theadventuresofthewallnutt

[theadventuresofthewallnutt]

Sommersemester: Fast zu viel...?

I just ended my third week of Sommersemester and I can already tell the differences between the two semesters. In Wintersemester, I had an adventure getting settled in and understanding the new cultural norms at German Uni. Luckily, Universität Tübingen is full of friendly students and helpful faculty members that will normally help a clueless student like me in directing me to the right path to the best of their abilities. Tübingen, which is a city built around a university that was founded 15 years before Colombus sailed the ocean blue, has a population that is comprised of an impressive third of students.

The majority of classes that I am taking are focused on learning German as a second language (Deutsch als Fremdsprache Kurse), which among them includes an intensive level-oriented class that is known by the name of Aufbaukurs that is three hours long for three days a week that only lasts less than two months. All of these classes are taught in German which can seem a little daunting at first, but if you are placed at the right level, you should be able to understand the main points of each class. The instructors here are exceptionally helpful and some are even willing to look at your written work and correct it if you are deeply motivated in bettering your German.

I think that the toughest part of being in a DaF course is to not associate yourself with a big group of English-Native speakers. It can be enticing to do so especially if you are uncomfortable with your level of German competency, but I suggest to try and minimize the amount of time speaking in the mother tongue, regardless of the size of your vocabulary in the target language. I do admit though that refraining from doing this can be hard at times as even some teachers will give the English Übersetzung of words and phrases especially when words are hard to explain in German.

I am also taking two regular university classes taught in English this semester. The Introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language is an especially interesting class to me because I have been thinking of doing this as a profession abroad after my studies. It is a lecture-based class with no homework, so I have to put it upon myself to do the readings/make outlines for the course. I have noticed that German University forces you to do a lot of independent studying while back home there is much stress placed on doing busy work and assignments. In my opinion, I like the German way better because I have noticed that I do much better on tests and I also learn more in the long run. The second English-instructed class that I am taking is an English literature course that focuses on the Gothic tradition which fascinates me. Although I have to read many books for this class, I definitely enjoy reading this “genre” of literature (I put “genre” in quotations because Gothic is not a genre but rather a set of themes and patterns that appear in like pieces of literature, but that’s beside the point). Because of this class, I am rereading some of the most memorable novels and novellas from high school (Lord of the Flies, Brave New World, Frankenstein, etc.). Notwithstanding a minuscule amount of work in the classroom, we must prepare ourselves to write a lengthy and pedantic paper or perform an oral exam at the end of the semester.

My school work outside of school work that I need to do is admittedly becoming a burden. While learning German, I have to learn up to a certain level of Spanish before coming back home and I would like to begin learning Korean before potentially going to Seoul for the spring semester next year. Unquestionably, I am starting to feel the stress settle in for Sommersemester BUT nonetheless I feel like this is necessary for the long run.

After all of this will be finished and I start my fall quarter back at The Dirty Euge, I feel like I will be more inclined to do the readings that most students don’t usually bat an eyelash toward, but sadly I fear that I will not be used to doing the busy work that often follows with taking classes at American Unis.

[theadventuresofthewallnutt]

Man muss noch Chaos in sich haben, um einen tanzenden Stern gebären zu können

These months abroad have flown by, and while most things here are all just fun and games, I have been experiencing a major change in my life. Wintersemester, although it wasn’t too challenging, left me in a state of minor emptiness, as if I wasn’t accomplishing what I was meant to accomplish here in Tübingen. After some traveling to a couple of different countries and cities during my two-month Semesterferien, I finally started Sommersemester in Mid-April, but this lethargic feeling that I had within me hadn’t subsided.

“It is normal to feel this way when you are abroad after one semester,” my advisor told me, “It is normal for students to question themselves on who they are and what they are doing.” I came here thinking that I knew who I was and what I will become, but what changed all of this...?

Firstly, it’s the environment here. The understanding that the society works differently here in Germany has been difficult to a minor degree. The tempo here I feel like is much SLOWER than in the U.S., for example, on Sundays the stores and most restaurants are closed, resulting in people forcing themselves to have a rest day which can consist of sleeping in, doing homework, working out, spending time with friends and family, etc. or any combination of these things. Back at home, I felt like I always had to be doing something and could never catch a break. I never sat down for tea or coffee with my friends in order to catch up on life or talk about what is bothering both of us at that time. I am a person that puts all of my energy in constantly chasing something, always looking toward the future rather than experiencing the present.  

Because of the people here, whether it be Germans or other international students, I have also developed new cultural interests and understandings. This affected what I wanted to study at Uni. I knew before coming here that I have a particular affinity for learning foreign languages, but I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to learn first. When I get back home, I will be studying German as well as Korean and Spanish as minors. In fact, I have already started the process for another study abroad but this time I will be studying in Seoul in order to experience the vastly different culture there as well as learn the language like I did with German here.  

My personality is in the process of unraveling as well. I used to involuntarily show disinterest or discomfort when I met someone new or didn’t want to talk about something, but now, according to other people, that aspect of socially connecting with others is changing every-so-slightly as well. I have also taken up reading literature again, a hobby that unfortunately withered while I was in high school. Now I actually take joy in finishing a book from cover to cover (or location to location, since most of my reading is done on my tablet).

There are many times where I caught myself reassessing who I was and what I wanted to change about myself. These occurrences were definitely stressful but necessary to who I would like to be in the future. I learned that with time and dedication, you could change yourself if you really want to, whether it means to be more kind or to be more friendly.

“It wouldn’t be natural if you didn’t feel this sensation while you are here,” my advisor explained, “This shows that you are one step closer to becoming an adult.”