Kartoffelpuffer!

Hallo! Guten Tag!

So today I am doing something a little different. Instead of visiting a German restaurant in the Seattle area, I will attempt to make a nice German meal on my own and share with you my experience! For today I decided to make a delicious dinner for my roommates and I!

I don't know if you have heard of Potato Pancakes or Kartoffelpuffer, but it is a great and easy meal that is very filling too! So for a long time my mom would make me Perfect Potato pancakes, however, I'm up in college now and I have to conquer it on my own! I decided to google a Potato Pancake recipe and see if it would turn out ok! I used this website for my cooking: http://germanfood.about.com/od/potatoesandnoodles/r/potatopancakes.htm

This recipe called for
-1lb of potatoes
-1/2 an Onion
-1 tsp. of Salt
-Ground Pepper
-Freshly Ground Nutmeg
-1 Egg
-Oil for Frying

If you follow the link it will give a detailed account of how to cook it! So I followed the directions and I thought it turned out pretty good! I also added sour cream and applesauce on top of my finished Potato Pancakes! I really enjoyed it! And the roommates said it was much better then they were expecting! Overall, it was a great and easy recipe that turned out much more tasty then I thought I could ever cook!

Like I have mentioned in previous blogs, this blog is about the connection between Germany and Seattle. Through this blog I bring wonderful ideas for anyone to experience German culture right here in Seattle. It is about opening gates between Germany and America and bringing our cultures closer together. I hope through this blog it can open some minds and give some experience of delicious German food right in the comfort of your home!

Now, in class we have been discussing immigration and the world wide impact of immigration. I would say that it is because of immigration that we have such a variety of great delicious food in America! And I would also say that because of the large Turkish immigration in Germany, Germany now has delicious Donners that are very popular! I believe that immigration brings many great things to a country, including awesome food!


Delicous Kartoffelpuffer!

Randy

Players Taking Flight

As I've discussed in passing previously, German sports teams (with my own personal emphasis on football) are far from the homogeneous, ethniclly-German teams that they have been through out most of history.  Rather, they are a hodge-podge of many ethnicites and cultures, coming together for the love of a game.

To bring this a little closer to home, American soccer star Landon Donovan spent several seasons playing in the Bundesliga to hone his skills and learn valuable elements of the European-style of play, before returning home and continuing his stint in the MLS.

European stars, such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry, have also come across the pond and played in the MLS, although it could be argued that this was more of a pre-retirement phase than anything else but I won't get into that.

German-born Dirk Nowitzki plays (qutie well) for the Dallas Mavericks and occasionally an American-born NBA player will spend time playing in the German basketball league.

Now if you don't mind, I'd like to spend a few moments thinking over the reasons for this exchange of players & talent.

Perhaps the most obvious reason for this is that there are better opportunities in the destination country than there are at home.  But why?  More money?  Bundesliga football has a much bigger fan base, media contracts, and chances to score (financially) than your run-of-the-mill MLS team.  In Donovan's case, he spent time with German giants Bayern Munch (Ich liebe die Bayern) and I'm a firm believer that his game improved as a result of spending time immersed in the European-style of play.

Money, skill improvement, the list goes on why players move around from team to team in different countries.  The United States and Germany are both very strong in any sports that they participate in so it's only logical that there would be some swapping of talent now and then.  And at the end of the day, a player from Germany that has spent time in America (or vice versa) has played a very important role, even once they've stepped off the field for the evening.  They're cultural ambassadors responsible for showcasing their country's talent and continuing to promote the critical relationship that exists between the United States and Germany.

Wunderbar.

Sarah

What is it like to be a German-American?

Since my primary focus is on German Heritage in the United States,  I wanted to go deeper with the topic by getting a little more personal with my research. What does that entail? Conversing with German-Americans of course! So I sat down at Café Allegro in the University District of Seattle with Jan and my friend Victoria. From what I have observed, many of the teachers and TAs in the Germanics department congregate in this hipster-esue café in the afternoon. I had a set of interview questions for both of them and they were both very eager to provide me with answers. Next week I will talk about Victoria, but this week's focus will be on the life of a German-American in Jan's perspective.

