Today in German course our teacher was sick so we had a sub. The first thing she told us to do was close our eyes and imagine you are a fish. Imagine: the size, shape, color, where you are, are there other fish, what you are doing, the things that surround you. Then she told us to open our eyes and asked us what we saw. She asked who all was in an Ocean. I raised my hand with a few others. Then she asked about a Sea two people raised there hands. Then a river no one. Jaqueline didn't raise her hand for any of them so the teacher asked her wher she was at. She replied I was in an aquarium in my room.. I found this very different but it was part of what the teacher was trying to get across. After we talked about our fish she put a quote up on the board it read" A fish will be last to discover water". Meaning that you are the last one to notice your own culture and some of the things that you do. We talked about how we see culture and that you are influenced by your own culture and many people see things very differently. The class talked about customs and things that were different from culture to culture. After we finished the teacher told us that we are never to change our own culture to be like another but rather except the differences and notice them. Pay attention and be aware of things. It was really eye opening to see how others saw things.
During our break Jaqueline asked me a question and I have been thinking a lot about it. She said "Why do you not call me an American"?.. I answered well because your aren't American. Then she pointed out the fact that America is the continent including both South and North America. She has a very good point. I have no answer to this question.. I honestly don't know. No one ever questions it though. When you say I'm American most people automatically think North America. The whole time I have been in Germany I have only had one man ask me North or South when I said I am from America.. I answered Midwest thinking he meant in the United States. This is a very interestion point and if anyone could give me some insite I would love to hear it.
Danke
Auf Wiedersehen. <3
Love me!
I have been thinking about this sooo much since we skyped and you told me about it. Not that I have an answer but I wonder if it is because our nation is not named properly to add something to the end?? Like we wouldnt say we are united statians or staters? If you think about it, most places add "ian" to the end of their country, even in North American... Mexican's, Canadian's! If you look elsewhere you come up with a few different ones like French, English.
ReplyDeleteHere is my personal thought though! I hate labels!! I have always struggled with what to call Kathy or John, why the school wanted to label Austin or Addi, and when dad was in the service I hated the whole "yankee" label! I guess saying your "human" just isnt enough! Luv you and are so proud of all you are learning as your generation is our future! Maybe one day just being HUMAN will be enough!
I have nothing to add about why only U.S. residents are called 'Americans' but there are some interesting things in the origin of "America" as the name of the N. and S. land parts of the western hemisphere (not to mention the central part--oops, there I mentioned it). Even though early explorers (Amerigo Vespucci & Christopher Columbus) were Italians, sailing for Portugal and Spain, respectively, it was some men of Germanic heritage who settled the issue of what to call these continents. For more details in a concise summary see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americas#Naming Vespucci is usually credited as the name-bearer who whose name rubbed off onto the continent(s), although he didn't know about it.-- Uncle Tony (aka Tom)
ReplyDeleteNoch mehr von dem Kontinentnamen "Amerika". Über die Herkünft davon kannst du auch auf Deutsch lesen. Sieh mal Wikipedia URL http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika#Namensgebung
ReplyDelete-- tschüs, dein Onkel Tom (aka Onkel Toni)