Final Reflection

German speaking cultures strike me as incredibly odd. As a whole, they have left me somewhat baffled. Many things that we've read about are not necessarily unheard of, but they are odd. Their culture seems a lot more scandalous than one might first think. They often drive on political and sexual jokes, almost to the point of where it's just a little weird. I feel like many of them find their identity in their humor. Not to say this as something bad, just as something different. America is definitely very rooted in humor, but German humor almost seems... More elegant. I don't think it really is all that different, but it just doesn't seem so bad when they go about it. Things like political floats and crazy rituals just seem like a fun and eccentric life style; not something to be looked down on. German speaking cultures also seem a lot more elegant in general, not just in regards to humor. This may just be true for most European countries, but they all seem to have a very classy air about them. The way they dress, the politeness, the way restaurants and seating works. It all seems very classy and elegant, and especially loving, and I absolutely love that about German culture.

American culture has some pretty vast differences in regards to German culture. America seems to find a large portion of it's identity in sensuality and sexuality, especially when mixed with humor. Germany has this to some extent as well; there humor and sexuality seem to be more respectful almost. Americans also find a large identity in freedom and independence, where as Germans seem not to really be bothered to much with such things. Germany is more about being welcoming and generally jovial. It is rare that you would see strangers sitting together at the dinner table in America, but Germany finds this to be very commonplace. Americans also tend to have a very casual air about them, in regards to clothing, conversation, and general day to day life. Germans like to dress more classy in general, and they just seem to have a more classy air about them overall. Americans have a much more liberal view on food. Food and drink are much cheaper, and are given in much larger quantities, whereas Germans tend to charge more and give less. And don't even get me started on refills.

Each individual German speaking country seems to have a lot of similarities. Obviously, many of them have different governmental structures, like Liechtenstein or Luxembourg. However, they all seem to have a general air of warmth about them and their people. It may just be the European vibe overall, but German speaking countries seem like a very welcoming bunch of people. German speaking countries seem to have a strong sense of nobility and standing up for what is right. Some of these countries may be advocates for peace, but they will make their thoughts known about right versus wrong, and I respect that.

Over the past 10 weeks, I've learned a lot about German speaking cultures. Some things, I already presumed, like their sense of loyalty and welcoming. But I learned greatly how noble they were. Especially after reading the article about the Swiss troops marching into Libya to make known the fact that they believed in that cause, and after reading the article about the noble homeless man who gave up the thousands of dollars he found on the street to their rightful owner. It's these noble and selfless acts that have really changed my view on these countries and cultures, and to some extent made me want to be a part of these cultures. I've also begun to understand a lot about the political side of these countries and cultures, which has made me feel quite the opposite. Some of these countries have such political problems and issues. I'm not saying that America doesn't have it's problems, but for the moment, I'll take American politics over European politics.

All in all, German speaking cultures are very intriguing, and I enjoy what it is they have to offer. They're pleasant and lovely places, and I think a lot of the world could benefit from watching how they interact.