I have to admit that after taking my 1st German class, that I started to recognize the culture that makes me, me. Everyone has their own culture, but I always thought that mine was just American...nothing special or unique about me. It seemed like being American was part of everyone who lived in the US, but I guess I just needed something to remind me of where I came from.
So, thanks to my German class I have learned more about my family history, and thanks to my penpal, Falk, I have learned more about the daily routine in Germany!
One thing I'll never forget from my German class, was how Frau Daniels made us watch some educational video from the 1980's (which was ancient!). The character was doing his daily morning routine and was running late, but before he left, he made sure to make his bed. A lot of us found this odd, but actually, it's a daily habit that I have. I can never leave without my room being clean and the bed made. Supposedly, this is something that most Germans do, which I found interesting!!
Kuckucksuhr
I also never knew that cuckoo clocks came from Germany. My grandparents, who now live in Menifee, always had a cuckoo clock hanging in their old house (the house I remember going to in Rowland Heights when I was younger and spending most of my summer there learning to sew in my grandma's sewing room). We also have a cuckoo clock hanging in our living room (see pic to the left) which belonged to my other grandma (who I never got to meet, since both of my dad's parents passed away before I was born). Kuckucksuhr (cuckoo clocks) primarily originated from the Schwarzwald (Black Forest). Each one is so unique and detailed. When I go to Germany (and hopefully SOON), my plan is to visit the Schwarzwald and buy one for myself...the only problem is, they are pretty expensive!!
Adventskalender
It is a tradition here that every Christmas season, we get advent cale
ndars. They may not be the most elaborate calendars possible, but it's always so much fun to open a door every day and find a present, which is a piece of candy! I've had one for as long as I can remember and couldn't imagine the Christmas season without one.
Leben in Deutschland
I've learned there are many differences between the daily routines of living here and in Germany. The first major difference was addressing a card to my penpal for his birthday. Not only is the structure different, but even the numbers are written differently. It was fu
nny, because when I went to the post office to mail his card, the person working there said how no one knew German (which I figured that). As long as they knew it was going to Germany (Deutschland), that's all that mattered! So, here is an example from my book of addressing a letter. I was like, what is this: ^? It represents the number 1, which I never knew before.
And how can we talk about Germany without mentioning the Autobahn! I can't wait to actually travel on it, but I'm actually scared to drive on it, since there's obviously no speed limit! Falk has told me that I will drive on it, no matter how scared I am. He told me last week that he had to go to a meeting about 600-some miles away and at times he was driving fast, except for when it had a slower speed limit, or there was rain or fog. Otherwise, he was traveling at 130mph!!!!!!!!! Like he said, he made good timing! ;)
My new plan is once I finish making payments on my car (which will be in July!!!), I'm saving my money and it's going towards my trip to Germany!!
Germany, here I come...in Summer 2011!
Helpful Links!
Travel Guide: http://www.destination360.com/europe/germany/dresden
For when Falk won't translate for me: http://www.freetranslation.com/
A website Frau Daniels gave us: http://www.young-germany.de/index-1.html
Possibility to actually "see" each other: http://www.skype.com/welcomeback/
Another website Frau Daniels gave us: http://www.blinde-kuh.de/
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