American stereotypes

Today I'm going to tell you about how Germans (and other foreigners I've met) view our country! Get ready, because it's not all that pretty.

• Without a doubt, the number one question I get asked about America is this: "Is everyone fat in the U.S.?" Literally (LITERALLY) everyone person I have met that I talked to for more than a few minutes asked me this question. And honestly, I can't defend my country, because it's true: 62% of Americans are overweight. That is totally insane. This isn't to say there aren't overweight people in Germany, too (all that beer has to go somewhere), but there seems to be significantly less. I should also mention that people really love it when I tell them about the overweight people in Wal-mart that have to ride around on electric scooters because they can't walk. They can't believe it.
• On the fatness note, they are always shocked to hear how many fast food restaurants we have. It's crazy to them that, in my small town of about 10,000 people, we have an Arby's, a Taco Bell, a KFC, a McDonald's (now with two drive-thrus), a Burger King, a Dunkin Donut's, a Subway, and a Pizza Hut. I'm probably even forgetting some. In Solingen, a city of 100,000, they have only a few fast food restaurants. 
• Another thing that has come up quite frequently is Americans' apparent unwillingness/stubbornness when it comes to learning languages. Literally everyone I met here (other than some very old people) knows English at least to a conversational fluency. They often know a third language, too. I looked up some statistics to verify my observations, and they only confirm that Europeans seem to value language learning way more than Americans (look this stuff up yourself if you don't believe me, because this is pretty shocking). If you don't care about these numbers, skip down to the fifth bullet!
• In 2005, 56 percent of Europeans spoke a language other than their mother tongue, and this number continues to rise. 28% of respondents spoke two foreign languages. In some countries, the statistics are even more shocking - in Luxembourg, 99 percent of citizens speak a foreign language, as well as 97 percent of Slovaks and 95 percent of Latvians. 
• Meanwhile, in the U.S., a mere 26% of people speak a language other than English at a conversational fluency. 30% of Americans feel it is "not important at all" to learn a language, compared with just 8% of Europeans. 
• If you don't believe me, here are the websites I got these numbers from:  http://www.gallup.com/poll/1825/about-one-four-americans-can-hold-conversation-second-language.aspx
• http://ec.europa.eu/languages/languages-of-europe/eurobarometer-survey_en.htm
• So, now that it's really obvious Americans don't seem to care about learning languages (!), I can tell you that Europeans find this really, really arrogant and selfish of us! They feel like Americans expect everyone else to learn English, so that we have to do nothing. It makes us seem lazy, narrow-minded, uncultured, and arrogant. At many levels, it's just plain offensive to Europeans that we seemingly expect everyone else to learn our language, while we don't bother to learn their's. While it's true that, in the globalized world where business and friendships transcend borders, a lingua franca is sort of necessary in order to communicate (and this language is English), you should also keep in my mind this quote: " If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." At least attempting to speak someone's else's language goes miles toward cross-cultural understanding and friendship. I don't know why this is highlighted, or how to fix it...
• Phew, now that that's off my chest, I will tell you that Germans (and Europeans in general, it seems) do in fact admire America in many ways! It's considered cool here to wear a t-shirt or scarf with an American flag on it, and a lot of brands say stuff about "live the American lifestyle" and things like that. American culture dominates the world, and so Europeans try to emulate our culture. 

So, these are just the observations I've made so far, and I'm sure I'll have more soon!

In which I go shopping with a Brazilian

Today has been maybe the hardest day so far, because I'm really frustrated by the fact that I don't understand how things work around here. It's the little differences that get to you on exchange: for example, I don't know how to use the bus system and looked really stupid when I used it today because I didn't know what I was doing; when shopping, the sizing system is different than in the U.S., so I have to guess what size I might be; etc. And even the simplest things at my house, like not knowing where dishes go once they've been cleaned in the dishwasher, sometimes get to you (although now that's getting better, since I've lived here for almost a week). And then there are the differences in social norms. For example, the typical "bro-shake" (the more casual handshake, usually used between guy friends) is slightly different than in America, and I don't really know what to do when someone tries to do it with me.

