Integration Course

This is the last week of Sharlie’s seven month German integration course. The class is set up by the government for foreigners to learn the German language and culture. Having completed the German language component, this week and last are devoted to teaching the students about German politics, culture, family life, etc.

Walking home from school

I went with her to class today. The school is close to home, above a gas station on the edge of downtown. The ten or so students are mostly from Asia, Eastern Europe or the Middle East. Sharlie is the class smarty-pants; though she’s probably half the age of the rest, they always look to her for the answers. She would read a question in German, translate it to me and answer it in half the time anyone else could read it.

The class was straight up hilarious. Within the first few minutes of getting there, the teacher handed out a practice test. The students took turns reading out the questions and answering them. One of the very first questions was:

In Germany, which of the following is law?

a. The husband and wife both have the right to file for divorce

b. Children can marry

c. Men can have more than one wife at a time
d. If you get divorced, you cannot get remarried

The man reading the question answered that it was the third option, men can have more than one wife at a time. The woman beside him, a pre-elderly Eastern European who has been living in Germany for 30 years, replied angrily that he was wrong, it was obviously the fourth option. I instantly recognized the benefits of this course.


Shar and I shared plenty of grins as the teacher described to the students how modern Germany is compared to the countries that they come from. Women are now allowed to sit in Parliament, for instance. The class appeared confused until someone began explaining their perspective, that the man is boss and the wife has no role except to care for the children. The rest of the class seemed to find this more acceptable while Shar and I sat there, ever so thankful for being born Canadian.

In all fairness, from what I learned today, I do believe Germany is doing a good job of balancing the traditional tendencies of it’s citizenry and the liberal progressiveness of secular Europe. They seem to recognize that society can be taught to be tolerant of something over time before making it law.


They also have an admirably developed social welfare system, which, from what I understand, would be completely affordable for them if they weren’t obligated to give billions of Euros away to save other countries in the EU. They have balanced the state’s responsibility to care for the citizen with the assumption that the individual will work hard if given the opportunity.



Highlight of the class was the German translation for homosexual couple. In German it is Regenbogen Familie, which translates directly as Rainbow Family.

 

Jonas met us for the walk home along the river

On our way home, we stopped at the café above the Galeria for lunch. The Galeria is a department store, and I remembered Rick Steves once recommending European department store restaurants for having a large variety of good quality food for reasonable prices. He was certainly being modest! Shar and I split a massive bowl of pumpkin and potato soup and vegetable gratin only after contemplating our options for a good twenty minutes; everything looked delicious and so German! I plan on going back for breakfast…

 

After lunch we stopped on the second floor and tried on Dirndl’s, the traditional beer house dresses women wear with flouncy waist aprons and corset middles. I forgot to take a picture, but I think there will be more opportunities…with prices starting at 99 Euro, we’re going to scan second hand shops for something more affordable to wear to Oktoberfest!