianity, and we discussed the differences between our religions. It was a rewarding conversation, but it was difficult for us to communicate complex religious ideas as German is our second language.

This is a photo of me in front of the cathedral in Ulm. My friend and I heard a performance by an organist and then climbed up so many stairs to see the bells! Unfortunately, my friend Ruken would not like to be pictured here. 

A current topic in Germany is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, especially since East Germany was part of the Iron Curtain. Russia’s aggression is taken very seriously because of Germany’s history; moreover, Germany is energy dependent on Russia, although the country is pursuing energy independence. Over one of my weekends abroad, I visited my host family from 2019 – all of whom (except their youngest daughter) grew up in East Germany. Most of their concerns centered around heating for the winter and eating the fruits and vegetables from their garden. I am from Seattle, where my family has never grown fruits or vegetables, but it was a genuine possibility for my host family to eat an entire dinner from their garden. Everyone was incredibly serious about the issue, and their response interested me as an American without the same pressing concerns. I also noticed some hesitation to discuss the invasion, possibly because it makes the issue feel closer. My class at Carl Duisberg was full of students from all over the world; usually, the teacher commented on a new student’s hometown. With the US, he asked which part and if I liked California. When some students were from Ireland, he asked about the sea. A new student from Ukraine joined our class because he came to Germany as a refugee, yet no one talked about the country’s traits or the invasion, and our teacher was silent. Both responses were fascinating, and I was glad to discuss this topic abroad. 

These photos are from my visit to my host family. My host sister, also named Sarah, creates a confusing situation when we are together. She lives with her parents and grandparents who lived in East Germany. They were much happier with my German skills this visit!

At first, I was so overwhelmed that it was difficult for me to focus on anything but communication. Once I started to feel more comfortable speaking German, I could focus on more details instead of major ones, such as the prevalence of cash in Germany. One term my peers used that struck me was the word ‘safe.’ When I first heard it, I could not figure out why they were using it in the middle of a conversation instead of walking home late or visiting a new city. It was a new group, so I didn’t ask about it and attempted to figure it out from context clues. Eventually, I gave up, looked it up, and then confirmed with my friend. It originates from American TV shows when American characters say phrases such as “sure thing,” “certainly,” and “for sure.” While these phrases are standard for us, the German translation uses the word “sicher,” – which directly translates to safe. I thought it was an interesting way to communicate that everything was “all good” in life, but I do not believe it will make any sense to use as slang in the US. My friends and I already have a different connotation for the word; thus, we would possibly confuse the meaning. 

I am in the bright orange shirt in the middle, and the girl next to me confirmed the meaning of “safe.”

T-Minus four days until my flight to Germany!! I am so excited but am running out of time to complete errands. Even though I leave on Saturday, everything feels very distant yet urgent all at once. As I am only bringing a backpack, I do not even know if all of my clothes will fit. My baggage situation is my fault, yet I know it will be easier when I travel. 

Since I am a professional overthinker, I’ve dissected too many possibilities about my German intensive course. After pushing myself in my last German class, the complete immersion will support my foundational German, so that I become a competent German speaker. Between the course and the homestay, my speaking abilities will grow and help me in future German courses; moreover, I’m living with two other students with different first languages, so I can practice German with them. When I stayed with a host family for only two weeks in high school, my German oral and comprehension skills greatly improved; thus, my skills will hopefully progress.

My time abroad will focus my learning on my pronunciation and grammar skills, so I can easily use them in real life. I hope my German skills improve, so that I can enjoy museums and other historical landmarks in the original language. While English may be offered at different cultural events, utilizing my German skills will enhance my experiences. I think the complete separation from a familiar environment will broaden my perspective about cultural ideas and help me become more independent. Moreover, the time away will build my confidence in myself, as my summer completely depends on my actions – I can determine my activities, catering to my preferences. This summer, I am excited for my growth and development and cannot wait to share everything.