My little sis is in town visiting and I am going to put a list of things we find different about Germany in comparison to the US. Since I am really used to being here, having her around has helped me see the differences I have just grown accustomed to. Some of these things will be elaborated on once the semester ends and I have some time to put some concluding thoughts down on paper.
Differences:
Change dishes at the cashier, so you don't have to hand your money over
Male purses
Escalators all over
The smell of sweat (though this may just be a big city thing)
Lots of bike riders
Doener... oh yeah
Hi-Top tennis shoes
Male capri pants
Cashiers sit down
Less seating at restaurants, lots of tables to just stand up and lean on and eat
Labor strikes, all the time (public transit, trains, newspapers printing, all in a year)
Very limited opening hours
Mohawks and mullets (sometimes together)
Customer service does not necessarily mean friendly service
Not lots of smiles between strangers (this may just be a big city thing)
Door handles and locks
Windows that open differently
No ice cubes in drinks
Carbonated water everywhere
Lack of AC
Beer
Different food--American brands are nasty tasting in Europe
Public displays of affection and public nudity (widely acceptable)
Hedgehogs and crazy little black squirrels
Public drinking (no open container laws)
Toilets (how they flush)
Cash (have to use it)
No drinking fountains
Few public restrooms
Mini-kegs (10 L of beer)
05 July 2007
24 June 2007
The Journey
It has come to my attention recently that perhaps living in the present is much more important than living in the past or the future. I have realized that I have been living much too much in the future, putting off potential good times and experiences here in Europe for hopes and dreams that would take years to come to fruition in best case scenarios. I have always been incredibly goal oriented and future minded, as long as I can remember, but now I am finally realizing that is exactly the wrong philosophy one should have when having an experience like mine in Germany. You can't have one eye on the future, one eye on the past and nothing on the present. You have to be thinking about the present all the time, how best to enjoy the time you have. Lately I have been letting lots of things about the present pass me by.
That isn't to say that I haven't had a good time here, or haven't taken a lot away from this experience, I have. But, I do also have some regrets of things I could have done better if I had known better. I console myself by thinking that this reevaluation of my philosophy of living for the future is a great lesson that I have learned while being here, but at the same time that lesson would have been much better learned much earlier. It took some recent turns of events to realize just how ridiculously far I can take delayed gratification and living for the future.
I won't elaborate on those things, that is outside the scope of this blog, but instead will elaborate on what about being here has helped bring about that change as well. Every day is a learning experience here. Every time I step out of my room the probability I will get lost and have to adapt my plans is much greater than it ever would be in the US. Getting lost is part of studying abroad, and learning how to adapt to being lost and still take away something meaningful from being lost. Not being afraid to get lost once in awhile. Tonight, like so many other nights, I did something I never did back in the states--I took a walk in an area I didn't know at all, with no goal in mind, no purpose, just to walk around and enjoy the scenery. I got mildly lost, but followed the sunset in the right direction of my house and it was great to get back. The walk wasn't anything earth shattering, but it was good to get out, enjoy the scenery and not be obsessing about being somewhere at some specific time for some specific purpose--just relaxing, walking through a park, stopping to read once in awhile, or admire the stream. This is also a great metaphor for how I live my life, because I have never really stopped to enjoy the present very much--with achieving goals taking over my mind so much that every action I took felt as if it was geared toward achieving some higher objective. It had gotten to the point I couldn't just do things for the pleasure of doing them at the moment--if they had no lasting benefits they seemed like wasted time to me. This is of course a false assumption, a damaging one, one that kept me from taking some exploratory trips I would have liked to take around the area, from opening up to strangers more, from trying to actively meet people more.
The good news is that learning all of these things means I can work on adjusting myself while I am here for the remaining time and bring this new, more well-rounded world view back to school with me next year. (I realize the paradox I just created by looking at the future benefits of learning how to enjoy things for the moment... I'm still working on this whole enjoying the moment thing). Next year I am going to have to be able to take a pause from all of my work and stress and just cut loose with friends once in awhile or I will go crazy. I have to realize that sometimes you just need to have a good time. It is allowed, encouraged, a good idea even.
My little sister is soon visiting and I am sure she will help me greatly in implementing my new found philosophy, as well as giving me an excuse to undertake those trips that I put off earlier for all the wrong reasons. I am excited about this new opportunity, and about this realization and how it has helped me see I can do things better than I currently am, I can help myself be happier.
It's a cliche, but sometimes you have to sit back and enjoy the journey, not worrying about where it takes you, because you can never predict that.
That isn't to say that I haven't had a good time here, or haven't taken a lot away from this experience, I have. But, I do also have some regrets of things I could have done better if I had known better. I console myself by thinking that this reevaluation of my philosophy of living for the future is a great lesson that I have learned while being here, but at the same time that lesson would have been much better learned much earlier. It took some recent turns of events to realize just how ridiculously far I can take delayed gratification and living for the future.
