#Ich mein was meinst du mit 'I'm German'

[queen-of-wisdom]

As a European (German), it kinda feels strange when someone claims to be German when it's just...blood. When you have no living family from here, no cultural ties, then no, most people here, in Europe, wouldn't consider you German/Irish/Italian etc.

I can't speak for other countries or even for other Germans but I think to wich country you 'belong' doesn't define the place you were born or where you're parents are from. It's where you're defining culture is from, what culture is yours.

My father is Polish (refugee) , my mother is from Indonesia (just here for a better life lmao) . Does that mean that I am Polish? Does that mean that I am Indonesian? Both no.

I'm a German with Polish & Indonesian cultural influences and background but I am neither Polish nor Indonesian. Because I didn't grew up in neither of those countries. I can't speak their languages. I don't know any Polish fairytales or how to make nasi goreng.

But that's okay. Because although I grew up eating pirogie and listining to Indonesian lullabies, I live in Germany. I ate center shocks, watched KiKa before going to bed and sang Helene Fischer songs at parties.

So yes, even though both of my parents are from another countries doesn't mean that I am from them, that I'm a part of them. Because I'm not and it would be ignorant to say so.

I don't know what part of my lizard brain is triggered when USamericans say such things but it just feels...weird. Like, you say you're German but what does that even mean?

Could you communicate in 'your' language? What channel did you watch as a kid? KiKa, Toggo, RTL? What's your favorite center shock? Gebrüder Grimm? Merkel-Ferkel? Lochis? What's your family story of the Mauerfall? Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo? Are you a Ossi or a Wessi? Aldi Süd or Aldi Nord? Mark Forster? Guuuu-ten Moooo-rrrr-gen Frau/Herr...? Struwelpeter? Rezo, der alte Zerstörer?

When none of those words tell you anything, then this would mean that you don't know ANYTHING about Germany since WW2 (I tried to include some history as well as new and old culture, so if there's anything big left, tell me!). And when that's the case, what is even the point in exclaiming that you're 'it'?

Something I’ve seen a lot recently is other countries (mainly European) dunking on Americans for saying they’re “Irish” or “German” or whatever and saying “you’re not X nationality, you’re American”. But the thing they don’t realize is that for an American, it’s the same thing. Since America was made of mostly immigrants (save for the native population whose land we stole). When we say “I’m Irish/German/etc”, we’re saying that’s our ethnicity, not our nationality. Cuz save for native Americans, being “American” itself isn’t an ethnicity.

Idk, it just annoys me when someone says “oh you’re not X” when like. Literally most of my ancestry is, and the only reason I live here is cuz they needed to escape British genocide

[lexiklecksi]

Find the word (tag game)

Thank you so much for tagging me @captain-kraken to find the words hope, dark, eye, love, and smile. I've translated the words into German to search my wip and then translated my sentences to English, but I'll include both versions for the bilinguals out here because I am afraid the translation doesn't do my original sentences justice.

Hope/ Hoffnung:

Wie Ihnen alles genommen wird, so wie sie alles verloren hat. Glaube, Liebe, Hoffnung. Ihre Familien werden beten, doch die Götter werden sie nicht erhören.

Everything will be taken from them, just as she has lost everything. Faith, love, hope. Their families will pray, but the gods will not hear them.

Dark/ dunkel:

Ich werde wieder durch die Luft geschleudert und blicke überrascht auf ein Augenpaar, so dunkel glänzend wie ein Käferpanzer, mit einem Schlitz und eine tiefe Furche in ihrer hohen Stirn.

I am flung through the air again and look up surprised at a pair of dark eyes, shining like a beetle's shell, with a slit and a deep furrow in their high forehead.

Eye/ Auge:

Keuchend spuckte das Geschöpf des Himmels Wasser aus und öffnete zum ersten Mal die Augen. Fasziniert beobachtete ich, wie die lederne Haut ihrer Lider in den Augenhöhlen verschwand. Eine kleine orange Flamme leuchtete um den schwarzen Schlitz ihrer Augen auf.

Gasping, the creature of the sky spat out water and opened her eyes for the first time. Fascinated, I watched the leathery skin of her eyelids disappear into their sockets. A small orange flame lit up around the black slit of her eyes.

Love/ Liebe: (also meaning dear in German)

Liebe Lissi, ich habe mich heute Nacht dazu entschlossen, fortzufliegen und mir anderswo ein neues Leben aufzubauen. Ich werde zurückkommen und dich da rausholen, versprochen! Bleib mutig und halte gut durch. Alles Liebe, deine Enni.

Dear Lissi, tonight I decided to fly away and build a new life for myself somewhere else. I will come back and get you out of there, I promise! Stay brave and hang in there. All my love, yours, Enni.

Oh weh, ein hungriges Mädchen! Die Ärmste! Was steh ich noch hier rum? Na dann sind sie goldrichtig gelandet, meine Liebe!

Oh dear, a hungry girl! Poor thing! Why am I still standing here? Well, you've come to the right place, my dear!

Verneige dich vor unserer Königin Yoni, unserer geschätzten Herrscherin und angebeteten Göttin der Lust und der Liebe. Sprich nur nach Aufforderung, Eindringling.

Bow down before our Queen Yoni, our esteemed ruler and adored goddess of lust and love. Speak only when spoken to, intruder.

Smile/ Lächeln:

Er lächelt und für einen kurzen Augenblick werden seine markanten Gesichtszüge weich. "Sofern du mich nicht am lebendigen Leibe verbrennst, meinst du wohl." Nun schleicht sich auch ein kleines Lächeln auf meine Lippen. "Na dann: Lass uns weitergehen!"

He smiles and for a brief moment his striking features soften. "Unless you burn me alive, I suppose you mean." Now a small smile creeps onto my lips as well. "Well then: let's keep walking!"

Find the 5 words crazy, flower, comfort, accusation and deprivation.

I'm tagging everyone who has previously tagged me in "find the word" tag games I never got around to post. This is my way to say thanks for tagging me and sorry for not posting. @mjjune @theramwrites @novel-emma @elizaellwrites @leebrontide @sparrowhawk-rose @sunset-a-story

I'm also tagging my fellow @writeblrcafe friends: @charlies-storybook @mkmoondust @betweenthetimeandsound @naiyawrites @lilymelancholy04