Angelika Back to my visit to Germany: I really enjoyed the four weeks in Germany and was especially happy that I was able to see and talk to so many of you. Even though my visits to many of you were just brief stopovers and therefore, of course, much too short. Those whom I didn't manage to visit, please be understanding; four weeks is just a limited amount of time.

Many of you in Germany have repeatedly asked me these two questions: a) Can you still speak German? b) Do you experience Germany differently now?

I believe I don't really need to answer question a) correctly; anyone who has heard me talk knows that I chatter just as much as before. I think I still manage to do that perfectly in the German language (the proofreader: "Modesty, modesty..."). Perhaps some of you might have wished that bilingualism would make me a bit more reserved, but unfortunately, I have to disappoint you, and I don't think you should get your hopes up in that regard.

The second question is a bit more difficult to answer. When I think of Germany, I primarily associate it with a lot of familiar things: my family, good friends, many familiar, beautiful places. This, of course, hasn't changed at all. On the other hand, there are some things that have struck me negatively, which I might not have noticed otherwise. The problem, of course, is that when you write about Germans or Germany, you always have to generalize; this simply cannot be avoided, and as you all know, there is no such thing as "the German" or "the American," and exceptions prove the rule. And yet, certain characteristics can be more strongly attributed to one nation or another.

First, I've noticed that Germans are a nation of complainers and pessimists (and I would certainly include myself among the latter). I noticed this right away when I was transferring in Atlanta. The plane was about half-filled with Americans and German vacationers. Since Atlanta is known to be one of the largest airports in the USA and thus has relatively heavy air traffic, we were waiting at takeoff position 46, which meant the plane took off with about one hour delay. For me, it was very interesting to observe how differently Germans and Americans dealt with this situation.

The Americans mostly sat there relaxed, reading, with no one constantly checking their watch or getting upset. In contrast, four Germans, about 25 years old and just returning from vacation, were sitting in front of me. Not only were they loudly complaining in German about the delay (good thing Americans generally don't understand German), which made me quite embarrassed, but they also checked their watches every two minutes, which, of course, didn't help much. Later, these same Germans not only ordered a beer but insisted that the stewardess bring each of them two at once. Embarrassing!!!! No wonder every American thinks that every German is born with a beer keg. You will now, of course, argue that these Germans were the famous exceptions, but I have to say that the complaining continued to follow me. The general tone everywhere was that Germany is doing worse than ever, with real horror scenarios being described (and I don't just mean in the media).

I definitely don't want to be misunderstood now. Of course, there are serious problems in Germany -- as everywhere -- that urgently need to be addressed to prevent a major crisis from developing. However, by serious problems, I do not mean bitterly arguing over a spelling reform and involving the courts in this matter. To be fair, it should be noted that Americans also like to take every trivial matter to court. But that's a completely different topic that I would prefer to address another time. Back to the German spelling reform: I confess, I am in favor of a spelling reform and would have supported much more radical changes. Incidentally, I now also consider this a German specialty: clinging to unimportant things and not being willing to take even a small step towards real, necessary changes. Suddenly, people remember that they are, after all, the nation of Goethe and Schiller, although their language might have looked somewhat different.

When you follow the discussion about the spelling reform from a bit of a distance, you really have to wonder if Germany doesn't have any other problems to tackle at the moment. I'm thinking, for example, of the high unemployment rate, increasing poverty, the endangered welfare state, etc. In my opinion, these are the issues that urgently need to be addressed.

Angelika I kept hearing during my visit to Germany that soon American conditions would prevail in Germany regarding social security. Friends, I must vehemently disagree on this point, and I sincerely hope that such conditions will never exist in Germany. Take, for example, the troublesome issue of health insurance. Firstly, about 40 million Americans are not insured at all, and since the entire insurance system here is privately run, it happens that, for instance, services for AIDS patients are not covered because their treatment is too costly. Or, when switching insurance providers, which usually happens automatically with a job change, any illness or even pregnancy that existed six months before the change is not covered by the new insurance for up to a year. Chronically ill people are truly lost in such a system.

