Our Hometown
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There are many differences between the American way of life and that of the Germans. Or perhaps I should say that what I've lived here is quite different than that of what I've lived in America. It would be impossible to write all of these differences, but a few of them I'll share with you. Every morning, before school I eat breakfast together with the whole family. Many mothers don't work here, and have the sole job of being a housewife. My host mother works, but starts later so that she has enough time to prepare and clean up breakfast. A normal breakfast here is bread or rolls with jam or Nutella (a Chocolate hazelnut spread). After breakfast I bike to school. Bikes are quite a common means of transportation, and used in all weather conditions. Very few teenagers have their own car. I have school till one o'clock and then bike home for lunch with the whole family. Lunch is a hot meal, equivalent to that of dinner in America. Supper is bread with cheese or meat, and when the family is home together then they eat together, in my case it isn't very often. After lunch there are always places to go and things to be done. In the week I go to an after school art class and play Handball with a club. Sports are quite different here. They are not run by the school, but instead with sports clubs. Practice is one or two times in the week, the whole year long, and much more intensive than in America. Most of the people, young and old, play a sport. It is not very often that someone plays more than one sport at a time. The sports played are also different, it is very seldom that one plays football (there is one team in the whole city), more often is one in a volleyball team or in soccer. There are also many Handball teams and Gymnastic groups. Fitness is just one of the aspects contributing to the Germans' idea of healthiness. Eating the biggest meal in the afternoon, opening the windows every day of the year (including the winter), going hiking in the afternoon, eating naturally grown foods, these are just a few of the many steps that Germans take for their health. Germans are also very environmentally conscious. There are three different garbages in every house; no one thinks twice about not recycling. They have a compost, a container for all the plastic and paper, and one garbage for the rest, which one must pay to have taken away. Most of the drinks come in glass containers, and are always taken back for refund. Water is also conserved. The environmental consciousness is due to the little bit of space in Germany and all of Europe. There are many differences between the American way of life and that of the Germans. I think that the health and environmental consciousness of the Germans are two very positive aspects of Germans that one could learn a lot from. Copyright © 1998 |
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To Marion