Theresa, an Austrian Studium Generale student who started her studies here this fall, has been hosting, with some friends from the ITI, Tuesday night common dinners–with a catch. All attendees need to come prepared to practice their German!
Theresa faithfully and joyfully prepares traditional Austrian food with her roommate and some other generous souls every week for up to 2o hungry fellow students, often completed, like last night, with a well-known Austrian dessert such as Apfelstrudel. It is thus well-attended, and a welcome break from studies as students laugh over their varying levels of German. There are some whose German is close to perfected, some who are confident in the necessities, and some still struggling to ask for the salt.
It is the perfect atmosphere for students to engage the German language–an element of many of the ITI’s programs–and to come to love the nuances of a different manner of speaking. The learning takes place in a semi-immersion atmosphere with no judgment or pressure and a lot of laughter, so it’s an optimal place to expand vocabulary and expression.
It is also a great sign of the life at the ITI. As a small community, an individual’s gift to the community life has a notable effect. The group of girls hosting this event tangibly add to the goodness of our time here.
May they reap one-hundredfold of the opportunity for joy and community they are offering to so many!