see the central idea of the writing, make sure it is clear in an unintended way. Correct grammar and increase cohesion:I applaud myself for rebuking Chinese news sources claiming that poor European disease control decisions had rendered the continent inhospitable by enrolling in a German year-long foreign exchange program, yet I still chuckle at the myopic purview I had taken to appreciating the new country. I assumed that Germany was mostly a knock-off of my Chinese homeland, simply replacing our unique customs and traditions with poorly executed imitations. I remember tasting a traditional German dish called sauerkraut and thinking it was a feeble attempt at recreating the flavors of our delicious Chinese cabbage dish from home. I also found it amusing that Germans celebrated Oktoberfest, an event they claimed to be similar to our vibrant Chinese New Year festivities, but it lacked the excitement, colors, and dragon dances that we cherish.

It was during a heated argument with my host family that I was awakened to the importance of understanding and respecting other cultures. In an effort to avoid worrying my host mother, I resorted to an innocent white lie about going to Paris. I didn’t tell her I was going to Paris after going to Brussels. In China, it is common for children to shield their parents from unnecessary worries. However, my host mother was upset, and it was in that moment that she took the time to explain a crucial cultural difference. She emphasized that in Germany, honesty and open communication were highly valued. She would rather have me to tell her the facts even if the fact may upset her. This exchange made me realize that cultural nuances and practices differ significantly, and it is crucial to understand and adapt to those differences when living abroad.

It was during this incident that I started to make an effort to understand German culture. Initially, I couldn’t stand how much Germans relied on bread. While bread is consumed worldwide, Germans take it to a whole new level, having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Within the first 14 days of my arrival, I had become familiar with German bread names: “Brotchen, Mischbrot, Kaisersemmel, and Bauernbrot”. As someone from an Asian background, I found it challenging to eat bread all day and even assumed that Germans were too lazy to cook. To avoid this, I started cooking dinner for my host family, constantly going to the supermarket and getting to know the cashier, Eva. However, as time went on, I became more accepting of the German bread culture and even stopped cooking altogether in my second host family. Upon returning to China, readjusting to a no bread diet was difficult because I had become so accustomed to eating it. Reflecting now, I believe that relying on bread is a smart choice for Germans. Their low-sugar bread is beneficial for controlling blood sugar and fat. Furthermore, by having bread, my host family had more time for other activities, showcasing German efficiency. Besides the German cuisine, I had also initially found it silly how my German my soccer team mates in Germany always held these reflection meetings that follow soccer training sessions, for I believed individual reflection would be more accurate and efficient. However, I soon realized that Germans value team play and prefer reflecting as a group. With time, I acknowledged how these team reflections positively influenced the entire team’s improvement, not just individual players. Also, I initially found it uncomfortable that German people go to the sauna naked, as China is generally more conservative. At first, I thought this behavior was rude. However, as I further delved into their culture, I came to understand the uniqueness and different norms surrounding the sauna in Germany.