Samantha Pearson, Senior, just got back from living in another country. She states that she has
lived in Germany twice in her life, in 2021 and 2024. “Some of my favorite parts about living in
Germany is definitely some of the culture.” She states the food and sites such as castles are her
favorite. Her favorite castle is called “Eltz Castle” which is located in Wierschem, Germany.
When asked to compare the culture of Germany to Utah, “That is a difficult question to answer.
They both have very different cultures. I am so used to Utah culture that I feel it’s the better one,
but there is no correct answer there.” According to Samantha there are a lot of differences
between Utah and Germany. First is the language, and that in Germany people don’t
“Sugarcoat” things as they do in Utah. An example of this is customer service. “In the U.S there
is such a thing as customer service, in Germany that’s not really a thing.” She also stated how
there are a lot more religiously “conservative” people in Utah than in Germany. Samantha
expressed that living in Germany as an American citizen made her feel like an outsider, she was
bullied and stereotyped a lot during school, some of her classmates even asked if she was
going to bring a gun to the school. When talking about coming back to Utah, she expressed her
mental health was the main factor. “I was getting bullied so badly, it really affected me, I did not
have any friends, my closest friend was my dog” she stated that this sent her down a rabbit hole
that no one liked her. After some talking with her mom they decided it would be best for her to
come back to Utah. “It felt like I was drowning.” Her mom still lives in Germany, but is her
biggest supporter and helps her the most. She helps make sure Samantha goes to school and
does not lay in bed all day. If you were to travel to Germany, Samantha would suggest learning
German before you go, keep your phone in your front pocket, and your purse in front of you.
Trains will always be late so plan accordingly, and if there is something you don’t understand
google it. Tips that helped her with her mental health and she wishes to pass along is, “Don’t be
quiet, Ask for help. If you feel you can’t get help, reach out to a friend.”
lived in Germany twice in her life, in 2021 and 2024. “Some of my favorite parts about living in
Germany is definitely some of the culture.” She states the food and sites such as castles are her
favorite. Her favorite castle is called “Eltz Castle” which is located in Wierschem, Germany.
When asked to compare the culture of Germany to Utah, “That is a difficult question to answer.
They both have very different cultures. I am so used to Utah culture that I feel it’s the better one,
but there is no correct answer there.” According to Samantha there are a lot of differences
between Utah and Germany. First is the language, and that in Germany people don’t
“Sugarcoat” things as they do in Utah. An example of this is customer service. “In the U.S there
is such a thing as customer service, in Germany that’s not really a thing.” She also stated how
there are a lot more religiously “conservative” people in Utah than in Germany. Samantha
expressed that living in Germany as an American citizen made her feel like an outsider, she was
bullied and stereotyped a lot during school, some of her classmates even asked if she was
going to bring a gun to the school. When talking about coming back to Utah, she expressed her
mental health was the main factor. “I was getting bullied so badly, it really affected me, I did not
have any friends, my closest friend was my dog” she stated that this sent her down a rabbit hole
that no one liked her. After some talking with her mom they decided it would be best for her to
come back to Utah. “It felt like I was drowning.” Her mom still lives in Germany, but is her
biggest supporter and helps her the most. She helps make sure Samantha goes to school and
does not lay in bed all day. If you were to travel to Germany, Samantha would suggest learning
German before you go, keep your phone in your front pocket, and your purse in front of you.
Trains will always be late so plan accordingly, and if there is something you don’t understand
google it. Tips that helped her with her mental health and she wishes to pass along is, “Don’t be
quiet, Ask for help. If you feel you can’t get help, reach out to a friend.”
