Diversity

Germany is an amazing new country! Germany and United States are both modern nations, but they have different lifestyles, cultures, and traditions. Before coming to Germany, I did not have a lot of expectations because I was not well informed about German current events and German history, other than the Holocaust. I am glad that I am able to experience the diversity of Germany and understand what diversity means to Germany.

One of the most obvious signs of diversity is seen in the people who live in Germany. I thought that I would only see white Germans, but it is interesting to see a wide array of people of African, Asian, and Middle Eastern descent. I also like learning about some of the people who traditionally would not be seen as German because they are not of European descent. I learned about refugees and the German attitude towards immigration. Some Germans have problems with immigration and they want to keep their traditional culture, but other people welcome immigrants. This is similar to American attitudes, especially in the past few years. I like immigration because I can get a new perspective, it adds diversity, and I am able to try different cuisines. Around the corner from G.27, there are probably more than 15 types of cuisines and I never get bored with eating options. The diversity in Germany is very similar to the diversity in the United States. I am a minority in the US and I am also a minority in Germany, but I am glad that there is a black culture here because it is nice to be able to relate to someone from another place.

There is also diversity in the lifestyles and personalities of the people in Germany. When I first came to Germany, I noticed how the people seemed alternative and there are people who seem very traditional. I noticed that there are a lot of people with tattoos and untraditional haircuts. Because I saw a lot of people who seemed alternative, it was great to get an understanding. I liked learning about the people who moved to West Berlin and started art movements. It is definitely different from the United States because being alternative is frowned upon and people are seen as weird. The traditional people of Germany are also different than the traditional people of the United States. They live a simple life and they seem to not worry about superficial things such as name brand clothes. It is great to see different types of people because they are all interesting.

The German culture is a great thing to experience and it includes everything from the people, food, and lifestyles. I learned that the Germans are very proud of their culture because they recognize their history and they embrace diversity. I also learned that the topic of race is very taboo subject, but I think that Germany could benefit from having informative discussions that elevate diversity.