post 10

“Good Bye, Lenin!” ist ein Deutsche Filme. Es ist in 1990. Ein mann musst sein Mutter ab ein tödlich schreck gegen absichern. Er musst ab sein Mutter die Welt sich verbergen. Vor kennt sein Mutter nicht die DDR gefallt. “Good Bye, Lenin!” ist sehr gut und es ist vielbewundert.

post 11

Mein leiblings urlaub war nach Irland. Ich habe mit meine Mutter und mein Vater um 2006 nach Irland reisen. Wir haben in Dublin auslanden. Wir haben für drei tage in einem Hotel in Dublin übernachten. Wir haben Trinity Kollegium und das ``Buch des Kells`` gesieht.

Dann haben wir nach Killarney gehen. Wir haben die Killarney National Grünanlage gesieht. Ich habe ein Foto gehabt dass habe ich auf die Grünanlage in schwarz und weiß gemacht. Ich werde ein groß Fotoabzug mit ein nett Gestell gemacht.

Wir haben für neun tage in Irland gesteht. Ich finde das urlaub mein Leiblingsurlaub.

post 12

Looking at German culture, I realize that my culture is not very different than German culture in some ways and very much like it in other ways. It may have to do with the fact that when Germany lost World War II that the allies reconstructed it and certain cities in Western Germany got rebuilt by the United States and allied nations. So a lot of the people who prospered under the Allies tended to model their culture after them. Where it varies quite a bit, would be in the area where it was under the control of the Soviet Union.

I am part Hungarian, Polish, Greek and Irish, so studying German doesn’t really have that big of an effect on my identity. It does make me think, though, about European history. And since all my backgrounds hail from Europe, it is interesting to see how Germany affected the history of Europe.

It changed my perspectives on German culture significantly. Not gonna lie, I held most of the American stereotypes about Germans: Oktoberfest, constantly drunk off beer, rude, etc. But listening to these interviews of real Germans, I realize that they’re normal people (albeit the fact that they get 40 days of vacation a year). The other important part is that not all of them are alike. North, South, East, West, are all different and that stereotypes of Germans are from different parts ever.

I didn’t really stereotype foreigners living in my home country. Except when I saw Russel Peters.

Blog 12

Through learning German, I have learned how another culture views my native culture. Germans tend to think that Americans are flashy and overly friendly. This is true, but it has not really been brought to my attention before. It is interesting to see the difference in opinions between Germans that have never met an American and Germans that have interacted with American culture. The ones that never met an American don't really like us, but the ones that met Americans seem to like our culture.

Since I am half German, learning about German culture has helped me understand my German identity. It has made me proud to be a German.

I have learned that there are several different German cultures: the East, West, North, and South. I wouldn't really expect a small country like German to have very different cultures within it.

Honestly, learning about German does not change my persepective on foreigners living in my country. This is probably because foreigners come from so many diverse backgrounds, you can't judge all of them based off of one culture.

German Candies

When I met Emily Joy I thought she was on speed.

I could not fathom anyone who was so interested in learning German and repeating after the teacher every single time. When I came out of German 101, my enthusiasms for language had wore off, the novelty of an immersion class had faded and I faced the grim reality that the language was no longer a guessing game but rather a paramount task . So I was extraordinarily put off by the aforementioned as well as the rest of the class, all riled up about the language. Granted, I feel like one of the quieter people in class, I can surely say that my enthusiasm now matches Emily Joy Rothchilds or even surpasses it.

German 102 is really the class I look forward too. Though I may have fudged a few Auf Gehts! by simply pressing 'richtig!' over and over again till I got it right, I really feel something of a bound with the language now. It's a very valuable language. For the native English speaker, German is the third most important language that one should learn according to the Steinke Language Index. You could argue then, whats the point in taking the time to learn German if another language is more valuable?

This class has taught me that Germany is our twin. While each twin has its own distinct personality there are glaring similarities. I never any notion that Germany was some Nazi filled paradise. These beliefs were long torn aside for me after numerous History Channel specials watching the Berlin wall come down. It was one of my dad's favorite things. German 102 furthered the idea of verisimilitude and kept me further along this path of understanding. Rigorous language development is the only way to understand another culture. Withi this ability you can then get behind the eyeballs of that culture and truly understand the way they percieve things and interact especially with us. Auf Gehts! really stressed this inter cultural development and that truly is commendable of the textbook because that is probably the most crucial part of the whole language course altogether.

I had alot of trouble with comprehension. I think it was because I found it difficult to study. This is mostly my personality. I cannot simply practice problems and memorize theme, it has to be hands on for me. So for German, studying in an English country, that certainly proved to be difficult when you can't just get up and talk to somebody. My regret for this class though, was to do just that, I wished I had asked more from y peers and tried to garner more practice for myself so that I could have a fuller experience with the program.

I did have one big grief in this class, and I do feel that it is best expressed by a passage from Mark Twain's essay, "The Awful German Language". Twain, as well as myself and I'm sure my colleagues, is frustrated by the genders of words that simply do not connect:

Every noun has a gender, and there is no sense or system in the distribution; so the gender of each must be learned separately and by heart. There is no other way. To do this one has to have a memory like a memorandum-book. In German, a young lady has no sex, while a turnip has. Think what overwrought reverence that shows for the turnip, and what callous disrespect for the girl. See how it looks in print -- I translate this from a conversation in one of the best of the German Sunday-school books:

"Gretchen.

Wilhelm, where is the turnip?

Wilhelm.

She has gone to the kitchen.

Gretchen.

Where is the accomplished and beautiful English maiden?

Wilhelm.

It has gone to the opera."

