Traveler Bio

Grüße aus Deutschland! (Greetings from Germany!)

My name is Melani Shahin and I’m currently living in Dresden, Germany. This year I will be teaching English to German 5th-12th graders through the U.S. Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program. Dresden, which is in eastern Germany, is very far away from my hometown of San Jose, California. It took me over 13 hours to get to Germany on an airplane! Even though I am very far away from my family and friends, I am excited to share my adventures in Dresden with you!

From an early age, I was interested in other cultures and travel because my family comes from many different countries and cultures. My mom’s family is originally from Japan and my dad’s family is originally from Iraq and England. I became interested in the German language and culture during my time in college at Fordham University in the Bronx, NY. I majored in music and philosophy, and also learned German since Germany is a very important country in the history of music and philosophy! Many famous composers and philosophers were German. I decided to travel to Germany because I wanted to improve my German language skills and gain first-hand experience of the culture I studied in college.

I am very excited that you are joining me on my journey. Let's go!