Brooke writes, "Ultimately I hope to one day be a German professor who enables my students to achieve an advanced level of German which they can then incorporate into their lives and professions in meaningful ways."

Brooke Kreitinger Excels in the Renowned German Department at Georgetown University

   Why German? (That’s usually the question that goes hand in hand with the previous question.) What it all comes down to is regardless of which way I have chosen to wander in life, my path always leads me to German. My sophomore year in high school I began learning German from a lively and inspiring teacher. I then went on a class trip to Germany, and after my first “authentic” encounters with the language and culture, my burning desire to become a polyglot was truly ignited. I continued my language acquisition by taking German courses at St. Ben’s and St. John’s with, of course, lively and inspiring professors, and I eventually decided to major in German and French. (Somewhere along the journey I grew rather fond of French also, but that’s another story.) I participated in the St. Ben’s/St. John’s semester abroad in Salzburg, during which time the opportunity to be immersed in the language and culture allowed me to realize that I most certainly wanted to incorporate my German skills into my profession.

After graduating from St. Ben’s I spent two years in Austria as a Fulbright Teaching Assistant, trying my hand at teaching and further developing my language skills. I had so many wonderful experiences and opportunities traveling and living abroad. I was fortunate enough to be included in traditions and holidays with friends and families, which provided me with a very special understanding of the culture of Austria and Germany. Moreover, through my TA position I also realized that I was not only capable of teaching, but I also enjoyed it very much.

At this point I knew I wanted to go to graduate school and eventually share my passion and knowledge of the German language and culture with future students. I now spend my days reading mountains of German literature and theory in addition to cultivating my teaching skills under the mentorship of great professors. I am discovering that the ideas, lessons and theories I glean from my reading and teaching help me to contemplate the world around me from new and different angles. Not only do I personally benefit from being a more critically-thinking and reflective person, but I believe the skills I am gaining help me to be a more responsible, informed member of an increasingly global society. In the end it becomes quite clear how learning a foreign language plays a significant role in many facets of life.
    If you would like to learn more about the Georgetown German Department, please feel free to peruse the department’s website --

 http://www3.georgetown.edu/departments/german/index.html    

or contact me bdk7@georgetown.edu  
Alles Gute!  -- Brooke