Interviews with German Americans/Americans with German roots in Oregon April 2014 by exchange students of Clara-Schumann-Gymnasium Lahr

Transcription

1 Interviews with German Americans/Americans with German roots in Oregon April 2014 by exchange students of Clara-Schumann-Gymnasium Lahr 1

2 Interview with Mrs. Bettina Megowan by Kira Dorner und Jasmin Heimburger 1. How long have you been living in the US/Oregon? - Since For what reasons did you/your family leave Germany? - I studied in Oregon State at Corvallis in 1992/1993 as an exchange student and it was wonderful. But I had to go back to Germany where I met my future husband Noah. He studied as an exchange student in Freiburg and came coincidentally from Oregon. After one year I decided to go to Oregon after finishing my studies. 3. How was it for you when you arrived in the US? How did you "survive" the first days/time? - Well, when I came here as a student it was really overwhelming for me because I had to look for a flat and I had to organise many other things as well. But when I came back here with Noah after a couple of year s life was not so difficult anymore because I had already lived here and I had also visited him very often. 4. How did the Americans react to you/receive you? - Generally, very nice. I have never met an American who doesn t want to have something to do with me. There was always interest and an open-mindedness. All in all, very positive. 5. Did you find it hard to integrate/assimilate? - No not really. I think I was also very open by myself, because I have thought by myself that I m here now and I have to assimilate. I think I have found a good balance now between being a German and living in America. So I think I have assimilated many things to have a good life here. 6. Do you have American citizenship? - Yes, I m very lucky because Germany normally doesn't allow a dual citizenship. Yes, I had to apply and bring some things but then I got the dual citizenship. I didn t want to deliver my German passport because I m a real German. 7. What is, in your opinion, the biggest difference between the US and Germany? - There are many different things. I think the social net in Germany is much better and stronger. Here in America everyone lives by themselves. As a child or a teenager you don t really get this but as an adult you understand. As an example when you deliver a baby here you don t get any maternity protection. So you have to be glad if you get your job after three months back because there isn t any financial or judicial assistance. Well, I think the whole social network is not as big as in Germany. It is also very expensive for the children to do some sports or play instruments. Some parents are only working for these things. They are better organized in Germany. I think that s one of the biggest differences. 2

3 8. Do you keep up any German traditions in your family? - Yes, I think that here I m more German than I would be in Germany. Well, I think my cooking is very traditional and I bake very often and very differently in comparison to the Americans. But the people who are coming to our house are very content with my cooking and baking. I was singing with my children very often when they were little or sometimes also at this time. Christmas of course is very traditional. I prepare Christmas the way I had it in my childhood. I speak German with my children. When I grew up it wasn t possible to be proud of being German. I think it s a little bit different here. I m very proud and happy to have another nationality. 9. Do you still miss life in Germany? - Yes, fortunately we visit Germany very often. My whole family is still living in Lahr and because of the long summer break in school we can visit them very often. I fall instantly back into my German life. I grew up there, I know everything there, I feel good and when I have to go back it s very hard for me because I have to leave my parents and my siblings. I m still missing the public transport, the biking, walking and the way we live without a car in Germany. And that s why I need some days/weeks to come back to the American life. Yes, I still miss it but I think it depends on the people. Even for my parents it is very hard that they live so far away but I think I still keep very many things from Germany in my life here. I miss Bretzel or little bakeries, these are things I really wanted to have here. 10. Did you teach your children German? - Well, my oldest daughter is thirteen and speaks German fluently and can also write and read. Then it gets worse. My two little children are speaking a little; they understand everything and after a few weeks in Germany they change to speaking German but you can t compare it to my oldest daughter. At home I always speak to them in German. Noah speaks English. For a while my oldest daughter didn t want to speak German. When she was 5-6 years old she was always saying that I shouldn t speak German to her but now I think it is something special for her. She is always speaking with me in German. And for the other ones I think it is still in their brains and I hope it will be shown to us one day. Thank you so much for answering my/our questions! 3

