The kids were surprised to learn that they were part German! We have spent so many years building their Chinese identities and learning Spanish, that we never really talked about the Scotch-Irish and German bits! Their Dutch heritage is obvious from the Van Haren surname. Actually, we just found out that in fact some of their German-speaking ancestors are from what is now the Czech Republic, near the southern border of Germany.
Every European capital needs their triumphal arch and their cathedral.
I, on the other hand, made zero effort to learn German and proceeded to mispronounce just about everything. Coming from Hawaii, I had NO exposure to German growing up. How was I to know that the S is pronounced as a Z and that CH sounds like CK, or that EI sounds like I while IE sounds like E?? Wisconsin boy, on the other hand, encountered the surnames of people he knew growing up in his hometown on trucks, signs, and billboards everywhere. "Gutknicht! Laube! " He kept exclaiming.
Because German uses the same alphabet as English, it seems like we ought to be able to understand it, but I felt very clueless. Over the course of two weeks I am ashamed to say I only learned how to count to three. There was an amazing farmer's market near the house we stayed in, and I confidently stepped forward to buy some beautiful fruit, but then I was hit with a wave of helplessness when I opened my mouth and realized I had no idea where to begin. Luckily, in Berlin most people seemed to understand English.
I also have to admit that to my ear the language sounds somewhat laughable. Between the weird vowels like ü and ö, and the multiple consonants like "ckt" and "schl," I thought everything sounded either dirty or silly.
Because German uses the same alphabet as English, it seems like we ought to be able to understand it, but I felt very clueless. Over the course of two weeks I am ashamed to say I only learned how to count to three. There was an amazing farmer's market near the house we stayed in, and I confidently stepped forward to buy some beautiful fruit, but then I was hit with a wave of helplessness when I opened my mouth and realized I had no idea where to begin. Luckily, in Berlin most people seemed to understand English.
I also have to admit that to my ear the language sounds somewhat laughable. Between the weird vowels like ü and ö, and the multiple consonants like "ckt" and "schl," I thought everything sounded either dirty or silly.
People
Germans are definitely blonder than the Spanish, taller, and built stockier. Berliners smoke a lot less, and they dress casually in a nondescript fashion. They do not smile very easily in general. Some friends of ours are half-Spanish and half-German, and they told us that there are huge differences in character between the Germans and the Spanish. The former being more serious, disciplined and unfailingly punctual, whilst the latter just the opposite. We found these stereotypes to be generally true. For example, Germans almost never jaywalk, whereas it is the rule in Barcelona. They also do not hesitate to reprimand total strangers who are not toeing the line. Our friend Nicholas, who spent the last year in Berlin on a fellowship with this wife and two children, related this story: He was with his kids on a sunday morning, with no cars to be seen. The pedestrian signal was red. A man began crossing from the opposite direction, walking towards them, so Nick followed suit, holding his children's hands and making sure no cars were approaching. The man then proceeded to scold Nick for jaywalking, and when Nick indignantly pointed out that he was doing exactly the same thing, the man replied, "I am jaywalking, but YOU are setting a bad example!" We have heard that the Swiss are equally rule-abiding and uptight. But on the positive side, they are reputed to be genuine and direct, whereas some of the Spanish warmth could be considered a bit fake. But generally they seem to be a reserved people.
Although Berlin is full of immigrants, mostly Turks, it is still a fairly homogenous place, and our bi-racial family got a good number of stares. It seems that staring is not considered rude in Germany, nor in Spain. At the sidewalk cafes, I thought it strange to see the first row of chairs facing the street, as opposed to facing each other, so that people could literally ogle people walking on the street as entertainment.
Interestingly, the Germans seem quite relaxed about nudity. We spent a hot summer day at a local lake, where, especially amongst people over 40, toplessness or complete nudity seemed the norm. It doesn't bother me, and the kids didn't seem fazed, either. How many naturists can you spot in the photo below?
Physical Environment
Berlin was the capital city of Germany for a time, and thus has its share of grand buildings, very similar in style to those of Washington DC, with thick, heavy pillars, neoclassical balustrades, and domes. Not as graceful and elegant as Paris, nor as whimsical and ornate as Barcelona. But sturdy looking, and generally without balconies (which makes sense given the climate). World War II devastated the city, and the Cold War followed, and therefore the architecture of many of the buildings are modern, functional, and rather unattractive. Graffiti is rampant. However, I appreciated the abundance of trees and green spaces sprinkled throughout the city, which is a contrast to arid Spain. Barcelona is much more densely populated. In comparison, Berlin felt like a giant suburb-- sprawling and flat. There is a huge park, the Tiergarten, which used to be the royal hunting grounds, in the center of the city, and we biked through it almost every day. The kids loved the shady allées and spotting wild bunnies at dusk.
