Personal Narrative: Moving To Germany

Returning to Germany through Vanderbilt in Berlin would be an incredible opportunity, one in which I could return to a place that left a considerable impact on my life. For six years of my childhood, my family lived in Germany, and I completed my first two years of high school at an American high school in Wiesbaden. It has been four and a half years since I moved back to the States, and I realize now how much I squandered while I was there. Despite studying the language in school, I didn’t force myself to practice my skills when interacting with locals. Since my school surrounded me with American students, I made little effort to forge meaningful relationships with Germans my age. Lastly, being a part of the U.S. Military community hindered …show more content…
Not many high schoolers have the opportunity to have such a prolonged glimpse into life outside the U.S., but living in Europe allowed for travelling that wouldn’t have been financially possible otherwise. Although I did not fully engage with or appreciate the German language and culture, I was instilled with the belief that all people, no matter their nationality or religion or background, have great things to offer to this world. I have memories of being a child on a bus in Heidelberg, looking around at how many different people were sitting near me. I was mesmerized by the sound of the German language being spoken all round me, and I was struck by the beauty, and sadness, I witnessed outside the bus window. I would look out the window, and I would see the beautiful buildings, the crepe stands, and the eclectic shops. But, I would also look out and see mothers and their children sitting on the stoops of cathedrals, holding out their hands in hopes that a passerby would spare some change. Living in Germany, albeit in a sheltered way, provided me with a global perspective that I carried with me to my second high school in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and now onto the Vanderbilt campus. My experiences abroad prepared me for my current work with refugees at Siloam Family Health Center, have given me an appreciation for other cultures, and have inspired me to eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner …show more content…
I am completing the 3+2 Human and Organizational Development / Masters in Nursing program, and this accelerated path requires students to finish all undergraduate requirements within three years. Thus, studying abroad for a semester was never an option. I considered going abroad after freshman or sophomore year, but I decided to gain nonprofit management skills working for an organization called Carolina Cross Connection in rural North Carolina. Although I haven’t gone abroad in college, I have prioritized getting to know people from different backgrounds than my own through Alternative Spring Break, VUcept, and other organizations on campus. All of my experiences thus far have been incredible, but I still have a lingering desire to actually leave the United States and delve into another culture as an independent entity. When thinking about study abroad, I definitely considered going somewhere completely new, but I think that I could benefit even more from going back to a place that is somewhat familiar- Germany. Since I already have a foundation in the language and an understanding of the culture, I would be able to dive in headfirst. My goals in Germany are to increase my language skills, build meaningful relationships with locals, and improve upon my decision-making skills. I want to go back to the place that shaped me, with a new lens and new energy that I lacked when I lived there