4 Interview with Mrs. Andrea Weber ( ) by Anna Huser 1. How long have you been living in the US/ in Oregon? Mrs. Weber: I was born in Colorado (Denver), but my parents are both from Germany. My mother comes from Northern Germany. She moved to America in My father moved to America as a child. It was the year My parents met each other in America and married there too. I grew up to be bilingual; that means that I spoke German with my parents at home but at school we had to speak English. German is my mother tongue. I have many relatives in Germany, so I can speak with them in German too. I am also speaking German with my parents. 2. For what reasons did your family leave Germany? Mrs. Weber: My grandfather was an artist during World War II. Because of his art he was not really accepted in Germany. He decided to leave Germany to bring his family to a better and safe environment. My grandparents did a world tour a few years before they finally left Germany, so they had some social contacts in the US. At first they moved to New York, but at that time there was the economic crisis. They had a lot of difficulties to find their place in society. My father was pretty young when he moved to the US with his family. My mother came to the US to visit her sister and to experience the country. My parents met and married in the US a few years later. 3. How was it for you when you arrived in the US? How did you survive the first days/time? Mrs. Weber: I was born in the US, but I made an experience while I was studying for one year in Germany (Tübingen). I was on a train and a woman sat next to me. She was upset about some American students in the carriage next to us putting their legs on the tables. They wouldn t behave correctly and politely. She said that Americans don t have any manners. Then I told her that I was an American too. She added immediately that I was different. This is a good example to show the advantage of being hidden. 4. How did the Americans react to you/receive you? Mrs. Weber: I told you before that I was born in the US, so I had many social contacts and friends. 5. Did you find it hard to integrate/assimilate? Mrs. Weber: My father was very young when he arrived in the US. He lived his childhood in the US, but my mother came over after the Second World War. She was hit by the war so she had big problems to immigrate and find her place in the society. She had not assumed the American citizenship. She taught all of her children German. My aunt asked her once why, but she did not get an answer. Her reason for asking was because Germany had no good name in the US after the Second World War. 6. Do you have the American citizenship? Mrs. Weber: Yes, I do. My mother had the chance to organize a German citizenship for me and my sibling but she did not. I don t know why. If I had the German citizenship, there would probably be some advantages in my job, or anywhere else. 4

5 7. What is, in your opinion, the biggest difference between the US and Germany? Mrs. Weber: I think there is a big difference between the education systems. In Germany, there are many different ways for young people to get their own education, but in the US there is one big school system. Other big differences are in the social programs like insurances. In the US you do not have to pay so many taxes as in Germany, but you have less social support than Germans. 8. Do you keep up any German traditions in your family? Mrs. Weber: Yes, of course. We keep all the traditions like Christmas or Easter in our family. We eat like Germans every Sunday morning. That means we eat sausages, cheese, marmalade, and fresh bread. Our food is more German than American. 9. Do you still miss life in Germany? (Would you move there forever?) Mrs. Weber: No, I do not think so. America will forever be my home. Maybe I will go to Germany for a longer time but not forever. 10. Did you teach your children German? Mrs. Weber: Yes, I did. They can speak it fluently. They also have some German names. My first son is called Johann, my daughter is called Amadea and my youngest son is called Sebastian. Anna : Thank you so much for answering my/our questions! 5

6 Interview with Mrs. Tina Hurliman by Rebecca Mußler 1. How long have you been living in the US/in Oregon? I have lived in the US now for more than 22 years. 2. For what reasons did you/your family leave Germany? I left Germany because of my ex-husband. He worked as a officer in the army, so when he went back to his home country, I went with him. 3. How was it for you when you arrived in the US?? How did you survive the first days/time? I had already been to the US on vacations, so I knew what to expect. 4. How did the Americans react to you/ receive you? They were very friendly and open-minded! There was a welcome party hosted by the family and friends of my ex-husband. Yes, I felt very welcome here in Oregon! 5. Did you find it hard to integrate/ assimilate? It was hard to learn the language. I had only spoken English in my school (Oxford English) and I didn t have very much practice. 6. Do you have American citizenship? For two and a half months, I was only a guest in America. Then my ex-husband and I got married and I ve gotten my American citizenship. 7. What is, in your opinion, the biggest difference between the US and Germany? I think the biggest difference between both countries, is that here in the US you have more possibilities. You have more choice in how you want to live and what you want do for work. Furthermore, some things like the driver license e.g. are much easier to get. 8. Do you keep up German traditions in your family? Yes, I often cook German food. 9. Do you still miss life in Germany? I miss the German food a lot, it s better than the food you can buy here in America. 10. Did you teach your children German? I taught them a little bit, but not much. It was difficult to speak German to them because everybody, including my ex-husband, only spoke English. 6

7 Interview with Ranger Leo Scherban by Niklas Boltz und Marius Schell How long have you been living in the U.S.? I ve been here since 1995, so 19 years. In Oregon? I moved to California, I was there for almost the whole time, about 17 years. How did you manage the trip to California? Well, I was eleven and a half years old and my dad wanted the green card leverage to the States, he was able to bring the whole family to the states. For what reasons did your family leave Germany? My dad wanted to leave because he was looking for better opportunities, he was getting a little bit tired of Europe he said, this would be a great adventure but I did not think that we wouldn t come back. So how were the first days like in the U.S.? How did you survive the first days? I tell you what We came on Halloween Day, it was very interesting because the German kid comes here and sees people in costume everywhere, so it was a little interesting and creepy. But when I arrived at home, the first thing that was, was my father had had a banner that said: Welcome home. So it took a while to settle in and we hadn t started school yet, but after about a month or two of sitting on our butts, we were able to start school. I didn t know very much English at the time, but it took only about three months and then we were all fluent in it. How did the other Americans react to you, or receive you? Initially, I think, kind of, it was a little hustle from the kids but after I learned more English, it became less nasty There was just a new kid, let s mess with him. Did you find it hard to integrate? Not really I think, it was quite easy. There was actually one German kid in the school already but I hung out with him. His name was Michael Hartmeyer, so I spoke German with him and he taught me ropes, so it was really easy to find out what to do and what not to do so I was lucky. Do you have American citizenship? Yes, I became a citizen in 2008, 13 years after I came. Do you have to be a citizen to join the military? To join the military, you have to be a resident but to work for the federal government you have to be a citizen. So you had gotten German citizenship? Okay, this is gonna be sound confusing But my dad is Austrian and my mom is Brazilian. So my dad travelled frequently when he was younger and he had plenty of money to spend and travelled a lot. And when he went to Brazil he found the perfect woman and said: I wanna marry you. He came back to Germany and that s where I was born but my citizenship was Austrian at the time and Brazilian, so I was never actually German but I lived there. 7

