Posts mit dem Label Kultur1 werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Posts mit dem Label Kultur1 werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Sonntag, 27. Januar 2013
Kultur 1
I thought this set of Kultur readings were some of the most useful we have been assigned so far, since they all had good tips for tourists (even though everything was presented in a rather negative way). For the article on the bargain stores in Germany, I was surprised to learn how unclean and disorderly they are considering how high of an importance Germans seem to put on orderliness in their country. I thought it was interesting for the article on driving on the Autobahn, that there are so many rules that are strictly followed. Out of all the things we have read about Germany and its culture, I would have thought that the rules for the Autobahn would be the least strict. I plan to study abroad in Germany this summer so the article about waiting in lines and using German public transportation was really interesting and will probably be quite helpful in the future.
Freitag, 25. Januar 2013
Kultur 1 - Lucas Junginger
Up to now, the articles on German culture we have read have given Germany a brutally utilitarian persona. None of the times, however, was this something negative; you just dealt with it. The article Bargain Buys, on the other hand, turns this around. The supermarket experience is so utilitarian that it's hostile. They basically leave it up to the customer to figure out the different impasses shopping poses.
Another instance in which this is perfectly exemplified is the German autobahn. Left lanes straight-up have no speed limits, which means Porsches will be thundering by you at near infinite speed as you calmly road trip with your family. But who cares, right? It's all about getting there fast. So utilitarian it's dangerous.
On another note, USA Kulinarisch's website was fantastic. Not because of the multitude of American recipes, which, quite frankly, are awfully bland, but because of the simplicity with which everything can be understood. It's really fun to read posts by people who are fluent in German while being able to understand them. Just like travelling to Europe, immersing yourself in legitimate German culture is a completely different level of learning.
Another instance in which this is perfectly exemplified is the German autobahn. Left lanes straight-up have no speed limits, which means Porsches will be thundering by you at near infinite speed as you calmly road trip with your family. But who cares, right? It's all about getting there fast. So utilitarian it's dangerous.
On another note, USA Kulinarisch's website was fantastic. Not because of the multitude of American recipes, which, quite frankly, are awfully bland, but because of the simplicity with which everything can be understood. It's really fun to read posts by people who are fluent in German while being able to understand them. Just like travelling to Europe, immersing yourself in legitimate German culture is a completely different level of learning.
Mittwoch, 23. Januar 2013
Kultur 1
The Kultue articles I read included Bargain Buys, How Not to Die on German Roads, and Of German Lines and Pythons. The Kultur articles revealed some interesting trends in German life. The article about German roads and traffic laws described very distinct rules associated with navigating the roads. Beyond standard traffic laws, the Germans have very specific expectations of commuter behavior. Trespassing these standards or the "ordnung" results in harsh consequences. Given that the German road culture is very different from that of America, it is important to be aware of these cultural differences.
There was some contrast between this very structured approach to driving and the behavior in lines. The supermarket article and the queue article show that some aspects of German culture is less orderly and demands assertiveness. The lines in Germany for subways, grocery stores, etc. are described as a free for all. If I ever were to go to Germany I would definitely want to be aware of these expectations. Overall the articles taught me that to survive in Germany you have to know how to keep up or get out of the way.
There was some contrast between this very structured approach to driving and the behavior in lines. The supermarket article and the queue article show that some aspects of German culture is less orderly and demands assertiveness. The lines in Germany for subways, grocery stores, etc. are described as a free for all. If I ever were to go to Germany I would definitely want to be aware of these expectations. Overall the articles taught me that to survive in Germany you have to know how to keep up or get out of the way.
Kultur 1
Dieses Kultur ist alles über die dunkle Seite von Deutschland! Vielleicht auch gute Seite von America.
