Global education is so much more than studying the surface of a place, it's getting to know the people, their stories, their struggles and triumphs. It's about finding out what makes each of us and our cultures unique, but also what ties us together. Multicultural education used to focus on something we often refer to as Festivals, Flags, and Food, skimming the surface of cultures. And at times trying the food, hearing the music, or listening to the folktales of a place is a great first introduction for students when studying a new place. I would be slightly remiss to not mention at least two of these things! We didn't really get to attend any festivals, the end of June isn't exactly festival season. However, we did try ALL of the food, and did notice something interesting about flags.
Fruhstuck, Mittagessen, und Abendgessen
From breakfast at our hotels to lunches and dinners at some amazing restaurants, we ate well in Germany. I wanted to try as many classically Germanic dishes as possible, especially as we visited different regions with their own specialties. Kasespatzel, a form of macaroni and cheese, and Schnitzel were some of my favorites. In-season white asparagus, grilled river fish, and local cheeses were delights to try. And of course the brot. I come from a family of great lovers of bread, and German bread exceeded all of my expectations! Some even say that Germany is the bread capitol of Europe! Light and fluffy, dense and dark, in rolls or loaves, I never found a bread here that wasn't amazing, especially with creamy butter slathered over it.
So Foodies, these images are for you!
A typical breakfast from our hotel. There were spreads of cold cuts, cheeses, multiple kinds of bread, salads, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Of course there was the ever-present sparkling water, still water, and a variety of waters flavored with fruit. I usually drank tea, but there were at least two very complex and fancy coffee machines if you were in the mood for espresso, a capachino, or just regular coffee.
My new favorite fruit in the world are these small peaches that are shaped more like a donut! They were so very flavorful, and very easy to eat because of the shape!
"Liebe geht durch den Magen" Love goes through the stomache.
For the sweettooths, dessert was plentiful and flavorful! There are countless bakeries full of sweet and savory cookies, pastries, and rolls. I gravitated more towards the fresh fruit and cream side of desserts, but anything chocolate was decadent. Here we have fresh local Erdberran (strawberries), blackberry and local cherry gelato, and apfelstrussel (apple strudel).
On Flags
In American towns and cities it is nearly impossible to travel a kilometer before seeing an American flag proudly waving form the front of a building or atop a flag pole. At certain times of the year stores are littered with every manner of merchandise with flag print emblazoned on it. People wear the stars and stripes on shirts, hats, and even bathing suits! My Mom h
as proudly displayed an American flag on our front porch for as long as I can remember. It features prominently in our yearly back-to-school pictures. If you are visiting from another country there is no doubt what our flag looks like.
Yet, I noticed when wandering through Bonn, Cologne, and even to a degree in Berlin, the lack of national flag flying. German flags seemed to be relegated to government buildings only. I also did not see the image of the flag on clothing, or flown from personal homes.
I was very interested in the lack of flags, and asked one of our cooperating teachers from Hardtberg Gymnasium about it during our museum trip. In part, I was hoping to find a patch or sticker with the flag on it as a souvenir, but this seemed bigger than just not finding the image in stores. Mika said many Germans fear that flag-waving is the first step toward — or symbolic of — the nationalist impulse that once engulfed the nation and lead the world wars. Mika went on to explain that if you do see the German flag on products it is entirely for the benefit of tourists, that locals will find other ways to display pride in being from a certain area. I find this all to be very interesting as our school board just made it mandatory to have an American flag hung in every classroom in the district and time worked into the schedule at the beginning of the day to say the pledge. Simply patriotic? Or the first step down an unfamiliar road?
And once we arrived in Switzerland? Swiss flags everywhere! It was a big plus.
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