final blog

Learning German and learning about the history of Germany has really opened my eyes to the world. Not only have a learned about another culture but i have also learned more about my own. It is cool to see that people from another country are very similar to us. I also enjoyed learning about what they think about Americans, I had no idea there were so many stereotypes about us. I enjoyed learning about Germany very much and i hope that someday i can take a long trip there to experience it first hand.

Final Post

It has been very interesting learning more about the German culture. It really makes me realize more about the history of our own country when having to compare it to what Germany has gone through. It makes me more aware of how other people (foreigners) may feel when coming to the US and having to adjust their way of living to that of Americans. I use to think that Germans felt superior and it is surprising to see how much all of them differ - in the sense that you have many who would prefer the American way all the way to those who are still wanting to live the "old way".

This year of studying German has taught me, aside from the language and culture, that it is important to learn about other aspects of the world to have a greater appreciation for what we have. It is through understanding history that we learn how to go beyond what we are now. It was also very fun to learn more about the German culture and I think that it would be amazing to go back to Germany now, having learned what I have.

Final Blog

I've learned a good deal in this class over the two semesters that I've taken it. It has of course been interesting learning a new language, but it has also been interesting to learn about how people of other cultures view Americans. I suppose that I knew that Americans were friendly and outgoing, but it was still interesting to learn that other cultures didn't see that as the norm. It has also been interesting just learning about how Germans live on a day to day basis, and what sort of things are popular in their country. As someone who wants to travel abroad, I have learned how difficult it must be to live in a foreign country.

Studying the German language and culture has affected my perspective in my own culture immensely as well as the other cultures across the globe. It has allowed me to find similarities that we all share in common that bind us together and differences that make us who we are. Studying the culture of Germany has allowed me to accept and understand these differences and has made me more open to such diversity.

Last Blog

What surprised me most when studying German culture was the huge differences between the country's geographical regions. When I think about the North and South in America, I think of trivial differences, like food, accents, and cute expressions belonging to specific cities. The huge cultural differences that do exist in America aren't as pronounced as they are in Germany. In Germany, a country with such a long, rich history, it makes sense that its people are so diverse.

Sure, there are those little differences in Germany such as the expression "Grüβ Gott,” used only in the South, but there are some larger, more important cultural distinctions that have a significant impact on Germans’ behavior. The relationship between East and West Germans struck me pretty hard. Because of their hard lives in a totalitarian state, many of the older East Germans are stricter, with less of a tolerance for nonsense. Usually you think of cultural barriers between two different countries, not within one country.

German Culture

Prior to taking German 101, I visited Germany for 2 weeks and witnessed firsthand many of the cultural differences that would be discussed in the course. I found the Germans to be incredibly cold and weird, only to later learn that I was merely be culturally insensitive. The course has certainly been an eye-opener in terms of understanding the subtle cultural differences of other countries. Also, the course has sparked the question of what identity truly is, with regard to what your nationality represents and the stereotypes surrounding it. The German perspective on Americans and American life was particularly interesting, as you realize that there are always different opinions regarding what is considered status quo in America. Overall, studying German speaking countries has been incredibly enlightening experience, and it has been especially interesting contrasting the cultural aspects with those of America.

Deutsch Studiert

Nachdem habe ich deutsch für zwei Semester studieren, verstehe ich mehr über deutsch Kultur. Ich habe viele dingen gelernt. Ich würde bereit sein, wenn gehe ich nach Deutschland. Zum beispiel, ich habe das Deutscher kannen kalt sein gelernt. Ich habe auch dass es gibt Unterschiede und Stereotypen über Deutscher und Amerikaner gelernt. Meine Grammitik ist auch sehr besser als meine erste Semester hier. Ich werde Deutsch 203 nehmen und mehr über Deutsch lernen.