Do You Speak German?

Not yet! Not completely. And if we do, it's very elementary.

We're working on it, though. Whenever we get the chance, we listen to CD's that have you "listen and repeat, listen and repeat." That has been helpful. We also have computer software that utilizes memory games and the like to help with vocab. There is also the possibility of personal tutoring from national Germans that we know here in the states.

We believe that learning the language is a HUGE priority. That's why we are glad it's a prerequisite to spend the first year of our first term completely immersed in language study. At that point, we will learn the dialect spoken in the area where we will be serving. Northern and Southern Germany both speak German, but have different dialects. We hope to learn enough now to help curb some of the learning difficulties in the future, but we don't want to learn too much of one dialect only to find ourselves having to re-learn something totally different when we arrive.