Back to School

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_06]: What were some differences that you quickly noticed from the American system, school system and sports or whatever?

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_06]: And now you're in a German.

[00:00:13] [SPEAKER_06]: What are some big challenges or differences that you've noticed?

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, so one of the main differences is that just in the German school system it's so much harder.

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_03]: I mean, like the things you learn, like the actual grades and stuff like the curriculum.

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_03]: The curriculum is not that different, but the opportunity to get good grades is so much like it's so much harder to get actually good grades.

[00:00:40] [SPEAKER_06]: Okay, why do you think that is just curious?

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_03]: I don't know, I think Germans are strict, so and they will like to follow rules.

[00:00:47] [SPEAKER_03]: So I think that's kind of sort of fine.

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_03]: And it's definitely harder to get good grades and German even in the middle.

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_03]: Okay, that's from my experience.

[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_01]: What have you checked on your child lately?

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_06]: That was our biggest thing. Do you know where your kid is at?

[00:01:07] [SPEAKER_00]: It's Tannaclont.

[00:01:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, sure, it's Tannaclont.

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_06]: How funny is that that we have to have something to tell our parents that you have kids outside?

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh gosh.

[00:01:17] [SPEAKER_01]: That's what we thought they were checked out and just because they were doing other stuff.

[00:01:22] [SPEAKER_01]: You were supposed to be doing something.

[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_01]: You're supposed to be doing something.

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_00]: You're welcome back to another episode of rhythm and Rome where we talk about cultural differences, misconceptions, similarities, all the craziness in between.

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And I am here.

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Benath. I'm here with my co-host Tricia and Paul. How are you all today?

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_06]: Bonjour.

[00:01:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Hi.

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Matthew.

[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, so we are talking about school and the differences in school systems.

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Not only from state to state in the United States but all over the world,

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_00]: or at least the places that we're familiar with.

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_00]: So as always, if you've got a comment, please do comment, share your stories.

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_00]: We want to know what it's like to go to school wherever you are because we know it's very, very different.

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_06]: This is definitely a fascinating topic because as Americans, it's not something that we normally even think about.

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_06]: Because we probably, and if I'm a better man, majority of people in America probably think everyone has the same level of going to school and whether or not they start from September or do they do try semesters or have semesters or anything like that.

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_06]: So this is kind of fascinating and I had it was very fascinating to hear different size and see different things.

[00:02:45] [SPEAKER_00]: There are kids in the states that are done around.

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, it's a school.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_06]: In America.

[00:02:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, yes.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: You're not talking about summer school.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_00]: You're not talking about the school is just all year round.

[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_00]: They have breaks of a between.

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_00]: But not for one ass summer break.

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, they're all on.

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I mean they have they have the breaks in between where you're going.

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I guess it's the three quarters and then you have a two week break in between and because I know for a fact that one of our friends that lives in Castlerock.

[00:03:16] [SPEAKER_01]: For kids or like that, they have that that three quarter and then they have a two week or three week break in between they break for the holidays at the end of the year and then.

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so it's like in Japan. It's mostly all year round to and they just have shorter break.

[00:03:34] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, and I noticed there's a lot more shorter breaks.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_06]: At least in Germany.

[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_06]: But in France, I wanted to say they're shorter breaks, but I don't think so because whenever there's spring break like I think spring break is.

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_06]: Normal timeframe for everyone in America, right? Like it's usually March or at the tail end of March April.

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, yeah, so or mid April not late April, but yeah, yeah, it's March here.

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, so I could tell you in France is a bit weird because it goes.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_06]: So each region in France have different time frame when they go to do their spring break.

[00:04:18] [SPEAKER_06]: So people that live in Normandy, for example, may start their spring break towards the ending of February.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_06]: People then Paris start their spring break in March and then people in another region.

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_06]: So it's kind of weird because it's actually I feel like it's better because not everybody is off at the same time.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_01]: It's all it helps to stagger also, you know, for retailers and for and for those that are trying to, you know, accommodate those travelers.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, it allows them to stagger that business and plan. So I'm sure there's there's some thought into that of course.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_06]: What do we definitely is one big one two big things that that stuck out to me is there's no such thing as a school bus kids are going on Metro.

