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It's Father's Day in the USA – Vatertag in the USA

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Today is Father’s Day here in America. This day of honorig all Dads is celebrated in the USA every year on the third Sunday in June, almost a month later than in Germany!

In Germany, Father’s Day – ‘Vatertag’ coincides with the church holiday of ‘Christi Himmelfahrt’ (Ascension of Jesus). It’s a national holiday and it’s always happening on a Thursday since the Ascension of Jesus is celebrated 39 days after Easter Sunday.

Interestingly, not all German speaking countries are celebrating Father’s Day on the same day. Austria for example has its Father’s Day on the second Sunday in June, while Switzerland initially didn’t have a dedicated Father’s Day until 2009. Since then the official Swiss Father’s Day is happening on the first Sunday in June.

How is Father’s Day celebrated in Germany? It used to be or often still is a day, on which fathers/men celebrate themselves and enjoy each other’s company in fact without family and children! In North Germany and East Germany, Father’s Day tellingly is called ‘Herrentag’ (Day of the Men) .

But more and more young families nowadays celebrate Father’s Day pretty much the same like we do here in the United Sates and make it a day with the family. I personally remember Father’s Day being a day for and with my Dad.

While Father’s Day has been an official holiday in Germany since 1934, the United States’ first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910 in the State of Washington; however it wasn’t until 1972 that Father’s Day became a permanent national holiday in the USA.

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there! 

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Image: Pixabay.com

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Germany Slams U.S. PRISM Program Days Before Obama Makes Return Visit To Berlin

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Obama-Merkel-WH-Visit-479x319It turns out that it isn’t only Americans who have become outraged over the recent leaks regarding privacy breaches made by the US government in recent years.  Numerous German citizens and politicians have expressed their own outrage over the questionable PRISM data collection practices, with some going as far as to compare the American government to the German Stasi (Ministry for State Security) that existed during the communist reign over East Germany.

Why is it that Germans have become so concerned over the data collection being done in the United States?  Part of the NSA leak that was released by Edward Snowden late last week included a map of how much secret surveillance was taking place in each country.  It turns out that Germany was the most spied on country in the entire EU by a long shot.  In fact, Germany seems to be in the same level as China, Iran, Pakistan, and Iraq, while being even higher than Syria.

PRISM Map

According to the leak, PRISM is system for which the NSA uses to collect private data from Internet users on some of the most used online services, including Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and Apple.  The US government hasn’t been shy about admitting its existence, but the companies whose servers are being accessed to gain the info have denied the claims.

Prism Slide

Markus Ferber, a member of the European Parliament for Bavaria, said in astatement to Reuters that Washington DC is using ”American-style Stasi methods” and commented that ”I thought this era had ended when the DDR fell”.

Germany’s Justice Minister, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, wants an explanation from her American counterpart, Eric Holder.  She wrote in a Spiegel editorial piece that “the more a society monitors, controls and observes its citizens, the less free it is… The suspicion of excessive surveillance of communication is so alarming that it cannot be ignored. For that reason, openness and clarification by the US administration itself is paramount at this point.”

While President Barack Obama has defended the US governments practices by saying that there needs to be some trade-offs in privacy for the sake of national security, and that you can’t have full security as well as privacy without any inconvenience, his statements are geared more towards American citizens.  Germany’s federal data protection commissioner, Peter Schaar, explained that “American laws only protect Americans” and Europeans, including Germans, are left unprotected from US surveillance programs.

Obama Berlin Crowd 2008

With the upcoming elections in Germany, Angela Merkel is feeling the pressure to address the issue with President Obama when he arrives in Berlin on June 18, and has confirmed that she will be questioning Obama when he arrives.  The timing couldn’t be any worse for President Obama, and the reaction he receives will more than likely be drastically different than his previous visit before the 2008 elections when he addressed a crowd of over 200,000 fans in Berlin.

