1

Cavun Beck

Crystal Zanders

ENGLISH 125

30 January 2019

Literacy Narrative

I remember signing up for my first German class; I was nervous. By the end of the first

two weeks of the semester, I was freaking out about failing the class, I was struggling in class,

homework was hard, I did not know anyone in the class, it was very stressful. I rushed to my

academic advisor, begging for advice. My advisor told me that new languages are not easy and

they take time to begin getting a hold of, he was right but I still was stressed about the class.

Should I drop it? Should I opt for the class to be pass/fail? I did not know the answer. However, I

was really interested in taking a German class, so I persevered and took the class head on. I am

interested in German because the language is very popular all over the world, also Germany as a

country is incredible. When I was younger, I wanted to know another language, but I never had a

good start but now I get to really dive into German. My hopes for my experiences for the future

with German are quite simple. Being fluent is a really big goal but I would like to be nearly

there. Also I would like to go to Germany some time in my life. German will be a great way for

me to experience new things and gives me an interesting academic edge during my time in and

out of school.

German classes came across me in an unconventional way. A requirement for me to go to

the University of Michigan was that I had to take a Spanish placement exam. I took a year of

Spanish in high school so I did not expect to do well on it. Due to that, I began seeking out an
 2

alternative language. Since I had to start over learning a language, I thought I might as well

choose one that would fit my interests and fulfill my language requirement. So, I chose German

101 to begin my journey.

Having to chose German came very easy to me. I had plenty of influence around me. A

couple of people in my family already speak decent German and have tried to teach me some in

the past. For example, my aunt and uncle both have visited Germany a couple times and usually

have really interesting stories about their time there. While less impactful, it was still influential.

My dad has lots of German descent in him which makes me partially German too. When I was

young, me and my mom both wanted me to learn another language. At first, before German, I

had began learning Italian. I did not get very far since I had no formal education leading me with

the language. Later, in middle school and high school, I took three trimesters of Spanish in

school. I enjoyed the classes and I believe Spanish is a strong language to be able to know.

However, I chose to not pursue Spanish entering college because I believed I would perform

better in German. I find German much more interesting and impactful for my future. At this

point I was set on beginning my German classes. The classes were great and definitely got me

out of my comfort zone. I have always been a really quiet person and never spoke up in class.

Now I am forced to speak up four days a week in class. I also do not try many new things so

having to take on such a big task with other people doing the same makes being so

uncomfortable more...comforting. The first class I took, German 101, I really enjoyed. If I could

not take anymore classes I would be content with all that I was taught. During high school and

here on campus there are so many opportunities to get me more involved with German outside of

the classroom. In high school there was a German club that let students from different parts of

Germany come visit our school for a couple weeks. I always liked talking to those kids about
 3

their life in Germany. On campus I have been invited to different clubs and events that will allow

me to get more out of German and the classes I experience it in. My experiences with German so

far have allowed me to get me out and explore new things and have given me a better education

to prepare me for the future.

The German classes I take will not be the end of my German experience. I will be

thankful to have taken them because learning the language will not be easy and will take a long

time, but there will be so much to get out of the classes. I hope to someday visit Germany

whether it just be for vacation or to live there for an extended period. Since Germany is such an

amazing place I would love to find a job or career maybe, or at the very least experience what

work life is like while I was on a vacation. I aspire to experience the country of Germany

because it holds a huge market share in the world’s culture. There is so much to do and

experience that even if I visit several times, I believe there would still be more to explore. When

it comes to the working life in Germany, there are so many opportunities for someone like me,

eager to learn and discover the world. My hopes for the future of my German-held life is

ambitious but humble and enough to keep me interested and balanced in comfort and discomfort.

One of my biggest influences in choosing German is the country itself. Germany has an

incredible social system that has driven to be one of the biggest powerhouses of innovation in

science, government, and other social programs. With a combination of a great education from

the University of Michigan and Germany's great science programs, exploring career

opportunities would be an excellent move for my future. Living in a different country, whether it

was for work or not, would introduce me to so many new things and people. I always try to get

out of my comfort zone and I always fail, but if I were to finish school and vacation in Germany

or find a job I could force myself into an uncomfortable place that would inevitably toughen my
 4

skin. Another big reason I am really interested in learning German is that bilingual people have

an amazing skill. I have read several articles and surveys that condone learning a new language;

they show that those who do, learn other subjects better, have better relations, and have obtained

a great resume builder. German is making my life more interesting and letting me step out of my

comfort zone to be the best person I can.

Learning the German language and experiencing German culture will give me a great life

skill and show me a new way to live. My biggest interests in German and the country of

Germany include the loveliness of the country and language and how I could make a life for

myself using these skills. My experiences with German are very little but I want to keep them

growing for years to come. My hope for the future with German is to continue to take classes and

visit Germany, hopefully giving myself a great resume and relationship builder. Getting out of

my comfort zone to see new things is really important to me, and learning German opens so

many doors to do that. So being flustered, frustrated, and scared with difficult courses is all

worth it in the end.