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, and there's no yellow buses. There's no nothing kids are taking regular public transportation and kids are like I feel like we caught all our kids a lot in America, meaning the parents are either driving their kids to school, picking them up or waiting for them at the school bus area or walking to them to school.

[00:05:28] [SPEAKER_06]: Now, there are some parents that walk their kids to school depending but for the most part, especially in Germany kids by okay you need to learn.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_06]: Go do your thing go to school at a very young age or see kids walking on their own so it's clear that's you know safety is very, very good in these countries like when I was growing up we used to I want to school.

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean so it may have be something that's changed over time in America.

[00:06:00] [SPEAKER_06]: Well, it probably also depends on what's teacher and right because I walked to school too is what when I was in New York City but it was also dangerous there was a lot of kidnapped is going on in America 80s.

[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_06]: So it might depend on what area you're living in but majority of the time you not even in Huntington when we were in Long Island.

[00:06:20] [SPEAKER_06]: You know most people would take their kids to school even though I didn't walk to school but I was not allowed to walk by myself.

[00:06:29] [SPEAKER_00]: We may not want to go down this rabbit hole at all but it might also be like a generational thing because as Jen Xers we've just like been for yourself go to school come home you're like to keep kid all these things and so as parents as Jen Xers that are parents we wanted to be more present for our children and did we over compensate and are we over.

[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Correct, but you know.

[00:06:51] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think it also has to do with I personally I also think it has to do with I think that is a monetary thing you know it has to do with with the level of.

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean it's has to do with money because those who moms you know this date home moms are state home dads.

[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_01]: You know if you've had that luxury you could walk your kid to school you could drive them to school you could do that thing so but you know for those.

[00:07:20] [SPEAKER_06]: You had the free school bus too as well so.

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Right and you had yes and you do have that as part of as part of the education where you have you know.

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Transportation but you know if you're in a middle class and you know or and or working class I should say.

[00:07:34] [SPEAKER_01]: You know you did not have that luxury so you have to depend on either you know are taking a bus or walking.

[00:07:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah, but you bring up the class system and I think that's important to note because.

[00:07:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah we have the working class we have the middle class so well a lot of it is economic based because.

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Schools are you know where you live and how much taxes you paid to you know that the higher income families living in the nicer neighborhoods we're going to have nice for schools.

[00:08:04] [SPEAKER_00]: So our school system is very economic based but and everyone's going for the most part to public schools or you could you could pay for private.

[00:08:13] [SPEAKER_00]: But like everyone's getting the same there's only one type of high school diploma in the United States it's the high school diploma and you get it and it doesn't matter.

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_06]: What's cool you went to really I want to slightly push back a little bit of an F on one thing you said which was the it's a generational thing when you know going to school and stuff.

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_06]: I think it's the opposite I think it's a cultural thing meaning because it's not the same.

[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_06]: And you know the generate gen Xers in Europe, you know they on the other hand felt that having your kids walk on their own or doing things on their own is a is a form of learning responsibility and because I can I can tell you.

[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_06]: I have another same ages we are German friend who you know they have kids and stuff like that and one of them or excuse me when they were going to school and grown up.

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_06]: They their parents like they had them flying at the age of eight by themselves to go visit their grandparents in another country, you know and not being there with them and sheltering them it's very rare that we would do that.

[00:09:29] [SPEAKER_06]: But I think it's more of a cultural thing versus a generational thing that's all I wanted to say because it's not the same.

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_06]: I don't think in a different part of the world.

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_01]: We think that's part of it as well you know it has to do with you know your you're up bringing or where you are like for you know for instance I was a large kick kid so I came from a single mother household it was out of necessity that I had to learn very quickly.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_01]: How to defend for myself and do what I needed for myself.