Jan (top left)  is a Graduate Student in the Germanics Department at the University of Washington. He taught a German Play production class that I took last year. He moved from Germany to the United States when he was eleven years old. After the class was over, I continued to keep in contact with him and the other students who took the class.

Me: Was the immersion into American culture difficult for you?

Jan:  It was very difficult because I had basically no knowledge of English. It was also difficult because my parents put me into an American school immediately. I remember not being able to understand anything. But I picked up the language rather quickly—within a year or so.

Me: Did your diet change when you moved to the United States?

Jan: (Laughs) No, my mom continued to cook traditional, German meals. We definitely retained the German cuisine so my diet didn’t really change significantly.

Me: What was the most extreme change that you experienced when coming to the USA?

Jan: Something that still affects me ‘til this day is American television. I was exposed to American television before I could speak English. I remember understanding the violence. I think it affected me in a really profound way. Reality TV shows scared me the most because we didn’t have those in Germany at the time.

  

Me: Tell me a little about your family and your way of life while growing up.  Did you have siblings? What languages did you speak with your family?

Jan: With my sister and my mom I always spoke German. My half siblings understood German, but they weren’t forced to speak it. When we talk with one another, we go back and forth between English and German--“Denglisch” so to speak.

Me: What was unique about your household when compared to average American families?

Jan: I remember eating together almost every night. I feel like it's not part of American culture to do that. 

Me: Did your family celebrate typical German traditions while living in the United States?

Jan: We celebrated most of the typical American holidays, but it was Christmas that was different for us. My mom definitely preserved the German Christmas traditions in our household.  We would always celebrate it on the 24^th .  On Christmas Eve, My mom would always have a bell that rang when it was time to go into the room and open presents.
 And St. Nikolaus tag—now that was SCARY. When I was young and still living in Germany, a man in our town dressed up as St. Niklaus and would visit all the houses in the neighborhood. If you were good, he would give you candy. If you were bad, however, he would stuff you in a sack. I remember crying because the thought of being stuffed in a sack scared me!

Me: What do you miss the most about living in Germany?

Jan: What I miss the most is the freedom to do certain things. In Germany it is legal to drink outside in the park or at a festival. You can’t do stuff like that in the United States. I also miss having the freedom to explore. There are a lot of rules placed on teenagers here. Like, unrealistic expectations. In Germany you are able to explore more of your own way of life because there are less restrictions.

Oh! And I also miss gemötlichkeit. I miss being able to sit down in the middle of the day and have tea and cake. I don’t think Americans value gemötlichkeit as much as Europeans do.

Me: What was your opinion on Americans before moving to the USA? Has your opinion changed since then?

Honestly, I was too young to have a strong opinion. The USA was always kind of a fog to me when I was living in Germany. What you understood about America is what you saw on television. I have really done a lot to break down stereotypes of both (German and American) cultures.  My dad thinks that Americans put their feet on the table and have no table manners. I, on the other hand, don’t think that all Americans act like that. America is so vast that you can’t categorize it in one way.

Me: In my blog last week, I talked about the definition of Heimat (home).  I asked numerous people what home is for them. Was ist Heimat für dich?

Jan: What is home?  I feel very torn between two countries. So, I have to tell you, defining Heimat is very difficult for me. In a philosophical sense, I would define Heimat as an imaginative sense of loss. In other words, it is something that only exists as a loss and not as an object.

Definitions:

Gemötlichkeit—  N. relaxation, comfortableness 

St. Nikolaus Tag— is a holiday that is celebrated on the 6th of December. In Germany, children put a boot called a Niklolaus-Stiefel (Nikolaus boot) outside the front door on the night of December 5th. If the child is good, St. Nikolaus will fill the boot with gifts and sweets overnight. If the child is bad, they will have a tree branch root or a lump of coal in their boot instead.

Denglisch— N. is slang used to describe the incorrect usage of English by Germans and vice-versa. Can also be used to describe a mixture of German and English.

