Anna Malin Gerke: Slow Down and Appreciate the Little Things

Submitted by Michael Neininger on
Anna Malin Gerke

I moved to Seattle to begin a one-year teaching program in the Germanics Department at the University of Washington in the autumn of 2019. As an exchange instructor from Germany, I was very excited by the opportunity to teach American students about my mother tongue and the German culture. That excitement has been borne out. I have had so many wonderful students in my classes that are curious, hard-working and open to learning German. Teaching is my passion, and that did not change during the pandemic when the UW switched to remote learning.

The Germanics Department’s working environment is stimulating and I feel grateful for the opportunity to continue my studies toward a doctorate. I am looking forward to researching broadly in the field of linguistics and literature, writing my dissertation, and staying in the Seattle area for a few more years! I also feel honored to call myself a Max Kade Graduate Fellow and I am truly thankful for the support that I will get in my first year as a PhD candidate.

One book that I would recommend, “Momo” by Michael Ende, is considered a children’s book. Yet, it is universally accessible and has a strong message for people of all ages. I have read it multiple times and always discover some new insight. “Momo” gives me comfort and hope. I find whatever I need in the text. It reminds me to slow down and appreciate the little things. An insight I am confident that we can all use during a year like 2020.

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