Do you like to read nonfiction? I have a recommendation for you. I’m reading “The Power of Language” by Viorcia Marian. Her book reviews research showing that learning a new language:

• Enhances our executive functions - ability to focus on the things that matter and ignore the things that don’t.
• Leads to higher scores on creativty tasks.
• Develops higher-order reasoning.
• Delays Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia by four to six years.
• Improves decisions made under emotional duress.
• Changes what we see, pay attention to, and recall.

Every new language we speak shapes how we see and interpret information around us. No matter what language you learn, you’re not only expanding your own world, you also proactively empower your mind. If you choose to learn German, let me know. I’m happy to help.

... there is a piece of the Berlin Wall in Seattle? It’s located a few blocks down from the Fremont Troll on J.P. Patches Pl / N 34th St. If you would like to learn more about post-post war Germany as a divided country and see how artists visualized that time, feel free to stop by at SAM. They have one area dedicated to postwar German art. I was surprised to find that on my visit. I enjoyed the “Mann und Maus” by Katharina Fritsch (see photo, but there are better ones online). It leaves SO much room for interpretation. Of course, there is so much more to discover. Personally, I was amazed by art from Aboriginals from Australia. How much can you communicate by just painting with dots? Unfortunately no picture. I was into it.

Students often ask me what to get when they begin learning German. I always recommend getting a dictionary because it has information that is relevant for learners. The dictionary can be a used edition and doesn’t need to be the newest. Languages do change but not that fast and those details aren’t relevant for the total beginner. That, and a set of empty flash cards and pens will do for the beginning.

The picture shows a selection of different German - English dictionaries at Pegaus Book Exchange in West Seattle. If you are looking for a dictionary, feel free to stop by there or at your local bookstore. If you are not sure which one to get, always take a look inside and compare. Take the one that shows the information in a way that is most appealing to you.

I have a little Christmas story for you:

In December last year I went to a new dentist in West Seattle (ho-ho-ho). She heard my accent and asked where I’m from. She told me a little bit about her family background as she prepared the anesthesia--of all places it’s Germany. “One of my favorite German Christmas traditions is the Christmas pickle”, she told me. I frowned and admitted that I’ve never heard about it. “There are many customs and they differ depending on where you grew up exactly,” I replied. “Every region is unique.” I tensed up while half-lying, half-sitting on a dentist chair. I went back home with one side of the face numbed and typed “Christmas pickle” into a search machine. Oh, I had no idea.

A couple days later I helped my mother-in-law decorate her tree. And guess what I found? A Christmas pickle! She couldn’t remember where the ornament was from, but apparently you hang it on the Christmas tree and whoever spots it first gets an extra gift. I think it’s a fun custom but still, I never heard of it. I asked around and none of my friends had ever about it either.

Luckily, we have Deutsche Welle and they produce a very entertaining video about the Christmas pickle. I watched it, laughed and I believe you will enjoy it, too. Here in the US it’s seen as a German custom even though no one in Germany does it. Who ever brought this idea to the US must be very good at marketing. However you celebrate Christmas, or don’t, I hope you have a great time these last days in 2022! If you have a favorite Christmas custom, let me know!

If you are interested in learning German, here are two websites I can recommend to get you started for free.

1. Deutsche Welle: They offer a wide selection of different e-learning programs. If you are a total beginner, I recommend the Deutschtrainer. These videos will get you started by learning the first sentences idiomatically. Added bonus: the voices in the videos are spoken by real people, no robot voice!

2. For Seattlelites that are a member of the Seattle Public Library: SPL offers an interactive tool from Mango Languages with that you can learn many other languages besides German. Go try it out for free and see if this is your thing. Follow this link and scroll down to Mango Languages.

Everyone learns differently!