A week full of new experiences - from learning to use a whole new transport system to meeting my German host family. It is a whole heap of information to absorb, but I am really excited to get to know it all. I hope that by the end of the trip, I would improve my German language and also get to understand the German culture.
The trip to Stuttgart was fairly easy for me, given the fact that I flew in from Cairo to Frankfurt, so it was only 4 hours away. The train from Frankfurt to Stuttgart was quick and easy to find. My host mother picked me up from the Hauptbahnhof and we took the train to my new home. The transport system in Stuttgart is superb, the trains are very frequent and efficient.
My host family live quite a distance away from University, so taking the train everyday, gives me a glimpse of people's everyday lives. In my opinion, this gives me the chance to interact with the locals, as well as experience what it is like to be a Stuttgarter.
Here is a quote that I found quite relevant to the last few days:
‘There is nothing which has a greater tendency to interfere with conventional morality than travel, and especially travel among peoples with manner and customs widely different from one’s own. It is the change of attitude towards the conventions of one’s own society which produces the broadening of ideas and the tolerance which travel brings in its train’
The trip to Stuttgart was fairly easy for me, given the fact that I flew in from Cairo to Frankfurt, so it was only 4 hours away. The train from Frankfurt to Stuttgart was quick and easy to find. My host mother picked me up from the Hauptbahnhof and we took the train to my new home. The transport system in Stuttgart is superb, the trains are very frequent and efficient.
My host family live quite a distance away from University, so taking the train everyday, gives me a glimpse of people's everyday lives. In my opinion, this gives me the chance to interact with the locals, as well as experience what it is like to be a Stuttgarter.
Here is a quote that I found quite relevant to the last few days:
‘There is nothing which has a greater tendency to interfere with conventional morality than travel, and especially travel among peoples with manner and customs widely different from one’s own. It is the change of attitude towards the conventions of one’s own society which produces the broadening of ideas and the tolerance which travel brings in its train’
It is that broadening of the mind and getting rid of one's own perceptions of cultural stereotypes that I hope to learn in the next coming weeks.
Aufweidersehen for now :)
Really great quote Sarah! I admire your goal of broadening your opinions and steering clear from common stereotypes! Your host family seems lovely and I would imagine your everyday train rides would be a great way to really interact with and watch Germans converse. This will probably further benefit your German skills! :)
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