Hello Everyone! My name is Ana DeWitt, and I am very excited to be the English Teaching Assistant at Erasmus Gymnasium this year.
I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. My love for the German language began when I started taking violin lessons, and heard German orchestras introducing concerts on YouTube. In High School I had the opportunity to learn German, and never stopped! I studied German all the way through my University studies. During high school, my family had the opportunity to host a German-speaking exchange student from Südtirol (Italy) and I remember having no idea what to expect when she arrived. However, quickly realized that I loved getting to share my piece of the world with her, while learning about a new part of the world. We are still very close to this day; I have visited her twice in Südtirol and now that I live in Europe, we want to see each other even more often!
In 2020, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Music: Violin Performance with a minor in German, and in 2022 I received my Master’s degree, also in Violin Performance. I am so grateful for this opportunity to immerse myself in another culture and language, while sharing my culture and language in an educational setting. In my free time, when I’m at home I like to spend time with my cat and dog, swim, and spend time outside. I moved to Köln in September, and recently joined an orchestra in Nippes. I also spend my free time exploring my neighborhood, trying new coffee shops, and practicing German with my roommates. I’m very excited to get to know all of the students and staff at Erasmus-Gymnasium, and thankful for being welcomed into such a nice school community!
Vielen Dank!
Ana