A self-introduction essay. It’s only natural for someone to introduce themselves to a new environment and meet a lot of new people. “By the way,” says Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s narrator in The Letters from the Underworld, “what is it that all respectable men discuss most frequently?”
So, let me introduce myself. My name is David Miller and I am from the United States of America, more specifically from the state of Michigan. Currently, I am an exchange student at the University of Bonn in Germany.
I chose to come to Bonn, because I have always been interested in German culture and history. My family also has German roots, which makes me feel somewhat connected to this country.
Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by languages. When I was little, I always wanted to be able to speak as many languages as possible and learn about as many cultures as I could. This is one of the reasons why I decided to study linguistics.
I am really looking forward to getting to know Bonn and its surroundings better during my stay here and of course to improve my German skills. So far, I have had a great time here and I am sure that this semester will be a very memorable experience.
So I’m going to become part of it and, as I’ve done for the past week, gladly introduce myself once more, this time in essay form. My name is Matthias Haufe, and I come from Erlangen in Bavaria’s northern region. Frankonia is a term that refers to the area around Erlangen; many people there consider themselves Franks rather than Bavarians.
I grew up in Germany, went to school there and even did my undergraduate studies at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. I am currently a graduate student in Political Science at Michigan State University in the United States and will hopefully finish my degree next May.
My research interests are in international relations, comparative politics and quantitative methods. For my dissertation, I am looking at how domestic political institutions affect a state’s decision to start or not start a war. In addition, I am also working on a project that examines the effect of different types of sanctions on human rights violations.
In my spare time, I like to play soccer, ultimate frisbee and tennis. I am also a big fan of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Pistons. I am looking forward to spending the next year in Ann Arbor and getting to know everyone better!
I studied in the United States for 13 years, from ages 8 to 23. I went to school, served my government service, and then completed university studies. Before that, I had lived in a small German village for six years and in Tokyo, Japan for four years. So if you add all of these figures together, you get 23, which is also my age. The issue of what I study immediately comes to mind when someone asks about my education.
And the answer to that is: International Business and Economics. The reason I study this is quite simple. Firstly, I have always been interested in business, even as a child I played many different simulations of businesses with my friends. Secondly, after finishing high school and doing my civil service I took a year off to work and travel.
One of the places I went to was the United States where I got to see how different business is done there compared to Germany or Japan. This really sparked my interest in international business and economics and made me want to learn more about it. Additionally, while working in the U.S. I also realized that I really enjoy communicating with people from different cultures. And lastly, since my father used to work in the diplomatic service, I have always been interested in politics and economics. So for me, studying international business and economics was a logical choice.
Now that you know a little bit about my background and what I study, let me tell you a little bit about myself as a person. As I already mentioned, I really enjoy communicating with people from different cultures. This is probably because growing up I was constantly exposed to different cultures.
Since my father worked in the diplomatic service we moved around quite a bit and I got to experience living in different countries and cultures. And even now, after having finished university, I am still very much interested in exploring different cultures. In fact, one of my goals for the next few years is to travel to as many different countries as possible.
Another hobby of mine is cooking. I really enjoy trying out new recipes and experiment with different ingredients. For me, cooking is a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. And lastly, I am also a big fan of sports. Growing up I played soccer and tennis competitively and even now I try to stay active by going to the gym or go for a run whenever I can.
All in all, I think these are the three things that define me the most as a person. Now that you know a little bit more about me, it’s time for me to ask you a few questions. So please feel free to ask me anything you want to know.
I’m a Religion and English major, with a minor in History, and I just completed my fifth semester of studies before coming here. My academic goal is to train as a teacher at a German “Gymnasium,” which roughly corresponds to an American high school. So much about me!
Now let us move on to what I like and what I do in my spare time. I love reading novels, especially works of historical fiction. In my opinion, they are the best way to learn about different cultures and periods in history. My all-time favorite book is “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco.
Apart from that, I am really interested in music. I used to play the violin for eight years but had to stop due to an injury. Nowadays, I mostly listen to music and go to concerts whenever I can.
Last but not least, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. We usually go on trips together or just hang out at home. So much about me. I am really looking forward to getting to know all of you better throughout this course.