Student Spotlight: SUSANNAH

““The types of human connections that were the highlights of my Berlin trip would have been impossible without Stefanie and Speak!”
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— SUSANNAH BIRLE, GERMAN STUDENT

Our Interview with Susannah

BSusannah with her German-born father outside of Heidelberg

At Speak!, we believe language learning should be consistent, challenging—and yes, even a lot of fun. Erich embodies all three.

A UVA research librarian and longtime Spanish learner, Erich came to Speak! after years of studying on and off, determined to finally push past the plateau that so many learners know well. What he found was not just structure, but a rhythm: weekly one-on-one lessons with Dayra paired with lively conversation sessions that bring the language to life.

Seven months in, Erich is sharpening the finer points of grammar he once avoided, speaking more confidently, and proving that progress doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from showing up (and occasionally learning words like ornitorrinco along the way).

Susannah, tell us a bit about yourself by way of introduction.

I’m a Charlottesville native, born and raised. So I was already very familiar with Speak! Currently, I live in New York City and work in Public Relations. My father is German so I grew up traveling there and just recently obtained my German passport.

What inspired you to work on your German with Speak!

This past summer I had the chance to live and work in Germany for almost two months, partly in my Dad’s hometown of Heidelberg, and partly in Berlin where the company I worked for has an office. Before I embarked on my trip, I knew I wanted to get more confident speaking German casually in conversation.

What was your background with the language?

After growing up speaking some German and taking German classes throughout college, I had a strong foundation.

How did it go using your German as a temporary local?

Thanks to Speak! I was able to hit the ground running, conversing with neighbors walking their dogs and workers at the neighborhood bakery, ordering food and drinks and making conversation with waiters, buying my ticket for the Schwimmbad, all in German! Once I got to Berlin and was in the office with my German coworkers, I felt so much more confident making connections with them and learning about the culture of Berlin, from food to nightlife to music and dance.

Was there a moment when it all clicked?
One of my favorite memories from my trip was stumbling across a park in Berlin where a stage was set up with lights strung around it and couples dancing to all types of music. In typisch Deutsch fashion, there were rules involved to the dancing—each dancer had to have a wristband, no solo dancing allowed, very orderly. I was sitting drinking a beer and watching when an Opa approached me to ask for a dance, and when I eventually agreed we ended up having a conversation entirely in German about where he was from, his time spent in Heidelberg, his dance experience, and his favorite things about Berlin.

How did lessons with Stefanie and Speak! impact your experience ?

These types of human connections that were the highlights of my trip would have been impossible without Stefanie and Speak!

Susannah at a cafe in Heidelberg

What would you say to a friend planning a short-term residency or trip abroad?

For anyone looking to brush up on their language skills before an upcoming trip there’s nothing I’d recommend more!