Ich hatte ein Hunger, wann ich USA kulinarisch-mehr als Hot Dogs und Hamburger gelesen habe. Ich habe finde nicht vor ich habe den Artikel gelesen, das Afternoon tea in den USA charmant ist. Ich möchte süß Essen, insbesondere mini Muffins! Ich probieren nie Beef Jerky und Schinken in der USA. Es ist interessant, dass der Deutsche amerikanisch Fleisch leckeres ist. Ich denken, dass alle Deutsche gut Fleisch kochen können. “ziemlich zäh, aber leckeres Aroma” und zuguterletzt: “Sieht aus wie ein Hundesnack, aber schmeckt klasse”, sagte der Autor. I've never thought that Jerky was once originated from native indian-americans and its cooking process is so complicated, almost comparable to Chinese food. It seems that German just changed my opinion towards American food.
I can't help thinking about China when I read these articles.
The low-cost supermarket reminds me of those chinese supermarket here. The display of goods, the altitude of employee, the lines, everything except the low price, is the same. As a chinese, I suppose to feel comfortable to go to chinese supermarket, but the truth is that I avoid going there unless it's necessary. The store is darksome, wet, and sometimes smelly. Talking about the quality, I really understand the author's experience. Fruit or vegetable is usually okay because people will not buy it if it bruised or even has mold on it. But the meat is another story. I don't know for sure how long do they keep those meat frozen, maybe weeks or even months. You can tell it from fresh meat through the colour. And due to my experience, it tastes different too. And the paying situation is similar to the one in the article, but a little bit better. People will not really cut into the line, but usually there is only one line open, so if you want to pay for your stuff, no matter a bottle of water or a whole cart of things, you have to wait. I feel bad to say this, but if you can get all your needs in an American supermarket, do not ever try a chinese one, because even the price is higher in chinese one.
And then it is about the lines. Chinese are probably famous of cooking and disorganization, as well as breaking the rules. Most of the time I keep myself from bus stations because people there are crazy. They squeeze each other back to front, tread on other's feet, trying to step onto the bus even one step before others. The situation is better in metropolis or near school district, but not too much. And it happens that people stand not directly behind you, but slightly to your side in order to advance.
Ich hatte ein Hunger, wann ich USA kulinarisch-mehr als Hot Dogs und Hamburger gelesen habe. Ich habe finde nicht vor ich habe den Artikel gelesen, das Afternoon tea in den USA charmant ist. Ich möchte süß Essen, insbesondere mini Muffins! Ich probieren nie Beef Jerky und Schinken in der USA. Es ist interessant, dass der Deutsche amerikanisch Fleisch leckeres ist. Ich denken, dass alle Deutsche gut Fleisch kochen können. “ziemlich zäh, aber leckeres Aroma” und zuguterletzt: “Sieht aus wie ein Hundesnack, aber schmeckt klasse”, sagte der Autor. I've never thought that Jerky was once originated from native indian-americans and its cooking process is so complicated, almost comparable to Chinese food. It seems that German just changed my opinion towards American food.
I can't help thinking about China when I read these articles.
The low-cost supermarket reminds me of those chinese supermarket here. The display of goods, the altitude of employee, the lines, everything except the low price, is the same. As a chinese, I suppose to feel comfortable to go to chinese supermarket, but the truth is that I avoid going there unless it's necessary. The store is darksome, wet, and sometimes smelly. Talking about the quality, I really understand the author's experience. Fruit or vegetable is usually okay because people will not buy it if it bruised or even has mold on it. But the meat is another story. I don't know for sure how long do they keep those meat frozen, maybe weeks or even months. You can tell it from fresh meat through the colour. And due to my experience, it tastes different too. And the paying situation is similar to the one in the article, but a little bit better. People will not really cut into the line, but usually there is only one line open, so if you want to pay for your stuff, no matter a bottle of water or a whole cart of things, you have to wait. I feel bad to say this, but if you can get all your needs in an American supermarket, do not ever try a chinese one, because even the price is higher in chinese one.