[00:10:00] [SPEAKER_01]: So versus you know I you know went to school like you know in Huntington where you had you know you had to you know to person household or with the you know with a mother and a father and those responsibilities were shared or the you know you had a car or one of the circumstances are so I think it's a combination of all those things.

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:10:19] [SPEAKER_01]: That makes that decision and and also the societal influence of where you grew up and where you were and what's expected.

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_00]: So let's talk a little bit about like the different countries and their systems because you had an opportunity to interview some people who go to a German school.

[00:10:38] [SPEAKER_00]: They these are half German half American children that go to a German school and then of course their parents and that was some pretty.

[00:10:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean it's just very, very different and it's so that the way that they do things in Germany for example I'm not sure that it would fly here.

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_06]: What was some of the like how do you think the German schools are compared to when you when you guys had them go to American schools and stuff like that.

[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, be honest we will I want to be offended if you turn around and this stuff like that.

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_04]: And there are a few different things.

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, tell me.

[00:11:15] [SPEAKER_04]: In general education system like in the German system after fourth grade all the kids are divided into different schools like the kids that have that are academic stronger go to that school and medium go to that school.

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_06]: Interesting.

[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes it's it's when you explain it and think about like that.

[00:11:34] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, and like yeah and then that you know like kind of as the path to your resume and your definition I mean there's this ways.

[00:11:45] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, you can still get your higher education.

[00:11:50] [SPEAKER_04]: But it's a little bit of it.

[00:11:52] [SPEAKER_06]: So then.

[00:11:53] [SPEAKER_04]: And yeah so it's interesting.

[00:11:56] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes and that puts a lot of pressure on parents and kids in fourth grade.

[00:12:00] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, that's a young age to be learning.

[00:12:03] [SPEAKER_07]: It's a very learning whether or not you're going to be on a college path and fourth grade.

[00:12:09] [SPEAKER_07]: I mean, I still have it.

[00:12:10] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, you know, I know that.

[00:12:12] [SPEAKER_04]: And it's yes, that's a very crazy system.

[00:12:18] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know why hasn't been changed.

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_04]: It should have.

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_06]: Do you guys have orders do parents in the German system.

[00:12:25] [SPEAKER_06]: You can complain about it or protest about it or is it something that they just go.

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_04]: It's a political, it's a political, I don't know why it's it's a yeah I don't know.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_04]: It's just a small, right?

[00:12:37] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah and so for me and for her to knowing the differences of how is a US, partially from family members, my family members or friends of ours.

[00:12:49] [SPEAKER_07]: When you draw that contrast to it, you see kind of how intense it is.

[00:12:52] [SPEAKER_07]: When our our daughters are in fourth grade.

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_07]: That's time to, you know, go outside and play at fun.

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, yeah.

[00:13:00] [SPEAKER_07]: And some of their parents were so intense with them that they were making them, you know,

[00:13:06] [SPEAKER_07]: stable and stunning on the weekend in fourth grade because because you're what?

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_06]: I've been here a whole or something like that.

[00:13:13] [SPEAKER_06]: And obviously you and I can relate to the American school system because I just feel like and forgive me.

[00:13:20] [SPEAKER_06]: I don't want to judge.

[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm just saying, at fourth grade, I wonder how your mentality would be if somebody says you're smart enough to go to this level.

[00:13:30] [SPEAKER_04]: And it separates the kids.

[00:13:32] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.

[00:13:32] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.

[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.

[00:13:36] [SPEAKER_04]: That's devastating.

[00:13:38] [SPEAKER_04]: That helps the system was actually one of the reasons why I was hesitant to move back to Germany because I like,

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_06]: everybody's together.

[00:13:50] [SPEAKER_06]: And if you're not smart enough, they give me the help and you don't, and you still continue with your peers.

[00:13:57] [SPEAKER_06]: But it sounds like you're not continuing with your peers if they separate you by.

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, you do because you connect, you know, through sports outside of school and in your neighborhood and you still are kind of perfect.

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_04]: But all the kids that you have known throughout, you know, you know, you have a mental state.

