US Students in Berlin: A Time to Make Friends?
As far as the most recent statistics are concerned, German-American relations in the realm of educational and cultural exchange continue to be in good shape. The number of German students enrolled for a semester or more at US colleges and universities only decreased slightly over the past couple of years, while the number of students spending a year at an American high school has almost reached its high pre-9/11 level again. Furthermore, policy makers and education experts look at universities in the United States for inspiration and guidance in reforming German higher education. In reverse, the figures look just as rosy: Never before did more US students study abroad at German universities than in the academic year 2004/2005.
At the same time, however, we have definitely seen times when it was easier to convince young Germans of the benefits of an educational trip across the Atlantic. As positive as the above numbers may sound, it would be disingenuous to deny that public and private criticism of the United States – mischievous minds may prefer to label it anti-Americanism right away – has once again reached historically high levels ever since the Iraq War, especially among high school and university students. Hostile feelings towards America are picked up and nourished by the media: According to blogs such as David Medienkritik, which comments on the German media’s coverage of the United States from a conservative point of view, the German public is subjected to an almost systematic anti-American misinformation campaign highlighting time and again the same cherished stereotypes and prejudices about the US without which most Germans supposedly cannot exist. While some of David’s claims sound exaggerated and equally one-sided to me, the two guys definitely have a point there.
To be sure, anti-Americanism – understood correctly as nothing less than wholesale rejection of all things American – is not a new phenomenon. In most cases, it is put forward by people who have never been to the United States and do not even consider such personal exposure necessary for being able to see through it all. Countering such forms of prejudice is surely one of the foremost objectives of international educational and cultural exchange, as envisioned by Senator Fulbright, for example. Spending a substantial amount of time in a foreign country, building new social relationships, and immersing oneself in the local culture will cause almost anybody to modify their own standards and opinions and help them see the world through others’ eyes. At least that’s how the theory goes. One should suspect, then, that people actively engaging in transatlantic educational exchange should be entertaining more nuanced views on US politics, culture, and society than what is often spread by the media.
I recently learned that this doesn’t always have to be the case when I sat down for a conversation with Erica and Dave, two American NYU students currently on exchange in Germany on the Duke in Berlin study abroad program. For the duration of this one-semester program, all students live with local host families. Both Erica and Dave emphasized that they enjoy their time in Berlin and described their relationships to their host families as very close and heartfelt on the personal level. However, those very same relationships are somewhat strained by the fact that their host parents seem to be full of prejudice concerning the United States, which they refuse to modify even in the presence of flesh-and-blood Americans living under the same roof with them. I admit I find this rather disturbing.
Erica’s host mum, for example, even lived in Louisiana for a while and now works as a counselor for migrant families from Eastern Europe, so you would expect a considerable degree of intercultural awareness there. Quite on the contrary, she keeps dropping condescending remarks on the US on an almost daily basis. In her understanding, for instance, all Americans are wealthy, and especially those studying at a costly school such as NYU. Never mind that Erica had to take out a multi-thousand dollar loan from the federal government to finance her studies. Furthermore, all Americans are automatically deeply religious and sympathetic to the misteachings of creationalism. Once after Erica had finished a phone conversation with a friend back home, her host mum frankly let her know that American English sounded simply “barbaric.” Sometimes she leaves a US-related article from a German newspaper on the table for Erica to read so she may finally be enlightened about her home country’s true nature. Quite understandably, the young woman is somewhat at a loss to deal with this sort of behavior, since being impolite to her hosts is out of the question for her. Sometimes a humorous reply will do the job.
Dave has had very similar experiences with his own host family: “I have to feel guilty every day for being American,” he says. “Every day there is something new we’ve done wrong.” His host dad, who is both a lawyer and an artist, has subscribed to the leftist daily tageszeitung (taz). “I see front-page articles on Bush, Rice, or Schwarzenegger all the time. Makes you wonder whether Germans don’t have other any worries besides their obsession with the United States.”
Now, the fact that conservative bloggers and other Bush supporters feel offended by the one-sided and mostly negative reporting on the administration’s policies in the German media should not surprise anybody. Erica and Dave, however, consider themselves liberals and do agree with much of the legitimate criticism brought forth in German newspapers on topics such as Iraq, Guantanamo, or the death penalty, for example. This doesn’t keep them from being made to feel they constantly have to defend themselves when spending time with their host families and fellow students. Defend themselves simply for being American. “This is a new experience for me,” explains Erica, who also speaks some French and Spanish and has already worked in Cuba as well. Even though the socialist island is officially a stronghold of anti-Americanism, she can recall only warm and positive responses from the Cubans she met. “But in a way, I am also grateful for the prejudice I experience here“, she adds. “After finishing my studies, I plan to work as a teacher in a minority school. As a result of my time in Germany, I think I can understand a little bit better how it must feel to be faced with stereotyping and discrimination every day.” Just to be sure, both Erica and Dave emphasize they are determined to return to Germany at some point for additional studies or work.
At the end of our conversation, I want to know whether the other students in the program have had similar experiences. “No,” says Erica, “I think we are pretty much an exception.” While this is reassuring and provides some counterbalance to the claim that anti-Americanism is more rampant than ever in Germany, the story remains a mystery to me. How is it possible to welcome people of a different culture in your homes and still continue to cling to cherished stereotypes, especially if these people are so unlike any cliché representative of their culture? In spite of such striking counter-examples, however, I firmly believe that the answer to an increasing transatlantic alienation can only be education, exchange, and dialogue. In this respect, the numbers mentioned above indicate we continue to move into the right direction.