And then it is about the lines. Chinese are probably famous of cooking and disorganization, as well as breaking the rules. Most of the time I keep myself from bus stations because people there are crazy. They squeeze each other back to front, tread on other's feet, trying to step onto the bus even one step before others. The situation is better in metropolis or near school district, but not too much. And it happens that people stand not directly behind you, but slightly to your side in order to advance.
German roads sound crazy- no matter what you do, it will end up with a ticket or death! The only thing I feel about this article is that I will never ever drive in Germany. Take public transportation or taxis (still have to take the chance of being hit by other cars!)-I will keep the suggestion in mind.
Kultur 1
The last time I went back to my hometown, my mother and sister took me to Aldi to grab some groceries. At first I was not sure of the store, but with the incredibly low prices (I got two loaves of good bread for 20 cents each) and adequate quality, I was satisfied. When I read "Bargain Buys," I was reminded of this experience and I could relate to it very well. Now, the only thing that was different was that there were not any rotten fruit in the American Aldi and fewer people.
As far as American foods that Germans enjoyed, I was surprised to find Jerky on the list, but not twinkies. Jerky was common where I grew up because there were a lot of hunters and it was common to eat venison jerky. I have not seen as much jerky in Ann Arbor, so I figured it was only a rural thing. I was not surprised about the twinkies because of there prevalence in media and recently in news with the bankruptcy of Hostess.
I've always been warned about driving dangerously, and that rule seems to apply very much so in Germany according to "Take it from a German." Although the driving is by nature dangerous there, every move is regulated. Fortunately, turn signals are required, which would be nice to have in the United States. There also seemed to be a tension in the article between aggressive driving (don't go too slow on the Autobahn, competitive parking) and a sense of calmness (don't give anybody "the finger," be respectful to the environment).
With the articles in the book, "Einkaufen" seemed to complement "Bargain Buys" very well because it showed what caused the rise of these low cost markets and the alternatives. The popularity of soccer was not surprising, although the concept of no interscholastic competition seems very strange to me. The ability of anybody of any age or level to find a league to play in is really cool, though, as America does not have quite that system for any sport.
As far as American foods that Germans enjoyed, I was surprised to find Jerky on the list, but not twinkies. Jerky was common where I grew up because there were a lot of hunters and it was common to eat venison jerky. I have not seen as much jerky in Ann Arbor, so I figured it was only a rural thing. I was not surprised about the twinkies because of there prevalence in media and recently in news with the bankruptcy of Hostess.
I've always been warned about driving dangerously, and that rule seems to apply very much so in Germany according to "Take it from a German." Although the driving is by nature dangerous there, every move is regulated. Fortunately, turn signals are required, which would be nice to have in the United States. There also seemed to be a tension in the article between aggressive driving (don't go too slow on the Autobahn, competitive parking) and a sense of calmness (don't give anybody "the finger," be respectful to the environment).
With the articles in the book, "Einkaufen" seemed to complement "Bargain Buys" very well because it showed what caused the rise of these low cost markets and the alternatives. The popularity of soccer was not surprising, although the concept of no interscholastic competition seems very strange to me. The ability of anybody of any age or level to find a league to play in is really cool, though, as America does not have quite that system for any sport.
Kultur 1
When reading the Bargain Buys article on Der Spiegel, I noticed some similarities between this German shopping experience at Aldi's and the American experience at Aldi's. Much like in a German Aldi grocery stores, you are required to pay a cart deposit, most food is still lined up on pallets in the aisles, the produce isn't always the freshest, and many of these stores require you to bag your own groceries at the cashier as well. However, the often bizarre off-brand food is priced about as competitively as possible and, when money is tight, can be worth it. It seems as if these stores are much more popular in Germany, however, as there isn't the same overcrowding issues, the no-holds-barred checkout style, or the imposed linear path through the same stores in the States.
