German for me has always been such an interesting language. My interest was piqued as a young child when my oldest brother (after whom I had always modeled my own identity) began learning it in high school. So when the opportunity to learn this mysterious and torturously beautiful language finally presented itself at my community college many years later, I had to jump on it. I don’t think I’ve ever made a better decision in my life.
The German program at UCLA, with its incredibly knowledgeable and helpful professors and graduate student TAs, only served to deepen my already burning passion for this language and culture. Ever since I began this journey, I’ve always longed to spend an extended period of time in Germany in order to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and the little nuances to the language one can only glean from living there. I was fortunate enough to live that dream on UCEAP my senior year. I am certain that without the help and support of my professors and friends at the German department at UCLA, this dream would not have come true.