Sources: RT, Reuters, Der Spiegel 
Photos: White House Photo by Pete Souza, Matt Ortega via flickr
Article Source: GermanPulse

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Surrealism in SoCal – Diving into Subconscious Worlds

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Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait, 1940. See discussi...

“In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States”

A landmark exhibition of LACMA on the surrealist movement of women artists closed today! It showed an impressive collection of relevant artworks by major figures of this art movement like Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, Lee Miller, Kay Sage, Dorothea Tanning, and Remedios Varo.

These expressive pieces of artwork deal with self discovery, self analysis and searching for identity . They seem to have a life of its own and put the viewer under a spell, where one can feel the creators’ pain, but also their curiosity in finding answers to life’s questions and dealing with life’s tragic turns.

Having opened in the end of January 2012 the exhibition closed today, May 6th. For the one who didn’t get a chance to see this magnificent art show, here is a slideshow with some of the works displayed at LACMA.

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Impressions Of The Last Day Of The Year 2011

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2011 is almost over. It was a beautiful sunny day down here in Southern California with the fog slowly coming in from the ocean in the afternoon creating some crisp winter atmosphere.

Have a great start into 2012!

Happy New Year !

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Sybille Cohen : Thinking Adventure Only – Settling for a Lifetime

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-A CaliforniaGermans Interview-
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Sybille Cohen originally from Hamburg, moved to Northern California in 2001. She is director of the Bay Area KinderStube (short BAKS) a full-immersion German-language preschool for children between the ages of 2.5 and 5 years in Albany, a city very close to Berkeley. She has been teaching children from infants to preschool age over her extensive career and taught also as a teacher at the German Language School in Novato.

When coming to California initially, she didn’t have much of a plan but was ready for an adventure. And in fact the trip turned into the adventure of her lifetime. During her stay she met her now husband and made California her home.

Sybille you arrived in California about 10 years ago. What made you leave Germany?                                                                                                                                          This is a great question. I think I was just ready for a change and an adventure. I wanted to do something completely new. I had not seen or traveled ever before so I took a sabbatical from work and just went. California came to mind because I had a friend whose aunt lives here in San Anselmo. I just wanted to experience something new and get to know a different culture.

What was your first impression when you arrived here in CA?
.         Boy, arriving in the states was quite a shock. Everything was so big and enormous, the stores, the freeways, … On the other hand I was very surprised how friendly the Americans are. Always willing to help no matter if I had trouble with the car I rented or if I needed driving directions…

How long did you initially plan on staying in the USA?                        
.        Initially I had planned on staying for 6 month. But everything changed when I met my husband to be. During my stay I was asked if I would like to work as an Au pair for a widowed father who had two boys. I took the job and a couple of months later I found myself in love with the nicest man I’ve ever met, the dad himself! When my visa was about to expire there weren’t many options for us to have me staying longer especially since this was after 9/11. After consulting with an immigration lawyer we spontaneously decided to get married, and this after only nine months of being together! Would I have ever done something like this in Germany? Hell no! But it was one of the best decisions I have ever made!

Since it was such an unforeseen change in plan, was it hard leaving family in Germany behind? What was your family’s reaction?
.       It was very difficult to leave family and friends behind! It was probably one of the most difficult decisions I ever had to make. For many years I lived in, or better between two worlds, which means, when I was in Germany I wanted to be in the US and vice versa. By now I am content and I enjoy my stays in Germany and am happy when I’m home. Home for me now is California.                        Moving to California turned out to be a very tough change for my family back in Germany. The one most affected by it was my mother since I have a very close connection with her. But in the long run we rearranged our lives and we found a way that it now works for both sides. I’m trying to visit them once a year at least, which is very important to me, especially now as they get older.

Given the option, would you consider moving back to Germany at some point?
.       This is a tricky question. At this point in my life I’m not considering moving back to Germany because everything my life revolves around is here. The US has become my home. Germany on the other hand will always be special for me, since this is where I’m coming from. I am German in my heart and always will be!

