This post is my pre-departure post. What I’m expecting to encounter when I get there is illustrated by the pictures I’ve selected. I’m expecting to see narrow pedestrian friendly streets, and old buildings. I’m expecting the people to look a lot like me, in terms of dress and appearance.

I also expect to see picture postcard river sides like this one.

And beautiful pastoral country sides.

In terms of culture I’m expecting the German people to be a little more reserved and conservative than most Americans, in short ‘my kind of people’. I’m also expecting to encounter some cultural differences that I haven’t expected. Every new country will have that as an element of a persons travel there. There isn’t anyway to get around that, you have to be willing to go with the flow and adapt.

I’m also expecting this experience to be a lot different than my first time over seas. The first time I went abroad was almost 37 years ago, I wasn’t quite 19 yet and the Army sent me to Korea. I immediately experienced three, very much in my face. forms of culture shock. The fist was the smell that assaulted my nose when the door to the plane opened. The second was the fact that I literally stood out in a crowed, at 6’3″ I was head and shoulders above everyone else, not to mention the only one with hair that wasn’t black. Third, I couldn’t read any billboards, and the only road signs I could read were those with international symbols.

I’m expecting this to be a very different experience. First, I’m fairly certain that even if Germany smells noticeably different, it won’t be as bad as Korea was in the 70’s. Second, in terms of dress and physical appearance, I won’t look all that different than everyone else. My age will make me stand out among the student population, but that is a different thing altogether. Third, I may not be fluent in German yet, but I have enough of a background in the language to at least be able to read signs.

While I do expect some very noticeable differences in the culture, Germany will seem like my home town by comparison to my first tour in Korea.

I am also very excited about this trip. As a History major, I am looking forward to seeing all of the history around me. I’m also looking forward to making friends in Germany that I can compare notes with about our two cultures. As well as getting to know my fellow students I am hoping to meet some locals that are about my age, people that I will have some things in common with in terms of family and experiences.

No matter what my experience turns out to be I know that I am going to enjoy every bit of it, even the challenging parts.

Dave