Note: This blog post is part of a school assignment, in which I had to address specific topics.
Reflecting on the culture of Germany. This is a task that is much easier said than done. While I have already touched on many cultural differences of day-to-day life during the past week, I am going to attempt to write a more general blog on this topic. I will say, however, I think that I will be better able to reflect on these ideas when I get back to the States because I am completely immersed in the German culture right now, making it hard to objectively compare the two cultures.
Let’s start with similarities because I have not talked about that as much yet! Music, movies, and television are very much a similarity between Germany and the US. American music is very popular here, and restaurants and pubs usually are playing electric American music (lots of Capital Cities and Avicii). We could not believe some of the throwback songs we heard in pubs over the weekend, such as “The Reason” by Hoobastank and “The Middle” by Jimmy Eats World. Moving past music, there are many dubbed television shows, such as “How I Met Your Mother” and movies, such as “Forrest Gump.” There are also some of the same fast food restaurants. So far I have seen McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, and Subway. The one that I have seen advertised the most? KFC – haha!
Reflecting on the culture of Germany. This is a task that is much easier said than done. While I have already touched on many cultural differences of day-to-day life during the past week, I am going to attempt to write a more general blog on this topic. I will say, however, I think that I will be better able to reflect on these ideas when I get back to the States because I am completely immersed in the German culture right now, making it hard to objectively compare the two cultures.
Let’s start with similarities because I have not talked about that as much yet! Music, movies, and television are very much a similarity between Germany and the US. American music is very popular here, and restaurants and pubs usually are playing electric American music (lots of Capital Cities and Avicii). We could not believe some of the throwback songs we heard in pubs over the weekend, such as “The Reason” by Hoobastank and “The Middle” by Jimmy Eats World. Moving past music, there are many dubbed television shows, such as “How I Met Your Mother” and movies, such as “Forrest Gump.” There are also some of the same fast food restaurants. So far I have seen McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, and Subway. The one that I have seen advertised the most? KFC – haha!
There seems to be a big focus on family, much like my own experience in America. Of course each and every family (in all cultures) is different, but I will speak to my own experiences here. My host family sits down to eat together for lunch and dinner most days, and there is an overall atmosphere of caring and supportiveness. I have already met some of my host family’s extended family. Families seem to celebrate birthdays and big events similar to American families as well. For example, after my younger host sister’s ballet, the family came over for cake. Likewise, many of the other students in this program have been to family birthday celebrations that were celebrated similarly to birthdays in the United States.
Of course there are many more similarities, but those are not quite as obvious as I go about my day-to-day life. I tend to notice the differences more. One of the most noticeable differences is the overall active lifestyle here. An “active lifestyle” in America does not even compare to the normal lifestyle here. People walk and bicycle as their primary mode of transportation whenever it is possible. Public transportation is also popular, and this mode of transportation involves walking to and from the stations. I would consider myself to be fairly in shape; I work out 4-5 times a week in the States and have run two half marathons. Still, my legs are constantly sore from all the walking here! I honestly love all the movement, as I can try all of the fresh, delicious foods that I want yet never really feel like I am over-doing it because of all the exercise. This brings me to another point: food is enjoyed in moderation here. I have not heard of anyone really being on a diet, much less the “carb free” nonsense that goes on in America. There is not pressure to be stick-thin, yet people look healthy. People eat breads, cakes, pastries, etc. but always in moderation. There is a focus on enjoying your food and company, and all in all, I find the general lifestyle here to be much healthier than in America.
Another difference is the impact of the country’s history. One of the other teachers at my school said that there is not as much country pride because of its past, and it is true that it is rare to see a German flag. While it is impossible to compare historical events, I think that the event most comparable to the Holocaust in America would be slavery. Both historical events suppressed people from their basic human rights because of race, ethnicity, religion, etc. The difference, I think, is the way that these events are portrayed now. There is a deep sense of shame in the events that happened in Germany. As my host sister put it, it is important to visit the memorials and remember, “to make sure that it never happens again.” There is remembrance everywhere of many forms, yet it is a hard topic to talk about. I know some of my peers’ host parents cannot yet talk about it because it makes them too upset. In America we teach slavery like it was a fact of life. We visit plantations in the South. Yes, slavery happened longer ago. But – racism still exists in America, and to me, this is really sad. Honestly, I love America, and I am proud to be American. I think that when it comes to learning from our history though, we could learn something from Germans. I am not saying that we should individually take fault or responsibility of what happened in America’s past, but I do respect Germany for their remembrance.
I have talked to my host family a lot about similarities and differences between Germany and America, and I have had an interesting conversation about stereotypes with both my host father and my host sister. Stereotypes exist across cultures, but it was funny to talk about one another’s country’s stereotypes. For example, when I thought about Germany before I usually thought of sausage, potatoes, and Oktoberfest. I have had sausage twice with my family (pictured to the left), but in general, I would say that this stereotype does not really hold true. In fact there are a ton of vegetarians, especially in the younger population, in Germany. My host sister said America is known for McDonalds and Starbucks (kind of true). A waiter also told us that America is known for selfies (haha- also a little true). Other stereotypes about America that I have heard from an assortment of people, some directly and some indirectly, include the fact that Americans are often overweight and don't care to learn another language. Personally, I think that there are more overweight Americans than Germans, which can be attributed to lifestyle, but there are just not as many opportunities to learn other languages in America as here. I have also heard several comments, mostly from friends who have older host parents, about how the American government spies on its people and others. A huge controversy in America as well. Finally I have heard that Americans often seem rushed, and I find this stereotype to be the most true of all; in general, most Americans are busy and jam-pack their schedule with "activities." Likewise, before I came I also associated Germany (and Europe in general) with a more relaxed, enjoyable pace of life, and I think it is true that Americans do have a more rushed pace of life. All in all, however, I think it is important to never base impressions or beliefs off one week, one experience, or one family! Instead of generalizing, I think it is important to continue to consider each individual's own beliefs, experiences, and goals. This being said, I think I still have a lot to learn about German culture over the next couple weeks!
Overall, I think the biggest barrier to my success right now is just the language barrier. While it is true that most people do speak English, I feel that I could connect better with my students if I spoke their native language. I also think that there are certain aspects of culture that just not translate between languages. There have been many times that words just do not translate to English, or that a certain sense of humor just cannot be portrayed once it is translated to another language. My plan of action right now is to just listen as carefully as I can and try to pick up on the language as much as possible. Obviously, a month in Germany is not enough time to learn the language, but I am going to do the best I can! I have been given many opportunities to immerse myself in this culture, including living with a host family and teaching in a local school, and I feel beyond blessed to have this experience.
Please feel free to leave your own thoughts/comments below!
Please feel free to leave your own thoughts/comments below!