I do not know if I improved my Deutsch considerably by doing an intensive language course, but I did manage to pass my test. Now what remain in my heart are the stories I've heard. I had wished many times that I didn't have to learn this language, or be in this country. When I tried to memorize words like öffentlicheverkehrsmittel, I felt that it was unfair that I wasn't given a choice, to decide whether I wanted to gulp it down.. I would reminisce the sweetness of Malayalam poetry and wonder how I reached here.
But then I started to realize that most of my fellow students had a completely different perspective. They told me that they consider themselves lucky to get an opportunity to uproot their lives. They told me how difficult it was back home. They always did their home work honestly and took effort to improve their vocabulary.
They have different backgrounds. The Serbs and the Bosnians told me how they miss the old Yugoslavia. How different things have become since they became independent democracies, they told me that the word democracy isn't always positive, it could also mean taking a turn for the worse. But of course, the Russians told me just the opposite, they told me that they are here only for their German spouses, they said they had great lives back in Moscow, not that Germany is any less perfect, they loathed the conspiracy that the word gets a different picture of their country. "You should come and see how people live in Russia, things got miraculously better a decade after the old USSR," they told me. But my ever serious Lithuanian friend, told me that USSR was a sweet memory of her childhood, when her family had enough to eat. She is a doctor, nevertheless had a struggle-filled life. My Bulgarian friend, who has published 3 books, has worked as a journalist in a Bulgarian news paper, has four majors, came to Germany to work as a cleaning woman. "I cannot raise my children with the 200 bucks I make every month," she says. She told me how her marriage broke apart since the recession, everything, even love, is controlled by money, sadly. The jolly, hot blooded Italians told me how they miss the sweetness and warmth of their people, though how badly they wish they get a job in the cold hearted Germany. People from some middle eastern countries, told me they would be killed if they ever go back, since they have sought help from catholic church. The Greeks, twitched their sculpted noses and blamed Germany for the state of their country, though of course, they really hoped to find a job here. My Romanian friend blamed her German ancestors for fleeing Germany during world war 2.
The war does change everything. So, that brings me to the Syrians, they shudder and stammer when they talk about war, they worry about their families constantly, "Our country is made a play place," they cry. They also told me how it is to be refugee in Germany.
Though their stories differ, they are happy that they are here. They look forward to their future here. Chemical engineers work in casinos, piano teachers work as dish washers, court clerks work as house maids, perhaps this is called life.
Bad things do happen, to countries as well as people, call it communism, democracy, war or fate, but isn't it always better to believe that we can rise above it, that things would get better, or we'd find a way to make it better.
I'm glad that I've met these people, heard their stories.
Now I know that most people from Rome, are incurable atheists.
Things would get better, for all of us.
But then I started to realize that most of my fellow students had a completely different perspective. They told me that they consider themselves lucky to get an opportunity to uproot their lives. They told me how difficult it was back home. They always did their home work honestly and took effort to improve their vocabulary.
They have different backgrounds. The Serbs and the Bosnians told me how they miss the old Yugoslavia. How different things have become since they became independent democracies, they told me that the word democracy isn't always positive, it could also mean taking a turn for the worse. But of course, the Russians told me just the opposite, they told me that they are here only for their German spouses, they said they had great lives back in Moscow, not that Germany is any less perfect, they loathed the conspiracy that the word gets a different picture of their country. "You should come and see how people live in Russia, things got miraculously better a decade after the old USSR," they told me. But my ever serious Lithuanian friend, told me that USSR was a sweet memory of her childhood, when her family had enough to eat. She is a doctor, nevertheless had a struggle-filled life. My Bulgarian friend, who has published 3 books, has worked as a journalist in a Bulgarian news paper, has four majors, came to Germany to work as a cleaning woman. "I cannot raise my children with the 200 bucks I make every month," she says. She told me how her marriage broke apart since the recession, everything, even love, is controlled by money, sadly. The jolly, hot blooded Italians told me how they miss the sweetness and warmth of their people, though how badly they wish they get a job in the cold hearted Germany. People from some middle eastern countries, told me they would be killed if they ever go back, since they have sought help from catholic church. The Greeks, twitched their sculpted noses and blamed Germany for the state of their country, though of course, they really hoped to find a job here. My Romanian friend blamed her German ancestors for fleeing Germany during world war 2.
The war does change everything. So, that brings me to the Syrians, they shudder and stammer when they talk about war, they worry about their families constantly, "Our country is made a play place," they cry. They also told me how it is to be refugee in Germany.
Though their stories differ, they are happy that they are here. They look forward to their future here. Chemical engineers work in casinos, piano teachers work as dish washers, court clerks work as house maids, perhaps this is called life.
Bad things do happen, to countries as well as people, call it communism, democracy, war or fate, but isn't it always better to believe that we can rise above it, that things would get better, or we'd find a way to make it better.
I'm glad that I've met these people, heard their stories.
Now I know that most people from Rome, are incurable atheists.
Things would get better, for all of us.
