Well, my father and brother are coming to visit tomorrow morning (they'll be landing in 7 hours or so). So, I'll be cutting a week of class. Note, I have only cut class once in my college career, and that was because I had study-abroad orientation. But in my language class, I really don't care what I get for a grade, as I know it's not going to be great (so I won't transfer it back), and the grade doesn't matter, it only matters if I learn something. Most of what it graded has nothing at all to do with learning. It all has to do with preparation for a standardized language exam, which doesn't actually test language abilities (I don't have to take the exam).
Anyway, I strayed from the point. So, tomorrow my father and brother are coming (actually, today, technically). We'll do all sorts of wonderful touristy stuff. Maybe I'll eat some German food. By the way, Germans don't eat German food. Germans eat in a similar style as Americans (that is, slightly changed versions of all sorts of international foods). Of course, there is a fair amount of Turkish food, as there are a lot of Turkish people in Germany.
Speaking of which, when in a person no longer a foreigner? In the US, in my opinion, a person is no longer a foreigner as soon as he/she feels at home in the USA. So, in my opinion, a person could stop being a foreigner within a month. Of course, in Germany, it's much different. Europe is nothing like the US, as when I look at a person in Germany, I can say with fairly good assurance, that the person's ancestors can be traced indefinitely back to the land of Germany. Germans live in Germany. It seems in Germany, it takes a lot longer (many generations) to no longer be a foreigner. So, if you were not native born, you will always be a foreigner. If your parents weren't native born, you're probably still a foreigner.
It's weird. Over here there are actual feelings of national identity. Maybe there is also that in the US. I love my country and all that, but I don't really feel that my country defines me. I had a 1 in 20 chance of being American, and that's how it turned out. I don't define myself by that, and I'm not proud of that (it wasn't my choice to be born here).
Oddly enough, I seem to identify better with the German students than I do with the International students. I think it's because most of the international students are trying to live a different life, preserve some sort of identity. Personally, I don't care. Sure, sometimes I'll be the stereotypical American (rude, stupid, and drinking Coca-Cola), but that's only so the other people can be entertained (ok, the Coca-Cola is also for me:-)). Other than that, I'm in Germany. While to the Germans, I'm certainly a foreigner, to me, I am a German with a bad speech impediment and cultural ineptitude.
Of course, maybe I can feel like a German because Germany is fairly similar to America. Germans won't always admit it, but a lot of their culture is borrowed from America. I don't think American Idol is called American Idol (but that's British, actually), and some other things are changed, but it is a similar culture.
Anyway, I've rambled. My father and brother are coming tomorrow.
Archived comments:
Paula:
Ok so American Idol... I would audition for the fun of it but I bet Simon would tell me I was out of tune or something. He's mean. He makes fun of people. His criticism isn't constructive.
I had all this important stuff to say about American Idol and I can't remember what it is anymore. Ah well. OH WELL!!!!
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