I really enjoyed my conversations with my partner! I was nervous to hold such a long call with a stranger, but he immediately made me feel comfortable and I was reassured by his patience as I practiced. I was surprised by how much we were able to talk about, given my comparatively limited German and the wide age gap. However, I saw how much of the human experience is the same - daily life, the weather, hobbies, and habits are easy to relate to, and made it easier than I expected to begin building a rapport with my partner. By our second call, I found myself far more confidant in my speaking abilities, and less afraid of making mistakes while talking to him.
Intergenerational conversations can be difficult - especially between people who have never met before - but it was fantastic to hear about his life experiences as an older person who had had a long fulfilling career and could now step back and appreciate it. I enjoyed relaying my own experiences living and working in Germany with his, and I learned a lot about the cultural differences not only between the US and Germany, but between where I lived in Berlin and Bavaria, where my partner lives. His excitement for the things that he was passionate about was energizing, and I appreciated his eagerness to make a connection with me.
These conversations, though I wish their were more, let me step outside of myself and get to know someone I never would have met otherwise, which I think is especially beautiful. I loved hearing about life and culture and tradition in Germany, what her family is like, what she does on a daily basis, and the places she's visited.
I really enjoyed having conversations with German elders via Freunde alte Menschen, it helped my communication and language skills, while letting me connect with a wonderful person!
I have taken German for seven years, starting in sixth grade, but I had never had the chance to speak to a native speaker. This project allowed me to strengthen my German skills by speaking to a native speaker as well as do something good for the community.
I think my biggest takeaway from my conversations was just that I enjoyed connecting to someone who has had such different experiences than I had.