I won't elaborate on those things, that is outside the scope of this blog, but instead will elaborate on what about being here has helped bring about that change as well. Every day is a learning experience here. Every time I step out of my room the probability I will get lost and have to adapt my plans is much greater than it ever would be in the US. Getting lost is part of studying abroad, and learning how to adapt to being lost and still take away something meaningful from being lost. Not being afraid to get lost once in awhile. Tonight, like so many other nights, I did something I never did back in the states--I took a walk in an area I didn't know at all, with no goal in mind, no purpose, just to walk around and enjoy the scenery. I got mildly lost, but followed the sunset in the right direction of my house and it was great to get back. The walk wasn't anything earth shattering, but it was good to get out, enjoy the scenery and not be obsessing about being somewhere at some specific time for some specific purpose--just relaxing, walking through a park, stopping to read once in awhile, or admire the stream. This is also a great metaphor for how I live my life, because I have never really stopped to enjoy the present very much--with achieving goals taking over my mind so much that every action I took felt as if it was geared toward achieving some higher objective. It had gotten to the point I couldn't just do things for the pleasure of doing them at the moment--if they had no lasting benefits they seemed like wasted time to me. This is of course a false assumption, a damaging one, one that kept me from taking some exploratory trips I would have liked to take around the area, from opening up to strangers more, from trying to actively meet people more.
The good news is that learning all of these things means I can work on adjusting myself while I am here for the remaining time and bring this new, more well-rounded world view back to school with me next year. (I realize the paradox I just created by looking at the future benefits of learning how to enjoy things for the moment... I'm still working on this whole enjoying the moment thing). Next year I am going to have to be able to take a pause from all of my work and stress and just cut loose with friends once in awhile or I will go crazy. I have to realize that sometimes you just need to have a good time. It is allowed, encouraged, a good idea even.
My little sister is soon visiting and I am sure she will help me greatly in implementing my new found philosophy, as well as giving me an excuse to undertake those trips that I put off earlier for all the wrong reasons. I am excited about this new opportunity, and about this realization and how it has helped me see I can do things better than I currently am, I can help myself be happier.
It's a cliche, but sometimes you have to sit back and enjoy the journey, not worrying about where it takes you, because you can never predict that.
19 June 2007
Bamberg
On a lazy Sunday afternoon we decided to take a three hour train ride to the quiet little town of Bamberg, Germany in northern Bavaria. Bamberg is interesting because it is small by German standards (around 60,000 people), and was relatively untouched during the war. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, and home to a relatively strange type of beer known as "Rauchbier" (literally "smoke beer"). The day was beautiful, the train ride relaxing, and we only spent a few hours in the town enjoying the sights and drinking the beer. It was great.
A view of the many spires rising through the sky.
A major Gothic era cathedral.
The river that runs through Bamberg is quite gross. It is also home to a shipping canal that connects the Danube, Rhein and Mainz, connecting the Black Sea with the Baltic.
This is the view from where we sat in the Beer Garden and spent the afternoon. Gorgeous.
Zum Wohl! (Toast!) Those are our Rauchbiere... they tasted delicious. They had a smoky aftertaste and did not taste like a typical German beer.
A fountain in Nuernburg that I photographed on our train layover. That is a skeleton strangling another skeleton on top of a giant Iguana with wings. It is quite bizarre.
I couldn't stop photographing this fountain.
Gluttony?
The river in Bamberg.
Bamberg reminded me a lot of a mini-Prague. I really enjoyed the paintings on the side of the buildings and the riverfront. It was definitely worth the 5 Euro train ticket. Bayern really can be beautiful if you bother to step outside of Munich once in awhile!
A view of the many spires rising through the sky.
A major Gothic era cathedral.
The river that runs through Bamberg is quite gross. It is also home to a shipping canal that connects the Danube, Rhein and Mainz, connecting the Black Sea with the Baltic.
This is the view from where we sat in the Beer Garden and spent the afternoon. Gorgeous.
Zum Wohl! (Toast!) Those are our Rauchbiere... they tasted delicious. They had a smoky aftertaste and did not taste like a typical German beer.
A fountain in Nuernburg that I photographed on our train layover. That is a skeleton strangling another skeleton on top of a giant Iguana with wings. It is quite bizarre.
I couldn't stop photographing this fountain.
Gluttony?
The river in Bamberg.
Bamberg reminded me a lot of a mini-Prague. I really enjoyed the paintings on the side of the buildings and the riverfront. It was definitely worth the 5 Euro train ticket. Bayern really can be beautiful if you bother to step outside of Munich once in awhile!
Pearl Jam Concert
Photos from the Pearl Jam concert in Olympihalle Muenchen on 6/12/2007.
