Life Lessons with Gert and Beate
For anybody who is thinking about traveling or studying abroad, just know that everywhere you go…you may stick out like a sore thumb. Just this past week, I traveled to London for the weekend and found that apparently, you walk up the stairs on the left side, but ride the escalator on the right. One simple mistake, and everyone else assumed I was an American.
So what is it about Americans that make us really stand out? I asked my host parents, Beate and Gert, what they think about the similarities and differences between America and Germany.
Beate traveled through the East Coast of America when she was young, much like I’m doing in Europe now. She loved America because the people were so warm and inviting. She felt like she could make friends with people quickly and learned how to water ski and rode in helicopters. To her, America really is a land of freedom.
For Gert, he loves to focus on industry and politics. He admires the drive that most Americans tend to have when it comes to earning what you have. Germany, he said, is currently facing political challenges related to immigration and the financial responsibility of this is being placed on citizens to support incoming families. He’s not too fond of it. He believes that an honest day’s work is the best way to have good food on the table and a family to go home to.
We also talked openly about stereotypes. I asked them if people really think of Americans as rich and loud. They laughed and admitted, yes. How we act in public, how openly we share opinions, and even the volume of our conversations make us stand out. But they also told me that people genuinely enjoy meeting Americans in social settings like pubs or dinners, where that energy becomes an asset.
Then we discussed German stereotypes. Germans are often seen as harsh or unfriendly, and my hosts couldn’t understand why. As someone who has graciously had three months of living here, I can tell you that they seem mean, but it’s not their intention. What I have found is that if you are doing something ‘wrong,’ a German will have no problem telling you that you are doing it wrong. Very bluntly. They are not being rude, it’s just their communication style. Once you understand this, it feels less intimidating and more commonplace.
Gert loves the movies and shows that come out of America. He thinks that Americans, like the Germans, have a lot of good companies and ideas. It is something to be proud of. America may excel at commercializing products, he says, but Germans have contributed more to the modern world than many people realize. He would like you to know that Germany has brought to you the first phone, first forms of human flight, the pacemaker, some good cars, and more.
Overall, I’ve learned that people are people and all people are different from one another. The culture that our neighbors have compared to us varies greatly. Yes, Germans drink a good amount of beer, their meals are hearty, and their accent is not inviting, but if you step into their world of peaceful S-bahn rides and waiting for the Ampelmann to turn green before you cross the street, you’ll realize all the beauty that they have in their way of life here. It is so structured. Everything is built for a reason and is designed for efficiency. They use less electricity because they are trying to make the world a better place. They care about their neighbors and have barbecues and life is merry when you look for the small moments.
What makes this experience especially meaningful is the history my host parents carry. Gert lived in East Berlin before the wall came down, and Beate lived in the West. What is history to me was their teenage and young adult years. They’ve seen governments transform and ideas shift in real time.
As we look toward our own uncertain future, I’m reminded first to look toward Christ. While worshiping with a small congregation in London last weekend, the sermon focus was that Jesus’ promises are stronger than our problems. I’ll also leave you with what Gert shard with me last week. “Every day, the sun rises and the sun sets. A new day begins. You don’t know what the government will decide or what life will become, but the sun will set. Whether the day was good or bad, a new one will come.”
Every day is a blessing. We just have to wait and see what God has in store.
specifically about all the conversations that I’ve had, the scenes that I’ve observed, and all of the things that I’ve learned about different cultures during my time abroad so far. I’ve been mulling over this prompt for about a week, although some could call it procrastinating, and having it in the back of my mind has made me appreciate experiences that I have begun to take for granted. Two months ago, these differences were blinding, pushing me out of my comfort zone academically and socially. Needless to say, I did actually have a conversation with my Irish friend, geesh, I think we’ll just call her Mary, so I don’t out her, so the rest of this blog will include info from both overall observations about Irish culture and that conversation with my friend.
culture and its connection to the Catholic church. In my research before arriving in Ireland, I learned about their history, especially the age-long dispute between Catholics and Protestants. The Republic of Ireland is considered a Catholic nation, but when I asked Mary if she was Catholic, she said yes, but said that she only attends mass twice a year- Easter and Christmas- and doesn’t really believe what they teach. I’ve found that this is true for a majority of the Irish people I’ve met. Catholicism is a part of their heritage and culture more than it is something to which they actually subscribe. Mary said that the only member of her family who actually goes regularly is her gran. Because the religion is seen as a part of their history, many of my education lecturers talk about how the education system is too influenced by religion, seeing as the majority of primary schools are run by the church, and that we need to update the curriculum to escape the past. I am honestly not too shocked by this realization, as I feel that America is fairly similar. Many are not at all religious, and many who report as being part of a certain group also don’t attend church often, except on the “important days”.
subconscious praying because it is genuinely the only thing that will calm my body down so that I can sleep at night. After this semester of sleep troubles, my pillow at home goes into the same boat as my car- something that I will never underappreciate again. Anywho, I’ve started to focus more on physical activity as the days start to get dark by 5:30. I find that, like most people, my mood goes down with the sun, and my body calls it quits as soon as the sun does. As an attempt to combat this and also take advantage of some of my ample free time, I purchased a cheap yet effective watercolor set from the seasonal aisle at Aldi, and I have started a new hobby. I find painting very relaxing, even during the brief period of time when I was finger painting due to my lack of brushes, and I’m even finding myself admiring some of my own work. While I’ve always had difficulties acknowledging my talents and being proud of myself, I think that this newfound hobby is good for my brain and is helping me to value myself and my abilities. Any other news…? Huh, well, can we just talk about how easy it is to put cleaning on the back burner when you are the only one using a space? As much as I really appreciate clean floors, I have vacuumed my room once this semester, and that’s only because my flatmate had one that she had borrowed from the office and offered to me. I have also mopped my bathroom once this semester… are you sensing a theme? Doing the bare minimum to get by and not be disgusting. Yeah, it may sound gross, but believe me, it’s really just fine… I think. Ok, stop judging me.
