Germany

I handed in my 12-page packet to the Center for International Education today!!

It included medical forms, emergency contacts, oath-to-behave-appropriately forms, permanent address forms, etc. That's one deadline I've got in the bucket, woo woo!

------------------------------------------------------

I got an e-mail today from the university I am now enrolled in over in Germany (called IWU: International Winter University - Kassel), detailing the weather to expect over there, how to get a passport, how to use our discussion forum online to get to know each other, and all that fun stuff.

Attached to the e-mail was a questionnaire that I had to fill out, that IWU will use to help match me up to an appropriate host family! The e-mail prompted us to fill out the questionnaire "as precisely as possible," so I hope they don't mind if I went into detailed explanations for myself. I just want to ensure that I don't get stuck with some American-hating, liberal, wild, unshaven family...so I am going to just spit it right out, how I feel on certain topics. Here is the survey that I submitted (thus, my answers are as you see); let me know if what I said justifies what I really am! I want this match to be as homogeneous as possible, which is a stretch as it is, I know.

That's why I am tolerant of doing this for only three weeks, instead of three months, or a whole semester.

Ahem, zee completed survey:

1. How long have you been learning German? Do you have a German background?
I have not taken any German courses whatsoever; therefore, I don’t speak a word of it! I studied Spanish for 7 years, instead. I do have a German heritage (25%), but have done nothing with my family to get in touch with that heritage.

2. Do you have special interests e.g. music, sports, politics?
I am a female engineer, and ever since I was two weeks old, I have been a HUGE fan of cars and automobiles. I love American cars, but not as much as I adore European vehicles. They are a luxury here, I just drool over them. I attend car shows as often as I can, where new cars are debuted all the time.

Most importantly, I am the biggest fan of Volkswagen you will ever meet! I have studied them for years and am very passionate about all of the VW vehicles. I own a Volkswagen New Beetle myself, I collect Volkswagen memorabilia, I have my bedroom all decorated in Volkswagen items, and I was even offered a college internship to work for them at their American headquarters in Detroit, Michigan!! I consider this trip to Germany my pilgrimage to the heart of all things Volkswagen, and am absolutely honoured to tour their facilities. I want to buy as many things Volkswagen as I can, to bring back to the United States. I will love them forever!
I am also making it a personal goal to visit the Autobahn, and Porsche’s and Mercedes Benz’s museums while I am in Germany. Otherwise, my visit there won’t be complete!

I have always been a fan of World War 2, I studied it and read about it on my free time while I was growing up. Germany has a LOT of history with this war, and I would like to visit a concentration camp, as well as any memorial museums.

Before I went to school to be an engineer, I studied architecture. I like buildings, and would love to see the old castles and towns in Germany!

If my host family can help me get to these places, I will be VERY grateful and will help them out so much!!! I don’t want to sound demanding, but whenever anyone has asked me the question, “If you could travel anywhere, where would it be to, and why?”, I have always answered with “Germany!” This country’s history and culture has so much to offer to me, I admire Germany so much. I want to make the most of this trip. It is my first time leaving America!

4. Are you a vegetarian?
No; I enjoy meat very much.

5. Do you have allergies?
No

6. Do you like to be with children?
Yes, very young ones. They are easy to entertain and I like making them happy, but that means they also get too excited. I am too afraid to yell at them and discipline them! I don’t want to be mean at all. But I think I can learn a lot from them, like the language, or their games! I would like to learn how to play children’s games with them, it would be a lot of fun. I also like pets!

7. How do you characterize yourself?
I am the good girl; I follow all the rules exactly, and stay sweet with everyone. My family and I are very close, and some would say I’ve lived a sheltered life because of it. I am very, very loyal and determined, and I try to impress anyone. If anyone does something nice for me, I try to do something nice for them in return. I am more a fan of staying at home and being quiet and safe there. I do not party at all and I do not like getting into trouble at all.

When I do go out to explore, I like going with someone else who knows where to go and how to protect me. I like to just watch things, like go on road trips or tour places, where I can quietly watch the world.

I am also very traditional, I follow the old-world American belief of having a close family with polite children and a clean home. I believe that hard work pays off, and honesty is the best policy.



Is it poor of me to say that I spoke plainly, and with simple sentences, in case the IWU staff over there has English just as a second language? I just want to make this easy to understand.

Also, I must say that my answer to the vegetarianism question was cute. "I enjoy meat very much." Tee hee hee...a 'no' would have sufficed, but I wanted to stress that I like mah beef and steak. :)