The show was great, but there is no way I have time to put down the hundreds or thousands of words it would take to express just how amazingly the band played. It was every bit as good as the concert in Prague, and probably a better experience--better seats, and a world premier of a new Pearl Jam song.
The set. Olympiahalle filling up.
Still relatively empty. Olympiahalle is quite huge.
Really huge...
The band in full swing.
The beginning of "Baba O'Riley" the Who cover the band played in tribute of the Who, who played the Olympiahalle the next night.
Eddie Vedder takes the mic during "Baba O'Riley".
The band says goodbye and goodnight after a 2 1/2 hour performance... we got our money's worth.
The show was great, but there is no way I have time to put down the hundreds or thousands of words it would take to express just how amazingly the band played. It was every bit as good as the concert in Prague, and probably a better experience--better seats, and a world premier of a new Pearl Jam song.
The set. Olympiahalle filling up.
Still relatively empty. Olympiahalle is quite huge.
Really huge...
The band in full swing.
The beginning of "Baba O'Riley" the Who cover the band played in tribute of the Who, who played the Olympiahalle the next night.
Eddie Vedder takes the mic during "Baba O'Riley".
The band says goodbye and goodnight after a 2 1/2 hour performance... we got our money's worth.
Munich Photos
Kelly came to visit. We had a good time and here are some selected photos from that visit.
A penguin at the zoo who loved us.
A cool shot of a fish tank at the aquarium.
The chandelier at the Hard Rock Cafe. I'm officially an American tourist :-)
Me trying to read the video screen in the subway station.
A bum hanging out by the outdoor chess games. He noticed me taking a picture of these chess pieces and insisted I get him in the picture. Funny guy. In his hand you can see Munich's most popular beer--Augistiner Helles. It's pretty great.
The Hofgarten. If you've read the poem "The Wasteland" by T.S. Eliot this is what he was talking about. A beautiful place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
The gate to "Konigsplatz". Hitler used this place as a rallying point for the Nazi party. The Allied Forces pretty much flattened it when they came to Munich.
The Greek Museum in Munich, if you look closely you can see a giant trojan horse in front of the building. Always cool.
Schloss Nymphenburg in the summer.
Ducks surfing on the fountain.
The gate to Dachau, one of the central concentration camps and the largest located within Germany proper. The words written on the gate "Arbeit macht Frei" translate into "Freedom through work" or "Work makes freedom". Of course, this, like so much in Nazi Germany was a lie.
All in all the visit was a good chance for me to get in touch with Munich and get some pictures of stuff I didn't already see. It was fun. Munich is a gorgeous city that I have started to get used to and ignore, which I shouldn't do... there is only a little time left here.
A penguin at the zoo who loved us.
A cool shot of a fish tank at the aquarium.
The chandelier at the Hard Rock Cafe. I'm officially an American tourist :-)
Me trying to read the video screen in the subway station.
A bum hanging out by the outdoor chess games. He noticed me taking a picture of these chess pieces and insisted I get him in the picture. Funny guy. In his hand you can see Munich's most popular beer--Augistiner Helles. It's pretty great.
The Hofgarten. If you've read the poem "The Wasteland" by T.S. Eliot this is what he was talking about. A beautiful place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
The gate to "Konigsplatz". Hitler used this place as a rallying point for the Nazi party. The Allied Forces pretty much flattened it when they came to Munich.
The Greek Museum in Munich, if you look closely you can see a giant trojan horse in front of the building. Always cool.
Schloss Nymphenburg in the summer.
Ducks surfing on the fountain.
The gate to Dachau, one of the central concentration camps and the largest located within Germany proper. The words written on the gate "Arbeit macht Frei" translate into "Freedom through work" or "Work makes freedom". Of course, this, like so much in Nazi Germany was a lie.
All in all the visit was a good chance for me to get in touch with Munich and get some pictures of stuff I didn't already see. It was fun. Munich is a gorgeous city that I have started to get used to and ignore, which I shouldn't do... there is only a little time left here.
Updates and Photos and More
In the next few days I will be posting a bunch of things from this semester that the craziness of this semester has prevented me from already posting. A preview:
Pictures-- from Bamberg, and around Munich
Essays-- A couple German essays I have written (fairly short, 500 words) that aren't half bad.
Thoughts
Projections
Updated feelings on Germany
Pictures-- from Bamberg, and around Munich
Essays-- A couple German essays I have written (fairly short, 500 words) that aren't half bad.
Thoughts
Projections
Updated feelings on Germany
15 May 2007
Missing
Today marks a strange day. I was sitting in my microeconomics class today, sweating a little realizing that the class is getting very difficult now, and the strangest feeling hit me. Germany feels like home. Maybe home is a stretch (there are no steaks and certain people I care deeply about are missing) but it feels like the norm now. For the first time since being over here having a class in German didn't feel slightly strange or frustrating, it was just the way it was. It was normal, a fact of life. What's more, I started thinking about how soon I am going to be back in the US (less than 90 days now) and it really hit me that this journey, experience or whatever word you want to give it is coming to an end, for good. That kind of wowed me.