I should mention that none of this is my host family's fault, since they are absoulutely fantastic! I'm very lucky to have a host family that is extremely nice, helpful, and accepting of our small cultural differences.

So today, what pushed me over the edge of frustration was the bus system. So first, Luis tries to explain to me how the schedule works, and I have no idea what he's talking about (his English skills weren't really the problem, I just didn't understand). And then, when I get on the bus, I don't know what to do with my ticket, and just stand there kind of awkwardly until Luis shows me where to put it. And then, when I'm about to get off, Luis tries to do the "bro-shake" and that's awkward, and then I stand up and smash my head on the ceiling, which kind of sloped down where I was sitting. Why on Earth would you build a ceiling like that!? You literally have to crouch in order to fit under it. And then I go to get off the bus, and the middle door isn't opening. I don't know if I can go through there or not, so Luis shouts to the bus driver to open it, but what would I have done if I were by myself? Gone to the front door, which by the time I got there would probably have been closed? It's not knowing how these little things work that annoy me way more than the big things, like not knowing the language. Because I end up just looking really awkward, which, granted, I am anyway, but this is like a whole 'nother level!

Oh, the other thing is that meeting German teenagers is really the strangest experience ever. They just look at you and don't really say anything, and then I just sort of walk away, because they're just staring at me skeptically. This has happened several times thus far, and so I'm quite worried about my first day of school now, which will probably be a full day of this sort of awkwardness. I'm also a little worried that people won't like me at school (which is I'm sure how every exchange student feels before their first day of school).

While writing this blog, I actually asked Jürgen and Tini why German teenagers asked so strange, and they said it might be because they think they'll have to speak English with me, and that they are embarrassed with their English skills (which is ridiculous. Americans, raise your hands if you know, to a conversational fluency, a second language. Very few of us do, and none of us really care to learn one, but in Germany nearly everyone speaks English extremely well, and often another language. It's really embarrassing that Americans hardly even make an effort to learn a language. So that's my advice to those of you back home: Try to learn a foreign language! Foreigners will like us much more if we try to learn one of their languages...next time I'm doing a whole blog post on American stereotypes and things people have asked me about America, so more about this later).

But it's not all bad! In fact, I'm mostly doing great. I still like my family, my house, etc. And the other day, while Tini and I were shopping in downtown Solingen, we met Tini's friend Elke, who is hosting a Brazilian exchange student, Bel. Bel and I talked rapidly in mostly German (but also some English, and a little Spanish thrown in to clarify the meaning of "beach," since she kept saying "bitch" instead). It's so incredibly easy to talk to exchange students, because by definition they are open-minded and interesting people, and plus they know exactly how you feel and what you're going through.

As you can see, I'm a frequent H&M visitor...I already had this shirt!

So today, Bel and I met in downtown Solingen again (this is just after the bus incident, so I was feeling crappy, but looking forward to spending a few hours of endless laughter and conversation that comes with hanging out with a Brazilian). She and I went to H&M and bought some things, and had a ton of fun, mostly because we were both butchering the German language, what with our heavy accents and such.

H&M kaufen :)

Tomorrow, we're having a party with some of Manuel and Luis's friends, other exchange students, Jürgen and Tini's friends, etc. I'm excited for that!

Köln und die Katze

So these updates will probably not be daily for much longer, but since I haven't started school yet, I figured I might as well post while I have the time!

I've taken so many pictures of this cat...it's embarrassing. 

Yesterday was a fantastic day! I feel more and more at home with my new family each day. I woke up very late yesterday (11:30), which was kind of awkward but I think they understood. Anyway, I played more ping pong (Tisch-tennis in German), took a million pictures of the cat, etc.

Then, Tini told me that we're going "on a drive" (wir fahren). We had talked about driving around Solingen so that I could see it, so I figured that's what we were doing, but once we got in the car, they asked me if I wanted to go to Köln (or Cologne as we English speakers call it). Of course I said yes, and in a half hour, Jürgen, Tini, Manuel, and I were in one of the most famous cities in Germany! (Luis couldn't come because he had handball practice)

Walking out of the underground parking garage to see the Cologne Cathedral

We parked the car and walked up the stairs onto a plaza in front of the huge, majestic, and awe-inspiring Cologne Cathedral. It is totally impossible to capture its grandeur in a photograph, but here are some pictures nonetheless.