Also, I quite enjoyed the article What Discipline?: Of German Lines and Pythons. It was interesting to read considering the stark contrast between line etiquette in the States compared to Germany. Violating normal queue protocol is such a taboo thing to do here, I imagine it must catch a lot of people from other countries off guard when visiting. I especially enjoyed the author's suggestion that sometimes simply throwing a tantrum is the best way to deter people from cutting in front of you.
Also, I quite enjoyed the article What Discipline?: Of German Lines and Pythons. It was interesting to read considering the stark contrast between line etiquette in the States compared to Germany. Violating normal queue protocol is such a taboo thing to do here, I imagine it must catch a lot of people from other countries off guard when visiting. I especially enjoyed the author's suggestion that sometimes simply throwing a tantrum is the best way to deter people from cutting in front of you.
Kultur 1
I was surprised to see that Germans like a considerable amount of American food. I feel bad for Jan in the "Wo kann ich Twinkies herbekommen?" since he won't be getting an more Twinkies from America (for the record I feel his pain, I love Hostess food too). It seems like there was a considerable amount of articles (including German 101) on driving/traffic in Germany. I'm curious why you aren't allowed to pass on the right side on the Autobahn. Though passing at 100+km/hr no matter what side is dangerous. The driving article has a lot of "or you'll die"'s. Germany sounds like a dangerous place now. I believe they weren't bluffing on this, "Don't give anyone "the finger." Germans are 100 times more likely to call the police or they will go completely crazy and hunt you down until you start crying.".
Kultur 1
When I read "Backwords Southerners, Frigid Northerners" I was struck by how similar the north/south stereotypes in Germany are to the ones in the US. Intelligent and hard-working North vs. backward and lazy South is a pretty good summary of culture stereotypes in both Germany and the US, especially the pre-Civil War US. Maybe warmer climates in the south of both countries have caused the laziness stereotype? On the other hand, if southern Germany is mostly mountains, then it's probably colder than the rest of the country, so maybe not. Plus this stereotype in the US only holds for the eastern half; in the western half, the culture is divided more between the East and the West.
Maybe the stereotypes are due to sparser populations in the southern parts of both countries, instead. The southern mountains in Germany might lead to more isolation, while in the US, the Southeast is more sparsely populated than the Northeast.
Maybe the stereotypes are due to sparser populations in the southern parts of both countries, instead. The southern mountains in Germany might lead to more isolation, while in the US, the Southeast is more sparsely populated than the Northeast.
Kultur 1 Ben Harmsen
Ich lese der Arikel "How not to Die on German Roads" und ich finde er interessant. Die Deutsch haben more strict rules of the road than im USA, and not following them will lead to either a ticket or death at the hands of a speeding Porsche. Auf dem Autobahn, it is even more important given the high speed. However, most of die Deutsch rules für autofahren are similar to those here, just more rigorously enforced by die Polizei. Taking the U-bahn or Autobus ist die beste Idee.
Ich finde the USA kulinarisch website lustig, auf der erst Seite there was a reference to cowboys, and twinkies.A common request by die Deutsch was how to find Amerikanerisch Essen in Deutschland. In zwei Artikel, lines (Schlange) in Deutschland are described as chaotic and unruly. This would make for a very different shopping experience in dem Supermarkt. In Deutschland, man kaufen cheap Essen, for quality food one would likely go to der Bakerei.
Ich finde the USA kulinarisch website lustig, auf der erst Seite there was a reference to cowboys, and twinkies.A common request by die Deutsch was how to find Amerikanerisch Essen in Deutschland. In zwei Artikel, lines (Schlange) in Deutschland are described as chaotic and unruly. This would make for a very different shopping experience in dem Supermarkt. In Deutschland, man kaufen cheap Essen, for quality food one would likely go to der Bakerei.
Kultur 1 Tommy McIlwaine
For this Kultur assignment, I read the articles "What Discipline?: Of German Lines and Pythons," and "Bargain Buys: No-Frills Shopping, German Style." If I were to ever travel to or live in Deutschland, these two things I'm sure would annoy me to no end. There is something sacred about waiting in a line, and whenever someone tries to cut or even move up to my side like the article mentions I get extremely peeved. While humorous, the "guide" provided showcased several other surprising aspects, such that elderly women are often the first to try to jump the line.