Eine Geschichte die Deustchland

Wenn ich in Salzgitter-Bad fur drei Woche war, ich hat ein gutes zeit. Aber die besten Teil war dass, ich ein Auto fahrt.Ich weiß dass, es ist verboten, aber ich siehe tun. Ich fahrt ein Lieferwagen. An der Autobahn fahrt ich, ich hat viele Angstern. Wurde ich liebe? War ich totfleisch? Es ist mir völlig egal! Ich wollte sehr schnell fahren. Meine Deutsche bekannter sagt, "You must go faster!" (er sagt in Englisch, letze Jahre ich sprecht nicht deutsche). Ich denke, er wurde sagt, "Du musst schneller fahren!" Ich hat große Angst vor schneller fahren. 120 km/Ohr! Diese Lieferwagen war sehr schnell. Fußballspielers muttern in Amerika habe keine Lieferwagen als schnell. Ich war der Mann der Autobahn.

Ich habe in 2000 nach Deutschland feiern. Meine Familie haben mit dem Fleugzeugh nach der Frankfurt Flughafeln geflogen. Es war sehr kalt, wenn wir warren in Deutschland. Es hat geschneit. Mein Vater hat ein Auto gebraucht und er hat sehr schnell auf der Autobahn gefahren. Wir sind zur Hotel gegangen. Es war klein, aber schon. Spater, wir sind zu das House von meine Grossmutter und meinen Grossvater geganger. Sie war sehr frohlich. Es war Weihnachts und wir haben den Tannenbaum gedeckte. Der nachter Tag, wir haben einen Schloss gesehen. Es war sehr schon. Der Schloss heisst Mespelbrunn. Fur abendsessen, wir sind zu einen Restaurant gegangen. In die Nacht, es hat geschneit. In der Morgen, alles war weiss.

No peanut butter and jelly?!

Before taking German courses here at UNC, I already had a few preconceived notions about Germans. I saw them as precise, exact people, as demonstrated in the fantastic engineering feats that come from Germany (e.g. Porsche and BMW vehicles, Leica cameras, etc.). I also believed, like many people, that this exactness carries over into the personal lives of Germans, causing them to seem unfriendly or harsh. Admittedly, I have not met many Germans in my life, so I had no basis for this feeling other than what others have told me.

The aspects of German culture we’ve learned in 101 and 102 have helped me see that some of my ideas were right, some were wrong, and some just didn’t represent the whole case. As several other students have mentioned on this blog, it was good to discover that the seemingly harsh nature of Germans stems from their tendency toward being private and their emphasis on meaningful interactions, rather than simply a foul mindset.

However, I do take issue with what some people seem to have learned in class, which is that America is superficial when compared to Germany. I don’t think this is true at all. The openness of Americans can be seen by Germans as being somewhat superficial, but I think they have interpreted it incorrectly. When Americans say simple things like “Hey!” or “How's it going?”, we are signaling that we are open for communication. Plenty of Americans avoid conversation and don't use these conventions, but if I want to let someone know that I am willing to talk, I will say things such as these. These sayings aren't meant to be interpreted literally (although they can be if one wants to do so). Instead, they are meant to convey a deeper meaning: “Hi, friend. I'm here if you need me. You probably don't, but I'm letting you know that you can talk to me if you want.” Even if we don't actually want people to talk to us at that exact moment (e.g. if we are in a rush to get somewhere), it still signals that we acknowledge their presence. I think this is a much better approach than simply ignoring people we don’t know.

Another interesting thing I’ve learned has to do with the German educational system. Since so many great things come from Germany, I’ve always imagined that Germany must have a first-class school system. Now, however, I question the German method of making students decide at a young age what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Is this the best way of teaching students? I’m not sure, but I would like to research the subject in depth someday.

As Bruno mentioned in his post, I was surprised that there was no mention of techno music in the class! The only time I can recall hearing any mention of techno was on the first day of German 101 last semester, when one of the students mentioned that his reason for taking German was because he knew about the techno parties they have in Germany! I am a big fan of electronic music, but I wish it was better understood by people in general. There is a huge variety of electronic music, including many different styles and genres. There is no single “techno” music category, just as there is no single “guitar” music category. Also, people unfortunately associate electronic music with particular lifestyles, such as “raving” and drugs or other things like that. I hope that, through taking German courses, the students have learned to develop an open mind regarding things like this.

The weirdest thing I have learned, though, is that Germans don’t like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! How can this be possible?! The sweet, chilled goodness of jelly combined with the smooth and creamy butter of peanuts is an irresistible combination! This has led me to suspect that Germans are not actually humans, but instead some sort of robot. (I’m just kidding, of course!)

I’m very happy that I’ve taken German 101 and 102, and I hope my experiences in 203 will be just as satisfying. I’ve always envied people who can speak more than one language, and now my knowledge of German—however limited it may be—has opened up a new world for me.

GERMAN ATTACK

My dad always told me to learn German because it was a fun place to visit and knowing the language would let me do business virtually anywhere on the European continent. I have to agree its an important world language, as well as being spoken in several countries I plan to visit, its used in former colonial possessions in Africa which I definitely plan on seeing as well. Also contributing to my decision to take German was stereotypical images of giant mugs of beer held by beer maidens in those little Dirndl dresses at some giant Oktoberfest celebration, which just tickled my fancy a little bit. Through this course I have dispelled some of those stereotypes, but I'm still interested in what Germany has to offer.

German has been a hard language for me to learn. In high school, I took Spanish and it was very easy for me, I never had any problems. I know a collegiate course is necessarily more rigorous, but Spanish seems like an easier language to pick up to me. Maybe it is because German is so similar to English that its easy to cross over and speak some sort of hybrid on accident, a problem I have fairly often especially in class or oral exams. The grammar was hard for me to pick up because I didn't actually know the concepts and tenses in English. Now I understand why knowing a foreign language can help you understand your native tongue better, because you must understand the grammar structures in your own language before you can understand and apply them in a new one. The pronunciation in German is not too difficult for an English speaker, but I am by no means perfect. The Vocabulary is not too hard to pick up especially because alot of it looks much like its English counterpart.

