Hello, Ms. Hagen's class!
My name is Annika, and I am so excited to meet you! Did you know that I was your age when I visited Hawai'i for the first time? I used to dream about being able to travel all around the world when I grew up. When I finished college last year, I got the chance to move to Kiel on a Fulbright Scholarship! That means the U.S. government gave me money to come to Germany and be a scientist for one year. You might be wondering what my life here is like, so here are some answers!
What kind of scientist am I?
I am a psychologist, which is a type of scientist who studies how people think and act. Have you ever seen someone's eyes get really wide when they're surprised? How about when someone is trying to focus on a math problem that's really hard? That's what I'm studying right now! My project is about how people's eyes and faces change when they see something surprising or have to solve a problem. Looking at people's eyes tells us a little bit about what is going on inside their brain.
Do I speak German?
No, I do not speak German! Are you surprised? When I first got to Germany, I felt very lost. German is the official language of Germany, and lots of people here don't speak any English.