Bis Montag!
Hilary

For those of us in Seattle Germany is quite a journey, and due to the sheer expense of getting there many are discouraged at the prospect of flying there to experience German culture first hand.  While the US certainly has influence of German culture in many aspects of our living it is very difficult to feel like you're in Germany at any given place in this country.  In the town of Leavenworth, located in the heart of the Cascade Mountains about 2 hours from Seattle the theme of a Bavarian village attracts visitors from all over the state to get a taste of life in the alps.


In Leavenworth almost all of the architecture fits with the theme of a small Bavarian village, you will find even the McDonalds and Safeway are decorated in such a way!  While there are many themed shops to entertain tourists with money burning in their pockets there are more appropriately German themed activities available for those drawn to the town.  Many restaurants and even a beer garden or two offer dishes and beverages that will make you feel as if though you yourself are in the Alps! There are plenty of outdoor activities in the area such as skiing, hiking and camping for those who love the mountains.  In addition to all of that Leavenworth is a well known venue town for a number of large festivals.


























The festivals in Leavenworth attract thousands of visitors each year and are always spectacles of wonderful decorations, excellent food and even better beer!  One of the biggest events in the town is the Leavenworth Christmas Lighting festival, where an impressive display of lights and other spectacles dazzle visitors and give them the feeling of being in one of the well decorated villages during Weihnachten in Bavaria!  Other festivals include the ever popular Oktoberfest which is perfect for lovers of beer and fun.  A list of festivals in the town can be found in the following link: http://www.leavenworth.org/modules/event/events.php





Steven

Nimm Dich in Acht vor Blonde Frauen

"Nimm dich in Acht vor blonde Frauen", those charming alarming blonde women, warns Marlene Dietrich in the 1930's film, Der Blaue Engel ( The Blue Angel) directed by Josef von Steinberg, also starring Emil Jannings and Kurt Gerron. This classic tragic film, shot simultaneously in both German and English, revolves around the downfall of the respected professor at a local Gymnasium, Immanuel Rath (Emil Jannings) due to his lust, desire and jealousy for the local cabaret star, Lola Lola (Marlene Dietrich). Upon discovering that his students have been spending their nights at the local cabaret (The Blue Angel), swooning over Lola Lola, Rath ventures to The Blue Angel hoping to catch his students. Instead of catching his students he meets the seductive and uninhibited Lola Lola. Upon venturing back the next night to met her once more, he falls in love with her and forfeits his position at the college to be with and marry the beautiful Lola. The professor quickly and tragically transforms into a cabaret clown as his sanity dissolves due to his lust and jealousy over Lola's profession as a "shared woman" ( like my last post, I will not attempt to include more plot because you can easily watch this movie for yourself on Netflix.) The movie progresses slowly, charming the audience with Marlene Dietrichs breakout songs such as: Ich bin von Kopf bus Fuss auf Liebe eingestellt (Falling in Love Again), Ich bin die fesche Lola ( They Call Me Naughty Lola), and Nimm dich in Acht vor blonde Frauen (Those Charming Alarming Blonde Women).
          

The movie was originally based on Heinrich Mann's 1905 novel, Professor Unrat (Professor Garbage) and is set in Weimar, Germany. Being filmed in both German and English, the movie gained international fame, and led Dietrich into international stardom. On set Janning's grew jealous of Steinberg and Dietrich's growing closeness and frequently acted out, threatening Dietrich. Janning's was a Swiss born German actor who was the first actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in the "lost film" The Way of All Flesh. He moved his career to Hollywood and attempted acting in sound films, but, amongst other things, his accent was too difficult to understand. He later acted in several Nazi propaganda films. He eventually retired in Austria and became a citizen in 1947.  After completing Der Blaue Engel Marlene Dietrich gained international fame and received a contract with Paramount Pictures. She became one of the highest paying actresses of the era. She became a US citizen in 1939 and was a prominent entertainer throughout WWII. Kurt Gerron, who stars as the cabaret manager was a German Jewish actor and film director, who first served in WWI after being called out of medical school to serve. Der Blaue Engel was one of his breakthrough roles. Gerron eventually fled Nazi Germany with his wife and family and fled to Paris, and then to Amsterdam and was offered to relocate to Hollywood, but refused. Once the Netherlands were occupied Gerron was sent to a few different concentration camps, and eventually boarded the final transit to Auschwitz where he soon met his death.