Additionally, I've read that one American health insurance company did not cover the costs for a disabled child because the parents knew beforehand that there was a 50% chance they would have a disabled child. And I want to emphasize once again that these are not isolated cases. But you don't even have to go that far. Even if you are insured here, it can happen that the health insurance provider does not pay in full what the doctor charges because it is deemed too high to the insurance company. And in these cases, it is always the patient who suffers, meaning they have to pay the difference.

For this very reason, there is an increasing trend here towards so-called "managed care," meaning you are only allowed to go to certain doctors who have contracts with the insurance company. These contracts stipulate that doctors can only charge a certain fee for a specific service. Then there are things like deductibles or lifetime benefit limits of 1 million dollars, meaning once the million is used up, no more payments are made by the insurer, and a million can quickly be exhausted if you are seriously ill. And I emphasize once again, these are generally people who are well off. I think things are still somewhat different in Germany. It's unimaginable to extend this discussion to other social benefits in America (e.g., unemployment insurance, pension insurance, social assistance, vacation entitlement)!

To make my point absolutely clear once again: I consider it extremely important that social benefits and the principle of solidarity are maintained in Germany. This means that everyone -— whether a welfare recipient, bank director, or employee at Siemens; black, white, or green-striped -- is insured and receives the same benefits and is entitled to social benefits if they fall on hard times. And I am more than willing to pay more when I am doing well, if I have the assurance that I will not be completely abandoned should I find myself in a situation of need.

I just realized that I've gone on about this topic for too long now, but it just keeps occupying my mind. By the way, anyone who wants to read a good book on the topic of "Germany" should check out the recent publication by former ARD correspondent Gabriele Krone-Schmalz, "Now, Honestly! -- Thoughts on Germany." Krone-Schmalz wrote the book after her return from Russia, and she noticed quite similar things to what I have observed.

Angelika To return once more to the topic of complaining, the nagging and pessimism: Americans might be the other extreme, being the eternal, almost unrealistic optimist. They firmly believe that you can achieve anything if you just want it enough. The dream of "dishwasher to millionaire" is still alive here. Even the homeless person on the street or the black person living in the worst part of the city, where gang wars, violence, and drugs are daily occurrance, still adhere to this philosophy. Considering the fact that many black people will never leave the ghetto and don't even have a high school diploma, this is quite a bitter irony. In my opinion, this attitude also leads to the belief that everyone thinks they can make it on their own, and Americans don't like it when certain things are regulated by the government (e.g., introducing mandatory health insurance).

Just one more thing I would like to mention regarding my visit to Germany. In one aspect, Americans are really miles ahead of us, namely in their friendliness. I am mainly referring to interpersonal interactions in the service industry, but also to everyday interactions with one another. Admittedly, it might have been a bit of a culture shock to fly into Munich, where, as is well known, things are cordial but also a bit Bavarianly rough.

So let me quickly delight you with an experience from "the cosmopolitan city with a heart" as Munich is being advertised as. During my visit to Domus, my previous employer there, I was asked to buy pretzels and rolls for all the Domus children from a Munich bakery, amounting to about 50 DM. Although the saleswoman handed me the requested pretzels, she simultaneously remarked snappishly that next time I should definitely place such a large order a day in advance, after all, she now had hardly any goods left for her customers, which wasn't true because I was in a bakery that constantly bakes new rolls and pretzels, but never mind. Such a thing would never happen to you in America. Here, they would be more grateful that I spent so much money in one store, and even if I had only bought something for 50 cents and it was the last roll on the shelf, they would have gladly sold it to me. In Germany, on the other hand, I often had the feeling that as a customer, you can be glad if you get anything at all. Here, you can really ask the salesperson a million questions and try on 10 pairs of shoes without buying anything, or return the jeans you bought on the next day without any explanation, and you will still be greeted with a smile, and the smile is usually not fake or forced.

