Germany’s economy is the third largest in the world, with cars, machinery, pharmaceuticals and household appliances leading the list of exported goods making up Germany’s substantial trade surplus. Learning German will open up job opportunities for you! Germans are avid globe-trotters and spend lots of money all around the world, more than any other nation, in fact. All these German-speaking tourists need services while on vacation. Again, knowing German will open up job doors for you. Culturally, German speakers have left a treasure-trove. Writers Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller Thomas Mann, Franz Kafka and Herman Hesse are known internationally, as are philosophers Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein to name but a few. Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Strauss, Wagner, Schubert, Schuhmann are just some of the great names of the classical music world – all German speakers. Read the original works – learn German! If modern culture is more your scene, check out Tom Tykwer’s films ( Lola Rennt , among others), Goodbye Lenin with Daniel Brühl or listen to (and understand) die Ärzte, Herbert Grönemeyer, Aziza A and so manz more. If you already speak English, you will notice lots of similarities between German and English, as the two languages have the same origin: Meine Familie. Ich habe eine Schwester und einen Bruder. Meine Schwester ist 21 Jahre alt und ist intelligent. Sie studiert Philosphie and der Universität Heidelberg. Mein Bruder ist Musiker – er spielt Gitarre und Klarinette. Meine Mutter ist Automechanikerin und mein Vater ist Sekretär . You see – piece of cake! Finally, there are many opportunities to study in Germany. Carleton has exchange programmes with many universities and, if you choose to go it alone, German universities do not charge admission fees. See you in class!