2. What do you want to find out here?
Jude:
I'd like to find out more about general German culture. I know a lot
about what the Berliners are like but I know that Berlin is very different
to the rest of Germany.
Denise:
I like to find out, what other cultural differences there are that I
haven't noticed so far. And if possible why these differences exist (due
to history, climate ...)
Katja:
I’d like to find out, if the prejudice we have about the british people
are true and I’m really interested in the way they life.
3. What are your hopes and fears?
Jude:
I hope to improve my German, and meet some nice
people! I don't have any fears.
Denise:
I hope to get to know interesting people and maybe stay
in touch. I don't have any fears.
Katja:
I hope that I can learn how life in Britain works and
maybe get some interesting recommendations for my
next holidays. I don’t have any fears.
4. What is your background?
Jude:
I'm from Sheffield in North England. I'm from a very working class area so I think my
culture will be quite different to the culture that Germans think of when they think
about English people. Where I'm from everybody hates the queen and wishes we
didn't have a royal family.
They think it is a huge waste of money and generally are angry that people live in such
luxury without doing anything, when there are so many people who work hard and
are living in much worse conditions).
Denise:
My background is German and my whole family is from the South of Germany. My
mum is a teacher for primary school, my dad is a consultant.
Katja:
I’m from South-Germany. Before studying in Stuttgart I lived at my parents house in a
small village. They have a farm where they both work fulltime. I have a brother and a
sister and they are both older than me.
5. What does “British” / “German”
mean to you? Give an example.
Jude:
British to me means: very polite and non confrontational (for example a lot of people like to make small
talk and try to avoid deep conversations in case they get in to an argument with someone). Bad food
(yes, I can admit it). And being quite closed-minded in the sense they don't know much about any other
cultures or about world politics and things like that (and almost no one speaks any foreign languages).
To me, German means being much more straight to the point. Some English people would consider it
rude but I think it's more efficient to just say what you're thinking. I also think the standard of education
is much higher in Germany so a lot of people are more knowledgeable about world politics etc. I think
they generally think a bit more about what they do, so for example they recycle more and care more
about the enviornment (Atomkraft? Nein Danke!) And of course they eat a lot of sausages and
sauerkraut ;)
Denise:
“British” means to me to be proud of his or her nationality, to live in a melting pot of different cultures,
to appreciate traditions and historic sites and buildings and to keep them alive. British people are really
friendly and polite, always trying to help. The negative facts are unemployment of young people,
increasing costs for housing, strange shopping habits (you can get half an apple, cut into pieces and
wrapped in a plastic bag at ASDA - that's weird, isn't it?) And I really didn't like the huge amounts of
plastic bags people used daily to carry home their food.
“German” means a variety of different cultures, dialects and landscapes. Every part of Germany has its
own recipes, way of life, architecture. Bavaria is the part that most people probably associate with
"German" but it's only one Bundesland out of 16.
6. What does “British” / “German”
mean to you? Give an example.
Katja:
When I think of British people, I think of a person, that is funny and maybe a little bit crazy. I think that’s because in
German television they often show, how British people are acting in their holiday abroad – taking too long sun baths
without sun cream so they all have a red skin, partying very wild, drinking a lot and I also think, that nearly all British
people love the queen and the whole royal family and because of that, buy many souvenirs with their faces on. Is that
true?
Jude:
In response to what you guys said about England:
Denise - I don't think too many people are proud to be English, at least not where I'm from. At the moment people feel
very disillusioned with the government, and that no politicians really represent how we feel. The melting pot of
different cultures is definitely true, it's quite normal for people of different races and colours to hang out together.
I noticed in Germany it seemed a bit more segregated – white people were mostly friends with white people. You are
completely right with the strange shopping habits as well, I think England is much more consumerist than the other
European countries (I guess we're trying to be like America!), people don't care too much about waste (again, I think
people in England are generally quite ignorant to these kinds of things, I love how environmentally aware people in
Germany are).
Katja - You are right about the English people being funny and crazy. I think most Europeans find the way we act quite
funny. And we always get burnt because we aren't used to having sun at all! As I said already, I don't think too many
people like the Queen. All the souvenirs with the queen's face on are just for the tourists. But like any celebrities
(actors, football players, whatever), people like to hear the gossip about them.
