About three weeks ago, I began my first course in the Indiana University South Bend Transition to Teaching Program. This is a one year program for those holding bachelor's degrees to obtain their licensure in the state of Indiana(the greatest state in the Union-Go Hoosiers)! What a fascinating three weeks it has already been! I have settled into my travels, having an hour and fifteen minute commute each way. I have discovered Bruno's pizza, which is quite tasty on the run(especially at $1.50/slice on Mondays)! I am once again indebted to my parents for their generosity, since they have agreed to pay my travel tolls. I am also indebted to my wife, kids, and in-laws. Having been raised by a family of teachers, I am already well aware of the sacrifices, dedication, and love provided by families that allows teachers to educate our youth.

More importantly, I have been challenged to learn new programs in the field of technology that I never dreamt possible, including this blog. My first seminar with our program chair forced us to look back at our educational experiences, and re-discover those moments that drove us to this career and life path. It is one of those moments that I would like to share in my first blog post. I really believe this is one of the first moments when I realized(despite the length of the road), that my path would always be intertwined with the German culture and language. Enjoy!

As a sophomore in high school I, along with my parents, made a bold decision. Every three years, my high school sponsored a spring break trip to Germany. Freshman were not allowed to go, so this was my only opportunity to attend. With my parents blessing(and money), I took the trip.

I have no recollection of the flight there or our arrival but then we stopped in the village of Gebsattel for our first overnight. This was a village of no more than a few hundred people.

We arrived in the afternoon, got settled into our Gasthaus, and a few of us began to stroll down the street. By this time it was dusk, a beautiful purple-gold sky illuminated the houses along the street, and the smell of wood burning wafted through the air. As we walked, a woman tended to the chickens in her yard, then a man rode by on his bike saying, "Gruss Gott." It was during this stroll down a centuries-old cobblestone street that I felt the pull of this land, this language, and this culture.

Throughout the remainder of our week in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein, we saw some amazing things. We visited the breathtaking cities of Munich, Heidelberg, and Salzberg. Our jaws dropped at the beauty of Neuschwanstein Castle, the Ettal Monastary, and the majesty of the Alps. New friendships blossomed as we played games and held a belching contest on the bus. We even had a snowball fight with our bus driver, who spoke no english!(This was one of my first lessons in the universality of playful, peaceful gestures.)

My mind however, always returns to that first quiet, magical experience in that small German village. Even today, when I smell the deep, rich scent of wood burning, I return to that time and place. It was that moment that made me want to experience all of German life. I didn't want to leave that village. I wanted to wake up there every morning, and see what life in Germany would bring!

It is because of that trip that I decided to postpone college and live in Germany for a full year. It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. These experiences have made German a part of my life, and I want to share that passion with my future students. There is no telling what path my life would have taken had I not experienced just a slice of Germany when I was 15 years old.

In-class story written for Dr. Bruce Spitzer's M500 seminar(May 27th, 2010)