Munich

I met my beautiful Devon at the Munich airport after being separated for three months. She was an Au Pair in Italy for the summer. We checked into our hostel and explored the city. For dinner, we went to an authentic German restaurant for schnitzel (fried, flattened meat). Afterwards, we went back to the hostel and spoke to our roommates from Cameroon and China. The next day we toured the city center, a museum, cathedrals, and the English Gardens. The English Gardens is a giant park where people sunbathe, socialize, play volleyball, and surf on a man-made river. There’s also a nude section of the Gardens Devon and I accidentally discovered.

For lunch, we enjoyed a bratwurst with sauerkraut, a pretzel, and a German beer at the Viktualienmarkt. That night, we joined a Bible study with seven believers (each of them born in a different country!). Munich is a transient city with many people on work assignments anywhere from 1 to 10 years long. We learned a little about work culture that night. Apparently, it is rude to ask a co-worker what they did over the weekend because that is a private matter. I enjoy learning about different cultures! The last day, we hammocked in the park, enjoyed a lunch with Pastor Steve at the famous Hofbrauhaus restaurant, and planned for our time in Prague.

Duration

2 days

Accommodation

Smart Stay Hostel (3 nights)

Favorite Food

Pork Schnitzel

Favorite Site

English Gardens

Cool Person I Met

Steve. Steve is a pastor who moved from the states to Germany about 20 years ago. He’s had a fascination with German people and culture since college and never thought he’d one-day live in Germany. In time, God opened the way for him to move to lead a church of a few hundred internationals. Devon and I learned a lot about how Steve manages having his family live in Germany, sharing the gospel to Germans, and trusting God the whole way.

Highlight

Enjoying a traditional German meal and a beer with Devon at the market.

Big Takeaway

Most Europeans are trilingual! Most Americans aren’t. I’ll share a joke a Dutch person and a German person shared with me on separate occasions…

HIM: “What do you call someone who speaks three languages?”

ME: “Trilingual”

HIM: “Two languages?”

ME: “Bilingual”

HIM: “One language”

ME: “Monolingual?”

HIM: “No, American!”

ME: “…hahaha true”

There are valid reasons why Europeans speak more languages. Consider how Germany borders countries with people who speak Dutch, French, Czech, Danish, and Polish (did I miss any?). Primary and secondary education usually teach English and their country’s language. I’m very impressed with the language aptitude of so many and feel a bit uncomfortable.

I naturally feel uncomfortable speaking with locals for two reasons. First, I’d rather speak German when in Germany and French when in France. Speaking native languages builds rapport with people and demonstrates respect for the culture. I don’t ever want to appear arrogant. Second, it’s difficult to connect with someone if they speak minimal English or I speak a minimal amount of another language. Unfortunately, language barriers are a real thing and it stinks when you really want to express deep thoughts or care towards someone and you cannot find the words to communicate. Maybe you’ve felt one of these two difficulties before?

I highly respect anyone who speaks more than one language. I only speak English. Though, that is going to change! On this trip, I’ve become very interested and motivated to learn a language. I want to learn a useful language. Maybe Spanish? Although, if Devon and I move to another country it would be best to learn that country’s language. I’m praying for direction in this area. It’s a bit harder to learn a language at 23 than as a toddler, so I’d prefer to apply my time wisely. I’m excited to learn a new language in the future!

Your Turn

How difficult was it for you to learn another language? What are some best practices you can advise?

What languages would you like to learn?