Although we visited Neuschwanstein Castle today (and it was beautiful, and just like a fairy tale castle from my favorite Disney movies, and probably one of the most awesome things we've seen on this trip, and especially great because it only rained before and after we were there, and I took so many pictures, and then we took the "shortcut" down the mountain, and basically I loved the whole thing) - that's not what I want to write about.
What I want to write about today is the way I've experienced communication that transcends language. I don't know if this is true for everyone, but my German family loves to talk to me in English - it's like a game to them to try to find the exact words they're looking for. What they don't realize, though, is that that's totally unnecessary. I almost always know what they're trying to say, and even when they're all speaking in German I can guess pretty closely what's going on, mostly from their body language and from some similarities to English amd French. As long as I pay attention, I'm usually not surprised when they finally do turn to me and explain in English what they've been talking about. (They keep asking me if I'm sure I don't speak German.)
It's just amazing to me to see how much alike we - Germans and Americans - really are. My entire German family reminds me so much of my family at home, and even though we don't speak the same language, it's as if we don't need to. Besides the fact that I can usually guess the topic of conversation, there are so many ways that communication can happen without language. Music is, of course, one of the best examples - and that's really why we're here, so we can make the best use of it. As another example, tonight my two German girls watched the Disney movie Tangled with Kyla S. and me, and although it was in English, we all laughed and smiled and (almost) cried in the exact same places. It was a pretty incredible experience to watch that movie with them, realizing that even though they didn't understand, they understood.
So, to end with my usual cliche, when in Rome, do as the Romans, right? Well, in Germany, do as yourself - just let them see you and love you the way you are. That's all I'm trying to do (really all I can do). And even though I don't speak their language, I'm forming bonds that I know will last for a lifetime.
