Next Stop, Germany: An Account of Immigrating to Germany

By: Andrew Davis

Produced & Edited By: Megan Laird          

          
         As a western European country, Germany has seen a rise in immigrants over the past few decades.  But this has not always been the case, even for the location that was recently named the "world’s favorite country." Germany has struggled with its xenophobia, but lately it has become easier to become a German citizen. 

Troubled Past

         Following the atrocities of World War II, Germany was left with a decimated work force. To increase the size of available workers, the German government offered incentives for foreigners, mainly Turkish workers, to come and live in Germany.

         While this was supposed to be a temporary program, many Turks and other immigrants had already built up a life in Germany, and made permanent residence in the newly reformed country.

Baumholder, Germany
© Courtesy of: Military.com

         Today, 20 percent of Germany’s citizens have a heritage that is not strictly German. Immigration plays an important role for Germany’s economy, mostly due to the declining birth rate slowing population growth.   

         And while the German government is now promoting a “pro-immigration” platform, becoming a full German citizen still has its hurdles. 

Becoming German

         Heidi Seebohm was born and raised in America. Moving to Germany did not even cross her mind until after she got married. She and her new husband traveled across Europe for their honeymoon, with Germany being one of the stops.

         It was not until a couple months later that Seebohm found out she and her husband would be moving to Germany for his job. A transition she was nervous about.

“I was a little afraid I wouldn't make any good friends since I live off post and I thought it would be hard to get to know people speaking broken Germenglish back and forth. It's proving kind of true, but at the same time not so much because other wives and girlfriends of players on my husband's fußball team in the next town over are really cool and it's working out well enough.”

        

View from Seebohm's Residence
© Courtesy of: Heidi Seebohm

The couple ended up in Baumholder, Germany. It is a small town in western Germany that boasts a population of just over four thousand.

“The people in Germany walk on any road they please at any time of day or night, usually in dark clothing. I'm talking elderly men toting oxygen tanks on windy, hilly roads in dense fog. They are a bunch of honey badgers. They have an incredible sense of humor and they're mostly outgoing. I feel like in the states we have a "mind your own business" attitude that just doesn't exist here.”

         
         Seebohm quickly got a job working at a local bar, the “Tavern on the Rock,” a quaint tapas bar located in the small town. Seebohm said that getting a job was not the tricky part, it was getting used to the language barrier.

“We use a lot of hand gestures and it typically goes smoothly enough. The Germans are so easygoing and we would only have a problem if we didn't know how to laugh at ourselves.”

National Pride

         Seebohm is the perfect example of how Germany is trying to leave its historically xenophobic past. In 2000, the German government passed new immigration laws that made it easier for foreigners to gain full citizenship.

         However, for a country that has always struggled with showing its national pride, getting used to non-western European or American immigrants has actually been a fairly easy adjustment. A regular to Seebohm’s bar, a young man from Somoa named Salima said that he has not experienced any negative reactions from native Germans despite being from the Pacific Islands.

         “Most people don’t even realize I’m not full German until I speak. My accent gives it away.”

         Germans are quickly becoming known as open and are excited to share their culture with new citizens.

“Every single one has been friendly....some are guarded at first but when I try my German speaking they usually smile and we fake it till we make it (example: ordering food in a town where there are hardly ever soldiers passing through and no one speaks any English. Hilarious for all parties),” said Seebohm. 

Obtaining Citizenship

        

Scenic Trails Near Seebohm's Home
© Courtesy of: Heidi Seebohm

Even though Germans are open with the idea with immigration, actually becoming a German citizen still requires a bit of work.  In order to become a naturalized citizen, they have to live in Germany for at least 8 years. And just like in America, there is a written test that needs to be passed.

         However, unlike in America, German citizens cannot hold dual citizenships unless it is with another European Union country or Switzerland. This means that becoming a full German citizen takes a long-term commitment.