At the same time, however, we have definitely seen times when it was easier to convince young Germans of the benefits of an educational trip across the Atlantic. As positive as the above numbers may sound, it would be disingenuous to deny that public and private criticism of the United States – mischievous minds may prefer to label it anti-Americanism right away – has once again reached historically high levels ever since the Iraq War, especially among high school and university students. Hostile feelings towards America are picked up and nourished by the media: According to blogs such as David Medienkritik, which comments on the German media’s coverage of the United States from a conservative point of view, the German public is subjected to an almost systematic anti-American misinformation campaign highlighting time and again the same cherished stereotypes and prejudices about the US without which most Germans supposedly cannot exist. While some of David’s claims sound exaggerated and equally one-sided to me, the two guys definitely have a point there.
To be sure, anti-Americanism – understood correctly as nothing less than wholesale rejection of all things American – is not a new phenomenon. In most cases, it is put forward by people who have never been to the United States and do not even consider such personal exposure necessary for being able to see through it all. Countering such forms of prejudice is surely one of the foremost objectives of international educational and cultural exchange, as envisioned by Senator Fulbright, for example. Spending a substantial amount of time in a foreign country, building new social relationships, and immersing oneself in the local culture will cause almost anybody to modify their own standards and opinions and help them see the world through others’ eyes. At least that’s how the theory goes. One should suspect, then, that people actively engaging in transatlantic educational exchange should be entertaining more nuanced views on US politics, culture, and society than what is often spread by the media.
I recently learned that this doesn’t always have to be the case when I sat down for a conversation with Erica and Dave, two American NYU students currently on exchange in Germany on the Duke in Berlin study abroad program. For the duration of this one-semester program, all students live with local host families. Both Erica and Dave emphasized that they enjoy their time in Berlin and described their relationships to their host families as very close and heartfelt on the personal level. However, those very same relationships are somewhat strained by the fact that their host parents seem to be full of prejudice concerning the United States, which they refuse to modify even in the presence of flesh-and-blood Americans living under the same roof with them. I admit I find this rather disturbing.
Erica’s host mum, for example, even lived in Louisiana for a while and now works as a counselor for migrant families from Eastern Europe, so you would expect a considerable degree of intercultural awareness there. Quite on the contrary, she keeps dropping condescending remarks on the US on an almost daily basis. In her understanding, for instance, all Americans are wealthy, and especially those studying at a costly school such as NYU. Never mind that Erica had to take out a multi-thousand dollar loan from the federal government to finance her studies. Furthermore, all Americans are automatically deeply religious and sympathetic to the misteachings of creationalism. Once after Erica had finished a phone conversation with a friend back home, her host mum frankly let her know that American English sounded simply “barbaric.” Sometimes she leaves a US-related article from a German newspaper on the table for Erica to read so she may finally be enlightened about her home country’s true nature. Quite understandably, the young woman is somewhat at a loss to deal with this sort of behavior, since being impolite to her hosts is out of the question for her. Sometimes a humorous reply will do the job.
Dave has had very similar experiences with his own host family: “I have to feel guilty every day for being American,” he says. “Every day there is something new we’ve done wrong.” His host dad, who is both a lawyer and an artist, has subscribed to the leftist daily tageszeitung (taz). “I see front-page articles on Bush, Rice, or Schwarzenegger all the time. Makes you wonder whether Germans don’t have other any worries besides their obsession with the United States.”
Now, the fact that conservative bloggers and other Bush supporters feel offended by the one-sided and mostly negative reporting on the administration’s policies in the German media should not surprise anybody. Erica and Dave, however, consider themselves liberals and do agree with much of the legitimate criticism brought forth in German newspapers on topics such as Iraq, Guantanamo, or the death penalty, for example. This doesn’t keep them from being made to feel they constantly have to defend themselves when spending time with their host families and fellow students. Defend themselves simply for being American. “This is a new experience for me,” explains Erica, who also speaks some French and Spanish and has already worked in Cuba as well. Even though the socialist island is officially a stronghold of anti-Americanism, she can recall only warm and positive responses from the Cubans she met. “But in a way, I am also grateful for the prejudice I experience here“, she adds. “After finishing my studies, I plan to work as a teacher in a minority school. As a result of my time in Germany, I think I can understand a little bit better how it must feel to be faced with stereotyping and discrimination every day.” Just to be sure, both Erica and Dave emphasize they are determined to return to Germany at some point for additional studies or work.
At the end of our conversation, I want to know whether the other students in the program have had similar experiences. “No,” says Erica, “I think we are pretty much an exception.” While this is reassuring and provides some counterbalance to the claim that anti-Americanism is more rampant than ever in Germany, the story remains a mystery to me. How is it possible to welcome people of a different culture in your homes and still continue to cling to cherished stereotypes, especially if these people are so unlike any cliché representative of their culture? In spite of such striking counter-examples, however, I firmly believe that the answer to an increasing transatlantic alienation can only be education, exchange, and dialogue. In this respect, the numbers mentioned above indicate we continue to move into the right direction.
TransatlanTicker - 25. Mrz, 02:07