Germany is of course the home of the Protestant Reformation, and therefore there were both Catholic and Protestant churches. The churches here look very different from those in Spain. Most of them are made of red brick, with steep spires. I thought them quite handsome, and the brick construction made Mark feel as though he was in the midwest.
We were lucky to be able to use the bicycles of our home exchange partners, because the city is fantastic for bikers . Bike lanes are literally everywhere, clearly marked with their own stoplights. We only rode the U and S-bahns three times in two weeks. As in Holland, people really bicycle a lot, and we did not observe any traffic jams at all. The sky was blue and the air quality was very good. Granted, we were there during the best time of the year, and our friends reported that the winter was far to long and grey for their liking.
Germany wins our prize for abundance and quality of city parks. Everywhere we turned there were parks for children, and each one had a unique and creative play structure, many utilizing natural materials, such as logs and ropes. Every apartment building of decent size is required to have its own play area, which I think is brilliant for families with young children. The place we stayed at had a sandbox, fort, garden, and bunnies. Our friends' apartment had a communal trampoline. The public parks have features which wouldn't fly in the US due to liability concerns, such as an area with an abundance of heavy 6 foot logs which the kids could construct with freely!
Germans seem to like flowers. Farmer's markets are popular, and there are lots of fresh flowers available. Unlike Spanish or American flower arrangements, they seem to like a more natural, wild aesthetic. Our apartment had fresh flowers in the entryway, and a neighbor left a vase of flowers at our door one day. The parks are well-kept, but again, they are not carefully pruned in the English or French manner, but rather left natural and casual. But whereas Barcelona has almost no grass to speak of, Berlin has plenty.
The assortment of berries in the market was astounding. We tried fresh currants and gooseberries for the first time.
History
European history did not interest me in the least in high school. Growing up in Hawaii and being of Chinese descent, we always looked to Asia, and the Old World of dead white men seemed distant and irrelevant to me. I couldn't tell a Prussian from a Russian. What language do they speak in Belgium, Belgian? Do they speak Dutch in Deutchland? Of course I have a different view now, and being able to travel in Europe this year really helps me to recognize the differences and similarities between the many countries of this continent. I hope these travels will do the same for my kids, and the memories of these places will be a foundation on which they can build in the future.
Strange to think that Germany, Spain, Holland, and many other countries were at one point all one realm under Carlos II, a Hapsburg. Here we see the crests of all the Spanish kingdoms in the center circle, and the other European kingdoms which comprised his domain on the sides.
Berlin has a good amount of dark history-- the Nazis, concentration camps, the SS, the Berlin Wall... Some may be surprised that we took our 8 and 10 year-olds to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. But Mark and I firmly believe that History and Truth are of dire importance. It's probably good that they are too young to really fathom the horrors of the Holocaust, but we want them to understand the causes, so that they know that human beings are capable of terrible things when their minds are controlled by others. We want them to recognize injustice, so that they can stand against it in their daily lives. We want them to realize the importance of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and democracy. I think Zoe understands now how propaganda works, and how societies use scapegoats. Trevor may not fully grasp these ideas, but he has been introduced to them, and I think he'll be able to connect the dots later.
A striking monument to the Holocaust victims.
Checkpoint Charlie is a kitschy sideshow now, but we had to see where East Germany used to meet West Germany.
Templehof Airfield is no longer in use, so it has been opened up as a park. It is the site of the Berlin Airlift, a tense moment during the Cold War when the Soviets tried to blockade West Berlin but the US under JFK flew in supplies for over a year.
Sights
Potsdam is where the Prussian royalty such as Frederich II built sumptuous rococo palaces. Although the gilded, ornate style is not to my taste, we appreciated the craftsmanship and fine works of art. There must have been hundreds of naked baby statues adorning the palaces.
The Reichstag building is where the German Parliament meets. When it was set on fire in 1933 the Nazis used it as an excuse to seize power. Architect Sir Norman Foster designed a fantastic Star-Wars-inspired dome which sits on top of the historic building.
Outside the City
We rented a VW and cruised the autobahn for a couple of days.