I realized that it takes time to get used to a place. It took me awhile when I moved in high school, it took me awhile at college, and finally it took me awhile here in Germany, but I learned that I am truly adaptable. I adapted to a new country, a new language and a new culture enough to start feeling like it is normal. By no means have I suddenly mastered German, figured out the German way of life, and become able to explain the intricacies of Bavarian culture (no one can do that), but I can tell you what it feels like to really live in Germany. I can tell you the moods of Germany. I can tell you how Germans are as a nation (reading the newspaper has helped a bunch) and I can tell you what different priorities Germans have over Americans. I couldn't do that last semester, because I was still having trouble asking to buy my bus ticket.
This feeling has been building up lately, probably on the heels of a string of what I would call "intercultural communication successes". For example, I had to ask about registering for my final exam and had to visit various offices and talk to various different people in German to get everything set up to do that--and I did it, alone. Completely alone. I also went ahead and joined a debate club, and that has been one of the brightest spots in my semester so far. I have met German students in my microeconomics class and had conversations with them. I have had no problem telling the rude person on the subway to not push me. I have written several two to three page essays in German (still riddled with grammar failures, but comprehensible). I have found things I wanted to do, and been able to do them all on my own account. I watch German TV and read a German newspaper. I laugh at German comedies. I roll my eyes at German letters to the editor. I understand.... And all of these successes have added up and made me just feel like I can function here in Germany normally.
I still have a long way to go, and sometimes I feel lost, but those times are farther and farther apart. I am finding the right words. I am finding myself really comfortable here. I am finding friends. I am finding my own little German existence. It is exciting to feel like I have made that step finally.
I realized that it takes time to get used to a place. It took me awhile when I moved in high school, it took me awhile at college, and finally it took me awhile here in Germany, but I learned that I am truly adaptable. I adapted to a new country, a new language and a new culture enough to start feeling like it is normal. By no means have I suddenly mastered German, figured out the German way of life, and become able to explain the intricacies of Bavarian culture (no one can do that), but I can tell you what it feels like to really live in Germany. I can tell you the moods of Germany. I can tell you how Germans are as a nation (reading the newspaper has helped a bunch) and I can tell you what different priorities Germans have over Americans. I couldn't do that last semester, because I was still having trouble asking to buy my bus ticket.
This feeling has been building up lately, probably on the heels of a string of what I would call "intercultural communication successes". For example, I had to ask about registering for my final exam and had to visit various offices and talk to various different people in German to get everything set up to do that--and I did it, alone. Completely alone. I also went ahead and joined a debate club, and that has been one of the brightest spots in my semester so far. I have met German students in my microeconomics class and had conversations with them. I have had no problem telling the rude person on the subway to not push me. I have written several two to three page essays in German (still riddled with grammar failures, but comprehensible). I have found things I wanted to do, and been able to do them all on my own account. I watch German TV and read a German newspaper. I laugh at German comedies. I roll my eyes at German letters to the editor. I understand.... And all of these successes have added up and made me just feel like I can function here in Germany normally.
I still have a long way to go, and sometimes I feel lost, but those times are farther and farther apart. I am finding the right words. I am finding myself really comfortable here. I am finding friends. I am finding my own little German existence. It is exciting to feel like I have made that step finally.
09 May 2007
Debating (2x)
Since debating is something I know very well in the USA, having been an active participant for six years, I find the most cultural differences becoming clear to me during my participation in debate club activities. This also could be because it is the only place I am in a very small majority as a non-native German and the only place I am participating in what I would call a "normal" segment of German society. Debate club really is for people who just enjoy debate from across Munich, and there are dozens of people from all different walks of life who come (some often, some once in awhile), get together, and participate in an activity I know and love. Attending this club is the smartest thing I have done since coming to Germany--for sure.
Tonight I actually debated, but it isn't as brave as it sounds because tonight was a special evening where the club debated in English. At any rate there are a few things I can say anyway about the intricacies of the German debate style. The Germans use a style (roughly translated) I believe to be called "Public Parliamentary Debate". The interesting thing about this style is that there are three people per team as well as anywhere from 2-4 people who belong to neither team. After the first four speeches (two from each team) the 2-4 extra individuals are allowed to give shorter speeches for support of either side or against both. These individuals bring new arguments that both teams should respond to in each of their last speeches. This is an interesting idea, though it makes the debate harder to evaluate and much longer. It is fun in a non-competitive environment for sure. The strategic possibilities are also very interesting. (Short example: if all of the four "free speakers" chose to support one team, what effect would this have on that team's arguements... I should also mention this team that is "attacked" by the free speakers is allowed a one minute "defense" after the end of each speech, but the time stacks up (4 x 3.5 vs. 4 x1 = 14 v. 4 minutes of speaking time). Very interesting.