Shopping in a German Supermarkt seems much different than the typical American experience. I for one, thought it was crazy that you have to pay to use a cart AND for bags to put your items in, even when the workers don't help you at all with putting them away. Overall, it seemed like they didn't value service very much, and it seemed pretty dangerous that they didn't replace rotting produce. I guess the tradeoff, like the author says, is that people will do anything for cheap prices.
Shopping in a German Supermarkt seems much different than the typical American experience. I for one, thought it was crazy that you have to pay to use a cart AND for bags to put your items in, even when the workers don't help you at all with putting them away. Overall, it seemed like they didn't value service very much, and it seemed pretty dangerous that they didn't replace rotting produce. I guess the tradeoff, like the author says, is that people will do anything for cheap prices.
Willkommen!!
Welcome to our class blog!
We will be using this blog throughout the semester for two kinds of assignments:
1. Once per chapter, the homework plan will direct you to post a response to the culture readings for the chapter on the blog.
2. Roughly every other week, the homework plan will direct you to post here for your Abenteuer mit Deutsch (AMD) assignment. First you do a fun activity that involves German, then you post about it. You should spend an hour total on this (maybe 45-55 minutes doing something, 5-15 minutes posting about it). See Was ist ein AMD, AMD Ideen and Beispiele for ideas. This should get you excited about the kinds of things you can do!
Whenever you post something, please include your name and the name of the assignment (e.g. AMD2, Kultur5) as labels. See "Blog: How To" for more details!
We will be using this blog throughout the semester for two kinds of assignments:
1. Once per chapter, the homework plan will direct you to post a response to the culture readings for the chapter on the blog.
2. Roughly every other week, the homework plan will direct you to post here for your Abenteuer mit Deutsch (AMD) assignment. First you do a fun activity that involves German, then you post about it. You should spend an hour total on this (maybe 45-55 minutes doing something, 5-15 minutes posting about it). See Was ist ein AMD, AMD Ideen and Beispiele for ideas. This should get you excited about the kinds of things you can do!
Whenever you post something, please include your name and the name of the assignment (e.g. AMD2, Kultur5) as labels. See "Blog: How To" for more details!
Kultur 1
For my first Kultur I read the articles "Take it from a German: How not to die on German roads."
I found this article to be quite scary but entertaining. I went to New York a year ago and had a horrible experience driving in the city, it ranged from road rage to an hour of looking for cheap parking. I love traveling and experiencing culture shocks, but after reading this article if I ever besuch Deutschland ich will fahren nicht in der Stadt. I will gladly take the advice of a German.
The second article read was the "Bargain Buys: No-Frills Shopping, German Style" I was really surprise to see how cheap supermarkets are in Germany, just for the simple fact that one of the stores is Aldi. When I was younger, my parents would shop there once in a while and it brings back good childhood memories. I remember always wanting to insert the quarter inside the cart and pack our groceries in boxes. I never recall having a bad experience in Aldi, so this article really surprised me.
I found this article to be quite scary but entertaining. I went to New York a year ago and had a horrible experience driving in the city, it ranged from road rage to an hour of looking for cheap parking. I love traveling and experiencing culture shocks, but after reading this article if I ever besuch Deutschland ich will fahren nicht in der Stadt. I will gladly take the advice of a German.
The second article read was the "Bargain Buys: No-Frills Shopping, German Style" I was really surprise to see how cheap supermarkets are in Germany, just for the simple fact that one of the stores is Aldi. When I was younger, my parents would shop there once in a while and it brings back good childhood memories. I remember always wanting to insert the quarter inside the cart and pack our groceries in boxes. I never recall having a bad experience in Aldi, so this article really surprised me.
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