Kultur 6

OK, I absolutely don't understand why the recycle bins/trash cans have a Sunday limitation. That literally makes no sense to me. It's a place to put trash. Why would it close? It's great that Germany is so excited about environmentalism, and I love that there are more receptacles for recyclables, but that also sounds incredibly terrifying if you got it wrong...which I probably would. Reading this makes me think that there are many, many things that I would get wrong in Germany, if I can screw up throwing away my Currywurst waste.

Regarding the article about closed doors: SCARY! I really don't know how I would handle having to simply walk into someone's office after knocking once. I would be petrified of being yelled at in loud, fast German that I wouldn't know how to respond to with enough grace. It also makes me wonder what their reaction would be to an open door. Is that considered rude? What does it mean? What they be offended if I left my door open to my room while I studied? So many questions!

The article about 'Bild Zeitung' is really weird, but simultaneously uninteresting to me. I really don't care about newspapers like that, or the people that read them. The only thing that irks me about the article is that it makes it seem like all of Germany is dependent on this newspaper. I'm really not sure if I believe that. It seems like a generalization made by the author of the article, like we've seen in a few of the other articles. Even if it was true, I still wouldn't care about something so trivial as a tabloid.

AMD 6

Diese Freitag, ich bin mit vielle Freunden nach Weihnachtsmarkt aus Kerrytown gegangen. Ich habe viel Spaß gehabt, obwohl ein bisschen kalt für meinen Freunden. Wann ich bin erste gekommen, ich habe vielle Befeurung gesehen, und ich hat nach der Glühwein Stand schnell gelaufen. Aber leider, ich habe kein Wein gefindet! 

Kurz danach ich hat Sonya und ihren Freund gefindet, aber meine andere Freunden verloren. Alles, ich hat neun Freunden mitgekommen, aber ich hat nur mit Sonya, ihren Freund, und mein gut Freund Josh geblieben. Wir haben Nüsse gegessen, und Bier von süß "Kindlefest" Krüge getrunken, weil den Wein war nicht. So vielle Stände waren! Nüsse, Bier, Wein, Brot, Brezeln, Kunstgewerbe, Kaffee, Gebäck, und mehr! Dort war auch vielle Freundenfeuer für die Leute zustehen in der Nähe. 

Es war sehr süß, und ich war sehr aufgeregt die ganze Nacht! 

Something I thought was really interesting was to note the kinds of things that made it a "German" market in particular, and what German Christmas might be like, in comparison to how an American Christmas might be. In general, they seem very similar, but I think that's because the celebration of Christmas as we know it really started as a German tradition, if I'm not mistaken. Roasted nuts, mulled wine, and the decorating of a Christmas tree are all German traditions, and Santa himself was influenced by German pagan traditions. 

All of that aside, I really enjoyed myself at the market with my friends, and it made me SO HAPPY to have so many German things in one place, I thought I might explode. 

Kultur 5

Hahaha I love the article about Germans not being inclined to say "entschuldigung" when running into someone while walking or whatever. This is such a contrast to pretty much anywhere I've lived, and in most countries I've been in it is quite the opposite. When I was in Italy I accidentally bumped into someone and he got positively pissed when I didn't apologize right away. In also in contrast to both, while I was in Austria, it was pretty normal to say entschuldigung as far as I could tell. Perhaps I said it more than most Austrians but I think on the whole, Austrians are more apt to say "entschuldigung" than most Germans.

Regarding the German sex store article, I have to say that I really love the sex positiveness that Germany seems to have, and the lack of censorship for sexual things. Sex positivity is something that I wish the US had more of. It definitely shows how open and practical Germans are, because let's face it: everyone has watched porn. In America we try to hide it, but in Germany it seems they're just super honest about it, as with most things it seems. The one thing I didn't like was the tone of the article. I think the author must have been going for shock effect, but it came across a little harsh.

Um wow. The article about the Klofrau is kind of sad. I've experienced this kind of thing in France before, but you have to pay before you enter, and not when you leave, and there wasn't necessarily a particular person in the bathroom, except one time I can recall. I'm glad I read this, because I won't feel so cantankerous leaving the Klofrau a tip.

The flirting article is super interesting to me. I've heard people say that Germans are not romantically inclined, but reading this article puts a different perspective on it, which I appreciate. It seems that Germans, as we've come to know, are just honest. They won't flirt unless they really want to, and flirting isn't just about pleasing someone else, it's about trying to find a real connection with someone, which is super admirable. That said though, that's also really frustrating to not be able to read someone else if you're trying to flirt with them. Le sigh.

