8. Ich habe meinen ersten Zeitungsartikel geschrieben.

Die Überschrift sagt alles. Ich belege eine Journalismus-Klasse, in der neben mir noch zwei weitere Mädchen sind, von denen eine nächste Woche nach New Hampshire zurückzieht. Dann sind wir nur noch zwei Personen in der Redaktion des Patriot Reveille. Genauer genommen anderthalb. Ich brauche nämlich meistens doppelt so lange für einen Artikel aus Mangel an Kreativität und aus Mangel an Kenntnissen der englischen Sprache.
Da wir nur anderthalb Journalisten sind, können wir schreiben, was wir wollen, weil wir eh niemals alles abdecken könnten. So endete ich also mit meiner eigenen Kolumne. Und für diesen Artikel habe ich nur glatte 4 Tage gebraucht. Yeah.

Cultural Corner of the Patriot Reveille

How many of you could imagine being an exchange student for a year? Far away from home, without mom and dad, living in a house with people who are complete strangers to you and in a country you don’t know at all, in which they speak a language you don’t understand. Putting it like this it doesn’t sound like anything I would want to do. But before I came to America, I didn’t think about all these points.  I was aware of them, but I’ve always been good in ignoring the facts I didn’t want to hear. I thought it was easy.  And because I didn’t think about it, I’m here.

My name is Maren, I’m 17 years old and I’m a junior here at Northside. I left Germany in August 2013 to do an exchange year in America. It was not my choice to stay in Columbus, but I really enjoy my time here. Even though some of you complain about this town, it’s not that bad. I’m from a small village in the middle of Germany. In Wülperode are about 300 people living. It’s like a neighborhood except for the fact that the next bigger city is about 20 minutes away. So yeah, it’s boring.

And now I’m here 6 months. The hardest part is over and my culture shock is gone, even if I first didn’t realize I had one. European culture is not that different from your American culture. But it’s not the same. It was weird to me that people I’ve never met started having a conversation with me and were talking like we were old friends.

A bigger part of this culture shock was the strong religious belief of most of the people I’ve met since I’ve been here. Religion was never a big part of my life. Some children in Germany get baptized a few weeks after they are born. My parents wanted me to have the chance to make my own decision though, so I didn’t get baptized. I had religion lessons in elementary school, but when I went to middle and high school these lessons stopped and instead of it I took Ethics which is about philosophy and learning about different religions without being part of them. My family goes to church at Christmas. In the eastern part of Germany – where I’m from – that is quite normal. About 60 percent of the population there are atheists.

My dad here in America is a pastor. That’s why I learn now more about church than I normally wouldn’t do in my whole life in Germany. At first I hated it. I didn’t want to spend so much time in church, I didn’t want to hear all day long about God and Jesus and whenever I sat in the worship service I started crying because I missed everybody and everything in Germany. But it became a lot better. Today, I call both places my home, Germany and America. Home is where my toothbrush is, where I sleep and where my family is waiting for me. Both of them.