A current topic in Germany is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, especially since East Germany was part of the Iron Curtain. Russia’s aggression is taken very seriously because of Germany’s history; moreover, Germany is energy dependent on Russia, although the country is pursuing energy independence. Over one of my weekends abroad, I visited my host family from 2019 – all of whom (except their youngest daughter) grew up in East Germany. Most of their concerns centered around heating for the winter and eating the fruits and vegetables from their garden. I am from Seattle, where my family has never grown fruits or vegetables, but it was a genuine possibility for my host family to eat an entire dinner from their garden. Everyone was incredibly serious about the issue, and their response interested me as an American without the same pressing concerns. I also noticed some hesitation to discuss the invasion, possibly because it makes the issue feel closer. My class at Carl Duisberg was full of students from all over the world; usually, the teacher commented on a new student’s hometown. With the US, he asked which part and if I liked California. When some students were from Ireland, he asked about the sea. A new student from Ukraine joined our class because he came to Germany as a refugee, yet no one talked about the country’s traits or the invasion, and our teacher was silent. Both responses were fascinating, and I was glad to discuss this topic abroad.
These photos are from my visit to my host family. My host sister, also named Sarah, creates a confusing situation when we are together. She lives with her parents and grandparents who lived in East Germany. They were much happier with my German skills this visit!