Kultur 5

Rules of the Street: No Blood, No Entschuldigung
This article makes it seem like walking in Germany could be seriously dangerous if you aren't looking out for yourself. It tells that in Germany it is quite normal to experience getting shoved when walking down the street, or get elbowed in the rib by a sweet/innocent looking grandma. The other surprising thing noted is hearing a native german utter the words Entschuldigung or "thank you" is almost unheard of. Now this all seems a little drastic to me because I have never been shoved or harmed while walking down the sidewalks of Düsseldorf or Berlin, so I'm not sure how much this author is exaggerating.

German Erotica: The Land of Beer, Sausage and Sex Shops

In Germany finding a sex shops is supposedly as easy as finding a marketplace or a toy shop. Surprisingly there's even one in the airport in Frankfurt. It was funny when the author said how common these sex shops are in Germany, yet going to one in America would probably be done if you had left over money after buying crack-cocaine. Also when the author notes that someone giving directions in Germany would probably use a sex store as a reference point. The commonness of sex stores is extremely different than the U.S. and isn't made into some huge ordeal that is deemed inappropriate.

The Loneliness of the Klofrau: Toilet Training for Visitors

The Klofrau seemed extremely annoying to me the few times I've visited Germany, but now I can look at it with a different light. Although coughing up my loose change is fairly easy, it always felt like I was being tricked in some way. Now that I've learned that most of these Klofrau are immigrants just trying to get by, it will be easier to pay my dues the next time I may see one. Sitting in a bathroom all day and cleaning one everyday would be terrible boring and also quite gross. Giving the Klofrau a small amount of change will not only brighten their day but may help them get by as well. The author notes that some of them are loosing their jobs because of self-cleaning toilets and other advances and that Klofrauen should watch out before they are all gone.

Scoring a German: Flirting with Fräuleins, Hunting for Herren

This article depicts what it is like whether you are a male or female from America trying to flirt with a native German while visiting. First and foremost, it is said in the article that men and women equally are not straightforward when flirting, and that by American standard their "flirting" is barely a blip in out flirting radar. From an American man's perspective, German women are extremely subtle. Another key thing is don't come on too strongly or she will be thinking "Meinemutterhatmichschonimmervorsolchentypegewarnt." I am pretty sure this translates into somehting meaning "My mother has always warned be about this type," which is kind of funny. From an American woman's perspective, everything with German men's interpretation of your actions is probably being misunderstood. The author gives 3 different scenarios where each German man is very confused by an American woman who may or may not be flirting. With both men and women, it seems that you should try not to be so overbearing when visiting Germany if you're going to flirt.

Excerpts from "Women in Germany"
This expert tells many different statistic about women in Germany, and shows how they have progressed since earlier times. Although they don not make as much as men, "In West Germany, women earn about 75% of men’s average income; in East Germany this is 94 %. In the younger generation, however, the income ratio is much better." These statistics are very low when comparing them to men's earnings, and somewhat shocking. Reading this showed me how even though in America women's rights are a big ordeal and fought a lot, it is not the same in Germany. Surprisingly it says, "In 1994, the first woman was promoted to general and in the career paths of the medical and musical corps of the armed forces there are now about 5,200 female soldiers." This article was just overall eye-opening to me.

Brennpunkt Kultur
Seite 177 - Hamburg is the 2nd largest city in Germany and holds the largest sea port in Germany. It is made up of 16 different states. Its great location has allowed it to gain much say in trade and also made it the center of international trade in the 21st century. Most of the city is centered around its industrious shipping, meaning most of it's states are practically designated different things surrounding the industry. Another interesting thing is St. Paul's Fish Market. This is said to be a popular thing that happens every Sunday. Another interesting fact is that Johannes Brahms and Felix Mendelssohn.

Seite 189 - This text tells about the difference there is between calling someone your friend and your acquaintance. In Germany one would call most of the people they know their Bekannte and only one or two people they are very close to their Freunde or Freundin. A younger person may even say Kumple. When people get older they may even celebrate a new friendship with a Brüderschaft trinken.