Quedlinburg is one of the best-preserved medieval and renaissance towns in Europe, having escaped major damage in World War II. This type of half-timbered construction was brought over from England, and some of these buildings date back to the 1500s. It was very, very quaint.
In Wernigerode there is a fairytale castle which reminded the kids of Harry Potter's Hogwarts. The art nouveau chapel was the most beautiful I've ever seen, and the grand dining room truly impressive. It was nice to get into the countryside a bit.
Dresden was leveled by Allied bombs during World War II, and has been lovingly restored to its former grandeur.
The Green Vault museum holds insane treasures-- elaborately carved ivory, gigantic diamonds, ostrich eggs and nautilus shells turned into animals...
Cuisine
There were plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and options in Berlin, which was wonderful. Unlike in Barcelona, good, cheap Thai and Vietnamese food was easy to find, and we took advantage of that. Portions are larger in Germany than in Spain, and the people are larger as well. The beers are enormous, and so are the sausages.
We very much enjoyed Berlin and are eager to also visit Bavaria sometime. The family with whom we did the home exchange were warm and generous, and it was a wonderful trip.
Germans are definitely blonder than the Spanish, taller, and built stockier. Berliners smoke a lot less, and they dress casually in a nondescript fashion. They do not smile very easily in general. Some friends of ours are half-Spanish and half-German, and they told us that there are huge differences in character between the Germans and the Spanish. The former being more serious, disciplined and unfailingly punctual, whilst the latter just the opposite. We found these stereotypes to be generally true. For example, Germans almost never jaywalk, whereas it is the rule in Barcelona. They also do not hesitate to reprimand total strangers who are not toeing the line. Our friend Nicholas, who spent the last year in Berlin on a fellowship with this wife and two children, related this story: He was with his kids on a sunday morning, with no cars to be seen. The pedestrian signal was red. A man began crossing from the opposite direction, walking towards them, so Nick followed suit, holding his children's hands and making sure no cars were approaching. The man then proceeded to scold Nick for jaywalking, and when Nick indignantly pointed out that he was doing exactly the same thing, the man replied, "I am jaywalking, but YOU are setting a bad example!" We have heard that the Swiss are equally rule-abiding and uptight. But on the positive side, they are reputed to be genuine and direct, whereas some of the Spanish warmth could be considered a bit fake. But generally they seem to be a reserved people.
Although Berlin is full of immigrants, mostly Turks, it is still a fairly homogenous place, and our bi-racial family got a good number of stares. It seems that staring is not considered rude in Germany, nor in Spain. At the sidewalk cafes, I thought it strange to see the first row of chairs facing the street, as opposed to facing each other, so that people could literally ogle people walking on the street as entertainment.
Interestingly, the Germans seem quite relaxed about nudity. We spent a hot summer day at a local lake, where, especially amongst people over 40, toplessness or complete nudity seemed the norm. It doesn't bother me, and the kids didn't seem fazed, either. How many naturists can you spot in the photo below?
Physical Environment
Berlin was the capital city of Germany for a time, and thus has its share of grand buildings, very similar in style to those of Washington DC, with thick, heavy pillars, neoclassical balustrades, and domes. Not as graceful and elegant as Paris, nor as whimsical and ornate as Barcelona. But sturdy looking, and generally without balconies (which makes sense given the climate). World War II devastated the city, and the Cold War followed, and therefore the architecture of many of the buildings are modern, functional, and rather unattractive. Graffiti is rampant. However, I appreciated the abundance of trees and green spaces sprinkled throughout the city, which is a contrast to arid Spain. Barcelona is much more densely populated. In comparison, Berlin felt like a giant suburb-- sprawling and flat. There is a huge park, the Tiergarten, which used to be the royal hunting grounds, in the center of the city, and we biked through it almost every day. The kids loved the shady allées and spotting wild bunnies at dusk.
Germany is of course the home of the Protestant Reformation, and therefore there were both Catholic and Protestant churches. The churches here look very different from those in Spain. Most of them are made of red brick, with steep spires. I thought them quite handsome, and the brick construction made Mark feel as though he was in the midwest.
We were lucky to be able to use the bicycles of our home exchange partners, because the city is fantastic for bikers . Bike lanes are literally everywhere, clearly marked with their own stoplights. We only rode the U and S-bahns three times in two weeks. As in Holland, people really bicycle a lot, and we did not observe any traffic jams at all. The sky was blue and the air quality was very good. Granted, we were there during the best time of the year, and our friends reported that the winter was far to long and grey for their liking.
