Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Sina]

Hey, what do you think of Germany? Would you like living there? What do you think of its government? Schr�der? Tell me. I am curious.

[Mr. Thunder]

beer, sausage, BMW, the national soccer team, benz, white, WW2, Jews, Hitler, should stop here.

[Bob S.]

Hofbrau Haus, Oktoberfest, quiet peaceful people (now), well organized.
Yes, I would probably enjoy living there if I could find a job at an international company.

[Sina]

I am living in Germany, but I am not proud at all. Surely it might be interesting but as I am living in a quite boring village, unfortunately, life isn't exciting.
I'd like to go to Canada. Yeah, that would be my dream.

[flower]

...One of my desires is to visit Germany....

[Sina]

Munich or are surely really cool and exciting but german as language is just boring.

[asterix]

Germany is a great place. It is physically beautiful for a start. The people are courteous and helpful. They make the best beer in the world and their wine is pretty good.
Trains run on time and you can usually have an interesting conversation with someone while travelling. The population is extremely well educated and many speak English or some other foreign language.
I, personally, am not fond of Schroeder. I think he is destroying the German economy.

[Sina]

Have you ever been in Germany??! Because I am from Germany and I don't think at all that we, the germans are well educated. Look at the PISA-result. Our scholar system is rather confused and bad that I would never call the germans as well educated.
Moreover, I wouldn't juge the germans as helpful as far as I know. I actually think that the mentaliy is quite superficial. And you ever have any opportunity to talk to anyone while travelling?? Do you even have a clue of what you are saying? I am sorry and in no case I intend to insult you but you aren't right at all.Sorry...

[asterix]

I lived in Germany for several years, although not recently. I can only say that I consider the Germans to be well-educated and courteous people. Of course, there are always ignorant louts in every culture, and no doubt Germany has some of those too.
If the standard of education in Germany is not as high as you would like, it is time to make some changes to your educational system.
The problem is that teachers have too much political power, but they are not delivering the goods on the job they were hired to do.

[Sina]

Yes I am living in Germany. Do you know Osnabr�ck? I am living nearby.
Presumbly I misunderstood asterix but Germany still has so many people who even aren't able to write or read and that musn't be- at least not in a country that's is high industrialised or whatever.
By the way, do you live in Germany as well? If yes, where do you live?
And I d like to emphasize that our politicians intend to change our scholar system but if this is the right solution, I don't know.

[mkg1211]

ok , the first thing that will come to my mind is my terrible attempts to learn German all of them fails
any way
i like germans,they are smart and briliant
they like work much
i can't forget BMW and Merceeds,i like its situation against occupying Iraq.

[Sina]

Yes, the "Zentralabi" is one of the changes that I am a bit afraid of because as I will take the "Zentralabitur" next year I know a bit about it. It becomes really more difficult for the pupils because we really don't know what do learn. In recent years our teachers made the exanminations and so we knew a bit better what we have to know because the teachers told us. But now? The government (?) is responsible for preaparing tasks and the teachers have to hurry to teach us all that stuff the government can put in their tasks. We are rather afraid...but the teachers as well.
I don't think either that the Germans like working because they complained about the "40-Stunden-Woche" if I guess rightly. Anyway, I don't get the impression at all that Germans are willing to work, they had to but do they like it?
@Mr.Admiral: Why do you visit this page? Just for fun or because you want to improve your language skills?

[Sina]

Actually I visit this website to improve my english and because I am quite impressed by this language. Besides I intend to go to America next year and therefore I think practising english isn't that bad.
The unfairness teacher make use of could be limited but the "Zentralabitur" doesn't prevent it because during lessons and "Klausuren" teacher still have the opportunity to treat you unfairly. The only difference actually is the fact that the examination tasks aren't made by their own anymore. However, I regard this as a great disadvantage.
Yes, we could get in contact or better we could remain in contact if you like.

[asterix]

The advantage of a centrally set examination system is that your own teachers do not mark your papers. Therefore if your Maths teacher does not like you, she cannot give you an unfair mark.
This type of exam also serves as an indicator to the Zentralabitur of the performance of the teachers. For example if all the people in your maths class do not do well, it will be obvious that she is not a good teacher.

In answer to a previous question, I used to live in Berlin, Schleswig-Holstein, and Nordrhein-Westfalen.

[Sina]

But our teacher correct our examination tasks!! He isn't just the only one who looks into our solutions so therefore the unfairness could be limited.
It is right that the "Zentralabi" conceals the teacher's skills.