“Germany Is So Impure”

The leading German news magazine, DER SPIEGEL, reports in its today’s online edition, about young Americans who are currently living in Germany. They talk about their impressions, what was surprising for them and what they like or dislike about living here.

The four Americans, three young ladies and one young man, all aged between 16 and 24, give an account of what Americans are being confronted with when first coming to Germany and staying here in a normal living environment for a certain period. 

U.S. - Germany

Heidi is 18 years old and is quoted to say that her first impressions of Germany were “shocking and yet representative.” She was alienated by half naked women in late night television expecting male viewers to give them a call and have phone sex with them. Also, when she first went to a sauna, she noticed that men and women were both sitting in the sauna all naked – where in the world had she ended up here? However, she concedes that with the German youths having a more relaxed attitude towards sex, they have an easier time talking about their first sexual experiences with their parents. Another experience of hers is that the boys her age misunderstand a first date as an invitation for a relationship, whereas Heidi only wants to go out and have fun. She is not interested in a relationship as she will be leaving once the year is over, and she does not take dating too seriously. Yet.

Maria Noel of Orlando enjoys the very sophisticated public transport system of Berlin, which saves her from having to buy a car. But she says that she has been confronted with numerous prejudices her German fellow students have towards the United States, saying that everyone was wasting resources and energy there, that all Americans were conservative  and were all supportive of the war in Iraq. She admits that the Americans were speaking, on a broad level, fewer foreign languages and says this was not because of a lack of interest, but because of a lack of possibilities.

Paul, 24, is quite confused by the lack of organization at the university he is attending. He is very fond of the German history, saying that he  is seeing so much of it in Berlin. He has realized that the Germans are much more open than he had expected and is happy that the members of his host family are quite interested in what is happening in the United States. Funniest insight so far: He finds it hard to believe that men are expected to sit down in the toilet when peeing.

Elizabeth, 16 years old, praises the Germans for their environmental awareness. She came here to get to know Germany, the country of their ancestors. Her grand parents had left Germany during World War II. She says that high school was quite demanding and that students were given very little freedom of choice regarding which courses they can take at high school and finds it hard to accept that, even though she does not like it, has to take physics lessons. She drank her first beer here and didn’t like the taste and finds the differece between “Sie” and “Du”, the German way of addressing somebody in the right respectful way, as somewhat exaggerated.

The entire article (in German) can be found here.

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