Lauren Edwards, '07

If I had been asked when I was younger what I thought I would study in college, German probably would have been the last thing to come to mind. I started with German in high school mainly as a whim to fulfill my language requirement, and quickly fell in love. When I came to Lewis and Clark, I had established a good base in grammar and placed into 301 my first semester.

I was impressed immediately with LC program, which allowed me to build on that base and continued to challenge me. But I still didn’t think German would be my focus, and considered majoring in just about everything – psychology, English, history, political science. Eventually I realized that none of my courses thrilled my as much as my German classes. I found myself especially interested in the linguistic aspects of studies, so I picked up French and declared myself a Foreign Language major at the end of my sophomore year.

Like so many German students before me, I left to study for a year in Munich at the beginning of my junior year. I had initially been hesitant about participating, because I was apprehensive to spend a whole year away. And though it was at times challenging, it was also an incredibly rewarding experience, and perhaps the most interesting and dynamic year of my life. I explored some amazing opportunities through the university, including a class trip to Istanbul and a home stay in Bordeaux to keep up my French. I got to truly be a part of the culture (including Oktoberfest and the hosting of the World Cup!), made great friends, and improved my German immeasurably.

Though I loved my time in Munich, I was excited to get back to LC for my senior year. I threw myself back into my life here, but it was very important to me to keep German part of that life. I continued to take German courses, and also worked as a SAAB tutor and conversation group leader for fellow German students. My last year in Portland was a great end to my time as an undergraduate, and I graduated this May. As I dealt with the questions all graduates are plagued with – “what do I do now? Where do I want to go?” my thoughts kept returning to Germany. So I explored my options and was thrilled to be offered a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship for next year, which will let me work as an English teaching assistant in a German high school.

So in August I’ll be off again. But this time, instead of being nervous about the time away, I’m looking forward to all that this experience will entail – the challenges and successes, and all that I will learn. It’s clear now that, although it was not necessarily something I planned, my study of German has been a guiding force in my life. And hopefully it will continue to offer opportunities and adventures for me in the future.