My regret for this semester and course was not applying myself enough. I feel like I could have a much better understanding of the language if I had taken more personal time and practiced grammar and vocabulary. Not practicing speaking the language as much as I should really hurts me on oral exams, and next year when I take 203 I am really going to focus on practicing on my own more.

Reflections on 101 & 102

I took German in high school, but it wasn’t until I studied the subject at UNC that I began to get a complete understanding of the German language. I knew there were some ins and outs and a few idiosyncracities to the language, but learning them in-depth has made me appreciate and respect anyone who can successfully speak more than his or her native tongue. The cultural immersion and knowledge that comes with taking 101 and 102 has also made me aware that cultures are different and that there are positives and negatives to this difference. It leads to me appreciating the uniqueness of southern American culture as well as gaining from observing the interactions of the Germans. I believe it’s very true to say that the learning and awareness of different ways of lives and ways of interacting in the world is a good thing. It allows us to broaden the horizon on which we perceive and interact with the world.

One positive aspect of German is that my understanding of the grammar rules and terminology of the English language has increased. Being required to study the tenses and the parts of speech that certain words are reinforces my understanding of both English and German grammar. Learning German does have fun aspects, too. Since it’s not as prevalent at the university or social level as Spanish or English, we speakers can get away with furtively saying a few key sentences which otherwise would be awkward to say out loud. Sure this may be a devious aspect, but we all need an alternative to English.

Studying German-speaking cultures has definitely changed my perception of Germans, whether for better or for worse. All the interviews and stories in the interactive definitely portray a message that Germans are just normal people that do not all conform to any specific stereotype, which is always good to really understand about foreign cultures. However, the generalities that I was taught through this class were that Germans tend to be less materialistic, very concerned with maintaining good relationships with their close friends, not friendly on first meeting, and somewhat elitist. But a lot of the interviews trying to warn you about the apparent, but not actual, rudeness of Germans were so effective that it actually made me not want to go there – which is saying something because I’ve already been there and I loved it. Also, a good friend of mine is German and he doesn’t conform to any of the stereotypes – he’s incredibly friendly to everyone, will start up conversations with people on the street, and he’s pretty bad at keeping up with old friends – which makes me doubt the validity of what we’ve learned about their culture. But I guess that just shows how you cannot rely on a set of stereotypes, because they won’t hold true for everyone. I think it’s very important to learn the social customs of other places, so that you know what is seen as polite and what is not. I’m glad I now know things like if you make eye contact with someone on the street and they don’t smile, they’re not being rude, that’s just normal behavior. Also, studying German helped me view Americans from more of an outside perspective – which made me appreciate the politeness and friendliness, but also made me notice the superficiality more, which encourages me to try to be more sincere to people.

Letzte Sommer gingen ich und eine Freundin, Deborah, durch Europa. Wir flogen erst nach Paris. Dort saßen wir in einem Park und wir tranken Wein und aßen Käse und Brot. Wir sahen die Katakomben, wo es viele Skelette gibt. Danach gingen wir nach Strasburg. Es war schön, aber ein bisschen langweilig. Unser nächster Stop war Berlin. Deborah mochte die Stadt sehr. Es war interessant – wir sahen viele Denkmäler für die Holocaust und ein paar Museen. Wir fuhren mit dem Zug nach Würzburg, um ein Freund zu treffen. Wir besuchten einen Schloss und tranken viel Bier. Wir gingen zu ein Weinfest und dort tanzten wir auf der Tische. Wir besuchten München für einen Tag. Dann gingen wir nach Namur, Belgien, um eine andere Freundin zu besuchen. Wir gingen mit ihr nach Brüssel und Bruges. Aber es gab ein Streik im Flughafen und wir konnten also von Belgien nicht weggehen. Nach ein paar Tage flogen wir nach Venedig. Wir hatten kein Geld mehr – wir kauften nichts und wir aßen sehr wenig. Unser letzter Stop war Seville. Wir trafen dort eine Freundin von Deborah, die arbeitete damals in Seville. Es war sehr warm und sonnig und ich mochte es viel.

Deutsch Klasse

Learning about Germany and the German-speaking culture there increased my understanding of diversity and alternate points of view. I feel like I experienced so many new opinions about how the rest of the world sees Germany and the United States. The difference in basic cultural interactions in Germany, like saying hello to someone in the street and stopping to tell them about how your day has been, rather than saying “What’s up?” and moving on, just shows that Germans seem more literal and sincere than Americans. Many of my old thoughts, for example that Germans are cold and mean people, have been changed. I feel like Germans are more to the point, whether the point is good or bad, instead of dark. Germans also are more kept to themselves than Americans and have higher standards for friendship. I appreciate that because I feel like people in America can get away with pushing people to the side in shallow “relationships” that have no value whatsoever. America seems so superficial now, and people seem to have more visible ulterior motives. Germans put more of an emphasis on relaxing vacations and serious down-time, which I can definitely appreciate. I feel like we always have to be doing something in America. There are, of course, other aspects of German culture that I don’t favor as much. I think the service industry in Germany has a negative attitude. German culture is a bit silly sometimes. I still have trouble understanding how the Germans are so paranoid of air-conditioning, closed doors, and the wind. I view foreigners in the United States a bit differently now. Sometimes I wonder if they are taught all the ways of America’s culture before they are thrown into it. I am also a bit more patient with them as far as social interactions go. I have learned to speak German very well. I never had any German instruction or knowledge before my two semesters here and I am incredibly impressed by how much I have learned. I found German grammar to be a bit tricky, and almost like backwards-talk sometimes. Other than that, German seems to have many similarities with English. Vocabulary wasn’t incredibly difficult to learn because so many German words sound like their English counterparts. German has changed me because I feel like I have more doors opened to me now, especially international ones. I want to make German a life-long language and continue speaking, reading, writing, and learning as often as I can. There are plenty more questions I have concerning the German culture and language, and I would like to explore these in the future. One example is the origin of the genders of words. I’ve also wondered about some of the expressions in Germany over the course of both semesters. Two expressions that stick out are “schwarzfahren” and “schwarzsehen.” Riding black, or illegally, and watching TV black, meaning that one has not paid their TV tax are interesting translations. I wonder if there is any racial meaning behind these words. There are many more saying like this that I believe can tell more about German culture. Hopefully I will be able to visit Germany soon and investigate.

