Between two worlds

“Although they may all have a totally different biography, they must come together to decide and build a future.” This is what their principle said of the diverse group of students in attendance at the new Rütli-Schule. After the introduction and overview provided by some members of the administration we were able to attend two separate classes in small groups, one with some adorable little kiddies (grades 1-3), and one with students approaching graduation. The kids were very cute, we learned about hedgehogs and one particularly bold Turkish boy taught me a few words in Turkish which I immediately forgot. Next came Communication class with the older kids. We talked about some experiences of cultural misunderstandings which was actually quite interesting. We read a passage about what kissing meant for different cultures, and then students were able to discuss their own experiences in Germany with cultural misunderstandings. I remember one example was a Muslim girl who often had to correct people who assumed she was married because she wore a hijab. This does not in fact have anything to do with being married but rather something that many Muslim women choose to wear when they come of age. Another example had to do with the relative forwardness of Arabic people. A boy was waiting in line at the grocery store which was quite backed up. Normally it is the cashiers duty to call for another cashier to come to the front when they feel the line is getting too long, however this boy took it upon himself to call out repeatedly for assistance. In his culture this is totally normal, however he received a number of sharp glares from both the cashier and other customers. I was lucky enough to hear a number of insights such as this before we had to leave for “pause” (break). The best part of the day was actually after the break when all fourteen of us American students sat and had a discussion with some of the Abitur-bound upperclassmen (meaning those taking exams in order to continue on to University). We got to ask them directly how they felt living between two worlds, that of their parents culture and that of German culture. It was great to have them open up, talk about school, language, pressures, family, religion, culture, and the future of multiculturalism in Berlin. There were many different opinions. Some wanted to maintain their cultural identity as Turks or Arabs, others wanted to assimilate, and perhaps a majority expressed a desire to develop a mixture with German culture that would lead to something new completely, neither German nor Turkish. The dialogue we engaged in gave me a glimpse into a world I knew little  about and a struggle that I have never really understood. It gave me a much more intimate understanding of this struggle that I could never have had through simply reading about it, and it made me think about my own cultural identity and the challenges I might face living abroad these next few years. The one thing I know for sure is that interest, openness, and honesty go a looong way, and a simple inquiry about a persons perspective can lead to new realizations for both parties as well as a foundation for continued respect and understanding which would otherwise not be established.