Home Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Host
Institution(s)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; Consulate General of the United States in Frankfurt; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Mentor: Robert F. Rich, Ph.D., Professor of Law and Political Science, Director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
E-Mail: merry.marwig@gmail.com
One mistake I made when moving to Germany was being unprepared for the very different culture compared to the United States. Being new to the country and not speaking the language well, I thought that hoards of Germans would take sympathy on me and be glad to help me through my initial university processes. I was wrong. The Germans are much more independent and wary of extreme friendliness than Americans.
I distinctly remember the day I attempted to register for University classes. According to my foreign-student booklet, I was to go to the guidance counselor office if I had any questions or problems. After being told that it was not their job to help me, I was thrown out of the office with no further direction of where to seek help. Given this initial cold experience, I did not have high expectations for my semester here.
Thankfully with time, my cold feeling towards Germany thawed. After settling in to classes and picking up the language better, I made some wonderful friends. In Germany, once you befriend someone, you are friends for life. The bonds that hold German friendships together are much tighter than in America. (I was even asked to be the maid-of-honor in a friend’s wedding!)
After my semester at the Humboldt, I took an internship position at the American Consulate in Frankfurt. It was strange to be surrounded by Americans again after being accustomed to the German way of life, but I managed to find my niche. I worked in the political and economic section doing research and outreach to the states of Hessen, Rhineland-Pfalz, Saarland, and Baden-Württemberg. Working at the consulate has given me the opportunity to simultaneously work for two countries I love: Germany and the United States.
After my time in Frankfurt, I will move back to Berlin and work under Professor Dr. Martin Paul at the Chariteé. I look forward to the opportunity.
In the end, living, studying, and working in Germany has been one of the greatest experiences of my life, even though my beginning was a bit bumpy. My time abroad has greatly impacted my future life goals as I hope someday to return to Germany to live and work.
Leaving. I cannot fathom returning to the U.S. at this point. I will miss the people. I will miss the markets on Saturday mornings. I will miss the “customer service”, the bakeries, and the cobblestone sidewalks. I so enjoy walking to school or work instead of driving everywhere like in the US. I will miss the rich history and the fabulous wine. I will always have fond memories of this country.
In one of my classes at the Humboldt, the topic of music came up. I had mentioned to a classmate that I can play songs on my teeth by clicking them with my fingernails. After giving a demonstration to my entire class, my professor asked if she could contact a German talent television show on my behalf. A few weeks later, I was on the MDR channel’s “Außenseiter-Spitzenreiter” show. About one month after this program aired, SAT1 also contacted me and I was a feature on their TV show “Blitz”. Maybe I should give up academia for a career in the music and television business!
- If you are a vegetarian, read all labels carefully. Lots of “veggie burgers” actually contain chicken.
- Learn the proper way to say “I am hot” (temperature-wise) in German. If you say this incorrectly, you run the risk of being very misunderstood!
- Get a TV if possible; it is beneficial in learning the language.
- It may be more difficult to make friends in Germany than in the U.S., but keep trying. Once you meet someone, they will never let you go.
- Thank a German for his or her efforts. In the U.S., I always thank my teachers or colleagues for their guidance. Following my tradition, I of course sent all my teachers in Berlin thank-you letters. One of the teachers was so touched by this that she actually cried; she said she had never before received such a letter. I will never forget her.
