In Germany, they are well known for being extremely direct and straightforward. Austrians are more direct than Americans, but they have less intensity than the Germans. This is something that I admire tremendously. Hearing from an Austrian perspective that Americans seem superficial by always trying so hard to be nice. This is quite interesting to me and I understand their perspectives in saying that American friendships always seem fake because they are never as direct as sometimes necessary. I have begun to notice the lack of directness now that it has been pointed out to me. My experience with this was from host mother. She was very sweet and considerate, however, it was her house so she was going to politely directly tell me that she has
And during that meal, one of his friends was getting drunk and began to yell and cry. He complained a lot about how hypocritical and cold Americans are and how much he missed his hometown. Since I was here for only a few weeks, I was really confused. Is he telling the truth or he is just too drunk? Are all of the Americans hypocritical? I was asking myself these questions again and again back then and worried a lot about my future. However, with more time spent here, I gradually met plenty of nice Americans and became friends with them. And one day, I reminded his words and suddenly got what he
Many Americans can link their heritage to German origins. However, the German’s values, norms and beliefs have shifted when combined with American culture. Within Germany’s culture, there are common themes of organization, compartmentalization, and formality. The interaction between these themes of values, norms and beliefs influences the German culture, structured society, and worldview. While there are similarities between German and American culture, these two countries have difference views on human psychie.
Historiography on American German relations from the end of the Civil War up to the First World War is a rather obscure subject. Rather than having its own specialized and narrow individualized study, it is studied primarily in thematic articles dealing with specific events that marked such relations or in contrast to growing British-American rapprochement during this period, written in the context of European foreign relations historiography. There is little written about the structural continuity in the relationship between the United States and Imperial Germany between the years 1871 and 1918, unless it is in the context of the First World War and then only between the start of the war to its end and the subsequent period. While there are many parallels between both the United States and Germany during this time, such as the stresses of industrialization, urbanization, the search for national unity following a period of war, and the search for a world policy, there is little written about such similarities and about the shift from amiable relations to the growing antagonism that occurred during this period. In the period of following the outbreak of the First World War and the entry of the United States into European affairs, there is an immense amount written about American German relations. However, much of this is written in the context of the First World War and does not stress any sort of continuity in foreign relations from the period that preceded this general conflagration. Nonetheless, while there is a lack of attention in reference to the relations between these two great nations, simultaneously undergoing similar processes of industrialization, urbanization, and a world foreign policy, there are some key works that address their relationship during the period following German unification and the American Civil War and before the First World War, which saw them emerging as enemies from a period of them being once erstwhile allies.
Europeans and Americans have much more in common than most people think, making adjustments to life in a new country easier. Many customs are similar to practices in the United States. Germans have their own way of being German. Germany is a relatively small and densely populated country. Unlike the United States, which is a large, densely populated country.
Growing up in an American society, we are surrounded by certain customs and mannerisms. We pay little attention to them, as they have been ingrained into our society and is apart of our everyday lives. It is when a new culture or society gets thrown into the mix that we notice the different customs. Our first reaction is to think their way is wrong or weird, but when you take a step back you realize that it’s not weird at all, in fact it is as natural as breathing. They are from a different country, therefore they have different customs and way of living. To them, our ways are just as strange.
During my lifetime, I have had experiences with three friends from foreign countries. All of them are proficient when speaking English. Two of them had no problems with assimilating, however one of them, my old friend Anna, did not even try to assimilate to the American culture. I met Anna when I started seventh grade. She had moved to the United States with her parents from Russia a year earlier. Eventually, we became friends, but as our friendship progressed throughout eighth grade, she often complained about American culture. I would mention something that many but not all Americans enjoy doing, such as watching television. She would call it a stupid American tradition. Because of this, I almost felt that she was anti-American. Anna always liked people from different countries. When our friend Emily moved to the United States from Taiwan, Anna was excited to meet another person from a different country. After eighth grade, we went to different high schools. We did not keep in touch. A year later, we both took summer school and talked to each other almost every day for about a month. It turned out that during eighth grade, Anna's parents were expecting a baby. Anna was an only child. I feel that a part of her may have been upset, not because of another lifestyle change, but because the baby wo...