Germans debate much less structured and with much less theory than competitive collegiate debate in the US. This has advantages and disadvantages. Now I have always been against the super structure of US competitive debate and its inaccessibility to the general public (most people don't know what the terms Topicality, Kritik, Impact, Turn and Voter mean... and their lives aren't any worse off for that.). What is interesting is that I have now found that those same things I am against make the debate much easier to decide. When you want debate to be competitive you need to find the best possible mechanism to determine which team has argued better. This is not an easy task and some critics take a half hour to come to their decision after a good round (and then I believe a lot of them make their decision mostly off of a gut feeling they later try to justify using the above listed terms--not blaming them, these rounds can be practically impossible to decide). The benefit of all of this structure is it creates a framework in which different speaking styles, arguments types and general knowledge of one competitor can be compared against that of another.
This is exactly what happened in our debate tonight (or rather, didn't happen). There was absolutely no structure, which gives each following speaker no idea how to organize their speech. When there are no numbered points, no arguments with short names, no self-evaluation of arguments by one team (for example when a team says "and this third point is our strongest point") it makes it very difficult to "clash" or counter one team's arguments with those of another. The arguments are not exact, not well formed and very easily changed from speech to speech. When the arguments must be set within a structure they can't change into something they weren't intended for to avoid a good counter-argument. It isn't that debaters are always avoiding counter-arguments, but rather a natural human tendency when you are speaking in front of a group of people to take the easiest way out of a tough situation. The purpose of the structure is to make it harder to change your argument, by making each assumption and each conclusion very clear, than it is to counter your opponents argument. Maybe that isn't the purpose, perhaps it is only the effect it has, but either way... I prefer this system.
The structure also lends a lot of creativity to argument. Once you begin to look at competitive debate as a game and not as a life skill you begin to see the fun in the structured argument style. (I have my coach from last year, Thomas McCloskey to thank for opening my eyes on this matter). The ability to change the course of a round by introducing a completely new idea can be fun (though this ability can also be abused). The ability to talk about the power of rhetoric within a debate round and its impact on the real world is a great freedom and a great way for students to practice having arguments about things other than political things--for example arguments about the effects hateful violent words can have on individuals and whether we should be protected from these or not (for example if a debater uses a racial slur while making an argument the other team is allowed to argue against the use of this language, which changes the context of the round completely). Moreover, the rules are often decided and negotiated within the round, so if one team decides to let the other team do something quite strange outside of the framework and is unable to articulate a reason it should not be allowed, it is allowed. That the framework can be changed from round to round keeps the debate fresh, while also having the benefit of having some sort of pre-determined framework that debaters can work within in order to understand each other's arguments and counter each other's arguments more efficiently.
In regular arguments you wouldn't use debate terminology, but that doesn't mean you don't use similar skill sets, and the abilities you gain from debating within this framework won't transfer to a normal conversation outside of this framework. Quite the opposite, I think the framework (when it works and competitors use it in practice and really understand it) forces competitors to be much more precise in their argumentation which translates into the arguments they transform outside of this framework. Suddenly are their arguments in every day conversation more logically constructed and precise, because they have obtained the habit of reading different types of arguments, understanding the differences between them, and constructing and countering them very precisely.
Back to Germany. In German debate there are very few rules, there is very little structure, and there is not a lot of ability to introduce wacky arguments. Now I have only debated with one club and certainly haven't seen the top debaters in the country (although a pair by our club are very good and usually place quite well). I am excited to see how the entire "debate scene" in Germany is. It is certainly not as large as that in the US, not as competitive, not as young, and definitely not as stressful. Somehow, despite the confusion that comes from this very loosely structured style, I find it very enjoyable, with lots of benefits. It is less stressful, you don't feel afraid of making a tiny mistake that will undo an otherwise perfect arguments, you engage the audience and especially the general public (who come watch the debate club often) much more, and you feel a real connection with the audience. This is what debate's original intent is, to show the public through the exchange of opinions their options, and let them decide between the options and choose the best option. When it works it is a beautiful thing. That intent is still strong within the German debate system/structure/culture where in the US we have very clearly divided "competitive debate" and "traditional" or "everyday" debate. (Something my mother reminded me of often).
Anyway. Another Wednesday, another debate club, another good ending to the longest day of my week every week. I can't wait for next Wednesday, when, for the first time, I will attempt to debate in German! Yikes! (Luckily there is a lot of peer pressure because they Germans want a bit of revenge from tonight. I debated fairly well, because I had an obvious advantage (English as a native language). I think they want to see how I'll do outside of my native language and give me a taste of what they had to deal with tonight. I can't wait to rise to the challenge.)