In this one film we are introduced to (because, lets face it, many of us didn't know about these actors before), at a bare minimum, three different actors who experienced different transatlantic and intercontinental ventures for different reasons, Germans moving to and from the US as well as other countries for jobs (Hollywood) and safety (WWII). All of these seasoned actors played a large role in crafting the cinema and stage scene of the 1920's, 30's and 40's. If you want to watch a movie with tragedy, historical intrigue and breakthrough actors of their time, you should defiantly consider watching Der Blaue Engel.

Bis später!
Dorothy 

*Oh and I would recommend watching this movie with a nice bubbly glass of champagne.... that appeared to be the drink of the movie, and if you want to get into a little "sing-along" version of the film, it could instigate a little German language practice, yay!
 

Hast du Hunger?? Come to Schultzy's!!

Hallo!

So today I took a nice little walk to the restaurant Shultzy's! This restaurant is located on the Ave in University District! The big double doors and great lighting make this restaurant a cozy, friendly, and great place to eat!

There was great decoration of flags and wonderful beer steins all around! The big wooden seating made it feel more like an authentic Bavarian restaurant. The menu itself offered a diverse set of beer, food, and lots of vegetarian options. I ordered a bratwurst sandwich. It was one of Shultzy's number one sellers! It came with delicious grilled sauerkraut and onions on a nice sausage roll! The sides included awesome french fries (which didn't need any ketchup!) and a nice house made coleslaw! Overall I would rate this restaurant 5 bratwurst out of 5!

Now, you may be wondering what do German restaurants in Seattle have to do with anything? Well, this blog will be about German culture in Seattle and general info on German culture. It can be used as a resource for anyone wanting to travel to Germany someday! If you're not sure about what German food is or if you like it or not, you can use my blog as a guide and help you get a feel for what German food is and how it differs from America!

In our German class we have been talking about multicultural Germany and how it works in today's times. From our discussions we have found out that there have been many fads in Germany that came from elsewhere. For example, Currywurst is a German Bratwurst with curry on it that started out from the Turkish people. And if you ever travel to Berlin you will have to try Donners. Delicious meat sandwiches that are also from Turkey but popularized in Germany.

So what does this have to do with Shultzy's? Well some German food has become very popularized in America. The Hamburger is probably something Americans make on a daily basis and originally started off from Hamburg, Germany. So with this blog I hope to show the transatlantic connection between Germany and America not only through the hearts of the people, but more importantly, the stomach!

Danke und bis bald!
Randy

Einwanderern in Deutschland

Cartoon drawn by Dorothy Portin

We just completed Module 2 in class, which focused on the topic of "Multicultural Germany-Migration and Transit."  Many of the readings for this module addressed the issue of immigrants within Germany, how they are viewed by "traditional" Germans, and how they themselves view the idea of being German.  I write traditional in quotes because there is this idea of blonde, blue-eyed Germans, heartily drinking beer and having last names like Schneider and Schumacher and the like.  (Personally my last name is Austrian but for the sake of argument, I suppose I fit this traditional image more or less.)

However given that I am so passionate about German football and as a result I follow it with some regularity (depending on my class schedule and how much work I have), I can say with a high degree of certainty that the German football has many other nationalities represented.

Examine the cartoon pictured above that my group created for Module 2.  On the right you clearly see two very typical-looking German men, who are somewhat confused at what they see in the window of a sports apparel store.  You see, the German National team boasts a diverse squad.  There are players from Germany (obviously) and for the last several years there have also been several Polish players.  But currently they also have players of Turkish, Tunisian, and African descent.  This is incredibly different than the great Germans teams of the past.  The sign in the window says that  (the immigrant players) are "all in" and asks the public if they are as well.  And the two German men are confused because they are accustomed to German football stars having German-sounding names and looking like well...Germans.

In short, there is a widely diverse Germany emerging (whether Germans are willing to accept this or not) and this diversity is redefining what it means to be German.

I've pondered the effects of immigrant players in the Budesliga before and I'll save you the full spiel, but I find it interesting that some of success at both the club and national level for Germany is due to the skill that these non-ethnically German players bring to the table, and yet multiculturalism in Germany is still highly contested.

Just something to think about the next time you happen across a Bundesliga game or stumble into a conversation about immigrants in Germany.

Bis bald!

Sarah

Was ist für dich Heimat? What is home to you?

Heimat, which means "home",  is one of my many favorite German words. In German, the word does not just mean a house on a cul-de-sac. The word Heimat has a much more complex, deeper, and broader definition than that.

 I remember when one of my German teachers asked my class the same question a few years ago.  I was still going to Cäcilienschule Oldenburg Gymnasium at that time. It was a few weeks prior to Christmas break when the theme "Was ist für dich Heimat?" was circulated around the school.  There were art projects, essays, and speeches that were centralized on this topic.

"Was ist für dich Heimat?" he asked.
My answer was: "Heimat ist für mich, wo die Familie ist und auch wo ich geliebt bin".
(English Translation: "Home for me is where my family is and where I am loved.") 

I still live by my own definition of Heimat. For me, home is where I feel comfortable--where I can be myself and still be loved.

 I have, overtime, come to believe that Heimat  is not just one place. For many people, Heimat is a multitude of places. Heimat for me consists of three parts: my hometown (Duvall, USA), Seattle, and Oldenburg, Germany.  I have friends and family in all three places. I am proud to say that I come from Microsoft's founding city. I love the fact that I grew up with horses, pigs, and chickens in my backyard. I love that I know what the northwestern German word "moin" means.

Heimat can also come from your favorite songs, movies, and television shows. It can come from architecture. Even your daily routine can be your Heimat.  Heimat does not just come from a the people who love you, but also from anything that surrounds you.

 I decided to go around and ask our bloggers what Heimat is to them. Sarah said simply "familie!". Dorothy's response was "Heimat is wherever I feel most comfortable. For example: when I am at home with my family, or with people or in a city that I love".

Now, I ask my readers the same question: What is Heimat to you? 

This is a question I will be coming back to from time-to-time.




Bis Montag
Hilary 

Southern Germany: A Hikers Paradise

The majestic mountains of Germany attract all kinds of lovers of the outdoors all year round whether it be to explore the winter wonderland or bask in the glory of a majestic lake.  All over southern Germany there are beautiful slopes that can be visited with the use of many trails with varying degrees of difficulty that are sure to make for an unforgettable experience.  There are many iconic places to visit in the German Alps such as the Castle Neuschwanstein which can be visited with a short ride out of Munich.  Aside from this iconic castle there are many other examples of beautiful buildings and villages that dot the mountains and make for a quaint stay in your adventure around the peaks.  Regions such as Allgäu are home to especially breathtaking scenery that is sure to please the heard of the most experienced mountaineer, or anyone looking to view something spectacular.  



For the sporty individuals the Alps of Germany offer lots of skiing/snowboarding opportunities from beginner level slopes to those geared for more extreme individuals.  Fishing and camping are also plentiful in the area.  How does sleeping 6,562 feet from sea level in the tent hanging from a tree sound?  In Waldseilgarten Mountain Resort located in Bavaria you have the opportunity to camp high up in the craggy peaks from a hanging tent, sure to be a thrilling experience!



If travelling to Southern Germany be sure to take a visit to the Schwarzwald for more hiking and forest adventures.  The Schwarzwald lies in southwest Germany bordered by the Rhine valley.  There are numerous paths that can take you through the entirety of the forest if you wish to take an adventuresome multi-day trek through the region. There are many historic villages through the forest that would also make good places to rest on your journey and to relax with some excellent German food and beer. Villages such as Schiltach make for interesting stops on such an adventure.




