Submitted by Jill Wilhelm on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Leipzig, Germany sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Culture…
After arriving in Germany, we are still getting used to speaking German everywhere we go, and even after a week, we still sometimes forget to use German. One of the most challenging activities so far was a cooking class that we took. We worked with German chefs to make a traditional Sachsen meal, but the chefs only spoke German. This forced us to use German skills at a rapid pace and introduced us to a wealth of new vocabulary. Not only was it a fun experience to be able to make and then eat traditional German food (we had potato soup; goose, rotkraut, and a pretzel dish; and potato pancakes with ice cream), it was interesting to reflect on American culture as well as German culture. I think it’s important to learn about new cultures, and then re-evaluate our conceptions about our own home. What would we cook for a traditional American meal? I found myself thinking about stereotyped American food, like hotdogs and hamburgers, and it was more difficult than I expected it to be to come up with a meal that held cultural value as opposed to just meeting a stereotype. As I continue my program in Germany, I hope to learn more about Germany that helps me to also learn more about my own home country.
