Final Report

To be honest I came into German 110 having no idea what to really expect to learn from the class.  I came in with an open mind and willingness to learn about a people and place that I have been quite curious about for some time now.  I don’t know what it is but Germany has always stood out to me as one of the more interesting countries in Europe and now that the semester is over I must admit I was not disappointed by what I’ve learned.   I went in not even knowing the basic setup of the country but soon learned about its sixteen different statesand the way that the country is broken up into.  I’ve learned interesting things like the fact that Bavarians are apparently full of themselves and that North Rhine Westphalia is the best state in the country most likely only because our professor is from there.  I bet if he was Bavarian it would be a different story.  I personally had the chance to learn about and present the state of Mecklengburg –Vorpommern.   It seemed like a lovely little state to visit but not really on the top of my list to visit if I ever manage to take a trip to Germany.  I've learned that most people live in the city and very little people actually drive cars and that west Germany or more developed than the East.  I’ve learned more about the actual people living in the West and East than I ever had before.  In history class’s we’ve always talked about the reason for the separation but never have we talked about what the actual people were like or how they felt.  I did a presentation on literature on the 21^st century and from that alone I’ve learned that East German literature actually has some interesting value to add and isn’t just garbage like many people believed.  Ive learned quite a bit about the actual history of the country and its culture including learning about people like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe whom many consider to be the German William Shakespeare.  That’s a pretty big claim to make and something that German people should be proud of.  I’ve learned of Germany’s modern pharmaceutical industry as well as more about German cars than had ever known.  One thing that found extremely interesting is that when we talked about people we really talked about them on a personal level.  I’ve learned more about German figures on a personal level than a history book could ever teach me and for that I am thankful.    Other interesting things I’ve learned about is what the current day youth culture is like in Germany today.  We watched the movie Berlin Calling and it definitely did have this rebellious European youth feel to it which I feel is the current attitude most youth have in Germany today or anywhere for that matter.  I learned about groups like Baader-Meinhof and how in a way they started modern day terrorism.  That’s pretty crazy to think about.  I found Germany’s political system to be quite interesting and while maybe a little rough around the edges groups like the pirate party actually appeal to me.  They’re a modern group that just couldn’t exist in America today.  Lastly we ended the class talking about the many different foods that Germans like to partake in.  I personally chose to research Black Forest Cake as it’s a personal favorite but I learned that they put liquor on their version.  Other foods including blood sausage or a dish we discussed that included sausage and applesauce seemed odd but certainly interesting and unique.  The German people are one I would definitely be interested in learning more about and I hope that one day I may be able to visit and experience their one of a kind culture and country.