For this years spooky travel experience post, I wanna talk about what I've been up to lately. If you've have sensed a European themed with the last 2 articles, you may have guessed it already.
I'm moving to Germany!
While I am so unbelievably excited to beginning this next chapter of my life, as with all big changes, there are a few things that have me spooked.
Let's talk about it!
First, let's talk some details before getting into the nitty gritty of it all.
Why are you moving?
To answer your question, I'm moving to Germany because of the Master program I've chosen called Joint MA Intercultural German Studies, or IcGS for short. It's a MA program between the University of Waterloo and Mannheim Universität. The program is said to be "the first transatlantic humanities degree available in Canada". It is also supported by Erasmus+.
Through this program, I'll have degree recognition in both North America and Europe, meaning my degree will hold weight in both continents.
When are you moving?
My Master program would be starting in September 2025 where I'll be doing the first 4 months of it in Canada. Then, come January 2026, I'll be moving to Germany for the whole year. After that year, I do have to come back to Canada for another 4-8 months to finish my degree.
Where are you moving?
The year abroad on this program takes place in Mannheim. Funnily enough, this was one of the cities I used to live in in Germany was I was younger. When we first went to Germany, we moved to Mannheim before eventually moving to Viernheim.
I have so many memories of being in Mannheim. I remember the park that was behind our little apartment. I remember hearing the street train passing at night. I remember watching Jersey Shore with my sister since it was the only English show. I remember my first Döner. There was a department store downtown that was either being renovated or torn down at the time. Lots of little random memories.
We live in Viernheim a lot longer though, so I have many more memories of that city. I remember the apartment we lived in that was above a bakery, the park that was near the house, the grocery store and thrift store. I remember learning how to take the public bus to school everyday, I remember going to the mall and always getting Starbucks and a pretzel. I remember watching English movies at the theatre. I remember the school I used to go to and the international class I was in with other students from around the globe. I have so many memories from that time of my life, both good and bad.
In Viernheim is actually where I met one of my best friends Simon, he's native German. We were going to the same school and sometimes had class together. He tells this story of the first time he saw me, though I don't remember it. Apparently, I came into class to give some papers to the teacher then left. Not long after that he asked for my Skype, which we used to talk after school.
My only memory from that time though, is sitting in the corner of the classroom by myself, since there were no open desks at the time, seeing him and thinking he was cute. We 'dated' as kids, meaning we held hands and hung out for a month.
Here in Canada is where I met my friend Michelle, she's half American, half German but has lived in Germany pretty much her whole life. She came to Canada to study abroad for a term at my university. We were in class together, sitting next to each other, and I believe paired up together for a presentation.
Through class and assignments, we got to know each other better. We went to Niagara together and she came along to a Maple Syrup festival I was going to with my family and some friends.
I'm really excited to be able to see them both more regularly. I haven't seen Michelle in over 2 years now, and Simon in over 14 years.
What's got me spooked
I think the very first and biggest spook is what if I don't get accepted? As confident as I do feel, nothing is certain. There may be a future where they don't accept my application. I think in this scenario, I'll be super honest, I'd be crushed. This specific Masters program is something I've wanted to do for years now. It's been on my life plan for longer than anything else. I'd be pretty lost and upset if I couldn't go.
How I'll fund this year abroad is definitely a spook of mine as well. I've applied for a scholarship and if I get it, I'll be well funded. But in the scenario that I don't get it, I'll need to find another way to fund my degree. I'm saving up as a good practice regardless of the outcome, I've looked at affordable housing in Germany, and found a job in Germany I'd love to do if my visa allows it. But the money worry is still there.
The cultural divide is definitely a spook for me as well. The last 2 times I was in Germany on longer term stays, I really struggled with it. German culture differs a lot from Canadian culture. In my experience, I found Germans to be not very welcoming, but rather more standoffish when it comes to foreigners.
