An American in Germany

During my first week in Germany, I have realized how different my views are, how unique I am the way I act and speak, and how many small changes there are in my environment.

For example American and German views on distance are very different. My host dad told me he had an American co-worker that wanted to take weekend trips. However, the American's idea of "close" was France or Switzerland. He explained that this is not the German idea of "close" and we both laughed. Later on in the week,  I was speaking with some new German friends and realized that Germans are expected to learn at least three languages by the time they leave high school. I was in awe but they sat there like "yep, this is completely normal." I have also been told that I speak "like a USA" by a child (I wonder if I said y'all in that sentence. My accent really must have been coming through).

 Other little things like forgetting to wear my house slippers, looking for the non-existent F-150 on the highway, and growing accustomed to the train system are more of the many experiences that emphasize where I come from and what I have been accustomed to in the past. However, in the midst of these differences, I  have found similarities. Both Germany and America are  filled with young families, teenagers that run around town trying to be cool, and little boys who like to play minecraft and shoot nerf guns. The differences ,as my mom would say, make each person beautiful and unique. Our similarities make us all human.