Birthday Customs and Traditions in Germany

Birthday Customs and Traditions in Germany Many people, both young and old, love celebrating their birthday. In Germany, like in most countries around the world, cake, presents, family, and friends bring in the fun for such a special day. In general, birthday customs in Germany are similar to American birthday celebrations, with a few peculiar exceptions sprinkled here and there throughout German-speaking countries. German Birthday Customs and Traditions(Deutsche Geburtstagsbruche und Traditionen) Never wish a German a happy birthday before their birthday. It is considered bad luck to do so. There are no well-wishes, cards or presents given before a German’s birthday. Period. On the other hand, if you live in certain parts of Austria, it is customary to celebrate your birthday on the eve of. If somebody in Germany invites you out for their birthday, the tab is on them. And don’t try insisting on paying for yourself - it won’t work. If you live in northern Germany and happen to be single going on thirty, a few chores may be expected from you. If you’re female, your friends will want you to clean a few doorknobs for them with a toothbrush! If you’re male, then you’ll most likely be sweeping the stairs of town hall or some other busy public place.There is a way to be freed from such menial tasks, however - by a kiss from someone of the opposite sex. Of course, if you dont want to be so mean to your friend, there are alternatives. For instance, the doorknob chore is sometimes executed by having the birthday girl clean a series of doorknobs attached to a wooden board instead, right at her party and not in public. But you cant let them off so easy; it is also tradition to comically dress the birthday girl and boy as they perform their tasks. Other birthday customs include: 16th Birthday: This birthday child should run for cover as his or her friends will undoubtedly pour flour on top of his or her head. Common in northern Germany.18th Birthday: Cracking eggs over the head of someone turning 18.25th Birthday: Once again, if you are an unmarried man, the whole town will know! A Sockenkranz, a type of garland of socks is strung outside the home and around the birthday boy’s property leading to his party. As he follows the garland of socks, he’ll down an alcoholic drink every few meters. Why socks? In German, you have the expression alte Socke (an old sock), more of a derogatory way of saying confirmed bachelor.† A similar experience awaits unmarried women turning this age. They follow a garland of cigarette cartons instead (or other similar-sized cartons if they are non-smokers). These single women are nicknamed eine alte Schachtel (an old box), similar in meaning to old maid. Geburtstagskranz These are beautifully decorated wooden rings that usually contain ten to twelve holes, one for each year of life as a child. Some families opt to light candles in such Geburtstagskrnze instead of on the cake, though blowing out candles on a birthday cake is frequently observed in Germany as well. A bigger Lebenskerze (life candle) is put in the center of these rings. In religious families, these Lebenskerzen are given at the time of the child’s christening.

Entertainment, Theater, and Music Vocabulary

Entertainment, Theater, and Music Vocabulary The words below are some of the most important used when talking about entertainment. English learners can use this vocabulary to discuss  theater, opera, music, and art. Entertainment - People actoractressartistaudiencebacking groupballerinachoreographercastcomposerconductordancerdirectordrummerguitarist (lead / bass)magicianmusicianorchestrapainterpianistplaywrightproducersaxophonistsculptorsingervocalistviolinist Entertainment - Arts and Crafts carvingdrawingknittingpaintingpotterysculpturesewing Entertainment - Artistic Events balletconcertexhibitionfilmplayopera Entertainment - Inside the Theater aisleboxcirclecurtainfootlightgallerylightingmicrophoneorchestra pitrowscreenscenerysetspeakerstagestallswingsworkshop Entertainment - Places art gallerycinemaconcert hallexhibition centermuseumopera housestadiumtheater Entertainment - Verbs applaudbooconductexhibitperformplay (a part) More Themed Vocabulary The BodyClothesEducationEnvironmentFamilyFoodHealthJobsMoneyPeopleSportsTravelThe Weather