At the restaurant, at the hairdresser's, in the supermarket -- everywhere you encounter the same friendliness. However, many believe that Americans in the service industry are only friendly because they rely on tips or sales commissions. There may be some truth to that, but I now tend to think that it’s more a matter of attitude. Here, you get the feeling that they enjoy selling and don't see the customer as a necessary evil. And even if the friendliness is just because of the tips, I still prefer that over being served by a grumpy person.

There is, by the way, a place in America where one desperately searches for friendliness, just as one does here, namely at government offices. However, this seems to be a worldwide phenomenon.

Before I close, let me add why I believe that everyday interactions are also friendlier here. In my opinion, this is because Americans are extremely talkative and have mastered the art of small talk. Whether going up in an elevator, waiting for the bus, or standing in line at the post office, Americans will casually direct a few friendly words even to complete strangers. Admittedly, these conversations are often about trivial topics like the weather, but I have also experienced a woman on the street calling out to me that I was wearing an especially cheerful T-shirt today, or a cashier admiring my earrings. Regardless of whether these comments are sincere or not, they somehow make you feel great.

Angelika Yes, yes, and what else has happened with us? First of all, I have been trying to get an internship position, and my first interview is next week. I've applied to a school where children between the ages of 2 and 5 are cared for. Since the institution is located in a very poor neighborhood of San Francisco, many children are affected by severe poverty and even homelessness. Others have experienced drug abuse and violence in their families and, as a result, have emotional problems. Other children at the center come from immigrant families from all over the world who have just arrived in San Francisco and therefore know little or no English. It all sounds very exciting, and I am already quite nervous because it is not easy for me to do an interview in a foreign language. If I am accepted at the center and I like it there, I'll be working there three mornings a week.

At the same time, I have sought out opportunities of additional education and found something interesting at the University of Berkeley. This place has a pretty good reputation and conveniently offers a continuing education program for professionals and other interested individuals. The courses take place either in Berkeley (which is about 15 miles from San Francisco and easily accessible by subway) or in San Francisco itself. The program I want to participate in is called "Children and the Changing Family." This study program offers a variety of courses on topics such as parental counseling, intervention options for troubled youth, sexual abuse, social services in California, and more.

You can pick courses based on your interests. The classes are taught by practitioners and are geared towards professional groups working with children/youth and their families. If desired, you can also earn a certificate. To do so, you must attend certain required courses and complete 105 hours within three years. Additionally, you must pass each course with a minimum grade of C (equivalent to a German grade of 3). To try it out, I have enrolled in the course "African American Children and Their Families" starting in November. This course deals with the lives of black families in America, such as the conditions under which black people live in America today, the forms of racism and societal prejudices they face, etc. I am really, really looking forward to the course. By the way, the courses cost between $150 and $200 each and are offered either as evening classes or as weekend seminars.

And then I will indulge myself in the luxury of taking a photography course, which has long been my dream. The course is also offered through the Berkeley continuing education program. It is taught by a woman who has already had exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco.

You see, I have become really active in the last few weeks. My English course at City College ended in late June. Although I could have enrolled in a new one, I preferred to focus on the activities I just described, where you naturally have to speak a lot of English and can certainly learn as well.

Then I believe I haven't mentioned yet that for some time now I’ve been doing private translations from English into German. The connection came about through various people. The wife of Michael's colleague Peter was initially asked, but she didn't have the time or interest, so the task was passed on to me. The woman for whom I'm doing the translations traveled on a container ship with a German crew some time ago, and now she has gotten it into her head that she wants her letters to Germans to be in German, even though she's writing to speak English quite well. It's fine with me, as I'm making some extra money under the table. It also turns out that she's in love with one of the sailors, and now she's eager for me to teach her German. In any case, money doesn't seem to be an issue for her, and it's helpful for me because I can brush up on my English.