You have been working with BAKS (Bay Area Kinderstube) since 2007 and since 2009 you are the school’s director. Please tell us a bit about BAKS.                                                                                                      BAKS started out as a parent initiative in 1994 and became a private pre-school open to the public in 1997. We are a full immersion German language pre-school, which means that we exclusively speak German with our children. The German language development takes an integral part of the social, emotional, and cognitive development of our children. We not only teach but ‘live’ the language so that it becomes a natural part of our students’ life. We have many different activities throughout the day from reading, singing, art and dancing to nature explorations, and we also cook and bake together. Since this school year we offer also martial art lessons once a week, alternating with yoga sessions as part of our curriculum!

There is a long waiting list to get a space at Bay Area KinderStube. What’s the success of BAKS?
.        In my opinion KinderStube’s success results in the fact that we are not only a childcare center. KinderStube has the feeling of home probably because it is small and therefore homelike. We have no more than 24 children in our morning program. With 4 teachers on site we have a great teacher/child ration of 1:6. In our afternoon session our ration is 2:12. The other component to our success is that we have very compassionate teachers. We always try to understand each child in his or her own way. Our goal is to get the best out of each one of them and make them feel accepted as an individual. We want to give them a feel of belonging.

 

What are the prerequisites, if any,  for a child to start at BAKS?
.        It is always a plus when the child has already some knowledge of the German Language but it is not a must. The one thing we are looking for is that one parent is able to speak the language and that it is spoken to the child outside of our school.

Can you share some advice with our readers on whether to start their child in a traditional American pre-school or a German immersion pre-school?
.        I do know both school systems and I have to say that the decision which route to go depends really on the parents and on what they think is best for their child. The big difference between these two systems is that the German system is not as academic in preschool and Kindergarten as the American. Kids learn to write and read in first grade, which I think is early enough considering the amount of school years still ahead of the child. But it also depends on the child itself. Is he or she already interested in reading, writing, and wants to learn more the parent should address it as well. On the other hand, is your child not an early “starter “, then don’t worry to give him or her a little more time and let them play a year longer. It won’t matter in the long run.

Sybille, thank you so much for your time and for sharing your insights with us. We wish you and BAKS continued success!

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For more information on BAKS please visit the school website at: http://www.kinderstube.org/home.html

If you would like to visit BAKS – Bay Area KinderStube, you can just call for an appointment or come by to the “Laternenfest” (lantern fest) this Sunday November 13th at 5pm. There will be Glühwein, Hot chocolate “Weckmänner” and Hot Dogs . For sale will also be German children books and lanterns for the children who don’t have any but would like to participate at the lantern walk.

The festive evening will start out with fall season’s songs and have its highlight in the presentation of the St. Martin’s play presented by the KinderStube “Füchse”. The following lantern procession will conclude the evening. At the end there will be a raffle with 5 opulently filled Gift baskets with the proceeds going towards buying new wood chairs and tables for the school.

BAKS – Bay Area KinderStube
842 Key Route Boulevard
Albany, CA 94706
(510) 525-3105
 
 

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Germany on my Mind – An Immigrant’s Reflection on Germany

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It’s the last day of October, the month, in which Germans celebrate their Tag der Deutschen Einheit, the Day of German Unity (October 3), our National Holiday. Throughout this month I have been reflecting on what Germany means to me now after 12 years of living in California. How do I feel about being a German in America or is it a German-American now that I have Dual Citizenship? What’s my perception towards Germany and German culture these days? Does Germany in fact mean more to me now than ever before?

An old friend of my father’s, who had immigrated to California as a student to pursue a medical degree, once had told me: “ I love California, but my heart belongs to Germany!”

These words didn’t make sense to me then and of course not at all when I had finally made my dream come true and made California my home as well. I honestly could not envision his words ever be true for me! Somehow though his words had made an impression and did stay with me after all. After more then a decade living here, I too feel somewhat emotionally torn between the two countries.