8 What is in your opinion the biggest difference between the U.S. and Germany? I would say, obviously, the culture and how we do things, we have the metric system, we have, you know, feet and inches so the biggest thing is culture. Although we got a lot of European culture here, we can drive to another state and visit a whole German city. It s different how we do things, even drink at a different age. You have to be 21 here sorry ( ) But I don t think the American beer tastes very good. Well, in Oregon, we have really good beer Do you keep up any German traditions in your family? with my family advent for Christmas, so I even have candles but you ve heard some of those here do that, too my mom always did that. She makes Frikadellen, Kartoffelsalat, and she s Brazilian but she had all the German recipe pieces and she s it s all the home-cooked food still so and I m planning to go to Germany this year, last time I was there, I was sixteen years old. Where do you plan to go in Germany? Oberhausen, see family, it s been a while I only have four people, myself, my brother and mom and dad, all in the States, the rest of the family is all in Brazil and in Germany. Do you still miss the life in Germany? All time So you feel yourself more as an American than as a German? I do but I still have a lot of memories that I would like to have back, I miss them. Would you teach your children German? Probably yes, my girlfriend is actually learning German and she s trying to use it. 8

9 Interview with Mrs. Susi Carlberg by Marie-Luise Stöhr und Jessica Libert How long have you been living in Oregon? I have lived here in Oregon for more than 20 years. For what reasons did you leave Germany? I left Germany because of my husband. We met in Germany, and then we decided to move to the USA. How was it for you when you arrived in the US? How did you survive the first days and the first time? The Americans received me very well, which was surprising. I felt very accepted very quickly. How did the Americans receive you? As I said, they received me very well. My new family, my husband s family, were very friendly. They have have helped me to feel at home. They did a lot for me, and for that I m very thankful. Did you find it hard to integrate? Well, the first few years were a bit different, what with the whole new lifestyle. To integrate needs its time, you know, but now it s fine. The people's openness made integration very easy. I m glad that it worked out that well. Do you have American citizenship? No, I don't. I have a Green Card because I am not allowed to have dual citizenship. Since I was born in Germany, it is still my home, I don t want to lose my home country, even if I don t live there anymore. What is, in your opinion, the biggest different between the US and Germany? I think it s the whole attitude towards life. This is what I have seen to be the most different. Do you keep up any German traditions in your family? We still celebrate the religious aspects of Christmas, along with some of the old German traditions. We still put candles on the tree, instead of electric lights, and we have a beautiful nativity. We also still celebrate Pentacost and Easter in the German way. 9

10 Do you still miss life in Germany? Germany will always be a part of me, so yes, I miss it, but here, it feels like home. What I miss most, is the food. Sometimes I visit my family in Germany, and that is very nice. America is my home now, but it s nice to visit Germany. In America, some things don t exist and to see these things in Germany is like going back in the past. Another thing I miss is German beer and wine. They just aren't as good here. Did you teach your children German? I didn t teach them German, and they are a bit mad at me because of it, but they all took German in high school, and now, sometimes, I talk to them in German. One of my children lives in Germany, and can peak it very well. Another of my children is a mechanic for German cars, and so that is how he learned. 10

11 Interview with Mr. Shaun McKinney by Tabitha Volohonski 1. How long have you been living in the U.S/Oregon? I am a third-generation American. I was born here in the United States. However my grandparents immigrated from France and Germany. 2. For what reasons did you/your family leave Germany? They probably left because of religion issues. My grandparents were Catholics and they lived in a mostly Protestant area. 3. How was it for you when you arrived in the U.S? How did you survive the first time? No answer possible 4. How did the Americans react to you/percieve you? No answer possible 5. Did you find it hard to integrate/assimilate? No answer possible 6. Do you have American citizenship? Yes, I do have American citizenship. 7. What is, in your opinion the biggest difference between the United States and Germany? I have never lived in Germany, so I can t tell what the biggest difference would be. 8. Do you keep any German traditions in your family? Yes, my parents always had German food. Also on Christmas, there was this German Krippenspiel. 9. Do you still miss life in Germany? Again, I never lived in Germany 10. Did you teach your children German? No, not really, my father never spoke German to me and I don t know whether his parents taught him any German. Although his grandkids learned German in school. 11