Kultur 3

Bureaucracy Gone Awry - This article reminded me of my childhood. My mom used to save every certificate I earned and every major school assignment that I completed. There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to this. On one hand, if I ever need to look back on something that I previously did, it's there. However, it makes for a lot of paperwork. There are several boxes at my house filled with my old papers. I couldn't imagine trying to wrangle documents out of this mess to include in a resume or application, as the article claims they do in Germany.

Love Thy Neighbor - This article makes Germans seem very up-tight, but I think a lot of the things described are just a matter of being a respectful neighbor. Not being too loud after a certain hour and keeping your yard well kept are perfectly reasonable expectations. However, grilling and washing your car seem a bit to picky to me.

Wien/Össtereich - Austria seems like it would be a beautiful place to visit. First of all, there's the Alps. There is also a lot of history mixed with a lot of modern touches. There's die Ringstraße and the residences of the former Hapsburg emperors in Wien. There's Innsbruck located in the Alps. And there's Salzburg, the home of Mozart.