One more thing, so I can remember. There is an award every evening for the "best speaker" of the evening. I want, one time, to be the best speaker in a German language debate that I take part in. If I can do this is another thing, but I am going to work on it.
Tonight I actually debated, but it isn't as brave as it sounds because tonight was a special evening where the club debated in English. At any rate there are a few things I can say anyway about the intricacies of the German debate style. The Germans use a style (roughly translated) I believe to be called "Public Parliamentary Debate". The interesting thing about this style is that there are three people per team as well as anywhere from 2-4 people who belong to neither team. After the first four speeches (two from each team) the 2-4 extra individuals are allowed to give shorter speeches for support of either side or against both. These individuals bring new arguments that both teams should respond to in each of their last speeches. This is an interesting idea, though it makes the debate harder to evaluate and much longer. It is fun in a non-competitive environment for sure. The strategic possibilities are also very interesting. (Short example: if all of the four "free speakers" chose to support one team, what effect would this have on that team's arguements... I should also mention this team that is "attacked" by the free speakers is allowed a one minute "defense" after the end of each speech, but the time stacks up (4 x 3.5 vs. 4 x1 = 14 v. 4 minutes of speaking time). Very interesting.
Germans debate much less structured and with much less theory than competitive collegiate debate in the US. This has advantages and disadvantages. Now I have always been against the super structure of US competitive debate and its inaccessibility to the general public (most people don't know what the terms Topicality, Kritik, Impact, Turn and Voter mean... and their lives aren't any worse off for that.). What is interesting is that I have now found that those same things I am against make the debate much easier to decide. When you want debate to be competitive you need to find the best possible mechanism to determine which team has argued better. This is not an easy task and some critics take a half hour to come to their decision after a good round (and then I believe a lot of them make their decision mostly off of a gut feeling they later try to justify using the above listed terms--not blaming them, these rounds can be practically impossible to decide). The benefit of all of this structure is it creates a framework in which different speaking styles, arguments types and general knowledge of one competitor can be compared against that of another.
This is exactly what happened in our debate tonight (or rather, didn't happen). There was absolutely no structure, which gives each following speaker no idea how to organize their speech. When there are no numbered points, no arguments with short names, no self-evaluation of arguments by one team (for example when a team says "and this third point is our strongest point") it makes it very difficult to "clash" or counter one team's arguments with those of another. The arguments are not exact, not well formed and very easily changed from speech to speech. When the arguments must be set within a structure they can't change into something they weren't intended for to avoid a good counter-argument. It isn't that debaters are always avoiding counter-arguments, but rather a natural human tendency when you are speaking in front of a group of people to take the easiest way out of a tough situation. The purpose of the structure is to make it harder to change your argument, by making each assumption and each conclusion very clear, than it is to counter your opponents argument. Maybe that isn't the purpose, perhaps it is only the effect it has, but either way... I prefer this system.
The structure also lends a lot of creativity to argument. Once you begin to look at competitive debate as a game and not as a life skill you begin to see the fun in the structured argument style. (I have my coach from last year, Thomas McCloskey to thank for opening my eyes on this matter). The ability to change the course of a round by introducing a completely new idea can be fun (though this ability can also be abused). The ability to talk about the power of rhetoric within a debate round and its impact on the real world is a great freedom and a great way for students to practice having arguments about things other than political things--for example arguments about the effects hateful violent words can have on individuals and whether we should be protected from these or not (for example if a debater uses a racial slur while making an argument the other team is allowed to argue against the use of this language, which changes the context of the round completely). Moreover, the rules are often decided and negotiated within the round, so if one team decides to let the other team do something quite strange outside of the framework and is unable to articulate a reason it should not be allowed, it is allowed. That the framework can be changed from round to round keeps the debate fresh, while also having the benefit of having some sort of pre-determined framework that debaters can work within in order to understand each other's arguments and counter each other's arguments more efficiently.
In regular arguments you wouldn't use debate terminology, but that doesn't mean you don't use similar skill sets, and the abilities you gain from debating within this framework won't transfer to a normal conversation outside of this framework. Quite the opposite, I think the framework (when it works and competitors use it in practice and really understand it) forces competitors to be much more precise in their argumentation which translates into the arguments they transform outside of this framework. Suddenly are their arguments in every day conversation more logically constructed and precise, because they have obtained the habit of reading different types of arguments, understanding the differences between them, and constructing and countering them very precisely.