Steven 

Movie of the Week

Many movies coming out of Germany revolve around WWII, East Germany, and conflict, including at least eight of the movies submitted by Germany for the Academy Awards since 2000. Perhaps this genre could be perceived as cliché, however it nonetheless provokes an undisputed emotional response and maintains reliability to modern affairs around the world.

The 2012 film, Barbara, directed by Christian Petzold, competed in the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February of the same year and won The Silver Bear for Best Director. The film was selected to be the German entry for Best Foreign Film at the upcoming 2013 Academy Awards.

TRAILER AND SYNOPSIS

Barbara takes place in East Germany in 1980, revolving around a physician Barbara (Nina Hoss, who also starred in A Woman in Berlin), who was employed at a prestigious hospital in East Berlin until receiving a disciplinary transfer because of having applied for an Ausreisantrag wishing to leave East Germany. She is placed near the Baltic Sea where the Stasis order the chief physician to spy on her as she attempts to flea East Germany to be with her lover in the west. The film is full of dramatic suspense, surprises, romance, struggle, and oppression. I'll leave the rest of the plot up for you to discover

Dorothy

Beer, Brats, und BRATZ!

Guten Tag!

Hey everyone! So my name is Randy Siebert and I will be blogging every Wednesday about great German restaurants in the Seattle area! Many Americans share a connection with Germany. Many of us have a heritage that includes German decent. And with my food adventures I hope to show you the delicious connection between the U.S.A and Germany. We might be an ocean away from each other, but we all enjoy great food!

So the plan is to go and try a new German restaurant every Wednesday! And hopefully by the last post, I will be able to rank all of the restaurants I tried from best to not so good.

This week I decided to choose something a little more local to the University of Washington. I had heard good things about "Bratz" German restaurant and thought now was the time to try! Located on 50th & Brooklyn, Bratz was a little far and not in the best location. But what it lacked in location, it made up for in food! I ordered a delicious Curry Wurst with Pommes (French Fries). The sausage was cooked perfectly and there was just the right amount of curry! It brought me back to the delightful afternoons in Berlin stopping by the little Curry Wurst stands and enjoying a nice Berlin Curry Wurst. Bratz had a nice and very authentic seating available. Petite German flags on every table with a colorful poster of Pilsner Beer and a wide selection of different German music playing in the background. I would give Bratz 3.5 Bratwurst out of 5! Great German food with a wonderful atmostphere. Go check it out!





*The rating system consists of Bratwurst in place of stars. The best a restaurant can get is 5 Bratwursts, while the worst would be zero.

Tchüß!
Randy

The Trials and Tribulations of Being a Fan

For anyone that has followed the German National football team in recent years, you know that it has been a wondrously glorious and terribly frustrating time.  Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup and won third place.  They finished in second place at EURO 2008 but since have failed to add more trophies to the cabinet.

There's a lot of potential but not a lot of solid results.  Today, the team allowed sloppy late goal in their World Cup qualifier against Sweden, resulting in a draw that should have been a win for Germany.  Perhaps part of it is complacency, perhaps part is that the team doesn't know how to seal the deal.  The current coach Joachim Low has stacked the ranks of the national team with young blood from around Germany, many players with immigrant backgrounds are changing the face of the team and the style as well.  With so much youth, perhaps it could be argued that the team doesn't know what it feels like to win a national championship.  But many have scored at the club and youth national team levels so why should they stutter now.

I wish I knew the answer to this question.  I'd appreciate knowing why this team, whom I love so emphatically, always seems to choke when it really really REALLY counts.  I've got the jerseys, I know the players, but I still can't brag that my team is reigning European (or World) Champion.

I was in Munich during the Champions League Final, where Bayern Munich lost to Chelsea in penalty kicks, and there was no doubt in my mind that for many Germans football is a critical element of daily life.  I'm curious to see how the enthusiasm and support of these fans is affected if Germany continues to come up empty on the world stage.

My entries on Tuesdays will focus on German sports (perhaps with a heavy emphasis on football but I promise to try and diversify).  For those of you who know nothing of this realm, I hope that I can share my passion with you and for those of you who know a little something about the Bundesliga, I hope to bring a smile to your face.