Was ich habe erlernt?

Studying German has really helped me to appreciate different things. Most importantly and obviously, German culture. German culture has always fascinated me. Admittedly, at first, because of Nazism and the history of the country. I didn't really learn that many new things from German culture in this course that I hadn't know before. The few things I did learn were more mild eccentricities that Germans might have. The history sections were more review than anything else. The fun and interesting thing was seeing how diverse Germans as a whole are. While I knew that not all Germans wear Liederhosen I didn't know that the one's who don't feel so strongly about it. I found out, also, that a lot of other AMericans are interested in Germany and its culture. That there was not a single mention of techno music is kind of surprising.
My own culture I know, naturally. It is interesting that Germans find it as interesting as they do. Being exposed to it day in and day out I guess I'm just used to it. I obviously knew there were differences between German and American culture. I didn't know that we were that much nicer than they are.
This course didn't do much for my view of foreigners living in my country. If we're to take the German example of hating Turks then I'm kind of glad I didn't pick any of that up. This class didn't really do anything for my own identity either. I did have a crisis at one point thinking: WOW, i need to go to Germany HEUTE!
If this course, besides teaching me German, served a good purpose it was that it got me excited about going to Germany and really compelled me to make the decision to go. I've been there twice before but, still, going back and being able to see some of the things that I, admittedly unwillingly, had to study will be fun. In retrospect, however, the one thing that I regret about the course was its almost complete lack of German literature. We could have read relatively easy things or maybe German works in English. Who knows? Anyway, overall, the course was something which I'm glad I took and don't regret it at all. I've come away with bonds with new people. Some of whom are interesting and some of whom are, well, not. I guess, in that sense, this did have some impact on me. I even got to meet an Irishman, who knew!
Danke, alles, für ein lustig Semester!

Reisen!

Wenn ich 14 Jahre hat ich reise nach Peru. Peru is sehr schön und ist ein von meinen Lieblingsland. Meine Eltern sind peruanisch und ich gehe nach Peru jeder Jahre.
Ach so! Wenn ich 14 Jahre hat ich reise nach Lima, Peru. Ich gehe nach Cuzco und Machu Pichu auch. Cuzco ist sehr interessant und sehr sehr lustig. Ich liebe Machu Pichu weil es habe ein sehr interessant Geschichte. Mann weiß nicht alle die Geschichte auf Machu Pichu. Ein Grossbritanner hat es entdeckt.
Ach so. Wenn ich hat nach Machu Pichu gehen ich habe Brot mit Käse gegessen und kleine Pisco getrunken. Ich habe mit meinen Vater und meine Tante gegangen. Wir haben ein lustig Zeit gehaben. Alles sind lustig und schön.
Nein, nicht alles sind Perfekt! Für mitagessen haben wir schlecht Fisch gegessen! Die Restaurant war nicht gut Die Fisch war frisch aber der Koch sind furchtbar! Ach so, Alle kann nicht perfekt bin.
Ich liebe Lima auch. Lima ist sehr schön weil ich kann meine Familie sehen und mit meine Küsine gefeiert. Leben in Lima sind sehr entspannte und lustig. Der kuchen in Lima und alle Peru ist der bestes!
Ja, Peru ist mein lieblingszeil.

What I've learned

I have definitely grown to appreciate certain aspects of German culture. Perhaps the part that I envy that Americans don’t have is the six weeks of vacation a year and the shorter work week. I feel that Germans have realized that materialism is everything. Unfortunately, Americans haven’t realized that. 

I think that it’s interesting that Germans tend to have conversations with more substance. I appreciate that Germans tend to be more concerned when they greet and ask people how they are doing. I feel like that is something that Americans should adopt into our culture, although I know that generally we are too shallow to really care.

It was good to learn that Germans are culturally more “snobbish” by this I mean they don’t tend to speak to you if you are not friends with them. This has helped me to better understand the Germans I encounter in America. I considered it to be quite rude. I still don’t understand why saying hello to an acquaintance is uncommon. However, I will take these lessons with me the next time that I travel to Germany.

        Another aspect of German culture that I think is interesting is the education system in Germany. Someone on the interactive did comment on how some of the college courses work. She said that a lot of courses in German colleges don't even give out grades. I thought that was interesting and something that maybe American colleges should look into. It would be nice to take classes, simply because you want to learn and not be pressured in every course.

What German Has Taught Me

Walking into German 101 at Carolina I already had two prior years of german education from high school. As was such, my opinions on the culture of Germany and how that affects my own culture were already set it stone. I had judged the German people, and that has not changed in the past year. I have a great sense of nationalism towards America, almost to a fault. I have a hard time opening up to new ideas and ways of doing things, especially by a country that 12 years of history has taught me to hate. I do not hate Germany; I respect its culture, but at the same time I do not agree how they treat their past – by shunning those aspects that bring Germany to shame.

That said, German’s do earn my respect for the way they live. The cleanliness, the order, and the effectiveness by which they do things never fails to impress me. That does not mean I wish America would adapt these traits, it simply means I respect them.