My Canadian English accent is coveted in jobs thankfully, but it also gives me away as a foreigner when I speak in German. I found when I don't talk, I'm treated as German, but when I do, the tune changes. I've mentioned this before, but both times I went, I felt like a novelty or circus attraction being native English. I hated answering the phone in English on the train because, so long as I didn't speak, I didn't draw attention to myself.
This feeling of being an other definitely fuels my want to develop a more authentic accent in German and more German mannerisms so that I blend in more. I think, in the beginning, I will rely on my German friends quite a lot while I'm there.
Speaking of my friends, while I do have some in Germany already, they have lives of their own and so won't always be available if I need someone. It wouldn't be fair to rely on the 2 of them so much, so I will be on my own for some things. I'm fairly independent, so most times, I should be alright doing things on my own. But, I'm still spooked about isolation.
I had a hard time making friends on the CSSG program, with both native German and Canadian people, and when I'm stressed out, I tend to turn inwards instead of outwards. So, this time, I'll need to make a much more conscious effort to connect with others in my community. Sports are a big thing in Germany, so perhaps I can join a swimming or yoga group?
Another spook of mine is LDR - long distance relationships. I have my partner, friends, and family that I'll be away from for a whole year. Of course I hope they'll be able to come visit me and that I'll be able to visit them, but you never know what the future holds. I worry that I will lose some connections back home because of the move.
Thankfully, I have a few friends like Rach who have experience with LDR, so they can give me tips and tricks they tried to survive the distance. That said though, I also understand that nothing is forever, including relationships. If they weather the storm that is being in another continent and time zone, that's great! But if they don't, that's okay too.
What are you most excited for?
Let's end this blog post on happier notes!
Something I really miss about my time abroad was how good my German and German accent was getting. I was picking up more German mannerisms and sayings that made me sound and seem more authentic. I look forward to be immersed again and improving my German. As a sign of improvement, I hope that by the end of my time there, my English won't be as good as it is now.
I'm also really excited to start my studies. The topic I'm focusing on for my Masters thesis is Linguistic Relativity. It is the theory that the way a language is shaped, impacts how it's speakers view themselves and the world around them.
Words in any language are used to represent different concepts - e.g. apple represents a red, round fruit that grows on a tree, and knife represent a sharp tool used to cut items. Even synonyms, words with similar meanings such as good and great, have slight variations in what they express. If we change words, we are then changing the concepts they represent, which, in the lens of linguistic relativity, then changes a speakers view.
As an example, in the novel 1984 new words are created and/or old words are changed so that their concepts more closely express the ideologies of the dictatorship. When there aren't words to express a certain idea, then the idea is either less likely to exist among speakers, or will be harder to explain and share. This is a way to use linguistic relativity as a way to control the mind, essentially weaponizing the theory. Fascinating no? I can't wait to explore it further!
If you've not yet experienced the magic of German windows, you're missing out. Not only do they open completely, but they also open just a creek at the top depending on how you turn the handle.
When I was staying with my host family is when I discovered that it's not just windows that do this, but patio doors too! How freaking cool is that! There shutters are something else too. It's like military bunker grade black out technology. These windows are seriously amazing! I don't know why we don't have them in the western world.
Also when I was on the CSSG program, I discovered so many wonderful vegan foods thanks to Tegut!. I remember this walnut cheese I tried that was so good, they have vegan deli meats, which aren't a thing here, and the gluten free bread in Germany is light years better than the stuff in Canada, which is so fitting for German culture.
But, I think the biggest thing I miss is being able to get Hela Gewürze Ketchup so easily and cheaply. I can get it in Canada, but only at a specialty shops and for almost $12 a bottle. In Germany, this stuff is like max 2 Euros.
I'm also really looking forward to traveling. Europe is so much easier to travel than Canada. It's is very true that you can literally take a train for a few hours and end up in a different country. I'm really looking forward to being able to spend my weekends exploring the parts of Europe I have yet to see.
Simon and I have plans to go to Vienna, going back to England to take English breaks will be nice, there is this spa in Milan, Italy I'd love to visit, etc. I really do want to make the most of my time in Europe.
I hope you'll join me on this next chapter of my life!
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