The "Women in Germany" article basically translates to me that women in Germany are super awesome and that Germany has a lot of gender equality. The few exceptions that I saw definitely surprised me, like how the kinds of jobs men and women have are pretty separate, and the lack of female professors, but I think a lot of countries have that problems as well. Sehr interessant.

AMD 5

OK, so I had the best idea probably in my entire life for AMD 5. I decided to play ZELDA AUF DEUTSCH!!! I've downloaded ROMs of games before, so I had some emulators on my computer already, so it was just a matter of finding a SNES, NES, or GBA game auf Deutsch, which I found at SuperRomWorld. Yay internet!

INTERNET!!!

Right off the bat it was super interesting, because the start screen was totally different from the English start screen, and the main menu was in German too (duh)! Instead of "Name" or whatever, it said "Name Eingeben" which I assumed to mein "Give your name" or whatever. Not too different, but because I've played the game before, it really struck me, and especially because I could understand it! Playing the game for awhile made me realize that video games are so easily accessible for a lot of ages, and for a lot of reading levels as well. An actual "game" is translated as "Spieler," and "Auswahl" is a choice, so together it's "Game Choice!" 

Yes, I realize that's common sense, but it's amazing that I can understand it! For some reason being able to interact with the actual game made it so much more meaningful to know the German. I think this is because video games are a "virtual reality" literally, and so being able to interact in German within a safe setting like a game is like another step closer to interacting with people in real life. Nicht?

Anyway, right from the beginning I could understand it, like I said. Here's the beginning where Zelda speaks to Link in his dream:

"Hilfe...

Bitte hilf mir...

Ich bin es, Zelda...

Ich werde im Verlies der 

Burg festgehalten. Ich habe 

furchtbare Angst!

Agahnim hat die Burg voll unter 

seine Kontrolle gebracht und er 

versucht nun alles, um das 

Siegel der Sieben Weisen zu

brechen. Deshalb hat er den 

anderen sechs vermißten

Mädchen etwas Schreckliches 

angetan. Nur ich bin noch

übrig! Hol mich doch endlich

hier heraus! Hilfe!!"

Although it has a lot of vocabulary we haven't learned, I could get the general idea of the text. If there was something vital that I needed, then I could look it up.

Here are some vocab words I picked up from playing (some necessary, some not):

Fackeln = to light

Drücke = press

Knopf = button8

Verlies = dungeon

Zugang = access

die Sache = thing (knew this but keep forgetting, derp)

der Schwert und Schild = sword and shield

die Kräften = powers

Halten = to hold

Retten = to save (die Prinzessin, natürlich)

die magischen Kräfte = magical powers!

energie = energy (heheh, obvious, but I think it's cute because it's above the screen at all times)

die Karte = map (also knew, but was excited that I KNEW the word for map before I opened the chest to find it YAY!)

Wählen = to choose

Großen Schlüssel = big key!

Irgendwie = anything

unmenschlicher = crueller

gewaltiger = mightier/huger

solche = such ("Ich habe solche Angst!" hahahaha)

verschwinden = to disappear

merkt = note (or maybe notice in this context)

Geheimgang = secret passage

dazu = thereto

ersten Stock = first story/floor

Thronsaal = throne room

Mut = guts/strength

Hahahaha one of my favorite parts was when she asked "Verstehst Du mich?" and one of the options was "Nicht genau." It's not actually that funny, but now I'm going to use that phrase a lot. 

That's all! :D

Kultur 4

The article about the bicycles is really cool! It makes sense that bicycles are a much more used mode of transportation in Germany, just like all of Europe. This is so, so useful to know when walking around, or if someone visiting Germany was nervous about renting a bicycle maybe, because often people visiting Europe just don't know the laws about bicycles, or customs.

About crossing the street on red (or rather NEVER crossing the street on red), I find it incredibly interesting, especially since I just got back from New York where EVERYONE walks ANYWHERE pretty much ALWAYS. It would be a total culture shock for a New Yorker (or an Ann Arborite for that matter) to go to Germany without this bit of information.

...the article about train tickets is terrifying and also good to know. In a way it's comforting to know that Germans are a logical bunch, but it's also super annoying to have to explain things or be absolutely literal about everything that you say. Most likely I will forget about this article and find myself in trouble at the Bahnhof with this exact situation. Le sigh. Also regarding the train though, it's sooooo interesting that they go on an honor system. I NEVER in a million years would have expected that in Germany of all places. Fortunately though I don't think I would ever get this wrong since I don't think I would try to cheat the system on this one.

PAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHA! I love the double Einbahnstrasse. That's hilarious.

EDIT: OMG the articles about nudist Germans are PRICELESS. I can't believe they'll judge you for not wearing clothes! It's amazing! I love that workers at a sauna will just tell you to take off your clothes. I also love that it's kind of an issue that there is a decline in nudists. Which IS kind of an issue for a culture like that. It's almost sad, since that means that modern culture and globalization is causing the decline of the European spirit in a way. Pahahaha.

AMD 4

Für diese AMD, ich werde sagen von Deutsch Poesie. Auf mein Radio show, ich manchmal lese Deutsch Poesie von Rainer Maria Rilke, und andere Gedichte, aber vielleicht nicht Deutsche Gedichte. Wann ich lese Rainer Maria Rilke auf mein Radio Show, ich versuche zu spielen Deutsch Musik zusammen mit das Poem. Ich finde das immer interessant, denn ich muss gehen um die Funkstation. Nicht so viel Deutsch Musik ist, und was kleine 

Rainer Maria Rilke

Ein Beispiel ist mein Freestailo #11 Show ich mache am Oktober 16tn dieses Jahr. Ich lese vier Poems, und mit nicht so vielle Zeit zu lesen vor. Ich gern Deutch Poem, aber zu lesen ist sehr schwer ob ich lese nicht vor. Denn ich lese über so schnell, oder nicht, ich muss bearbeiten das Poem schnell. Vielleicht ich verstehe nicht so viel, aber denn ich war erzwungen zu lese es, mein Kopf versteht mehr dann ich denke. 

I don't know if that actually makes sense in English, but what I'm really trying to say is that having to read the poem quickly in German and English made me use my gut instincts about German to understand the poem, and to read the poem effectively. I also learned a lot about how to actually read German poetry, since we don't necessarily do that in class. Reading poetry is so different from reading a textbook, and you have to put more emphasis on certain words and syllables to get your point across. And if you don't know what that is, then the poem is ineffective. I was really happy (for the most part), how my readings went, even if I made a few mistakes here and there. I think I will definitely read more German poems in the future, both on my show and for pleasure. I also want to find more German music at the radio station, even though there is a German music show called Krautsiders for that purpose. 

Auch hier ist vielle Poems von Rainer Maria Rilke. 

AMD 3

Für zwei woche ich hat mein Facebook auf Deutsch. Ich habe ein bisschen Angst mit das, aber ich lerne viel. Ein kleine Beispiel ist die "Like" Taste, sondern ist "Gefällt mir" auf Deutsch, oder "Gefällt mir nicht mehr," und ich denke das ist komisch. Und wann meine Freunde schreibt, Facebook spricht, "[Freunde] schreibt etwas..." und "etwas" bedeutet "to mean," welchen ich suche für nach plaudernd mit meine Freunde. Mit Facebook auf Deutsch, mein "Info" seite ist ein bisschen verschieden. Die Gruppen für Info ist auf Deutsch, und manchmal seiten für Leute, Film, oder was auch immer.

Dieses ist ein Wortliste auf was ich lerne von Facebook auf Deutsch:

• Nachrichten = news (mit ein Individuum Freund) 
• Neuigkeiten = news (für die Welt)
• Konto = account
• Veranstaltungen = events
• Enge Freunde = close friends
• Kommentieren = to comment
• Gemeinsame = joint, common (wie mit "Gemeinsame Freunde")
• Suche = search
• Meldungen = messages (benutzt für "Neuste Meldungen" (new messages) und "Hauptmeldungen" (main/important messages)) 
• Frage stellen = to pose a question/poll
• Weitere = another
• Status aktualisieren = update status
• Über dich = about you
• Pinnwand = posting wall

Vielle worten sind sehr interessant. Ich hoffe zu lernen mehr, aber manchmal es ist sehr kompliziert, wie wann ich wolle zu machen ein Verranstaltungen, denn ich muss suchen für jeder Wort. Ich habe eine bisschen Angst mit das. 

Allgemein es war ein gut Ding für mich. 

Kultur 3

Food and drinking culture in all countries is sooooo interesting, so I really enjoyed this week's series of articles.

