German Language Biography

If German is not your first language, what other languages have you studied? For how long and in which context have you studied them?

My first language is English. I am also a fluent speaker of Spanish, having studied Spanish at Cornell for several years and then living in Spain for three years. I have studied French for about 2 years.

Have you spent time abroad? If so, when, where, and how much?

I lived in Madrid, Spain, for three years and I have traveled extensively mostly in Europe and Asia, including spending a month living in Hamburg, Germany.

What are your experiences as far as other languages or other cultures are concerned?

Ive traveled a lot around the world so Im fairly used to being places with new cultures and languages. I spent just over a year traveling and have visited 50 countries on 6 continents.

Do you have any previous knowledge of German? Please specify.

Ive taken a lot of German courses both at Cornell and abroad, but the last time I took a German class or spoke Germany regularly was Fall 2016.

What do you associate with German culture?

My first association would German culture is the tendency to be on time. When I lived in Spain I noticed that my German friends were the only other people who would arrive on time whenever wed agreed to meet at a set time.

What do you know about German as a language?

All I really know about German as a language is that it shares a common linguistic root with English, although the more I study other languages, the more I see connections with other languages as well.

What do you associate with learning another language? Please explain as much as you can.

My biggest association with learning a language is memorizing, specifically vocabulary and verb forms. This is what I tend to struggle with the most so it always comes to the fore when I contemplate learning a language.

What are your goals this semester? Please specify the semester and the adjustments you wish to make.

My overall goal is to regain my familiarity with German. Im most focused on my ability to communicate especially while traveling.