Berlin ICA 2012

My name is Ellie Lehman.  I am a senior Special Education major and a German minor.  I began taking German in 7th grade and knew I wanted to continue studying it in college, but I have also always wanted to be a teacher.  At Goucher, I am able to take courses in German while still pursuing a teaching degree.  I have been president of the German Club and am currently the Supplemental Instructor for the German courses.  In the summer of 2012, I traveled to Berlin on an Intensive Course Abroad.  Here I studied German at the Neue Schule alongside students of all ages and from many different countries, many of whom did not even speak English!  It was incredible to be able to communicate with someone in a language other than English, and the trip allowed me to see many parts of the city.  I also spent a semester abroad in Denmark, where my German skills proved quite useful.  I found that many Danish words were similar to German words.  Although I would have loved to spend a semester in Germany, I wanted to use this opportunity to travel someplace completely different.  I plan to go back to Germany someday and hopefully teach there.  Studying German has been a wonderful experience because it has taught me a lot about Germany and its culture, helped me understand my own language better, and introduced me to some amazing people.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with German at Goucher and highly recommend taking a German course!