Symbolism or Theme of the Story of Peter Pan Research Paper

Symbolism or Theme of the Story of Peter Pan - Research Paper Example The essay hereby aims to discuss the various symbolisms used in the story: ranging from the shadow, the manifestation of illusion, the kiss, acorn, crocodile, ticking clock and childhood. There are diverse forms of symbolism in the story. There is initially the shadow – the cause of Peter Pan’s sadness in trying to catch it and to have it reunited to himself. The shadow has been known to symbolize mystery and it cannot be seen without a form of illumination. It could also be interpreted as an alter ego: something integral to oneself that could exemplify characteristics and traits that parallel exactly one’s identity; but when viewed more closely, from an illumined wall or blank space, it could reflect an exact opposite of oneself. For Peter Pan, the shadow could symbolize escaping from fantasy into reality: from a magical world at Neverland, to the real world where children grow old. As such, Peter Pan’s sadness of losing it and trying to catch it manifest s his desire to remain eternally young and to live forever in a land of adventure and magic. By Wendy’s being able to catch it and tie it to Peter Pan by sewing the shadow to him, Wendy established a strong bond of attachment which assisted in regaining Peter Pan’s embodiment of freedom, youth, vitality, and carefreeness. Another symbolism was Peter Pan’s indication that he should not be touched. It indicates that Peter Pan was elusive and seems like just an illusion to many. As emphasized by Bjornsdottir, â€Å"not being able to touch him is a confirmation that he is an idea or concept and does not really exist† (12). This symbolism was also stressed in the message that indicates adults could not see him, as cited: â€Å"In his author’s comments he writes: â€Å"You can’t see Peter if you are old. They think he is a draught at the corner† (5.2 151). The comment refers to the people in the street who are too old to see Peter as he ho vers above it at Wendy’s window† (Bjornsdottir 14). The symbol of illusion persisted throughout the story as indicative of Peter Pan’s supposed magical persona which the author could have intended to remain the ultimate mystery in the main character’s identity: fleeting, elusive, dreamlike. Furthermore, there is symbolism in the kiss that was supposedly given to Wendy. According to Linwood, â€Å"the kiss represents not only Wendy's affection for Peter and her maturity beyond his, but also her compassion towards Peter in his moment of weakness. In exchange, Peter gives her an acorn† (par. 4). The acorn again is another symbol for strength and a token of appreciation for Wendy’s assisting him in catching his shadow. As a result, it was instrumental in saving Wendy’s life when it was disclosed that â€Å"the acorn on the chain around her neck, stops the arrow which Tootles fired at her on Tinkerbell’s command† (Linwood par. 5). Through the kiss which symbolized their affection for each other, it was revealed in further stories about Wendy when she eventually became old that despite aging, she could still apparently see him as he tries to visit Wendy’s grandchildren. In another scene, there is also symbolism in the crocodile that apparently ate Hook’s arm when Peter Pan supposedly cut it off in one of their previous encounters. The crocodile symbolizes death. It was reported to be following Hook ever since his arm was eaten by this

Emotional Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10250 words

Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example Author Daniel Goleman (1995) also brought EI into the forefront with his books entitled, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ and Working with Emotional Intelligence (Goleman 1995). Both resources propose that EI accounts for success at home, school, and work, enabling individuals to become more cooperative and effective team members and to build their technical skills and IQ for jobs at all levels (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). Goleman also hypothesized that EI can be learned and improves with age (Goleman 1995). In contrast, Salovey and Mayer (1990) contend that EI develops with age and that emotional knowledge can be enhanced and emotional skills can be learned (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). What's not known to date through research is whether or not EI scores, as determined by an ability measurement known as the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), can be raised in individuals (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). (See Appendix: Assessment of EI in a Leader) Experts define emotional labor as the process of regulating both feelings and expressions to achieve organizational goals or expectations, or, as the effort, planning, and control needed to express organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). ... ational goals or expectations, or, as the effort, planning, and control needed to express organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). Organizationally desired emotions, also referred to as display rules are considered the standards of behavior that indicate not only which emotions are appropriate in relationship with others, but also how these emotions should be publicly displayed or expressed. The structure of this paper is as follows: Part one of paper begins with the introduction of the topic in an academic format. Then, explains the purpose of carrying out this research and what it tends to achieve is stated. After defining the objective a brief overview of the primary research questions are given. A very important chapter of literature review follows which highlights various researches which were carried out by the writers and analysts in the past. Research design highlights the approach and the methodology of how the information was acquired from the sources. The main Research results chapter has the main body of this research in which the findings have been discussed and concluded.In conclusion, the research shows that Marquise Facilities Corporation will benefit with incorporating emotional intelligence into its Management Training. In part 2 of the paper, a brief history of the company and the challenges they are faced with and how they will benefit from such train ing. Finally, a proposal of the implementation process will be presented. The main goal is to stress the importance of this training in the organization while being sensitive not to overload the busy managers with a program that will soon loose momentum. The key is to implement a process that is long lasting and adds value to the