Inside

The cathedral was totally incredible. Then, we went to the Altstadt (old city) to get food. We decided on pizza, and ate it along the Rhine. A piece of good news: I figured out how to ask for water without gas! Stilles wasser (It literally means "quiet water.") It was such a victory. It's remarkable how easily your emotions can change while on exchange. The smallest thing can make you overwhelmingly happy or incredibly sad. For example, this morning I put my dirty laundry in the washer, and I felt so accomplished! And yesterday, Luis told me to say "Wie, bitte?" when I don't understand what someone says, instead of "Was?" (What?), and so I used it later and it sounded so good! Another victory.

Manuel, Tini, and Jürgen at the restaurant.

After dinner, we walked further along the Rhine to see the Köln Oper (opera), a bridge that I can't remember the name of, and more. By then it was dark, and the city looked magical.

Köln Hauptbahnhof (central station)

Mit Tini!

A train going by. 

It was perhaps one of the best nights of my life. Right now, I love everything here - from just sitting at home with Tini like I am today, or playing Fat Princess with my host brothers (I am so terrible, so I think they are just being nice letting me play...), petting the cat, or, yes, making spontaneous trips to Cologne. I know this feeling probably won't last for much longer, but right now, it's like I'm living a dream!

BREAKING NEWS: The cat just walked into my room and is sleeping on the bean bag next to me!! Excitement and adrenaline is coursing through my veins. Here are pictures! (I know this is excessive, you don't need to tell me).

Arrival and first days

Ich bin in Deutschland! After a long flight I'm finally here. I was lucky to meet another exchange student, Shelby, at the airport in Chicago. She's from California and is going to a different district in Germany than me, but was going to be on the same flight. And then, coincidentally, we ended up sitting pretty much right next to each other (there was one seat in between us. And I know, this is starting to sound a lot like the plot of Red Eye, so I was a little bit concerned that I was going to be held hostage). To further add to the coincidence, no one ever sat in the seat between us, so we had the row to ourselves! We took advantage of the extra leg room, I assure you.

Shelby and I being exchange students

After we landed, we went through passport control, and got our bags, Shelby and I said farewell, and I met my host family! Jürgen, Luis, and Manuel were waiting for me at the airport, looking extremely tan from their time on the island of Syllt in northern Germany, and with big, welcoming smiles on their faces. That moment was very dreamlike and I can't really remember it, but I do remember it was very exciting!

Almost there...

So we got in the car and drove the half hour to Solingen. I asked if it was true that there are no speed limits on the highway here, and they said yes, except for a few spots. So there I was, riding on the German Autobahn! Americans always talk about the Autobahn like driving on it is a death sentence, but really it was pretty much the same as American highways. 

My house!

The house is beautiful and very modern! My room is on the ground floor on the left in this picture, and it has a door right out into the yard. 

My room

When I got there, Tini made us a German breakfast filled with bread (so...much...bread), meat, cheese, etc. It was delicious, but seriously, so much bread. After I got settled into my room, we went shopping at OBI (a gigantic garden store, sort of like Lowe's but with fish and bunnies), and then to a supermarket. 

The kitchen

If there is one thing I'm missing, it's regular water. The only thing they drink here is carbonated water, and I don't really understand it. When I want water, I want a cold, refreshing drink. Instead, what I get is this throat-burning water impostor that fails to quench my thirst. I'm getting more used to it now, and I don't mind drinking it that much, but when I'm really thirsty, it does nothing for me. 

Table in the backyard where we've eaten all our meals, since the weather is so nice

Later that night we had dinner (lamb, sausage, spare ribs, potatoes, and, you guessed it, bread) with our neighbors, who actually live in the same house as the Gemkes. The two women (I can't remember their names) are very good friends with the Gemkes, and one or both of them are architects, so both the families worked together to build the house, and now they share it (both parts of the house are completely divided, though, so you wouldn't even know two families live here). They were really nice!

The rest of the backyard

Other activities that day included: ping pong with the host brothers, petting the cat, and sleeping for approximately 14 hours that night.