Though it is not even certain that I have a job over in Germany yet, I've decided it's time to get on the ball and get started writing my blogs and papers. I have almost 50 pages pertaining to this internship that I have to write between now and the end of the year. AND about half of those have to be in German- hence the second blog, all in German (sorry to you non-German speakers, but all the stories are going to be similar anyways).
The international internship doesn't start the day you walk into that office, over-dressed and under-prepared. It starts the day you decide to throw yourself into a new world, to a country halfway around the globe.
So that's what I'm doing. I'm getting ready to work with people who may have different backgrounds, different work-ethics, different values than myself. Talk about culture shock! I mean, when I first came to the University of Michigan, I was blown away by the differences between myself and others (I think I would have felt that no matter where I went though. See, I grew up in a middle-class, white town). But as time has past, I have grown to appreciate others differences.
But most of my fellow classmates grew up in America, speaking English. Will I have as easy of a time adjusting in another country (with different values and backgrounds), speaking another language (one that they have been speaking since birth)?
I have to admit, even though I have traveled to the land, seen the monuments, marveled in the museums, I haven't really interacted with the people. But now I've decided to do just that.