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah.

[00:14:15] [SPEAKER_06]: But yeah.

[00:14:16] [SPEAKER_06]: So, you know, like I said, you guys probably don't know, but Jeff is my friend who I was able to, you know, know Julia, who's his awesome wife and there are two awesome kids as well.

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER_06]: And I've learned so much even though I live in Germany for seven years and I knew a little bit of something.

[00:14:38] [SPEAKER_06]: But the bottom line here is I think.

[00:14:42] [SPEAKER_06]: Um, government is extremely overbearing more so in and this is where the socialism I guess part will come into play where the government basically owns your kids.

[00:14:56] [SPEAKER_06]: But in this act respect, I'm going to say that's not a bad deal.

[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_06]: Meaning like they can't just miss school whereas in America, the parents is the overall saer pretty much of whether you go to school or whether you not.

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, you know what we didn't ask if they had the effect Germans do home schooling at all. He didn't ask that.

[00:15:16] [SPEAKER_06]: So I did so I do know about that meaning they don't do that. It's not a popular thing in Germany.

[00:15:24] [SPEAKER_06]: I just didn't ask it on camera because I didn't think it was a burn but yeah.

[00:15:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, that's one of the reasons that the parent has the option to be like I don't agree with what's being taught in this school.

[00:15:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to take my child out but you have to demonstrate that you're actually doing home school program not just like sitting around watching TV all day.

[00:15:44] [SPEAKER_06]: The parents and Germany don't have much say of the curricula or whether or not they agree with what is being taught in school.

[00:15:53] [SPEAKER_06]: It's it's very strict.

[00:15:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, even beyond that go ahead. Yeah.

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_01]: No, I was just saying for you know and speaking on this having having worked in education myself and being a part of that system.

[00:16:07] [SPEAKER_01]: The school systems in the United States have started to practice customer service and what it's done is taken away the authority from teachers.

[00:16:17] [SPEAKER_01]: It's taking it's kind of if you will dumb down that job and I'm only saying that just for the lack of words, but that's that's truly how I feel about it.

[00:16:28] [SPEAKER_01]: We no longer want to treat our teachers like professionals that they are because they do go to school they do go to learn and I'm not trying to say that all teachers are correct.

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_01]: But once you begin to start to dismantle and have a chink in that armor there and then you start practicing top of that start practicing customer service.

[00:16:44] [SPEAKER_01]: It gets into a situation where you see where we are today where you know parents are injecting themselves and yes.

[00:16:53] [SPEAKER_01]: They absolutely should have a say but I believe that it should be in concert and community and in lifting a child and in raising a child and teaching a child.

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER_06]: It's not only thing I'm questioning is I don't think the teachers have much say in what they can it can't teach.

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_06]: Even though the parents will come to them as they don't have my child do whatever but.

[00:17:15] [SPEAKER_01]: It's like they fear they fear they fear they fear, they fear, retribution you know to that or or a you know.

[00:17:23] [SPEAKER_01]: They can't teach their job.

[00:17:25] [SPEAKER_06]: Right because they can't do whatever.

[00:17:27] [SPEAKER_06]: The government of the application yeah the Department of Education says no or the state whatever says you only can teach.

[00:17:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, and where are they getting that from that that's coming from the constituent that's coming from the parents that are on absolutely.

[00:17:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, the superintendent don't put this in it but but they but they change that stuff because of the parents.

[00:17:48] [SPEAKER_06]: Well, of course because like tax remember school is tax dollars so you know every night at state it's done by tax dollars to the money everything is time to money and.

[00:17:58] [SPEAKER_06]: In America and like like like Julia was was you know mentioning you know there's not much of parents can say no I don't want my childhood.

[00:18:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Which would not fly here as you can exactly be.

[00:18:15] [SPEAKER_06]: We have too much freedom of speech.

[00:18:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, well I don't want to be like Germany where everything is like super strict you have the same teacher with the same class for like.

[00:18:34] [SPEAKER_00]: From 24th grade.

