I cannot help but compare my American home to my European one and vice versa.
Both terms ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture are seen as derogatory, or disrespectful toward the other. Popular culture, which changes more rapidly and, within this context is seen as a ‘lesser’ aspect of culture as it relates to socioeconomic status.
One person’s high culture is another’s low culture and vice versa. This is especially true as many aspects of modern popular culture have become ‘canon’ as it were – having great value, importance, or significance since they were first produced.
Having recently returned from an extensive adventure in the northwest United States that inevitably meant a trip to the always amazing Powell’s bookstore in Portland, I was careful to only return to Germany with about 20 lbs of books. I got off light. Oh, the restraint I showed!!
I asked my husband to pick up my prescription (das Rezept) from the Apotheke (pharmacy/chemist) as he himself had to go to the doctor (das Ärtze) today. This is what he brought home. In other news, I am having an international baby, which has been preoccupying my time (along with a ton of work) asContinue reading “Lost in Translation…”
Oh my!! I feel after reading this that I could change the whole plan of my blog, as if there truly is a plan and respond to each one of these little lessons. I just might to be honest with you, yet that might also take away from its ultimate truth. This is a brilliantContinue reading “Lessons from a 90-year-old”
A secret advantage to expatriation and immigration that no one seems to know.
In one of my last posts I mentioned my husbands and my struggle with our own version of the “freshman fifteen”
It is important to address the dimensions of culture learning, as we all also go through these as we travel and learn about other places, cultures and people and as we learn about ourselves through this process.
I have thought a lot about things I miss from home. A colleague of mine at the university, who has lived in Germany for some time between fifteen and twenty years has said that you forget what you miss after a while. I imagine it is all aspects of one’s own personal journey with cultureContinue reading “Culture Shock”
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