Germany wins our prize for abundance and quality of city parks. Everywhere we turned there were parks for children, and each one had a unique and creative play structure, many utilizing natural materials, such as logs and ropes. Every apartment building of decent size is required to have its own play area, which I think is brilliant for families with young children. The place we stayed at had a sandbox, fort, garden, and bunnies. Our friends' apartment had a communal trampoline. The public parks have features which wouldn't fly in the US due to liability concerns, such as an area with an abundance of heavy 6 foot logs which the kids could construct with freely!
Germans seem to like flowers. Farmer's markets are popular, and there are lots of fresh flowers available. Unlike Spanish or American flower arrangements, they seem to like a more natural, wild aesthetic. Our apartment had fresh flowers in the entryway, and a neighbor left a vase of flowers at our door one day. The parks are well-kept, but again, they are not carefully pruned in the English or French manner, but rather left natural and casual. But whereas Barcelona has almost no grass to speak of, Berlin has plenty.
The assortment of berries in the market was astounding. We tried fresh currants and gooseberries for the first time.
History
European history did not interest me in the least in high school. Growing up in Hawaii and being of Chinese descent, we always looked to Asia, and the Old World of dead white men seemed distant and irrelevant to me. I couldn't tell a Prussian from a Russian. What language do they speak in Belgium, Belgian? Do they speak Dutch in Deutchland? Of course I have a different view now, and being able to travel in Europe this year really helps me to recognize the differences and similarities between the many countries of this continent. I hope these travels will do the same for my kids, and the memories of these places will be a foundation on which they can build in the future.
Strange to think that Germany, Spain, Holland, and many other countries were at one point all one realm under Carlos II, a Hapsburg. Here we see the crests of all the Spanish kingdoms in the center circle, and the other European kingdoms which comprised his domain on the sides.Berlin has a good amount of dark history-- the Nazis, concentration camps, the SS, the Berlin Wall... Some may be surprised that we took our 8 and 10 year-olds to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. But Mark and I firmly believe that History and Truth are of dire importance. It's probably good that they are too young to really fathom the horrors of the Holocaust, but we want them to understand the causes, so that they know that human beings are capable of terrible things when their minds are controlled by others. We want them to recognize injustice, so that they can stand against it in their daily lives. We want them to realize the importance of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and democracy. I think Zoe understands now how propaganda works, and how societies use scapegoats. Trevor may not fully grasp these ideas, but he has been introduced to them, and I think he'll be able to connect the dots later.
A striking monument to the Holocaust victims.
The Berlin Wall was a huge scar on the country. So many lives lost. It's hard to imagine how I would have reacted if something like that had occurred in my country. Imagine peering across that deadly strip of no-man's land, with freedom on the other side of the far wall...
Mark and I were young adults when the Wall fell. Since the Cold War loomed so large in our childhoods, it was interesting to visit for the first time part of the Soviet bloc and learn about life under Communism.
Now the wall is an inspiring symbol of freedom.
Checkpoint Charlie is a kitschy sideshow now, but we had to see where East Germany used to meet West Germany.
Sights
The Pergamon Museum was absolutely amazing. These ceramic tiles are originals from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon, built in 575 BC. And the carvings on the Pergamon Altar are mind-blowing.
Outside the City
We rented a VW and cruised the autobahn for a couple of days.
Quedlinburg is one of the best-preserved medieval and renaissance towns in Europe, having escaped major damage in World War II. This type of half-timbered construction was brought over from England, and some of these buildings date back to the 1500s. It was very, very quaint.
Once upon a time...
Conspicuous wealth.
What a view over the fiefdom!
Dresden was leveled by Allied bombs during World War II, and has been lovingly restored to its former grandeur.
The Zwinger. That's fun to say!
This communist-era building definitely stood in contrast to the palaces next to it.
The Green Vault museum holds insane treasures-- elaborately carved ivory, gigantic diamonds, ostrich eggs and nautilus shells turned into animals...
Cuisine
There were plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and options in Berlin, which was wonderful. Unlike in Barcelona, good, cheap Thai and Vietnamese food was easy to find, and we took advantage of that. Portions are larger in Germany than in Spain, and the people are larger as well. The beers are enormous, and so are the sausages.
We very much enjoyed Berlin and are eager to also visit Bavaria sometime. The family with whom we did the home exchange were warm and generous, and it was a wonderful trip.
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