Language

We are staying in an apartment with 6 other people, from 6 different countries, speaking 6 different languages. Perhaps one of the most interesting things about our trip so far has been the languages. Seth and I speak English, which thankfully most of the others living here speak as well, but German is the house language. Everyone living in the apartment speaks at least three languages. I have never felt so linguistically challenged. In the U.S. I am able to talk my way into, and most of the time out of, nearly any situation. Here, it is crazy. You first have to identify the language being spoken, then translate, then respond. I just can not believe how easy it is for nearly everyone we have met to transfer from one language to another so seemlessly. Seth and I have picked up the basic three phrases in each language we encounter. "Hello," "Thanks," and "Cheers" are all we can say in each language, but at any one time there are 4 languages flying around the house, none of which I understand.

Besides the languages, we have found interesting museums to occupy our time here. Today we went to the Pergamon Museum, where I was able to recognize a lot of the sculptures and artifacts on display from my many Greek and Roman studies college classes. Berlin is a very walkable city, with monuments and important looking buildings around every corner. Everyday Seth and I don our cameras and maps, we try to look the part of American tourist, and head out on the town.

When we come home, though, is the time when I love to sit and listen. I try to recognize a word here and there, but for the most part I sit in amazement at these people who are my age and speak fluent in several languages. It is really amazing.