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_06]: What is that 10 years old 10 years old 1411 910.

[00:18:40] [SPEAKER_06]: So this is where it gets dicey because according to Julia in Germany.

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_06]: At fourth grade and I you know I mentioned I said that's a pretty young age to tell a kid basically they're dumb.

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER_06]: Or smart in between because that's basically what they're doing this is where I say.

[00:19:03] [SPEAKER_06]: The parents don't have a choice it's they take a test or they do whatever they do to figure out okay you'll kid eight on a go with.

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_01]: But they do have a choice they have a choice and they're parenting and what they expose them to so and and but there's some kids but there's some kids that might have learning disability.

[00:19:21] [SPEAKER_06]: There's some kids that might be.

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_05]: They didn't talk to me.

[00:19:26] [SPEAKER_06]: But I'm wondering the bottom line is even if you do have this.

[00:19:31] [SPEAKER_06]: The chances and and the parents cannot change their mind if they say your kid is going to the mediocre school like a parent can say impossible my kid.

[00:19:42] [SPEAKER_01]: So so.

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm sorry.

[00:19:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Well I think that I don't think that they're like your kid is going to the dumb school.

[00:19:50] [SPEAKER_06]: I know they don't say dumb school but there's a class system.

[00:19:53] [SPEAKER_00]: But is it like okay your your kid just doesn't have the aptitude somehow they know this and for us to be able to go to college they're going to do a trade.

[00:20:02] [SPEAKER_06]: What that system and then you compare it to when they went to school in the States at that age.

[00:20:10] [SPEAKER_06]: What would you prefer or I'm assuming the education then becomes what if you're just separated.

[00:20:18] [SPEAKER_06]: You're smart you're not.

[00:20:21] [SPEAKER_06]: You're really not.

[00:20:23] [SPEAKER_06]: How do you educate them like do they you know to me like how does that work like.

[00:20:30] [SPEAKER_07]: It it is intense like you said but there's a difference to the responsibility.

[00:20:34] [SPEAKER_07]: My field life in the US.

[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_07]: The school and the teacher has responsibility it seems.

[00:20:41] [SPEAKER_07]: You know the kids on equal level.

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_07]: On somewhat wherever that level is.

[00:20:48] [SPEAKER_07]: Whereas in an and it's just my understanding right but whereas of journey there's just like you know there's natural separations.

[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_07]: That's the fact it's the evidence which then puts a lot more pressure on the parents to if you want your kid to go like the teacher is going to continue to get sort of your.

[00:21:09] [SPEAKER_04]: You know you're not going to give a metro help before they separate.

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes, yes, like you know especially that.

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_04]: You know it's not like that.

[00:21:26] [SPEAKER_07]: But they might not so just say like okay well maybe this just isn't for you and that's the end of all like well no you're just not getting out of you which is the.

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_07]: That's the.

[00:21:42] [SPEAKER_07]: The.

[00:21:42] [SPEAKER_07]: Of course that intensity was.

[00:21:45] [SPEAKER_07]: Is is something.

[00:21:47] [SPEAKER_07]: There are two parts right I mean not.

[00:21:51] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm sort of more of the little bit like additional in like that you know kids are learning and it's like no.

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_07]: I didn't you know get a good grade on it and each work harder with some of so I like that.

[00:22:04] [SPEAKER_07]: No, I like the genuine like learning understanding that I need to work harder and get better grade.

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER_07]: We're sometimes in the US that seem like it was a little bit different.

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_07]: Of course.

[00:22:17] [SPEAKER_07]: So I liked that.

[00:22:19] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm going to say intensity but I like that clarity.

[00:22:22] [SPEAKER_07]: Right.

[00:22:22] [SPEAKER_07]: I mean how you were where you were like I didn't like.

[00:22:27] [SPEAKER_07]: I'll remember your.

[00:22:30] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah.

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah.

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah.

[00:22:32] [SPEAKER_07]: Education.

[00:22:33] [SPEAKER_00]: It's almost like I mean I think that the trade system in Germany is is really very well looked upon it's not like here.