The public drinking article was very interesting to me, because I had no idea that Germany had any problems with drinking. In my mind's eye, I assumed that because of the lower drinking age that Germany had less problems than the US with binge drinking, but apparently that has caused different problems, rather than getting rid of the problems. I've been to Europe a few times, and in most countries I've gone to public drinking has been allowed, so it was always kind of fun to be able to walk down the street with a bottle or wine or champagne with friends, but somehow I never thought that it could potentially be a problem as far as public drunkenness goes. I love the solution that the article gives about "The Sofa" and how it not only gives a place for drinking, but help for alcoholics. It displaces and controls the problem, rather than eliminating it, but has a process for eliminating it as well in the future.

KEBABS! It's really cool to read an article about "Döner," because while I was in France the same thing basically applied. There were kebab places on every corner, and a lot of them were really good. It definitely makes sense that there are a lot of "Imbiss" places in Germany, since there is a high Turkish population, but seeing so many in France makes me wonder how many Turkish people are spread throughout Europe in general. I love how the article basically took you through how to order a kebab, and oddly enough because I ordered kebabs in France it was easy to understand how it might be complicated or strange for someone who hasn't ordered before, since the words used in that kind of interaction aren't something you would normally used, like "zum mitnehmen" and "zum hier essen," although it should seem common sense.

Continuing with the food theme I read the German fast food article, which is really helpful for food cart culture. Cart culture in foreign countries is probably one of the more interesting things, and even in the US the food can be really good, and of course really cheap. It's cool to read about German fast food, because all fast food is kind of a product of whatever the culture is, and it's also true with this article. All of the fast food mentioned is sort of a simplified (but tasty!) version of traditional German cuisine...and actually, a lot of it really was just traditional cuisine! Spätzle is something I would consider traditional, and Schnitzel as well. Tangent: there are so many different kinds of Schnitzel! So good to know.

AMD 2

073 by lez-soapia

Für dieses AMD, ich sehe die Serie "Hand auf Herz." Ich verstehe es nicht so schwer, aber nicht leicht. Est ist eine lange Serie, mit über 200 episoden. Ich sehe Episoden 73 bis 87, und es ist sehr dramatisch mit kurze Episoden. Nur 10 Minuten höchstens. Ich lerne vielle Formulierungen wann sehe ich.

Formulierungen:

• Keine lust? = do you want to?
• Was die los? = what happened?
• Das ist die Wahrheit = that is the truth
• Vertig! = really
• team = team
• Willkommen [Köln] - interesting that you just use the verb and then the city. I probably would have inserted
• Ich hilf dir! - I help you!
• endliche = finally
• großefestival mitmachen = join big festival
• oua = ow!
• alles OK? = everything ok?
• total setzern
• was machen wir jetzt? = what are we doing now?
• vorbei = over
• ich muss so man weiter = I have to go back (?), I need more than one
• gane schon engeligen = already very tight time
• automatische eine freundin = automatically a friend
• tu's für mich = do it for me
• glaubst du = believe you
• wanzen = bugs
• bisschen mehr information = a little more information
• unser Helden = our heros
• geträumt = dreamed
• traum deute = dream interpretation
• freundin kuss man nicht = friends don't kiss
• du hand mich nicht an = don't touch me
• kommen sie einfach = come simply (just come here?)
• was ist passiert? = what has happened?
• es ist vorbei = it is over
• doch! = 
• hochsack = backpack

Est ist interessante für sehen teenagers trinken und tanzen aus dem Klub. Es ist auch interessante das mit Deutsch Fernseher, sagt kann alle "fuck" oder was auch immer. 

Kultur 2

I absolutely love the brutal honest of the German culture from what I read of the article, and it's something that I've picked up on from interacting with German speakers, or friends that enjoy German culture as well. Honesty is something that I really value as a person, so I highly identify with this part of German culture. It kind of pains me when people are polite rather than just speaking their mind, and I'd always rather have an honest, negative interaction with someone than a dishonest, boiling interaction with someone. When I was visiting France, I actually talked to a German couple (albeit in English) after a recital, and I was so refreshed by the way we carried on a conversation. They asked me my plans and how I felt about the performance and such, and how I felt about being in France. I think that the article about Germans complaining ties into their blunt honesty as well.

The article about German stare downs brought back a lot of memories for me from when I was in Graz, Austria, because this is something that I felt particularly well. Simply walking down the street was enough to be looked at, and sometimes it can be very jarring, because you wonder, "What are they looking at? Do I have something on my face? Can they tell I'm American?" But then I realized all I had to do was stare back, and they don't get offended either. I thought it was interesting to know that it came from the post-war sentiments though.

