Marie Ebenezer, an intern at Olmstead Williams Communications in Los Angeles, is from Freiburg, Germany, where she attends the University of Freiburg, renowned for its humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and English language departments.
As a German in America, I am often asked about the cultural differences between these two countries. I have been in Los Angeles for two-and-a-half months now, and some things are indeed quite different.
Instead of leading the life of a college student in a small German town — where I essentially ride my bike everywhere — I am working a nine-to-five office job in a city where not having a car means you’re not going anywhere fast. Initially, I was quite impressed by the vastness of the greater LA area, and one of the biggest challenges I have faced is getting around in this huge city that has no decent public transportation system.
Coming here, I was expecting that not having a car would be rather daring, but what really surprised me was the food. To Germans, American cuisine conjures up images of extra-large drinks, fried food and cheap franchises, but most of the people I have met here are very conscious about what they eat. Daily workouts and low-carb diets seem almost as popular as driving a Prius. And thus, as part of acclimating to California, I have limited my carbohydrates, and I have been stripped away from my bread friendly German diet — which, on second thought, may not have been that bad (there are worse things than losing 5 pounds and going shopping for new pants).
In general, I must admit that living in Los Angeles, as opposed to the Black Forest, does have its perks. Just yesterday, I wore shorts in January, went to the store on a Sunday, and stood next to Ben Affleck while I was buying persimmons at the farmer’s market.
From a business point of view, I have found networking much easier here. Whereas Germans are often distant with new acquaintances, Americans are extremely friendly and are almost always at a first name basis. The Public Relations world is thriving in the US, and it is thrilling to be a part of what’s happening — news, fashion, entertainment — and not having to get up at 3 a.m. to watch the Golden Globes is great! This experience has proven to be very instructive and exciting, and I am continually impressed by the work ethic of my American colleagues.
News
Cars and Calories: The cultural differences between the U.S. and Germany
Marie Ebenezer, an intern at Olmstead Williams Communications in Los Angeles, is from Freiburg, Germany, where she attends the University of Freiburg, renowned for its humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and English language departments.
As a German in America, I am often asked about the cultural differences between these two countries. I have been in Los Angeles for two-and-a-half months now, and some things are indeed quite different.
Instead of leading the life of a college student in a small German town — where I essentially ride my bike everywhere — I am working a nine-to-five office job in a city where not having a car means you’re not going anywhere fast. Initially, I was quite impressed by the vastness of the greater LA area, and one of the biggest challenges I have faced is getting around in this huge city that has no decent public transportation system.
Coming here, I was expecting that not having a car would be rather daring, but what really surprised me was the food. To Germans, American cuisine conjures up images of extra-large drinks, fried food and cheap franchises, but most of the people I have met here are very conscious about what they eat. Daily workouts and low-carb diets seem almost as popular as driving a Prius. And thus, as part of acclimating to California, I have limited my carbohydrates, and I have been stripped away from my bread friendly German diet — which, on second thought, may not have been that bad (there are worse things than losing 5 pounds and going shopping for new pants).
In general, I must admit that living in Los Angeles, as opposed to the Black Forest, does have its perks. Just yesterday, I wore shorts in January, went to the store on a Sunday, and stood next to Ben Affleck while I was buying persimmons at the farmer’s market.
From a business point of view, I have found networking much easier here. Whereas Germans are often distant with new acquaintances, Americans are extremely friendly and are almost always at a first name basis. The Public Relations world is thriving in the US, and it is thrilling to be a part of what’s happening — news, fashion, entertainment — and not having to get up at 3 a.m. to watch the Golden Globes is great! This experience has proven to be very instructive and exciting, and I am continually impressed by the work ethic of my American colleagues.
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