[00:22:40] [SPEAKER_00]: It's not like.

[00:22:40] [SPEAKER_00]: It's after they're like oh you're in the trade you didn't go to the.

[00:22:44] [SPEAKER_00]: We make those separations after high school people get that diploma but then there's like the college tracks and then there's the trade.

[00:22:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Not happening in fourth grade and we just the US looks down on the trade.

[00:22:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I think they did that in Germany.

[00:22:59] [SPEAKER_06]: Brooks of what Julia was saying is that and this is why I was very.

[00:23:05] [SPEAKER_06]: Shocked because I honestly didn't know this and living there for seven years did not know that it starts at this young age for Germany.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_06]: The point I'm making is.

[00:23:14] [SPEAKER_06]: Mentally.

[00:23:16] [SPEAKER_06]: For a kid that grew up with just picture you know all three of us grown up together.

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER_06]: And then all of a sudden one of us is not going to that top top school because we passed or whatever the basis of it is to get into this school.

[00:23:32] [SPEAKER_05]: Mm-hmm.

[00:23:33] [SPEAKER_06]: There's and now you're going to go to this one there's a problem with that at that age because kids are not nice people kids are regardless of where you are around the world kids see that and they're not going to be like.

[00:23:47] [SPEAKER_06]: You know, I'm sure some are going to be nice but it's normal for them in Germany.

[00:23:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.

[00:23:56] [SPEAKER_00]: It's just going to say that doing that we don't do that here.

[00:23:59] [SPEAKER_00]: From your very new experience that I'm school.

[00:24:01] [SPEAKER_00]: But in Germany it's totally normal.

[00:24:03] [SPEAKER_06]: So it is normal but I can tell you that my friends that I do know from when I was there when they go to college and they know of someone that goes to college that doesn't go to the same school that.

[00:24:17] [SPEAKER_06]: They do they will definitely say oh it's for people that's not good or any do that here.

[00:24:23] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean the Germans say that.

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_00]: The Germans yes.

[00:24:26] [SPEAKER_06]: The Germans are saying and French too as well because their French people that would be like oh yeah no he's not going to he's just going to get a trade and that's it.

[00:24:37] [SPEAKER_06]: And they look down on that.

[00:24:38] [SPEAKER_00]: They'll look down France for yeah.

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_06]: They'll look down on that and like you said, Trisha you were looted to the customer service bar where we have to cater to the parents.

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_06]: There's none of that in Germany.

[00:24:50] [SPEAKER_06]: The teacher says this that's it.

[00:24:53] [SPEAKER_06]: You can't just you're you're fine if your kid is out of school in Germany.

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh that was crazy they have the police.

[00:25:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I love it.

[00:25:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I love it.

[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_00]: I love it.

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER_00]: It was like your American today.

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah my my friend Jeff was like nope your American today you're not going.

[00:25:11] [SPEAKER_06]: But I like I like this where there's certain things where like you said again Trisha where teachers are allowed to teach because parents can't get involved.

[00:25:23] [SPEAKER_06]: I like it.

[00:25:25] [SPEAKER_06]: I don't want to hear it.

[00:25:26] [SPEAKER_06]: Well I really enjoyed speaking to Jeff and Julia's kids because you know they like I said they're great great girls and they had really I mean heck they're the one.

[00:25:41] [SPEAKER_06]: That also stated that you know education level because they can't compare it.

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_06]: They went to school in America and Massachusetts and they went to school in Germany and they said the curriculum and the education way better.

[00:25:55] [SPEAKER_06]: They didn't just say better.

[00:25:56] [SPEAKER_06]: They said way better than the states.

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_03]: So I'm a winner.

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_03]: I'm 16 years old.

[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_03]: I was born in the US.

[00:26:04] [SPEAKER_03]: I was six years old.

[00:26:06] [SPEAKER_03]: We moved to Germany and then when I was 12 years old back to the US and now back to Germany three years ago.