Culture Shock in The American Expatriate Community Essay -- Social Iss

Dealing with Culture Shock in American Expatriate Community The American expatriate community is the population of all Americans that are temporarily or permanently living outside the borders of the United States. These overseas-Americans, numbering over 6.32 million strong (Association for American Residents Overseas), confront many issues when they leave their homeland and transition to a new life in a foreign country. These issues can include dealing with the local language or trying to unravel the esoteric tax laws overseas workers must follow. One of the major issues that American expatriates (or â€Å"expats†) confront is the issue of culture shock (Top Eight). Culture shock, in general, is the stress a person may feel experiencing an unfamiliar way of life after immigration, visiting a new country, or a move between social environments (Macionis and Gerber 54). Culture shock results from differences in culture like language or values toward personal space or cleanliness. Cultural differences that cause culture shock have been classified by Annelies E. M. Van Vianen, Irene E. De Pater, Amy L. Kristof-Brown and Erin C. Johnson in their article â€Å"Fitting In: Surface- and Deep-Level Cultural Differences and Expatriates' Adjustment" as being either â€Å"surface-level† differences or â€Å"deep-level† differences (700). Surface-level differences are those differences that are readily apparent to new expats. These would be things like food, housing conditions, climate and other easily observable aspects that a tourist would notice on vacation. Other aspects of a culture, like beliefs and values (such as openness to change and attitudes toward self-advancement), are classified as deep-level differences. An expat will only recognize de... ...ra. â€Å"A Needs-Driven Approach to Expatriate Adjustment and Career Development: A Multiple Mentoring Perspective† Journal of International Business Studies , Vol. 36, No. 5 (Sep., 2005), pp. 519-538, JSTORS. Web. 4 Apr. 2012 Schilling, Maria.†Avoid Expat Culture Shock† HR Magazine, July 1993, FindArticles.com. Web. 12 Apr, 2012. "Shaking Hands Around the World." Welcome to Wisc-Online.com. Wisc-Online. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. . "The Top Eight Expat Concerns According to HSBC." Expat Info Desk. ExpatInfoDesk International Limited, 4 May 2011. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. Weeks, Kelly P., Mathew Weeks, and Katherine Willis-Muller. "The Adjustment of Expatriate Teenagers." Personnel Review 39.1 (2010): 24-43. Emerald Insight. Emerald Insight. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .

Life Lessons Essay

A moment that will forever change my life happened two years ago during my sophomore year, I will never forget it, but I am also thankful that it happened because I have learned from my mistake and it has taught me a few valuable life lessons. Two years ago, I moved up to Eugene to live with my aunt and uncle for the year to experience a new life setting. I was thrilled to experience new things, meet new people, and learn new ways of living in a big city. It was the first day of school at Willamette High school, I was filled with excitement to be attending a new school and meet different people, I had a goal that day to make a great first impression to start my year off. When lunch time came, I was going to have lunch with my cousin and his friends to get a start on meeting people. We found out that our ride was making its way down the street already, my cousin Artees, said to me to run and jump into the car. Without fully thinking about this, I made the decision to go for it. Running to catch up to the car felt like forever, but I made it to the door that was open for me to jump in, I was able to get up inside the car and was almost fully in, I suddenly felt a tug on my backpack and started falling back out, not being able to catch myself, I fell out of the car landing underneath and have both legs ran over from the ankles down. I remember this happening very quickly and seeing nothing but the bright sun in my view. The pain I went through is indescribable, it felt as if you had your legs cut off and a burning sensation as if you were being burned. Read more:Â  Essay About Lessons Learned From Parents I wasn’t unconscious but felt as if I was in another world, everything was happening very slow and I could hear people screaming around me and Artees above me saying he was sorry and if I was doing okay. All the voices I was hearing sounded like a whisper and as if everything was a blur. It seemed like I was lying in the middle of the road for hours and fell into a little sleep, I remember opening my eyes to people circled around me looking down at me with my cousin holding me, then came paramedics breaking the crowd. I was quickly in put in a neck brace, and strapped to a board. I had my pants cut off while in the road to get to my legs, at the time I didn’t care at all how many people were watching me, but now it is weird to think how many hundreds of people saw me in my underwear. Quickly I was in the hospital was doctors all around me and my family devastated by my bed side. After many x-rays and CT scans, we discovered that I miraculously broke no bones, but fractured my ankles badly, crushed arteries and muscles, severe nerve damage and broke blood vessels that still two years later, have not grown back. I spent a week back in Bend to recover, which was a struggle all in itself. I was bed ridden for seven days and to shower or use the bathroom, I had to be carried everywhere. When I attempted to walk on my own, shooting pain would soar my entire body and my ankles would make a cracking noise. After a week, I felt well enough to try and go back to school. I wore ankle braces day and night, and used crutches. As I expected, I got many stares daily and had people whisper when I was around. I made it through with much support from my cousin. It has almost been three years now since my accident, and still I have pain in my ankles that have spread throughout my legs that I deal with daily. I am not able to stand for more than ten minutes and now have a disease called neuropathy that makes my entire leg either very cold or very hot, tingle, swell, and I am in sever pain daily. I also have nightmares and flashbacks about that day weekly, and have anxiety being in cars and walking on sidewalks. I have been told by my orthopedic doctor that I am going to live with this for the rest of my life, so I have learned to deal with this better. What I have learned from my experience is to always think things through even if you think if you do something, it is going to impress someone, the result can be bad, leave you with injuries, or even be fatal. I am thankful everyday that this didn’t turn out worse, and I am still here today.