At first I was overwhelmed with the joy to finally have made my dream a reality. Everything America had to offer seemed just so much better, more exciting and one could simply breathe the freedom in the air.  Now, that being said, it’s not as if I hadn’t been free where I grew up. I was born in Munich, and spent my childhood in fact in a very beautiful part of the city, as I now (!) have learned to appreciate…

Leaving my teenage years behind, I increasingly felt like I would suffocate if I stayed any longer in Germany.  Let’s face it, German society per se can sometimes be a bit restrictive. Too much bureaucratic mind-set and not enough “out of the box” thinking. German heaviness of soul and mind and the praised virtue of a deep thinking society can sometimes also turn against itself… Add in some of the gloomy weather and cold dark winter days and you’ll have a nice cocktail that can get even the happiest minds depressed…

I always liked the politeness and friendliness of Californians – even though we were warned about it early on and were made understood that it might be superficial most of the time. But, hey, it seems to make life just so much easier and brighter!

Having spent all my summer vacations in California since the age 14, my heart was set on this part of the world. Every year during summer upon arriving at LAX, I remember experiencing this feeling of complete freedom that ran through me like a big breath of fresh air. To me, America was equivalent to an abundance of unknown possibilities and opportunities.

After my third child arrived, my husband and I were considering the idea of my becoming an American citizen. In a blended family like ours, with various citizenships under one roof, it seemed to be a calming thought to know that we all are united under one common nationality. Since becoming an American Citizen didn’t mean having to give up German citizenship anymore, I decided to apply for dual citizenship.

Oddly enough, change and patriotic awakening towards Germany came about with my becoming American! Reciting the American Pledge of Allegiance together with thousands of other new Americans in the LA coliseum, suddenly made me aware of my German nationality, made me aware of what this step of becoming an American meant to me personally but also to my own and my kids’ family history. It seems that through the process of becoming American, I found back to my somehow hidden German roots and since then witnessed the awakening of an until then unfamiliar patriotism, love and pride in my German heritage.

So, the question arises, what am I now? German American, American German or just a German in America? I guess I became someone who learned to embrace two different countries and cultures at the same time and call them ‘home’.  I feel deep love for both countries.  My father who was fascinated by America almost had made the big step to stay and settle, but it was up to me to finalize what he had started.  Shortly after his first true little American grandchild was born, my Dad passed away, almost as if he had felt that he had arrived at his dream as well.

I have to admit I am proud of having the privilege to be an American citizen and love my ‘new’ home where my own young family now lives. But I am now equally proud of my German heritage, of Germany’s scientific, technological and artistic accomplishments that have an effect on the world as a whole. And I am enjoying this feeling of love for my home country that I wasn’t aware of having in me before. I now can appreciate all the wonderful aspects and the beauty the country has to offer and I look forward to every visit with my American family.

Of course, I question whether it is perhaps just the romantic ideal of Germany that keeps me captivated? If I were to be asked today if I would move back to live in Germany, I must admit my answer would be no! California is my new home now, it is where my children were born and my family now lives. As I go on discovering how to be an American it is my ‘Germanness’ that keeps me grounded and gives me a sense of place in the world.

A Little Bit of Germany in the Heart of Berkeley

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Dropping of my son at Cal Berkeley and helping him “move in” was a great way for me to get acquainted with the Berkeley neighborhood. My heart did a happy leap when I found German Brezen (Pretzels) right on University Ave. ! The quaint little bakery “OctoberFeast” has much more to offer then just to make Pretzel lovers content. One can find a wonderful, delicious selection of different gourmet breads, tempting croissants and of course tasty pretzels. But that’s not all. If one prefers to bake their own bread, OctoberFeast has an assortment of organic flours to choose from.

Should you not find yourself in the area of Berkeley’s University Ave., OctoberFeast is also present at farmer’s markets in Northern California. To find out more, check out their website and definitely pay them a visit, when in the area.

Open:  Monday – Friday: 8am – 6pm, and Saturday: 9am – 3pm

OctoberFeast Bakery – German, Bavarian Breads        

1954 University Ave
Berkeley, CA
94701
(510) 926-3004

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