Classes started on the 22nd of April, so the week before was mostly going over the course list of classes offered in English to figure out what I wanted to take. I ended up deciding on five classes plus my evening language course. Two of them are in the Anglophone (English) studies department and the other three are in the Cultural Studies department. One is also a master’s class. I missed the first class for the master’s class because I didn’t know that I was able to take one as a bachelor’s student.
The class I am most excited for is one that is in English studies, and it is about the Japanese American and Japanese Canadian internment during World War II told through literature. I am excited for it because I have not taken a class like it in high school or in college. I am also interested in seeing how something that happened in the United States from the curriculum of another country.
My first impressions of all my classes were good. I am looking forward to all of them. They are all more discussion based, which is not entirely new, but is more than what I am used to. My two English studies classes are larger, but the three cultural studies classes are smaller which is really nice because we have more personal discussions and connections.
I was able to travel to Belgium with Alyssa, Ruthie, and Kaedyn for a weekend. This was my first out of the country trip since I have gotten to Germany, so it was nice to go. We went to Bruges, which is a smaller, historical town. We walked around the city Friday afternoon and Saturday. We stayed in a hostel which was a fun experience. It was located above a bar, so both nights we were in Bruges, we went down to the bar to sit and talk. It was a really fun trip because I was able to get closer to the other three ATU students who are in Giessen right now. It was also nice to be in a smaller town, especially with a group, because we could go and do our own things or pair off and meet up later.
