Folge 3: German as a Practice of Attention
In this reflective piece, Matthew Shadbolt describes his personal journey of integrating the German language into his daily life as a tool for mindfulness and structured thinking. Rather than pursuing traditional fluency, he treats the language as a practice of attention that rewards patience, precision, and the ability to tolerate ambiguity. By connecting his studies to operatic music and physical movement through New York City, Shadbolt finds that German provides a restorative contrast to the modern demand for speed.
He views the language's complex syntax as a mirror to architectural logic, requiring him to remain fully present until a sentence reaches its conclusion. Ultimately, this pursuit is less about academic achievement and more about emotional alignment and preparing for an immersive future experience in Vienna.