Back to Germany. In German debate there are very few rules, there is very little structure, and there is not a lot of ability to introduce wacky arguments. Now I have only debated with one club and certainly haven't seen the top debaters in the country (although a pair by our club are very good and usually place quite well). I am excited to see how the entire "debate scene" in Germany is. It is certainly not as large as that in the US, not as competitive, not as young, and definitely not as stressful. Somehow, despite the confusion that comes from this very loosely structured style, I find it very enjoyable, with lots of benefits. It is less stressful, you don't feel afraid of making a tiny mistake that will undo an otherwise perfect arguments, you engage the audience and especially the general public (who come watch the debate club often) much more, and you feel a real connection with the audience. This is what debate's original intent is, to show the public through the exchange of opinions their options, and let them decide between the options and choose the best option. When it works it is a beautiful thing. That intent is still strong within the German debate system/structure/culture where in the US we have very clearly divided "competitive debate" and "traditional" or "everyday" debate. (Something my mother reminded me of often).
Anyway. Another Wednesday, another debate club, another good ending to the longest day of my week every week. I can't wait for next Wednesday, when, for the first time, I will attempt to debate in German! Yikes! (Luckily there is a lot of peer pressure because they Germans want a bit of revenge from tonight. I debated fairly well, because I had an obvious advantage (English as a native language). I think they want to see how I'll do outside of my native language and give me a taste of what they had to deal with tonight. I can't wait to rise to the challenge.)
One more thing, so I can remember. There is an award every evening for the "best speaker" of the evening. I want, one time, to be the best speaker in a German language debate that I take part in. If I can do this is another thing, but I am going to work on it.
02 May 2007
Debating
My first impression from the Munich debate club was that it was actually a club and not a student organization. A lot of the people were middle aged and most likely looking to improve their speaking skills for their job. That's fine, I'm cool with that, it was just different. The people were actually super nice, the nicest people I have met in Germany so far. They all talked to me, they welcomed me, they spoke with me in German, they asked me about the US--they were generally interested in me. We went over the rules of the debate style here (which is completely different than in the US) and then there was a debate. The debate was interesting, however the topic was a bit boring (should 16 year olds be allowed to vote). There weren't a lot of arguments put forth, but rather two arguments for each side which were very strongly supported--very different from a parliamentary debate in the US collegiate circuit. It was good for my German to follow the argumentation.
What surprised me the most was that I got up in front of thirty or so Germans, introduced myself, told them a little about myself, made a joke, and sat down---in German. This was a huge step for me. I didn't feel very uncomfortable, and I felt so good afterward. I felt like I was stepping back into my element--the element of addressing the public. I couldn't believe it. It felt like coming home instead of walking into a death trap (which speaking a foreign language often feels like).
I followed the debate this evening very well and afterward I met a bunch of really cool people. We went to a cafe and drank a few beers together, talked about politics, debating and the general state of the world--but all of it was in German. It was great. I met so many people, and they were all so nice, and actually interested in my perspective as an American--it was really cool. My mind is actually thinking in German now because I spoke so much German--and I keep wanting to type "wirklich" instead of really, because the German words keep coming to me. This is another big step I needed to really get a handle on the language.
This was the best decision I have made since coming to Germany. This was also the most fun I've had without Jeff and Katherine since being here (except of course when my girlfriend came to visit, but that is always assumed to be the best time!). I am really glad I have met real Germans, made new friends, and made some contact in Munich. It makes me feel more integrated and drawn into the culture. Seeing the debate topics, seeing the debate style, and seeing the speaking style of these people also makes me feel like I am a part of something, and that I am seeing some real cultural differences now.
After the debate club I had a long conversation with a very Bavarian, very nice guy who was about 25 years old. We talked about a lot of political things, we drank a couple of beers together, and we spoke in German. He was really supportive of me in learning German, and helped me with a few finer points of the language I always screw up. It was nice to speak with someone who's native language is German. It helped a lot, and I can look forward to it every Wednesday evening now.
All in all I am so glad I went to the debate club. It will really make my life a lot easier over here, giving me something I love to do, and it will help me in learning German. I am scheduled to debate at the meetings in the next two weeks (once in German and once in English) and I couldn't be more excited. It will really be a good chance for me to get my German on track, and meet lots of great people!
What surprised me the most was that I got up in front of thirty or so Germans, introduced myself, told them a little about myself, made a joke, and sat down---in German. This was a huge step for me. I didn't feel very uncomfortable, and I felt so good afterward. I felt like I was stepping back into my element--the element of addressing the public. I couldn't believe it. It felt like coming home instead of walking into a death trap (which speaking a foreign language often feels like).
I followed the debate this evening very well and afterward I met a bunch of really cool people. We went to a cafe and drank a few beers together, talked about politics, debating and the general state of the world--but all of it was in German. It was great. I met so many people, and they were all so nice, and actually interested in my perspective as an American--it was really cool. My mind is actually thinking in German now because I spoke so much German--and I keep wanting to type "wirklich" instead of really, because the German words keep coming to me. This is another big step I needed to really get a handle on the language.