         Germany is one of the more progressive European countries when it comes to opinions on immigrants, but they still have their share of anti-foreigner thinking, especially in the eastern part of the country where unemployment is still high. 

Brighter Future

         Seebohm is excited to start the next phase of her life in Germany with her new husband. As of right now she does not have any plans on returning to the United States, but she said that nothing should be ruled out.

“We are planning on staying in Europe but all my family is still in the US. If anything I’ll plan to visit as often as I can.”

         Many Eastern Europeans are flocking to Western European countries, like Germany, for the better opportunities they offer. And while Germany may not have the most accepting past, the new Germany is an exciting place to start a new life.

“We have a small community with a ton of neighbors who know us and we can walk everywhere,” said Seebohm, “I love it, I’m so happy where we ended up.”

The Truth About Learning French in Belgium

By Caleigh Bourgeois

I was very confident about my French speaking abilities before moving to Belgium. I could clumsily muster a, “Je voudrais un café.” I could even ask for directions! I understood French films! Upon boarding my plane ride to Belgium I was convinced I would be fluent within a few months.

I quickly learned that taking classes in a second language in your home country does not make you immediately proficient in the real world.

"Grande-Place," en Francais, "Grand Place," in English

Surprise, surprise, the locals don’t speak as slowly as my French professors did. While everyone tends to speak quickly in native tongue, the French language in particular lacks staccato. While beautiful, French words flow together with few pauses, which makes distinguishing them more difficult.

My pronunciation needed some work right away. While a Midwest accent may do just fine in a classroom, native French speakers often have a hard time understanding my speech, even when I "technically" pronounce words correctly. Learning not to pronounce an “r” is almost as difficult as learning to roll it.

It isn’t always difficult. For me, the easiest aspect of studying French has always been reading it. I can recognize street signs and decipher food labels quite well. Although in Brussels, they are also in Dutch.

This brings me to an entirely new dynamic I face. There are two official languages in Belgium, Dutch and French. In fact, the country is split up into three regions, Vlaanders, the Dutch region and Wallonia, the French region, and a third extremely small German-speaking region gained after the Treaty of Versailles.

Photo Credit: SicMagazine.Org

Brussels falls in the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) region, but because of its one-of-a-kind status as home to the EU, both Dutch and French are spoken. Every sign, label and metro stop is in both languages.

While I work for a Flemish/American newspaper, my knowledge of Dutch consists of, “allo,” “dank u,” and any Germanic words that cross over with English. This wasn't an issue until I traveled out into Vlaanders for work. I went to a gorgeous city called Antwerp, a major diamond retail hub and former port for emigration. Everyone there spoke Dutch and everything was in Dutch. Even my French knowledge couldn’t save me.

Dutch-speaking city of Antwerp

The opposite happened when I traveled to Wallonia . There, everyone spoke French, no Dutch, but more importantly for me, no English. While most people speak English in Brussels, and insist on doing so after hearing my accent, no one I met in Wallonia could.

After getting off at the wrong train stop in Verviers, Belgium, I had no other choice but to speak French with an attendant at the train station. I was lost and alone and it was the best possible practice I could have received. It was exhilarating and prosperous.

Although I’ve had moments of extreme embarrassment, goofy mix ups and sheer panic, it is so much fun practicing my French with the locals. I certainly am not at the level of proficiency I wanted to be after two months, but my adventures in learning are more memorable than I ever could have imagined.

Every successful interaction in French feels is a victory, whether it’s speaking with a cashier or asking for directions. It’s incredible how some words come back to me seemingly out of nowhere, words I haven’t used since high school French six years ago.

 Speaking in French the only fun part. I love eavesdropping on conversations in the Metro to find context. I buy French magazines and spend up to 30 minutes on a two-page story, finding new words and trying to grasp the article’s purpose. It feels like I’m cracking a secret code.