Handling business in Germany with confidence can be tough for individuals who don’t comprehend its business culture. Germany is a society with strict cultural components that are clearly delimited; discipline, freedom, individuality, status, and respect are the evident components translated to a business. In Germany, history, management style, and also business structures and interactions are factors that make this country unique; the knowledge and understanding of these specific cultural boundaries can make the difference between success and failure in the business arena.
Christmas in Germany is similar to America in many ways. That’s because Americans got their Christmas traditions from Germans. But Americans left out a few key differences from the Germans. For example, they left out Krampus, Christkindl, and many more!
To be a friend has almost certainly become a role of infinite definition. Agreeing with author Joyce Xinran, after reading her article, “Friending: The Changing Definition of Friendship in the Social Media Era,” the modern idea of a friend has changed in its meaning of intimacy. People have considered no boundaries when allowing one the position of associate. The act of being mildly pleasant will promote even a stranger to the status of friend. To solve this issue people must realize that receiving a simple electronic request to be a friend is hardly mastering the technique of camaraderie.
I was excited to travel this side of the globe, meet new people and explore different cultures. It was during the orientation for international students where I met people from different countries with various cultural backgrounds. I felt people here are very friendly and the atmosphere was very lively. It was a new thing to experience from people passing by smiling and greeting you randomly. Most of the people would keep the door open if they see someone approaching the door. These behaviors depict their cultural values. I come from a conservative culture and it is completely different, as we don’t greet someone randomly we don’t know. They will find it unusual and think it in a different
The main reason is that they can relate to international students regarding staying connected with friends and families and understanding the hardship that they face. Even in my Ethnographic Observation, I found a similar result where American students are not as interested in becoming friends with international students due to their cultural differences, such as staying connected with families and having a formal and extended conversation. Even when I was doing my Ethnographic observation, I was quite surprised to see the amount of students who hangs out with people from their cultural background. Even the research which was done by the Baruch College professor shows that one is every three international students do not have any American friends. I think for international students the way to solve the problem is not to be embarrassed about being different and find a hobby that American and international student has in common. Also, the best way to build up friendship and relationship with one another is to wait and look for the right person to become friends with because there are American students out there who are eager to become friends with international students to learn about different
The volksgemeinschaft or people’s community was the concept that the Nazis preached it was to be a new society, that was free from class division and social conflict. It was a community where all pure Germans were equal and one in which all displayed their loyalty to the nation, to its leader, and to each other. All pure Germans were to have a sense of belonging.
However, to a great extent nationalism can hinder a nation’s purist for national interest. Take Germany during world war one and the treaty of Versailles for an example. With Germany’s nationalism and military branches support they allied with Austria-Hungary and took up arms to help defend against potential treats that may occur from the assignation of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the declaration of war against Serbia. Germany took arms because it would mean an increase in their national interests of power, security, and an even greater increase in their national interests if they won. However, this rising of arms led to many other nations taking up arms especially in retaliation to the Germans plan called Schilieffen. Nonetheless, in the
Germany is a beautiful country of rich and bold history. Since its birth at the Congress of Vienna, this nation has undergone many changes. Many changes good, and some not so good. From the rise of the Nazi Party to the demolition of the Berlin wall to the Berlin Olympics, these changes are evident in the nation’s flags. Its government was responsible for most of these changes, and just as the national anthem is tied to the nations government so is its flag. Because the government changed so much about the nation throughout time, we can analyze it by looking at the many different flags the country has had. In fact, one could learn about the history of Germany by analyzing the history of its flag. Germany has had upwards of 11 flags, and each change of flag symbolizes a major change the country has undergone.
Friendship is the most wonderful relationship that anyone can have. Ideally a friend is a person who offers love and respect and will never leave or betray us. Friends can tell harsh truths when they must be told. There are four different types of friends: True friends, Convenient friends, Special interest friends, and historical friends. To have friendship is to have comfort. In times of crisis and depression, a friend is there to calm us and to help lift up our spirits.