[00:26:15] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm so yeah I'm 13 years old and I was also born in the US and then I was three years old.

[00:26:21] [SPEAKER_02]: You guys two.

[00:26:23] [SPEAKER_02]: Germany and then every like three to five years.

[00:26:26] [SPEAKER_06]: Okay, so we're exactly in the US where you guys go.

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_03]: I'm so excited because I knew I loved living in Europe because you can travel.

[00:26:44] [SPEAKER_03]: I think like that but I also said to me my school and my all my friends in the US.

[00:26:49] [SPEAKER_03]: Because I do love them.

[00:26:50] [SPEAKER_03]: Like the American school system and especially where we lived and great schools really newly done schools.

[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_05]: Oh wow.

[00:26:56] [SPEAKER_03]: And the high school that I was going to go to the next year is newly renovated.

[00:26:59] [SPEAKER_03]: So I was sad to miss my kids.

[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_02]: I was a little more upset because I didn't really remember Germany that much because I was first grade.

[00:27:08] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, okay.

[00:27:09] [SPEAKER_02]: I had lots of friends and I was actually yeah.

[00:27:12] [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm going to a Saturday, Germany school every Sunday.

[00:27:16] [SPEAKER_02]: Saturday but my Germans schools were at the top so.

[00:27:20] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[00:27:22] [SPEAKER_06]: What are some adjustments you have to make?

[00:27:24] [SPEAKER_06]: And what are some challenges that you may have experience when you guys first left.

[00:27:29] [SPEAKER_06]: American now you're in the German school system.

[00:27:34] [SPEAKER_02]: Come on, share.

[00:27:35] [SPEAKER_02]: So I mean challenge is for me where I was telling my biggest challenge.

[00:27:40] [SPEAKER_06]: Okay, I can imagine.

[00:27:42] [SPEAKER_02]: Because it was just so different.

[00:27:45] [SPEAKER_02]: It's very complicated and driven.

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_06]: Long words.

[00:27:50] [SPEAKER_02]: But it was actually nothing.

[00:27:54] [SPEAKER_02]: Not that they were the challenge.

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[00:27:56] [SPEAKER_02]: I kind of adjusted to the language.

[00:27:58] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, yeah.

[00:27:59] [SPEAKER_02]: You can get a nice friend to be with you so.

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[00:28:03] [SPEAKER_06]: And how about you?

[00:28:04] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, so for me, I didn't like school wise.

[00:28:06] [SPEAKER_03]: I didn't have that many challenges.

[00:28:08] [SPEAKER_03]: We moved during COVID.

[00:28:09] [SPEAKER_03]: So it was in 7th grade that I moved.

[00:28:12] [SPEAKER_03]: And so that was a sort of because we it was like hybrid.

[00:28:17] [SPEAKER_03]: So we were in school three days and then how so two days.

[00:28:21] [SPEAKER_03]: So it was kind of hard to like really get to know people.

[00:28:23] [SPEAKER_03]: That was my like thing.

[00:28:24] [SPEAKER_03]: And I was also in the very small class.

[00:28:27] Okay.

[00:28:27] [SPEAKER_03]: So you didn't really get to know that many people and you weren't able to meet that many new people.

[00:28:32] [SPEAKER_03]: Because of the hybrid thing.

[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_06]: Great did you start when you were in and you moved to Germany?

[00:28:36] [SPEAKER_02]: Well, it's Germany.

[00:28:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I was at the end of fourth grade.

[00:28:38] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[00:28:39] [SPEAKER_02]: So but I didn't really grade.

[00:28:41] [SPEAKER_02]: It's worth not think of a deal because they kind of knew I was not very good.

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER_02]: I had to book a German a lot.

[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_02]: I got to it guys.

[00:28:52] [SPEAKER_02]: My biggest changes.

[00:28:54] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I realized that you were still in the teacher and like had a blast of a year.

[00:29:00] [SPEAKER_02]: But in Germany always stayed the same.

[00:29:02] [SPEAKER_02]: It's always have same teachers in us.