German 101 and 102 has also given me a stronger sense of identity, for it portrayed how tightly a person is tied to their culture. I want to embrace my own culture now, and be able to interview for the English version of Auf Gehts. A lot can be said about a person by knowing where he or she is from. Without stereotyping, I believe that each German comes with a set of values and expectations that they hold, and I wish to seek out the American equivelent.

What I have Learned

I have learned quite a bit about Germans in the past two semesters. Quite honestly, if you polled the average American and asked them the first word that came to mind when you said "Germany," they would probably say "Nazi" or "Bratwurst" or "Berlin." This was unfortunately not much worse than the extent of my own knowledge, as I had only been in the country itself for about two days on my Austria trip, and that had not been very educational in itself. But now I know a lot more, and I like the country more and more as I hear about it.
Germany seems to be a country populated by people a lot like me: introverted on the street but interesting, intellectual, and genuinely loyal when it comes to true friendships. They can understand the value of real human connections, and waste no time in creating the appearance of social harmony. They are hard-working when they need to be, but they definitely know how to take time off and really enjoy their vacations. Germans have a strong sense of history and tradition that influence their cities, their ideologies, and their daily lives. I love the fact that their universities are so utterly different from ours, in the way that they go about teaching and the fact that they are so relatively cheap. Their emphasis on self-reliance and initiative is something I feel I need more of in my own life, and I am impressed by their ability to create their own educations.
I have learned a lot about food, drinks, greetings, states, cities, and traditions, but the real value of what I received lies in my understanding of the people themselves, and of course, my ability to communicate simply in German. I am looking forward to studying abroad in Germany or Austria, and cannot wait to put to use some of the things I will have learned in German 203 and beyond.

WHAT GERMAN 102 HAS TAUGHT ANDY

The german 102 curriculum has made me take a look at my own American culture from a different perspective. The cultural lessons have given me the chance to look at my own culture from the standpoint of a German or other type of world citizen. The information that each native german interviewed in the interactive about america is interesting, providing some things that I did not know while at the same time reinforcing some ideas that I previously believed people from other countries to hold about the US. I did know that many foreigners looked down on the US - ie, the stereotypes that Americans are superficial, fat, and inconsiderate. What I didn't assume before was that some germans believed also that Americans are hospitable and friendly. These facts have made me reassess what is important to me as an American, and has made me want to be more than just an American. I now want to be a world citizen, with knowledge and acceptance of all cultures. The stories about what friendship means to germans have made me yearn for deeper relationships myself.

I also have a greater respect for german culture - their way of doing things, their style of friendships, and their system of education. I really like the view of life in Germany (and perhaps the rest of europe) that you should take your time. I have always favored this approach in education, because I think that if you take the time to really study and think critically about the material that you learn much more profoundly than if you study just to pass a test. Life too should be enjoyed and less focus should be placed on money and material gain. As for foreigners living in my country, I have always had a positive view of them. I feel now though that I would like to experience that myself, and go abroad to study or otherwise. This german course has taught me a lot about germany and a lot about what I want to do with my education. 

Final Blog Entry

Learning German has helped me shape my views on the way I perceive my own culture. For one, the superficiality that Americans use when greeting one another or saying something like “How’s it going?” was pointed out to me. Some may argue against this “superficiality,” but honestly: when someone asks you, “How are you?” there is no real meaning or substance to such a question (like seriously, does a random acquaintance really care about your personal condition?). I think that I personally seem to reflect the reserved German idea that everyone associates with them—and I feel that the way Germans answer “Wie geht’s? is much better than our answer to “How’s it going?”. And may I add, the answer is “fine” 90% of the time, regardless of whether or not someone is having a shitty day.

In the past, I’ve learned a great deal about the Holocaust that at times I wondered back then, “Wow, I bet the Germans get blitzed with this all the time.” Not too diminish what happened or anything, but this course showed how tough and burdensome it is for Germans to be stereotypically labeled as “Nazis” and having to put up with all that.

My opinion has not changed at all about foreigners living in my country. For one, my dad is Spanish, so I definitely don’t hold any prejudice against foreigners of any type.

Zu guter Letzt

German culture and the German people are some of the most misunderstood things in America. Having to fight two wars against them, and the subsequent negative media portrayals of Germans has taken its toll. Most Americans think all Germans are overbearing and violent, and have a harsh, ugly language. Of course the stereotypes have some basis: Germans are obsessed with “Ordnung,” and the Prussian military tradition is prominent. But most Americans don’t think of Schiller’s “An die Freude” when they think of Germany, and I find this tragic. There are so many things in German history that are beautiful and indispensable to Western man. German-speaking people have given us some of the greatest ideas and art of all: Goete, Beethoven, Hegel, Marx, Einstein, Hesse, Marcuse. It would be nice for Americans to recognize these things, and change their stereotypes about Germans.
The problem is that Americans are often block-headed. This is another thing I have learned from studying German culture. When Germans are prejudiced and bigoted, it is an out-right, in-your-face kind of thing (i.e., skinheads). There are relatively few Germans like this today. When Americans are prejudiced it is sly and hard to discern, an undercurrent that is extraordinarily pervasive. Rather than swastikas and sieg heils, this kind of prejudice comes in the form of looking away. We don’t burn books, we just don’t read them. This kind of prejudice might not be as ugly, but it’s a million times worse, because it is so much harder to change.

Taking two courses in German at Chapel Hill has helped my German improve drastically. However, because I took German 101 and 102, I cannot say that my perspective of the United States has changed. My German teacher in high school was very keen on his students learning of current German culture so only the past culture taught in both 101 and 102 added much to my understanding of Germany. But it was entertaining to learn about Germany while learning German, thought I believe it does subtract from the effectiveness of the courses to actually teach German. I do not believe I learned much about my own culture through German 101 and 102 mainly because that was not the structure nor the point of the class. Most of what was covered with respect to the culture of America I already knew or had some idea about. Though, I did learn about the interactions between Americans and Germans that I was unaware of. The two courses I took have also made me want to study abroad in another country. But, I don’t know if I could handle it unless it was fairly laid-back. I shall see about this As for my identity, I have always known that I have a hard time successfully studying for a language. I have never been able to practice speaking much and I have never found a way to study vocabulary. But, these two courses have re-affirmed my knowledge of my weak areas in German. Maybe I can do something about them.

What German has Taught Me!

By studying German, I have learned a lot about how Americans are perceived and have come to value certain elements of our society that are “given.” I appreciate that Americans are friendly towards one another and I like that southerners smile at each other on the street. I think that we truly want to brighten each others’ days by being friendly; I don’t view it as superficiality. We could say nothing at all! Studying German has better prepared me for what I may have perceived to be “standoffishness.” Instead, I hope that I regard quiet Germans as reserved.

In addition, I respect and admire Germans’ emphasis on having a reading culture. I wish that Americans valued the classics more and that the average person cared more about the vast amount of literature in the world. Also, I like how Germans value the arts—especially music. In this regard, I think I would fit into German society very well. I too love the arts and love to read—especially classic literature—it would be amazing to be able to share thoughts on literature with all friends rather than just English majors J. Thus, I am excited to be able to experience German culture firsthand and see how I blend into their world.

I now understand my German grandmother more. Her frank honesty now seems less invasive and more culturally linked. I also can see why she cared so much about cleanliness or orderliness all of her life. Having a messy kitchen in Germany would be an atrocity! Stressing that we dress properly as children and keep our rooms very clean is just a natural part of German living—and really American living too—she was just more vocal about it!

Overall, I am very pleased to have learned so much about Germany, its culture, and the language. I feel better equipped to live in Germany and truly relate to its people!

Disney Welt!

Über der 2007-2008 Weihnachtsurlaub, meine Familie und ich reisten zu Disney Welt in Orlando, Florida. Es war die erste Zeit, dass ich Disney Welt sah, und ich hatte eine sehr gute Zeit. Wir fuhren unser Haus früh ins Morgen ab, und wir fuhren für zwei Tage nach Florida. Wann kamen wir an, wir blieben in einem sehr netten Hotelzimmer.

Wir erforschten Disney Welt für drei Tage. Am erste Tag erforschten wir das Tierkönigreich und das Magischkönigreich. Wir nahmen eine Fantasiesafarireise in das Tierkönigreich, und wir sahen Cinderellas Burg in das Magischkönigreich. Leider war das Essen sehr teuer und nicht so gut.




Am zweite Tag erforschten wir Epcot. Epcot war mein Lieblingspark! Epcot hatte viele gute Fahrgeschäft und vielen interessanten Ausstellungen. Mein Lieblingsfahrgeschäft war “Test Track.” Es war ein Rennsportsimulator. Es war SEHR, SEHR GUT!!




Am dritte Tag erforschten wir Disney-MGM Senderäume. Dieser Park war auf Filmestudios und berühmten Filme basiert. Meine Lieblingsausstellung dort war “Lichter, Motoren, Aktion! – Extremstuntshow.” In die Ausstellung, vielen Fahrer spielten Extremautostunts.


Am vierte Tag fuhren wir zu unser Haus. Bevor wir Florida fuhren ab, hatten wir ein Ferrariautohaus besichtigen. Ich nahm Fotos von viele nette Ferraris. Leider durfte ich nicht die Autos fahren.




Die Reise nach North Carolina war sehr lang, aber ich war glücklich zu Haus wieder sein.

Ferien nach Deutschland

Wir mussen immer nach Deutschland gereisen. Mein Urlaub war sehr gut. Wir sind ins Freibad gegangen. Die Deutscher Kinder waren schon. Wir haben jeden Tag geschwommen. Meine Mutter habe nicht geschwommen. Deutschland habe gutes Essen. Wir haben Wurst gegessen. Mein Vater und Mutter haben viele Bier getrunken. Das Wetter war schon aber nicht heiB. Wir waren nach Holland gefahren. Es ist schon. Die Blume waren schon. Die Leute waren hasslich. Wir haben viele Schokolade und Kase gegessen. Meine Mutter kauft viele Kleidung. Die Restaurants war billig aber die essen waren nicht gut. Wir waren tennis gespielt. Ich war nicht gut. Meine Vater war Fussball gespielt. Er war seht gut! Meine Familie liebe ruhe wahrend unsere Urlaub. Das ist warum wir nach Deutschland jeden Jahr gehen.

Mein Lieblingsurlaub war nach Deutschland. Mein Onkel und seine Familie wohnen in Bamburg, Deutschland. Er ist ein Zivilistkoordinator auf ein Militärstützpunkt. Meine Mutter, mein Brüder und ich bleibten mit Ihnen für zwei Wochen. Wenn wir in Deutschland kamen, wir waren müde von der Flugreise. Die Flugreise ist sehr lang. Wir schleifen für der erste Tag. Dann gehen wir nach Nürnberg der nächste Tag. Mein Brüder und ich entdeckten bald, dass unsere Mutter und Onkel waren über Kirche verfolgt. Wir gingen in so viele Kirche, dass mein Brüder und ich waren überdrüssig nach dem dritte Tage von Kirchen. Nach gingen nach Nürnberg wir nach Würzburg. Wir sahen die Residenz und das alte Mainbrücke mit die Statue von Heiligen. Wir sahen auch Marienberg. Nachdem wir nach Nürnberg gegangen hatten, gingen wir nach viele kleiner Städten.

zum Strand gehen

Als ich klein war, hatte ich vielen guted Baderurlauben. Die besten Baderurlaub war aber dieses Fruehlingsurlaub mit meine Fruenden. Ich reiste mit Mason und Rob nach Myrtle Beach. Ich habe eines Haus bei der Strand. Wir gingen nach SüdMyrtle Beach. Nachdem wir zum Strand gegangen hatte, aβen wir Abendessen. Wir gingen jeden Nacht zu Cluben. Wir machte viele Spaβ. Ich spielte die Gitarre. Rob kiffte auf dem Balkon. Also, Rob bachte Marihuana kleiner Schokoladekuchen, aber Mason und ich essen die Marihuana kleiner Schokoladekuchen nicht. Mason und ich trinken Alkohol nicht. Wir kiffen Marihuana und raufen auch nicht. Das ist nicht fuer gute Gesund! Wir hoerte viele Save Ferris, Afroman, Interpol, Sigur Rós, Of Montreal, und Avenged Sevenfold. Mason und ich gingen 3 Uhr Morgens zu Bi-Lo. Eine Russiche Frau arbeitete in Bi-Lo. Rob kaufte viele Lebensmittel. Wir sahen am Nacht Walker Texas Ranger. Wir aβen Fisch, Pizza, Burgeren, und mehr Pizza. Mason und ich hebten Gweichte. Wir gingen auch Einkaufen. Mason und ich machten unsere INLS Hausaufgaben. Wir waren für eine Woche bei der Strand. Ich fuhr jeden Tag. Ich habe hier kein Auto. Ich liebe der Strand! Wir werden dies? Sommer zum Strand gehen. Ich kann nicht warten! Rob und Mason koennen nicht auch warten.

Reise nach Europa

In 2005 ging ich nach Europe mit meinem Schule. Wir gingen nach Deutschland, Italien, Osterreich, und Frankreich. We bleibten zwei wochen. Wir sahen viele Sehenswürdigkeite. In Deutschland besuchten wir München, Bad Kohlgrub, Kahlstadt, Garmisch-Partinkirchen, Worms und viele andere Stadte. Wir bleibten ins eine Pension in Bad Kohlgrub. Ich besuchte viele Kirsche und machte ein paar Fotografs. Ich ging ins Oper und sah die Musikal Ludwig II. Es war nicht schlecht. Dann fuhren wir mit dem Zug nach Italien. Florence war eine schmutzige Stadt. Es gab viele Museum aber die Leute des Florences war immer krud. Trotz die schumutzige Stadt und die krude Leute, es gab am Leckersten Essen ich habe gegessen. Die Pizza war anders als Amerikanische Pizza aber ich hatte keine Problem mit es. Am Besten was der Gelato. Es was besser als Eis und kostete mehr. Man kann Essen is mir wichtig sehen. Wir fuhr Florence ab und reisten nach Venice. Ich mochte Venice besser als Florence weil es nicht wie Abwasser rochte. Es war sehr schön und interessant. Am Abends war Venice belebt mit viel zu tun. Mir und menie Freunden kommen sehr oft in Italien abhanden. Wir lernten dass mann links ab eine Kirche biegen kann und wissen wo er ist. Ich war nicht lange (erst drei Stunde) ins Österreich. Ich aβ Pizza und wartete auf die Autos. Nach zwei Wochen flogten wir nach Amerika. Es machte eine gute Urlaub und immer die Erinnerungen.

Ein Jahre in Spanien

Als ich 8 war, meine Familie und Ich reiste nach Spanien. Wir hatten in Spanien für eine Jahre wohnen. Wir wohnten mit die Familie von meinen Vater. Wir haben mit meine Grossmutter und meinen Grossvater gewohnen. Wir hatten in dem Sommer auf den Strand reisen. Ich habe mit meine Brüder und meinen Vater Fussball auf dem Strand gespielt. Wir haben in den Mittelmeer schwimmen. Ich habe in Oktober zu Ausstellung. Ich aß in die Ausstellung Pizza und Eis. Der italianish Pizza ist die beste Pizza in die Welt. Ich habe für meine erste Zeit in Spanien Weihnachten verbringen. Meine Mutter hat mich gelernt. Ich hatte mit meine Mutter Schule lernen. Es war sehr Spass. Ich mag Spanien und ich mag meine Familie!

Meine Reise Geschichte

Als ich 7 Jahre alt war, habe ich zum Westen gegangen. Sie was eine Reise mit meinem Vater und Bruder. Wir fuhren durch North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada und California. Wir gingen während des Sommers. Bevor wir gingen, hatten wir ein großes Abendessen gegessen. Wir sahen Arches National Park, wann wir bei Utah waren. Wir sahen Yellowstone National Park, wann wir bei Montana waren. Wir gingen in Disney Land, wann wir in California waren.
Ich erinnere mich eine starke Erinnerung. Wir waren bei dem Grand Canyon. Wir hatten für mehr denn zwei Monate an der Straße gewesen. Ich wollte die Grand Canyon nicht sehen, weil ich meine Mutter vermisste, und ich traurig war. Aber ich ging das Auto hinaus, und dann ich sah der Grand Canyon. Er war eine Offenbarung. Er war sehr schön, und ich wurde fröhlich. Das ist meine Geschichte. Ich liebe Amerika, und ich hasse Italien.

Nach Charleston

Als ich klien war, ging ich nach Charleston. Ich habe mit meine Familie gegangen. Wir hatte eine sehr gut zeit. Die essen nach Charleston ist die besten essen in die Wald. Man musst bei Hyman’s Seafood essen. Sie haben die besten Essen, weil sie haben gut Flounder. Als wir nach Chaleston waren, schwammen wir in den Meer. Ich liebe schwimmen. Ich schwam fur sechs unser. Ich hatte viel Bier bei Coconut Joes. Coconut Joes ist meine Lieblingsrestaurant. Als wir nach Charleston waren, einkauften wir bei Market Platz. Market Platz ist sehr billig, und ich habe kein geld. Meine Mutter hatte viele Geld, und sie kauft Kunst. Die Kunst ist Gross und sehr slecht, aber ich leibe es. Ich mochte Eis. Isle of Palms, in der Near nach Charleston, hat sehr gut Eis, aber toil das ist. Isle of Palms hat eine lange Pier. Ich fischt an der Pier. Isle of Palms hat auch heisse manchen. Ich sahe sie gern. Meine Familie hat Haus an die Isle nicht. Ich motche an die Isle wohnen. Ich habe kein Umlaut! Das ist nicht sehr gut. Also, als wir nach Chaleston waren, sahen wir der Owner von Piggly Wiggly hause. Er hat Pigs auf die Boden. Ich also sah Fort Sumter. Ich hasse der Civil Kriege. Es war nicht sehr gut, aber meine Bruder leibt der Civil Kriege und Fort Sumter. Letzes, wir haben meine Hause gefahren. Es war gut. Ich werde nach Chalreston und Isle of Palms gehen.

gingen

Als ich sechtzzehen war, gingen meine Familie nach Brisbane. Wir wohnten in Darwin. Es ist in Norden Australien und es ist sehr heiss und tropish. Wir fliegen nach Brisbane aus Darwin in eines Flugzeug. Wir wohnten in eines Hotel fur einen Tag in Brisbane.

Dann wir dielten das Schiff heiBt „SuperStar Leo“. Das Schiff war sehr groB, modern, und kammt aus Indonesia. Das Schiff war sehr lustig. Wir spielten in Pool und Arkade. Wir sahten Vorfurhung. Wir aBen in dunne Restaurante. Aber wir koonten nicht schwimmen, weil es war Krokodiles und Box Quall. Schutzanzug das Schiff war sehr schon.

Reise nach Großbritannien

Sechs oder sieben Jahre vor ging ich nach Großbritannien mit meine Familie. Wir flogen nach den Flughafen in die große Stadt London, aber ich hatte keine Flugangst. Wir gingen zu ein Zimmer mit Frühstück in London und wir waren sehr fröhlich mit das kleines Haus. Unser Host war sehr nett und gab uns eine Stadtplan für die Tag. Wir gingen ins Theater und sahen das weltbekannt Phantom of the Opera. Es war die beste Stück dass ich gesehen habe. Dann gingen wir Montags nach Stonehenge, wo wir sahen das Wunder der Welt. Es war ehrlich sehr klein und nicht so interessant, aber es war kuhl, weil es so bekannt ist. Wir hatten die Headsets für die Tour. Wir sahen auch viele alte Kirchen, die krümlig waren. Kirchen sind immer interessant zu mich, weil sie große Schilde von unser Religiosität sein. Sie sind immer toll und ich liebe gern in den Platzen setzen. Es ist sehr ruhig und man kann glauben ohne die laute Welt. Ich reiste nach Großbritannien nach Österreich und ich besuchte auch Kirchen da. Wir besuchten in Großbritannien eine sehr alte Schlöss im Wales. Schlössen sind auch interessant, weil ich das Mittlealter kühl finde. Man kann in den Schlöss wandert und viele Schlössen sind doch gebräuchlich. Alte Familien leben in Schlössen and öffnen Seite von den Schlöss zu das Publikum. Wir gingen zu Nord Großbritannien nach und wir sahen schöne Landschaften. Nach ein Woche und ein halb, wir hatte genug. Bevor wir gingen los, hatten wir auch "Fish and Chips" gegessen. Es war eine schöne Reise. Ich möchte nach Irland oder Schottland weiter reisen.

ICH GING NACH RUSSLAND

Ich habe nach Russland gereist! Erste habe ich zu dem Kremlin gegangen. Nachdem ich ein grosses Hut getragt hatte, tanzte ich ein Russlandtanz. Russland war so spassig! Es hat viel Schnee. Die Schnee war jedes Platz. Sie hatte viele unglaublich Ideen in Russland. Eine man sagte: Bei Russland, Auto hat sie gefahren! Das ist VERRUCKT! Ich habe in einem Sleigh gefahrt uber den Tundra. Das war spassig. 

Ich ging nach England!

Wann ich war fünfzehn Jahre alt, ging ich nach England. Ich ging mit meinem Vater, meine Mutter, und meine Schwester. Wir reisten mit eine evangelische Kirche von Iowa. Es gab total zwanzig Leute. Es gab viel Teenagers und viel Eltern. Meine Schwester war die jüngsten. Sie war nur zwolf Jahre alt. Wir waren alles von Iowa. Wir flogen ersten nach Island. Dann flogen wir nach London. Wir fuhren mit dem Zug nach Plymouth aber der Zug brach ab. Also, wir fuhren mit Autobus nach Plymouth. Es war eine lange Nacht!

In England, arbeiteten wir in Plympton für eine evangelische Kirche. Wir haben die Kirche gemalt. Wir pflantze Blumen an. Wir sprachen viel über Amerika.

Also, wir trafen viele Leute. Ich wohnte mit eine Frau—Daphne. Sie war sehr sympatisch. Ihre Haus war sehr klein. Meine Zimmer war sehr schmal aber es war lauschig. Meine Familie wohnte mit zwei Leute—Barbara und Den. Sie hatten ein großes Haus mit einem Garten. Es war sehr schön.

Wir sahn London, Plymouth, Devonshire und andere Städte. Ich mochte am besten St. Michael’s Mount. St. Michael’s Mount ist ein Schloss. Das Schloss ist auf einem Berg. Der Berg ist auf einem Isel! Wir liefen in den Morgen zu das Schloss und wir fuhren in die Nacht mit Boot zu Land. Es war sehr toll!

Wir tranken viel Tee und wir assen Fisch und Chips. Ich liebte England und die Leute in England. Ich liebe auch Englisch. Es war sehr leicht zu sprechen! Ich möchte wieder nach England gehen.