This was my first summer in the USA. I have recently been reflecting on how the past three months have shaped me, and I am tempted to think that, in many ways, this summer was just as I had idealized before—of course, my expectations having been shaped by American media, which I had been consuming for a long time. The ideal summer, as understood in the American context, seems to revolve around three things: travel, work, and heat. While these may not apply to all states and demographics, I tend to think that my summer of 2024 was a testament to this thesis. The spring of 2024 had been overwhelming. I had been teaching a German 101 course while balancing that with my own coursework, and all this, combined with the uncertainty of what to do during the summer, kind of sent me on a nervous wreck. I was just glad that summer was approaching, and I was looking forward to traveling, getting a summer job, and making real connections with people—connections that didn’t spring from grad school escapades.
While I thought that this would be a time of refreshment and relaxation, I was met with the scorching heat of Tucson, which meant fewer outdoor activities during the day. I was immediately accepted as a housing and residential maintenance assistant. I also received word that I had been selected to be part of the Goethe Institute Summer School of 2024, to be held in Dresden, Germany. My plans immediately changed, and I had to quickly adjust to the fact that I was going to be back on a 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM schedule, as well as preparing for Germany. This initially gave me anxiety due to the immigration, embassy, and travel procedures one has to go through, especially to get into the Schengen region. However, I was glad that this time, I could just mail my applications to the embassy in Los Angeles and not necessarily travel there. I was relieved to receive my visa in no time.
I booked a flight from Phoenix to Dresden with a connection in Frankfurt. While aboard Condor Airlines, I met this wonderful air hostess who saw my Kenyan wristband and exclaimed, “Oh, I am from Nairobi!” I need not tell you how well taken care of I felt during the flight. Before I knew it, I was in Germany: hello Deutsche Bahn, hello rain, and hello German. The program was a packed one—as most seminars are—and we hardly had time to explore other cities, but we discovered Dresden in an intimate fashion. We visited the Sächsische Schweiz for a hike where our tour guide had this interesting approach of reading short mystical poems about Dresden and the Sächsische Schweiz. I loved his expressionism and passion for nature. He explained that he had worked as a nighttime nurse before fully committing to conservation. We were treated to a boat tour across the Elbe all the way back to Dresden. Visiting the Friedrich Schiller Gymnasium was also one of the highlights. I have my reservations about the town of Pirna, but I must say that deep within the right-extremist-ridden town exist people whose mindsets and worldviews tend to be emblematic of acceptance. Not only that, but also education and commitment to nurturing.
One such person is the director of the school, Dr. Kristian Raum. I don’t know why, but I tend to find inspiration and encouragement in people who, in their own capacities, act out of extreme professionalism coupled with deep concern and genuine interests. I also got to attend a class on religion, where pupils had to present their projects—i.e., which religion has captured your attention this semester? We attended a Wagner opera concert at the Semperoper, where Don Carlo by Giuseppe Verdi was being performed. It was my first opera concert, and I was thrilled to be immersed in this defining aspect of German/European culture. We also attended an organ concert at the Frauenkirche, which is the defining masterpiece of baroque architecture and symbolizes reconciliation after World War II, among many “extra-curricular” activities. After that, we went back to business and immersed ourselves in the rigors of teaching German as a foreign language. Our trainer approached German teaching with enthusiasm and eagerness, coupled with sarcasm, especially in how he approached politics, which spoke volumes about him and his passion for language teaching and learning, as well as the development of materials—he is also a contributor to Klett, a major book publishing firm in Germany. We had reflective conversations on a personal level, and I drew insights from him regarding Germany, the German language, and the political landscape of Germany. Before long, our program was over, and we saw him board the tram. So did we, as we headed to our respective destinations and connections. I am reminded that connections can only be a spur-of-the-moment thing, hence the need to savor as much as we can from each moment.
As a person who tends to connect intimately, detaching has always proven difficult. Even though I met people briefly, experiences like my interactions with the trainer Andrej will definitely stick around for some time. Upon returning, my summer job was waiting for me, and I immediately got engrossed in the rigors of maintenance—a job I knew little about. Our tasks were primarily mechanical: repairs, fixing broken furniture, cleaning, and changing air filters. I had the opportunity to learn from my supervisors, who ensured that we completed all tasks with a measure of perfection. In many ways, this experience was a dive into the demands of a job that requires utmost precision and leaves little room for negotiation, unlike what I had been used to. My previous jobs being social, this was the first time I had to deal with machines—less talking and more concentration. Soon, the fall semester will begin, and I am glad to have experienced summer in such a fashion.
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