Adam Vradenburg, BIB /08
In high school I had a history teacher who spoke often about the modern world and economy, and he really sparked my interest in Germany – so much so that applying to university I picked a degree with a language minor and a mandatory year abroad.
Adam in front of Reichstag in Berlin.
Heading overseas towards a partner university for two semesters, I had no idea Germany would become the starting place for my career and my second home.
Studying German at Carleton prepared me for the immersive experience; on exchange I was able to round off my “textbook” German with practical experience.
After graduating I moved back to Europe, where I’ve lived for eight years in total, the last two and a half of which were in Berlin. Before moving to the country’s capital and largest city, I had lived in both a medium-sized and large city – in Mannheim where I studied and in Cologne where I worked for three years. In these cities speaking the language is practically a necessity. Even here in Berlin, which is very metropolitan with plenty of expats and English-speakers, having a command of the local language is imperative to integrating fully to local life and a major advantage for finding a job.
Working in a foreign language means being more than conversational but also being proficient in writing – with proper grammar, business vocabulary, etc. – and Carleton provided me with this essential foundation.