[00:29:04] [SPEAKER_06]: This is an interesting use of it because your parents set the same thing.

[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_06]: And that was just flabbergasted because I was like,

[00:29:10] [SPEAKER_06]: Do you think that's kind of boring?

[00:29:11] [SPEAKER_06]: Because you don't get to see other like different kids.

[00:29:15] [SPEAKER_06]: You know what I mean?

[00:29:15] [SPEAKER_06]: You get to see the same kids for the next on 10th amount of years.

[00:29:19] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean so in elementary school that's how it is.

[00:29:23] [SPEAKER_03]: And then but that it also you do more with your class instead of so you know the grade.

[00:29:28] [SPEAKER_03]: But you're not as like close with the grade you do more stuff within your own class and your teacher.

[00:29:32] [SPEAKER_03]: So you get closer within your own class.

[00:29:34] [SPEAKER_03]: Well, I mean in the US it's also like so in Germany there's three different like tracks.

[00:29:39] [SPEAKER_03]: Okay.

[00:29:39] [SPEAKER_03]: You can go on so there's the lowest one like for.

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_03]: And then you if that school only goes to 10th grade.

[00:29:45] [SPEAKER_03]: Same thing with the second track and then there's the highest track which I'm in which it's not that.

[00:29:50] [SPEAKER_03]: But there's just like the three different ones and then the pressure is so much higher to perform well on that one.

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_03]: Okay.

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_03]: And in the US everybody just goes at the same school no matter what level you're at.

[00:29:58] [SPEAKER_03]: This injured me after fourth grade.

[00:30:01] [SPEAKER_03]: You get like a recommendation which track you should go on.

[00:30:04] [SPEAKER_03]: And then the US everybody's in the same school.

[00:30:06] [SPEAKER_03]: So that's why also I think that the grades are.

[00:30:09] [SPEAKER_03]: I don't I don't want to say that I've ace every class but I think I do better because.

[00:30:14] [SPEAKER_03]: Just because it's that much less straight and also like when the main difference like all my friends always ask me like is it true.

[00:30:21] [SPEAKER_03]: Like exams and tests are multiple choice because that's like like that's crazy.

[00:30:26] [SPEAKER_06]: There's some truth to that yes.

[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_03]: They say exams like the actual exam there's there they play a much bigger bowl in Germany than the US and their much harder.

[00:30:36] [SPEAKER_06]: Interest.

[00:30:37] [SPEAKER_06]: Interest.

[00:30:37] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah.

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_01]: I just want to say real quick that just this the girls were so well spoken and said yes.

[00:30:44] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to articulate what.

[00:30:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And they speak well German and they speak English.

[00:30:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and to just be able to go back and forth in the comparisons I just want to say you know we definitely to make the full interview available because they did so well and being to really paying for yourself.

[00:31:00] [SPEAKER_06]: Yes, and this is coming from them and I really wanted to showcase that because there is a difference when we talk about back to school yeah we talk about books and all this other stuff and the hoopra of.

[00:31:12] [SPEAKER_06]: There are some good comparison with what we do in the states and what they do in the states like kids do get up and you know but don't put on their back to school gear and make sure that their gears are good the backpack and all this other stuff and.

[00:31:24] [SPEAKER_06]: Flashy things like we do in the states there's comparison.

[00:31:28] [SPEAKER_06]: On that level and and so on love when they talked about.

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_06]: Their time with they like the friends and the commodity that you get when you're in American you know the friends that they have.

[00:31:42] [SPEAKER_06]: And so on versus and people were kind of they said exactly and in the states versus and I can 100% agree with that.

[00:31:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Well thank you for tuning in to our lively discussion of back to school we would love to hear your thoughts your comments on the school system where you live.

[00:32:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Especially if you're in a different country and our region of the world that we are not familiar with I didn't talk about South America Africa Australia.

[00:32:11] [SPEAKER_00]: I love to hear so please do like share subscribe comment and we hope to see you again remember every Wednesday at 12 p.m. Eastern.

[00:32:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks.