Kultur Kapitel 4 Blog - Madeline Thibault

Two-Wheeled Teutons:
In Germany, you do not want to be caught walking on a bike path. If you are ever visiting you may notice that the roads are huge and very spacious. Watch out for multicolor sidewalks, you may think that they are a nice looking sidewalk but really they are only made for bickers. It won't take long before you get yelled for walking on this part of the sidewalk. In Germany, cyclists have the right of way. Everyone in Germany rides a bike to got to the grocery store, gym, tanning, etc.

The Red Dictator:
Crossing the street in Germany is very different than it is in the United States. Germans follow what they call the Red Dictator religiously. It's not like in the United States where you can cross the street when there is a red hand, you are advised not to walk across the street when there is a little red man. If you do cross when there was a red signal, you will get dirty looks from children and their parents. If you do step of the curb, your leg could possibly get cut off.

Illogical Logic:
The article was talking about how there are times when Germans think a little too logically. It talks about how you shouldn't expect the person on the opposite side of the train station counter to make any logical jumps for you. Always make sure you ask which train your ticket may be valid on because if you don't you may be charged.

Fare-Dodgers Beware:
The subway in Germany is not free. You don't need to swipe a ticket but if you try to go against the rules and not go with the rules of the subway but you will get caught for doing this. Doing this carries stiff penalties. You will get charged and you will have a heavy social stigma. No matter what excuse you may come up with, you will not get out of getting in trouble. Germans have no tolerance, they do not apologize in excuses or loopholes.

Disorderly Germans:
Germans are overly organized. In Frankfurt there is a support group for messy people. It's not that chaos isn't found in Germany, it is just that it is a lot more organized than many other countries.

Studienmöglichkeiten für Deutschlernende 
- The Goethe-Institut promotes the German language and provides cultural events
- Offers language classes at six sites in the US, three in Canada, and fourteen in Germany
- The Austrian Cultural Institute organizes exhibits, film festivals, and lectures and facilitates student exchanges and dissemination of info about Austria
- Swiss Institute promotes artistic dialogue between Switzerland and the U.S. through various cultural programs.

Rad Fahren:
- People in Germany are switching their allegiance to the bicycle
- 80% of all Germans own a bicycle
- Cycling has become a huge part of transportation in Germany
- Radwege are bicycle paths that are situated between the street and the sidewalk, they are reserved for cyclists and often have their own signs and stoplights
- Automobiles are required to yield to cyclists.

Mit der Bahn fahren:
- smaller in land area than the US and Canada
- many travelers prefer to take the train rather than an airplane
- many people commute to work by train

Mit dem Auto fahren:
- Driving a car in Germany is expensive
- Fuel costs as much as $9.00 per gallon and drivers are required to pay annual taxes and high insurance rates.
- students must be 17 years old to take a driving class

Frankfurt am Main:
- geographic crossroads of the country and its key economic center.
- Frankfurt is a key center of German culture and history.
- Germany's most famous author, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, was born there
- People there enjoy a lively theater, opera, and music scene