Travel Preparations
Timeline
November 10, 2022
I started learning German on Duolingo! Although many Germans do speak English, I believe that making an effort to learn the local language can be useful for navigating daily life and it also shows cultural sensitivity and awareness.
November 17, 2022
I had the opportunity to meet Heike, the program leader from the Anne-Frank Gymnasium. Heike told us about her search for a host family for Kyah, Elly, and myself, and requested that we create profiles of ourselves to share with our future host families. Heike also provided us with essential information about our stay with a host family, placements at the school, and the Berlin trip.
November 22, 2022
I emailed Heike my "About Me" page to share with my future host family!
January 20, 2023
Today, I received an email from Heike with exciting news - I will be staying with the Garbelmann family during my time in Germany! My host mom works at the school cafeteria, while my host dad serves as a police officer for the German highway police. One of my host sisters is a student at Anne-Frank Gymnasium, and my other host sister is currently living in Oldenburg but plans to visit while I am there. I reached out to the Garbelmann family to personally introduce myself and express my gratitude for their generosity in opening their home to me.
February 25, 2023
My flight is booked! I will be flying out of Nashville on April 2nd with a layover in Philadelphia before landing in Amsterdam on April 3rd. For the first two weeks of April, I plan to solo travel around the Netherlands, Germany, and the Czech Republic before heading to Werne!
February 28, 2023
My 5th-graders at Plano Elementary created their "About Me" pages, which I will be bringing with me to Germany! They were eager to share their lives in America and are excited to learn about life in Germany. Once I return, I plan to visit Plano Elementary and share my experience abroad, along with the "About Me" pages from my German students.
When Heike informed me that I would be teaching in a 5th and 6th classroom, I immediately knew that I wanted to facilitate a cultural exchange between my American students and their German counterparts. I'm thrilled for both groups of students to have the opportunity to learn about each other's culture through the unique perspective of children their own age.