Last night, I dreamt entirely in French. I’ve heard it said that dreaming in a second language is a sign that you’re well on your way in learning it. Although I’m not going to come home singing Edith Piaf with perfect pronunciation, I am satisfied with the progress I am making, and look forward to working toward true fluency.

Safe Trains in Spain

By: Craig Reck

Edited by: Yacong Yuan

Airline security measures are a big issue in the world today. People consider the balance between safety and privacy, while waiting in line for hours to board. One mode of transportation seems to be overlooked during this debate - trains. They are a major form of commuting throughout Europe, especially Spain. The country has a deep history of terrorism on trains.

A high speed train in the Spanish countryside,Photo:RailEurope

On 11 March, 2004, ten bombs exploded on four trains in Madrid killing 191 people and injuring another 1,800. This attack rocked the nation's train system during the busiest time of day, morning rush hour. The entire world turned to Spain with condolences, but that was more than five years ago. How are trains protecting travelers from terrorists now?

The Spanish National Railway Network, RENFE, would not comment on this issue. Train security is so closely related to national security that no one would talk about it for fear of potential terrorism. Julio Hermida Gayubas, the company's Press Chief in Madrid said that Spain has a history of combating terrorism from organizations like the Basque nationalist group ETA. The ETA has caused trouble for the Spanish government for more than 40 years, killing approximately 855 people since 1968. The organization was initially thought to be the cause of the Madrid train bombings. Last year, the government detained 124 members of the separatist group and has already put 17 behind bars this year. But what's stopping the ETA from repeating an attack like the one in Madrid?

"Commuter and regional trains are patrolled by private and public security officials daily,” says Fernando Domínguez Puente, a Press Officer for the Department of Transportation in Madrid. “On long distance, high-speed trains, each passenger has to pass over a security check before boarding the train. This check includes a complete scanning of their baggage and, in specific cases, a personal search." Puente’s e-mail did not say much else about the security measures in Spanish train stations.

Train Bomb in Madrid, 2004, Photo from: Political Forum

Spanish citizens, however, had no problem speaking about the issue. Adhara Dodero, a student and assistant photographer in Madrid, thinks so. “I feel safe…but they don’t ask for papers or passport or anything – just your ticket.” Dodero, who takes a train at least once a month, is referencing the small trains that link smaller stations like the ones in Pamplona and Vitoría. The larger trains that connect cities like Barcelona and Madrid are more likely to ask for some identification. Either way, she says that the lack of security checkpoints allows for quicker loading and unloading of passengers. “You arrive ten minutes before the train leaves. You couldn’t do that with scanners. There would be long lines and waits.” Dodero says that this would take away from the ease and popularity of train travel in Spain.

If travelers in Spain find the trade of maximum security for speed and convenience unsettling, they have an alternative – planes. Baggage x-rays and ID confirmations ensure a safe trip for fliers, but they also make it difficult for impromptu travel. If someone in Barcelona suddenly needs to be in Madrid after working all day, a train might be easier to catch and cost less money. Booking a same-day, one-way flight could cost almost twice as much as its train ticket equivalent. A train leaving Friday night would cost approximately 55 Euro, roughly $75. Meanwhile, airfare for flights leaving at about the same time would cost anywhere from 59 to 90 Euro. That’s a difference of almost $50! Granted, the planes would arrive in Madrid sooner, but the passenger would have to check-in for the departure hours in advance. Showing up 10 minutes before a plane leaves results in a missed flight. Like Dodero said, however, minimal train security lends itself to last minute travel plans.

Is saving money worth lowering security standards and wait times for trains? Adhara Dodero agrees, because she says there’s a bigger issue to consider. “The problem is not only the trains or safety,” says Dodero. “Terrorism is everywhere. Even with the best security, someone can do something bad. I think you can feel something of security when you’re on a train.” The government is working to combat terrorism on trains, even if nobody knows what exactly. Regardless of what’s being done, Dodero and the rest of Spain’s commuter community will continue to travel the best way they know how.