Today I arrived at Park Building, hoping to have all of my terribly British ideas about Germans and Germany dispelled. The idea was that we would be given a lecture on German stereotypes so that when we arrived in Germany, we wouldn't all look like a bunch of idiots. Now, like most Brits, I have a very clear German stereotype in my mind. However, unlike the majority, I understand that stereotypes are warped and twisted images, formed by propaganda and an overwhelming urge to categorise people (as well as take the piss). Well, I thought my stereotype was ill-founded, but it turned out that the lecturer was simply there to enforce many of the ideas which I thought I wrongly held. Yes, Germans like to get the sunbeds first. Yes, they are big fans of 'sensible' shoes. Yes, they really are quite hairy. Of course, some of the ideas that Brits have formed based on the War years are a little more outdated. WWII is about the only right move Britain has made in the last century, so naturally, we like to rub this in the face of ther Germans. They are all for putting the past where it belongs, but us Brits feel the need to bring it up time and time again. There were other things that I found interesting too. Despite the fact that I find football more than a tad tedious, I was interested to learn that the Germany/England rivalry is rather one-sided. Although we Brits consider the Germans to be our greatest World Cup foe, the German's don't see it that way at all. Apparently their beef lies firmly with Holland. Well I never!
I could write a lot more on this subject, as I genuinely find it very interesting, but as my spelling has probably given away, I am quite tired. So I'll leave it there for now.
Bis Morgen!
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