Angelika Most of you are already up to date on this, but some of you are not, so for the sake of completeness, I'm quickly writing down the story again. In my last newsletter, I described in detail that Michael is now working from home because the Blaxxun office in San Francisco has closed, but the Blaxxun funding is secured until early 1998. After Michael had just finished setting up all the computers in our apartment, and I had gotten used to him turning our apartment into an open-plan office, the next piece of bad news came (just before my departure to Germany), namely that the funding was withdrawn again, and Blaxxun will likely shut down completely by the end of June or July (including the office in Munich).

Michael was advised to apply for a job at another company in San Francisco or the surrounding area, as he also faces the additional challenge of needing a new American visa for any potential new employer. Michael didn't hesitate and immediately uploaded his resume to the internet. Thirty seconds later, the first person called and offered him a job. In the age of the internet (at least in the software industry), this is how it works: "recruiters" search the internet on behalf of companies to identify suitable candidates and forward them to the relevant firm. A recruiter functions much like a broker: if an employment contract is signed, they receive a commission from the company.

So Michael first spoke with the recruiter and then with a responsible person from the hiring company. He was surprised that instead of simply scheduling an interview, they asked him actual test questions, such as how he would program something in a specific language. This is because Americans often embellish their resumes with things they haven't actually done. Americans also generally enjoy phone conversations, which is very evident during the job application process. It often happened that Michael spoke with two or three people from the company over the phone, repeatedly answering the same questions, before being invited for an in-person interview. At the interview, he had to speak with up to seven different people (though in person, not over the phone). After these conversations, the second phone phase begins.

If the company is interested in potentially hiring an applicant, they don't want to see work references; instead, they ask for phone numbers of people you've worked with before so they can call them and grill them about the applicant. In some cases, they even call the university the applicant graduated from to see if this actually checks out. You can probably imagine that what I just described doesn't go so smoothly when you come from Germany. The Americans aren't too keen about calling internationally.

In any case, Michael was able to apply at Oracle, NASA (unfortunately not to work as an astronaut, which would be his dream), two smaller companies, and America Online. We were quite surprised that he was called in for so many interviews, because it was clear from the start that the company would have to pay a lawyer to apply for the new visa and wait 6 to 8 weeks for the visa formalities to be completed, which is an eternity for an American company. The lucky thing is that there is currently a significant shortage of software developers here. Well, Michael decided to go with America Online (the world's largest internet provider). Their office is in San Mateo, which is easily accessible from San Francisco. The visa application is already in process, so we are waiting for a positive response.

The story is not over yet, however, there's more Blaxxun news: The company has recovered, and funding is now secured again until early 1998. The good thing about this is that Michael can continue working for them until the new visa comes through, so we don't have to struggle financially.

And something else, quite funny, from Black Sun: it’s now called Blaxxun. But the people who email me can still use the old spelling. I tell you, with this company, you really go through a thousand adventures.

Angelika So, and now to my new driver's license. After finally passing the test, I patiently waited for the ID card to be sent to me from the California state capital, Sacramento, which can take up to 6 months because, for us foreigners, they also check if we are legally in the country. After almost 7 months, I finally received a notice from Sacramento that they were missing the documents needed for verification! In plain terms, this means that the DMV forgot to copy my passport and visa. So, I had to go back to the DMV in San Francisco with my passport, where they copied it and assured me that the papers were now in order.

I then politely asked how long it would take for the driver's license to be sent to me. To which I received the same answer, "up to 6 months." The problem now is that I took my written test back in January, and one must receive the driver's license plastic card within a year, otherwise, you have to retake the test. You can probably imagine how furious I was because, in the worst-case scenario, they'll exceed the deadline on my case. If I have to retake my driver's license test due to bureaucratic incompetence, I will lose it. Michael, of course, is having a field day with this story and constantly teases me about it.

So, my dears, I've reported enough from here now. Wish me luck for my job interview.

Wishing you all a wonderful summer!

All the best!!!

Angelika