Lord of the Flies Jack and Ralph Comparison - 1737 Words

â€Å"Jack made a rush and stabbed at Ralph’s chest with his spear. Ralph sensed the position of the weapon from the glimpse he caught of Jack’s arm and put the thrust aside with his own butt. Then he brought the end round and caught Jack a stinger across the ear. The were chest to chest, breathing fiercely, pushing and glaring.†(196). Two strong types of leadership can lead to devastating outcomes. This is shown in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Ralph and Jack have two very different types of leadership that are at different ends of the spectrum. The qualities of Ralph and Jack are different, Jack’s beliefs contrast those of Ralph, and the styles of leadership that Ralph and Jack use are as different as night and day. To begin, it takes†¦show more content†¦Jack exclaims, â€Å"But we want meat!†(55). Jack is saying this to Ralph because he wants him to help with the shelters but Jack only wants to hunt have meat then help out around the island. Finally, Ralph believes in rules. He believes that by having rules that it creates some sort of authority and civilization on the island. Jack believes in all fun and does not care about the rules. Ralph created the conch as a symbol of power. The conch controls who is able to talk and it can bring all of the boys together for an assembly. By making the conch the ultimate power on the island, Ralph is trying to replace the missing authority, rules, and adults. Ralph says, â€Å"The rules! You’re breaking the rules!†(99). Jack replies with, â€Å"Who cares?†(99). After Jack says this to all of the boys at one of the assemblies, he convinces all of the boys except Ralph, Simon, and Piggy to go down to the beach and play. By Jack doing the he shows that all Jack wants to do is be ignorant to the rules and have fun. In conclusion, the two different types of leaders have different beliefs on how to survive. Ralph believes in survival skills while Jack believes in hunting. Totalitarian dictator versus Democratic. These leadership types are extremely different. Jack is a totalitarian dictator versus Ralph who has a democratic style of leadership. To start off, Jack rules by the emotional responses of his followers: he rules by charisma and hysteria. As opposed to Ralph who rules by laws andShow MoreRelatedLord of the Flies Essay/ Character Comparison Ralph vs Jack2781 Words   |  12 PagesThe novel Lord of the Flies focuses on the conflict that exists between two competing impulses that Golding, suggests exist within all humans; these being the instinct to follow the rules, act in a peaceful manner and comply to moral commands compared to the instinct to act violently in order to gain control over others and to satisfy our own greed and personal desires. The conflict exists within the novel in several forms; law and order vs. anarchy, civilization vs. savagery and the basic termRead MoreLord of the Flies Nature of Man1726 Words   |  7 PagesLord of the Flies: The Nat ure of Man William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a gritty allegory of adolescence, innocence, and the unspoken side of human nature. Countless social issues are portrayed, however one of the most reoccurring is the nature of man. Throughout the novel there is an ever-present focus on the loss of innocence amongst the boys, shown by the deterioration of social skills and their retrogression into a barbaric form of society. Also portrayed is the juxtaposition of a cruelRead MoreA Comparison of Lord of the Flies to Sympathy for the Devil Essay1173 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿6 June 2012 Guess My Name: A Comparison of Lord of the Flies to Sympathy for the Devil The story The Lord of the Flies is a timeless piece of literature written by William Golding. Many who have read this story have been inspired in different ways, one of these groups being The Rolling Stones. In their song Sympathy for the Devil, there are striking similarities between the lyrics and the content of The Lord of the Flies. In one line of Sympathy for the Devil, the lyrics go like this, â€Å"I watchedRead MoreLord of The Flies Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesLord of the Flies was published in 1954 by William Golding. Today Lord of the Flies is a well known literary criticism. Many schools require their students to read Lord of the Flies because of the literary criticisms in the book. In this paper three themes or literary criticisms are talked about: good vs. evil, symbolism of characters, and maturity of characters. Another topic in Goldings Lord of the Flies is the battle of good vs. evil. Everything seems to start out just fine on the island; theRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Shakespeare1287 Words   |  6 Pages(Et tu, Brute?) The allegorical story Lord of The Flies consists of many situations where the conflicts and betrayals between Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are represented through two boys on the island, Jack and Ralph. In the beginning of the story, Jack and Ralph work together and have generally peaceful relations. However, as time goes on, tension on the island increases, eventually resulting in the boys becoming leaders of two separate tribes. Finally, Jack violates the previously agreed uponRead MoreAnalysis Of The Lord Of The Flies 889 Words   |  4 Pagesto be civil or savage. In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, British schoolboys are marooned on an island. They voted Ralph to be the leader in an effort to remake the culture that they had left behind, accompani ed by the intelligent Piggy as counselor. But Jack wants to be the leader too, and he individually lures all of the boys away from civility to the brutal survivalism of hunters. The conch symbolizes power, respect, and social order. Within the Lord of the Flies, Golding provides a briefRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s Lord Of The Flies 891 Words   |  4 Pagesthought rather than action (Lord of the Flies). As a result, Piggy s intellect benefits the group only through Ralph, as he serves as Ralph’s advisor. Simon is the outcast of the novel. He is quiet and isolated among the group. He is often misunderstood by the boys. However, he has a higher moral and spiritual awareness then the rest of the boys on the island; making him a symbol of faith also. He behaves kindly toward the younger children. He is the only one that helps Ralph to build the huts. SimonRead More Use of Allegory and Symbols in William Goldgings Lord of the Flies 1346 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Allegory and Symbols in William Goldgings Lord of the Flies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Goldings Lord of the Flies allegorically shows the good and evil that co-exists in every human being.   Each character and symbol renders this possible by what it represents.   Ralph and Jack allegorically represent opposing political forces: Jack as the dictator or fascist and Ralph as the prototype of a democratic leader.   The island represents the archetypal garden and the conch shell represents power.   GoldingRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding1206 Words   |  5 Pagesdrawn out, it lies dormant inside of us, civility having compressed it within, yet it still rears it’s ugly head when drastic situations arise. We see this primal characteristic of brutality slowly take hold of the boys on the island until the ‘Lord of the Flies’ has claimed it’s latest victims. Not only Simon and Piggy, but all the boys on the island. Throughout the novel, we see all the boys go from having fun and exhibiting civilized behavior to losing cont rol at the end. â€Å"You knew, didn’t you? I’mRead MoreWilliam Goldings Lord of the Flies and John Knowles A Separate Peace671 Words   |  3 Pagesdoppelganger is an alter ego of ones charisma. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, the characters Ralph/Jack and Gene/Finny represent doppelgangers, explaining how they complement each other and maintain supremacy. One significant pair of characters who separate is Ralph and Jack. Their dual natures cause differences among themselves due to various reasons. From a physical standpoint, Jack is described as â€Å"tall, thin, and bony: and his hair was red beneath