This was the best decision I have made since coming to Germany. This was also the most fun I've had without Jeff and Katherine since being here (except of course when my girlfriend came to visit, but that is always assumed to be the best time!). I am really glad I have met real Germans, made new friends, and made some contact in Munich. It makes me feel more integrated and drawn into the culture. Seeing the debate topics, seeing the debate style, and seeing the speaking style of these people also makes me feel like I am a part of something, and that I am seeing some real cultural differences now.
After the debate club I had a long conversation with a very Bavarian, very nice guy who was about 25 years old. We talked about a lot of political things, we drank a couple of beers together, and we spoke in German. He was really supportive of me in learning German, and helped me with a few finer points of the language I always screw up. It was nice to speak with someone who's native language is German. It helped a lot, and I can look forward to it every Wednesday evening now.
All in all I am so glad I went to the debate club. It will really make my life a lot easier over here, giving me something I love to do, and it will help me in learning German. I am scheduled to debate at the meetings in the next two weeks (once in German and once in English) and I couldn't be more excited. It will really be a good chance for me to get my German on track, and meet lots of great people!
29 April 2007
Fussballspiel
I went to an FC Bayern soccer game this weekend. FC Bayern is one of the premiere teams in the top German national soccer league (Bundesliga 1). They have one of the most famous German soccer players of all time, goalie Oliver Kahn. They have a rabid fan base, lucrative sponsors, and are a bit like the New York Yankees in the "you either love them or hate them" sense. Living in Munich, I'm obliged to love them. They have an amazing arena, great players, and they are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they have a cool logo! Anyway, here are some pictures from the game.
That sweet arena. Allianz Arena is one of the most modern stadiums in the world and can hold up to 72,000 people.
This is the start of the game. We were pretty far away, but it didn't seem so far away--my camera just doesn't have much zoom. This is pretty much the view of the field from the worst seating category--and it wasn't that bad.
Look at this view of the stadium, and the back of some guy's head.
Another shot of the stadium during team warmups.
There is the goal, and in that goal is Oliver Kahn. He wore a baseball cap later in the game.
Sadly FC Bayern controlled the ball the whole game, but still lost after registering the first goal of the game in the first half. Kahn was beat by a long shot outside the goal box that he should have got his hands on, and then by a pretty nifty move by a striker who slipped behind the defense for the game winner. It was disappointing to see Bayern lose to Hamburg for only the 5th time ever at home, but that is how it was. The Hamburg fans were really rowdy and I got a great video of their section of the stadium going wild after a goal. They were much louder and more boisterous than the Munich fans, which was a bit disappointing.
Interestingly, the loss will keep Bayern from qualifying for the Champions League next year by ending all of their chances to get into the top three in the league. They needed to win out and have another team lose in order to have a chance. It must have been a disappointing end for them, but perhaps next season will go better with talk of revamping the team entirely.
The game was great. We talked to lots of Germans who asked us about the game as we walked back from the stadium decked out in new FC Bayern hats. Soccer is so much more popular in Germany than any single sport in America is--it is hard to explain. Soccer enjoys the same following, probably, of the three or four major US sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL). It is really crazy how universal soccer is followed here. It is kind of appealing, something that really binds the country. Kind of like the Super Bowl.
That sweet arena. Allianz Arena is one of the most modern stadiums in the world and can hold up to 72,000 people.
This is the start of the game. We were pretty far away, but it didn't seem so far away--my camera just doesn't have much zoom. This is pretty much the view of the field from the worst seating category--and it wasn't that bad.
Look at this view of the stadium, and the back of some guy's head.
Another shot of the stadium during team warmups.
There is the goal, and in that goal is Oliver Kahn. He wore a baseball cap later in the game.
Sadly FC Bayern controlled the ball the whole game, but still lost after registering the first goal of the game in the first half. Kahn was beat by a long shot outside the goal box that he should have got his hands on, and then by a pretty nifty move by a striker who slipped behind the defense for the game winner. It was disappointing to see Bayern lose to Hamburg for only the 5th time ever at home, but that is how it was. The Hamburg fans were really rowdy and I got a great video of their section of the stadium going wild after a goal. They were much louder and more boisterous than the Munich fans, which was a bit disappointing.
Interestingly, the loss will keep Bayern from qualifying for the Champions League next year by ending all of their chances to get into the top three in the league. They needed to win out and have another team lose in order to have a chance. It must have been a disappointing end for them, but perhaps next season will go better with talk of revamping the team entirely.
The game was great. We talked to lots of Germans who asked us about the game as we walked back from the stadium decked out in new FC Bayern hats. Soccer is so much more popular in Germany than any single sport in America is--it is hard to explain. Soccer enjoys the same following, probably, of the three or four major US sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL). It is really crazy how universal soccer is followed here. It is kind of appealing, something that really binds the country. Kind of like the Super Bowl.
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