Comments for Deutsch ist leicht

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Hygiene by Nathan Lemmon

Nathan Lemmon — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 04:18:50 +0000

I can relate to not showering everyday and even taking showers where you dont let the water run the whole time you are in the shower. While on deployments there were many times that we were not allowed time or even permitted to shower because of water shortage. I guess, like the situations they describe in the interviews, it is what is acceptable by the culture that you are in. Im sure there were times that we would have been described as foul or pungent by American standards but by the standards of the situation, we were just like everyone else. We bathed when we could and when we couldnt we used other methods to try to stay clean. I think these interviews. show how Americans may take bathing, use of deodorants and perfumes to the extreme. It makes me feel a little silly but at the same time I remember how good I felt after finally being able to take a shower and and out on some clean clothes.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Property by Josh Perry

Josh Perry — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:51:59 +0000

I knew Germans were clean. There is a list circulating on the internet that says Frankfurt is the cleanest city in the world. supposedly the Germans are the most environmentally conscious people in the world, so its no surprise to me that most of their cities are so clean. City cleanliness is good i suppose, expensive too I’m sure. as far as private property being clean, i think you need a little messiness to add character to your living space.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Discussion by Kyle Claset

Kyle Claset — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:46:49 +0000

I think that Germans hold a vital point about how we see body oder as offensive, we almost outcast people for smelling how they smell. The funny thing is think about how often you wash your shower compared to how you wash yourself. If German clean their bathing area once a week and only shower three times a week, who is getting cleaner? America has also been forcing the ideas of anti-bacterial for a long time. Informing us of the next big new bacteria out that could harm you. With out these bacterias we build no immunities. Germans score again!

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Property by Kyle Claset

Kyle Claset — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:36:32 +0000

I remember traveling in the tour bus in Austria and the majority of what we saw were farmlands. Everything just seemed cleaner all around. As far as the Kehrworche, I would have to say if my land lady came by on a weekly basis to make sure we clean the outside of the house, I would probably go crazy. While Americans don’t enforce a strict recycling policy, they are including options with trash pick up for recycling. I know every Tuesday my recycling for the week goes out. It should be encouraged by Governments though.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Hygiene by Kyle Claset

Kyle Claset — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:24:46 +0000

The part about them turning off the water when they soap up is interesting, cause that is something I actually do. Again it goes back to what makes sense. As far as not being upset about not being bathed or clean in three weeks is unimaginable. As far as the comment regarding how their houses and streets are clean. I remember when I visited more of the country villages and towns, the streets lacked the everyday garbage you see littering our streets. That whole thing about underarm hair being sexy is an out there concept though.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Hygiene by Josh Perry

Josh Perry — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:24:43 +0000

i definatly wouldn’t bath every day if it was that much trouble to heat up water in America. I don’t even wash my hair every day actually. someone told me that washing too often is actually a bad thing, just like sterilizing yourself too much is a bad thing. skin needs a certain amount of oil apparently, just like you need a certain amount of germs to stay healthy. Anyway, i had not idea it was that difficult to get hot water. I suppose baths would be a big deal if it takes all that to have a proper one. Its interesting how things like that develop into a cultural habit.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Introduction by Kyle Claset

Kyle Claset — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:14:56 +0000

It’s crazy that we hold such different views on cleanliness. With the differences we have, it makes me wonder if they are looking at our grooming habits and wondering what compels us to be clean the way we are clean. I just see it as, your body is the only thing you have forever so why not take care of it, everything else is material. The German reasoning is more than interesting though and maybe something that will be an understandable reason, and give me reason to try out their customs.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Discussion by Nathan Lemmon

Nathan Lemmon — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:21:22 +0000

I found it interesting to see the two cultures compared side by side like that. It almost made the US culture seem snobish. The stardands of German cleanliness didnt seem so unreasonable. If they sweat then the do wash with soap and water. Might not be as severe as we do over here but they still wash. It seems they take a lot more pride in how their living areas look. Here we would consider it to be someone else’s job to wash or clean the outside of our apartment hall or sidewalk. It seems they take more pride in their community and its upkeep while we have to have laws to keep people from littering.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Discussion by Kristin White

Kristin White — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:02:45 +0000

I found the comment about soap taking away good bacteria interesting. Here we wash our hands…with soap…after we do everything or us hand sanitizer. I work at an after-school program and it is a state requirement that we wash our hands after we do anything or before we do snack. And we do it to keep from getting sick and to prevent the spread of germs. So, it’s interesting to hold up these two different perspectives. In both instances, what is done is to keep from getting sick.
Also, it seems that “natural” is beautiful–referring to why women don’t shave there or why they don’t see natural body smells as bad. I think that is really cool. I do like this.

Comment on Germans and Americans Talk: Part 1, Chapter 2 Essay-Property by Kristin White

Kristin White — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 01:52:41 +0000

Kehrwoche is certainly interesting. I can’t say I would be too happy to have to deal with cleaning the hall, windows, and stairs.It would be very nerve wracking to have to worry about keeping things so clean or risk losing my apartment.
I can see that these essays our a little outdated by the comments about recycling. We obviously don’t do what they do in Germany, though it does seem to be a bit better, now, then the way it was described. There are recycling centers here and I know some schools have implemented recycling programs. The schools back home have specific boxes just for paper and other things to recycle. Though I also know from firsthand how difficult it is to start a recycling program–a group I was part of at my junior college back home tried to do it, and we were met with obstacles.