So German!

Hallo Freunde!

After learning German for two years at the University of Ottawa, I’ve decided to take my German practice outside the classroom! With 14 days to go until my new four-month adventure begins, I’m very excited to visit Germany for the first time.

I decided to learn German because I was looking for a new challenge, and it’s a language that I’ve always been fascinated by. Many people would describe German as being a harsh sounding language and even Germans will say it’s a hard language to learn. However, for me, German is the language of Kant, Hegel, Freud and Einstein. Thus, learning German to me has been an opportunity to understand original texts written in German, expand my love for history and philosophy and learn a new and exciting language!

With all this in mind, it was a natural next step for me to spend a semester abroad in Germany. It’s bitter-sweet to leave my home city of Ottawa, particularly leaving my family, my friends and my academic community, which I grew very attached to since enrolling in the Public Administration and Political Science program at the University of Ottawa.

Nevertheless, my future home Mannheim seems like a promising city to spend a semester abroad; from its reputable standing as one of the best universities in Germany, to its nightlife and student diversity. As well, Mannheim is great for Canadian students with very structured programs as the university follows the same academic calendar as most Canadian universities, which is not common in Germany.

While in Germany, I aim to immerse myself in the German culture, make amazing new friends and travel both Germany and Europe. For the next four months, I look forward to meeting other students from all over the world and improving my German!

I’m super excited to share my adventure with you. If you’re curious about my time in Mannheim, stay tuned for my next blog post! I will be posting three more times: twice during my stay and once more once I’m back in my hometown.

Grüße,
Amen