Bis bald,

Sarah

Why Germany? Warum Deutschland?

When growing up, I never had an interest  in German culture and language. When I dreamed about traveling to Europe, I thought of Paris, London, Rome, and Barcelona. I grew up as a Seattle-American with Polish and English blood running through my veins.  I adopted my father's witty, British sense of humor and my tastebuds yearned for my Papa Topoleski's traditional, polish cooking. There was nothing in my background whatsoever that would trigger an interest in Deutschland. I grew up without curry wurst, brotchen, St. Niklaus Tag, and saying the word "or" or "achso" at the end of every sentence. 

That changed, however, during my sophomore year of High School when I heard about a once in a lifetime study abroad opportunity in the school announcements one morning. "Want to live with a welcoming host family, travel the world, and gain a diversity of friendships?" asked the announcer. "Then this is the program for you! Become a Rotary Youth Exchange Student today!"

"Could this really be my calling?" I thought to myself. I hated high school and wanted out of it as soon as possible. I thought I would regret passing on an opportunity like this. Who needs homecoming and prom when you're living in another country, learning a foreign language, and immersing yourself into a culture different from one's own? 

My mind answered those questions for me. Before I knew it, I was in the process of applying for this said study abroad opportunity

The application process was long and strenuous, but it was rewarding. Three months after submitting all of my doctor, school, visa, and parental consent forms, I received the long-awaited letter in the mail from Rotary International about my country assignment. 

 "Congratulations!  You will be living a year in Oldenburg, Germany!" 

I didn't know a lick of German. The only foreign language that I knew was high school level Japanese. I will admit,  I was scared to go abroad. What if nobody liked me? What if I couldn't immerse well? What if I couldn't emotionally handle my new change of lifestyle? What about my friends and my family? Before any of my questions were answered, I was on a plane from SeaTac to the Bremen Flughafen. 

I remember my first day at German school. I was so nervous and scared. My peers would not even glance at me, let alone greet me with a warm "guten tag" or "hallo". As the American, or "Ami" as Germans call us, I felt like a pariah.  Living in the same town my whole life, I had no clue what it was like to be a new kid until then. Not only was I the new kid, I was the annoying foreigner.  I felt lonely--like a dunce sitting in the corner of a classroom. I remember coming home everyday crying my eyes out and wondering what I have gotten myself into. 


As the year progressed, however, my new German life improved. By mid-year, I had friends at school and I was able to converse in German. I ate brotchen and käse and rode my bike to school every morning without a fuss. By January 2008, I had enough courage to intern at Staatstheater Oldenburg, the local theater in town,  where I sorted musical pieces and found props for upcoming plays. In June 2008, I participated in my first Model U.N conference at the Oldenburg Model United Nations (OLMUN) where I represented Switzerland on the Human Rights Council. I loved Model U.N. so much, that I ended up joining the Model United Nations team at my university when I returned. 


So I would like to return to my original question: WHY GERMANY? In other words, why do I feel the need to promote German/American relations as well as German/American heritage? 

 At the age of sixteen, I went to  Germany knowing nothing of the language, having no friends or family, and having nothing but a suitcase in my hand.  Being the shy little girl that I was at the time, I felt completely lost in this new world. Though the experience was difficult, I would never go back in time to change anything.  Germany transformed me from a mommy's girl into a confident individual. Being a Rotary Youth Exchange Student was my calling; it was my destiny. It has made me the human being that I am today. I don't need German blood to love Germany and to celebrate German customs. Germany is apart of me and always will be--genes or no genes. 

And, for that reason, I feel the need to help preserve German/American culture and heritage in the United States. Through blogging, I am hoping to fulfill this need.  Every monday, I will write a piece about German heritage in the United States. Throughout this school quarter, I am hoping to interview German/Americans, attend German related events in Seattle, and to promote the Think Transatlantic campaign. 

AUF GEHTS DEUTSCHLAND!!!!!


Bis Montag 
Hilary