Or evening rather. So we're now at week 3 of the Winterkurs and I'm definitely feeling a strong difference between how German is taught in Australia by (most of the time) Australians and learning it here in Germany. One strong example is that in Australia it is very typical for people to overtly friendly with use of tone and words when meeting strangers or in interactions in shops and the street. Perhaps so as not to appear overly official or cold. And so when we were taught the difference between Du and Sie in general use. I was told that Du was "normal" and Sie was formal or official in nature.
However! It is really the other way around, I have discovered. Sie is the default for everyone until they say you can call them by Du or you become close friends or perhaps regular acquaintances. This was a degree of culture shock for me. One of the things I find deeply endearing about Australian behavior is our (hopefully/usually) ubiquitous friendly manner. So i was quite surprised that in Germany this would be a somewhat creepy use of over-familiar terms.
Perhaps this is the first point that I am suffering culture shock on, but to what extent I'm actually shocked is debatable, I'm unnerved as to the idea of the "endearing" Australian friendliness may actually be doing us a disservice on the world stage. Deeply bothersome and deserving of furthering pondering indeed.
Perhaps this is the first point that I am suffering culture shock on, but to what extent I'm actually shocked is debatable, I'm unnerved as to the idea of the "endearing" Australian friendliness may actually be doing us a disservice on the world stage. Deeply bothersome and deserving of furthering pondering indeed.
In other news, Stuttgart's Planetarium is dated and unimpressive, don't go. (2/5)
Also I would have not thought it coming from Australia and enjoying the cold as I do, that I would actually MISS the sun. I think I'm having a dip in Vitamin D levels and maybe having some kind of withdrawal effect. I definitely feel a bit more chirpy on sunny days, and this effect is well documented with things like Seasonal Affective Disorder. Curious indeed!
I will also include a Kraftwerk song! Because Ben hasnt ever heard of them!
I will also include a Kraftwerk song! Because Ben hasnt ever heard of them!
I guess lastly, i will mention a very curious film currently set to premiere at the Berlin International film festival called Iron Skies about nazis coming from the dark side of the moon.
Thoughts? Is this an acceptable parody of Nazism? or is it insensitive? (warning if you look it up, coarse language and possibly offensive imagery.) I think it will make very good material for something like a thesis examining the place of such works in the overall concept of Die Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung
MfG Alle
I completely agree with you on the cultural differences between "Australian greetings" and "German greetings"- it is a significant difference that I am still trying to get used to. In Australia we definitely take a more relaxed (perhaps?) and less-formal approach to greeting people on the street etc. However, that is not to say that German people are "cold" or "harsh", they just take a different, perhaps more formal approach, which is fine. I don't know about you, but I often have to think hard about how to greet someone on the street as I see them approaching- as I know that my typical "Australian-syle" greeting would be rather unusual! I also find it rather interesting how when simply passing someone, it is not really appropriate to use "Wie geht's?" as this is a question that would warrant the person stopping and giving a proper response, so instead a simple "Guten Tag" is better. I struggle with this concept, as in Australia we can use "How are you going?" (an actual question, much like "Wie Geht's?") as a greeting when simply passing someone on the street, and a simple "good thanks" is what you will be given in return and everyone carries on along their way.
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