Hearing that Germans are obsessed with statistics is pretty funny because it goes with the stereotype of Germans being very exacting...which is kind of true...and something that I really like about German culture anyway. Haha. Statistics isn't something I generally think about as far as where I'm from, and when friends as I usually compare my town to another town or this and that. Very inexact. I also found it interesting that Germans have a love of documentaries. It's funny how an aspect of the culture (watching documentaries) can tie into another aspect of the culture in an abstract sort of way (knowing statistics and facts). This is also very good to know if/when I visit Germany in the future, because I absolutely wouldn't want to disappoint new German friends/families with a lack of knowledge on my part. Just knowing that small aspect of the culture can improve first impressions dramatically as well I think.

From these articles I can also see why some people might think that Germans/Germany can be a stressful experience, but I think simply reading these very short articles gives me much greater preparation and insight.

Kultur 1

The "How German is American?" article was interesting on multiple levels, but what was really interesting for me was the sections on immigrants and German population clusters in the US. Coming from the Midwest where the article cites there being a higher percentage of German population, it put things in perspective for me. I never thought that I lived in a place with more German families, but upon consideration, a lot of families I knew were either Polish (my town is predominately Polish), or secondarily German. Michigan itself has Frankenmuth, which is known for being a very Bavarian style town. My brother and his wife used to live in Wausau, WI, which after reading the article makes me understand my sister-in-law's obsession with German things.

Ann Arbor, although not predominately German, has a large German culture as well. Recently I went to the last German Park on August 27th with a friend, and it was a bit of a culture shock. The entire event was based on drinking beer, dancing to accordion polka music, and eating German food. The entire site was set up specifically for this event, including the parking lot and log cabins and fences that surrounded the area. Not only this, but the entire site was in the middle of nowhere about 20 minutes outside of Ann Arbor. This calls to the reference in the article about German spirit being very rooted in the forest, which Michigan and Wisconsin both obviously are.

Another cool part of the article, personally, was the explanation of Pennsylvania Dutch culture and immigrants. I recently found out that I was Pennsylvania Dutch, and the only thing I knew about it was that it was a vaguely Germanic sort of origin. It also made me think of Bethlehem, PA, where a good friend of mine lives. It is very based in Moravian culture, and the entire town's old culture is based around the old Moravian college and churches, which still have an active culture. My first impression of this town was that it seemed very Germanic, and very "little European" feeling, but in the middle of no where.

What also struck me is how distinctive "German American" culture is as opposed to just German culture. There seems to be a strong nationality among German Americans, but it is different from Germans also, though both intertwined. It's a very unique thing, and is kind of warm and inviting.

Facebook Gespräch

Dieses Tag ich spreche mit mein Freund Austin über Facebook chat. Er lernt Deutsch in der Sommer mit die Universität auf Michigan. Es war sehr toll sprechen Detusch, aber mit Text. Dieses ist unser Gespräch:

<Gespräch>

Me: Du sprechst Deutch, ja?
       Habst du ein Lust sprechen mit mir über Bier?
       oder Facebook lol
Him:  ein bisschen
Me: Ich auch
Him: ich bin sehr shrecklich
Me: lol
Him: aber ich kann eine kleine deuatsch sprechen
Me: perfekt
Him: ich habe deutsch kurs 231 diesem jahr
Me: Whoa
       Das ist intensiv
Him: meine deutsch lernen ist indianisch und sie hast eine grosse Akzent.
        es ist nicht so gut
Me: ach so
Him: ich habe uber die sommer intensiv genehmt
        jetzt es ist normal
Me: ich sehe
       ich nur lerne in Deutsch 101
Him: du sprechst sehr gut deutsch
Me: danke!
        ist wegen ich singt aus Osterreich zwei sommer...ago
        lol
        aber der Deutsche Kurs warst nicht so gut
Him: ahh ich sehe
        ahh nicht so gut
        es tut mir leid
Me: ist warst es ist
Him: es war toll dass sie haben zu Osterreich gegangen
Me: ja!
Him: my sentence structures are horrendous
Me: hahaha
Him: haha
Me: still makes sense though
Him: ich habe vergessen alles
        danke
Me: nein, ist ok
       Du hilfst mir sehr
Him: gut!
Me: Das macht logik?
       lol
Him: ja
Me: oh, do you mind if I use this conversation for my german blog post?
Him: not at all
        ich muss die Wasche tun und ich muss in die dusche gehen.
        Haben sie ein schoenes tag!
Me: Und du auch!

</Gespräch>

Est war gut einmal Gespräch machen, und ich hoffe ich kann habe sehr mehr!