Global Girl: Germany

Did you know the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree comes from Germany? This central European country is also the birthplace of Albert Einstein and Beethoven! I found out from best friends Anna and Carla that Germany is also a super fun place to live. Read the interview, then check out their photo album!

Charlotte Ramsey: Hi girls! How long have you been BFFs?

Carla: I have been friends with Anna for 11 years, and we are both 11! On summer vacation, Anna always stays in our apartment for one week.

Charlotte: Cool! What do you do during this vacation week?

Anna: We go to an art school together. Most of the time, we take a class in horse dressage*, because we love horses. Our parents are very good friends, too, and we love to travel together.

Charlotte: What are some places you go on vacation?

Anna: This summer we went on a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. We visited some places in Italy, Malta, and Tunis. It was a lot of fun! Last week we were in Corfu, which is a nice island in Greece. In the winter time, we will go skiing in Austria.

Charlotte: Wow! It sounds like you've seen as many different countries as me and my dad! Imagine a girl your age is coming to visit Germany. What are some can’t-be-missed sights?

Carla: Berlin, because it is our capital city! There are lots of interesting buildings there like the Reichstag (Raiks-tahg) with the glass roof and the Brandenburg Gate. But the most interesting thing for me is the wall that split Berlin into two parts after World War II. You can see some of the original wall and the line where it was built.

Charlotte: Luckily the wall isn’t there anymore, but the Brandenburg Gate is an important reminder of Berlin's history. What other places are interesting to see?

Anna: She must visit Munich. She should see the nice shopping areas around Marienplatz close to the German Museum. There are lots of famous buildings like the old and new city halls, and some nice castles. I took a photo of Neuschwanstein (Noi-shvan-styne), a castle King Ludwig built over 100 years ago!

Carla: She could visit the Oktoberfest in Munich, too. It's great fun!

Charlotte: Oktoberfest is like a huge party in Germany that lasts for two weeks between the end of September and the beginning of October! Tell me about some more things you love to do with your friends.

Anna: In the summer, we meet at the public pool or lake, or we go to the cinema. Sometimes we play Twister or Nintendo. If the weather is good, we ride our bikes or play sports.

Charlotte: What kinds of pets do you have at home?

Carla: I have three guinea-pigs. (I love animals!) Their names are Lotti, Paul, and Snoopy. I have two other guinea-pigs living at my cousin's farm. Their names are Krümel and Strubbel. Snoopy, Strubbel and Krümel are the babies from Lotti and Paul.

Charlotte: What TV shows and music do you love most?

Anna: I like to watch the "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "Hannah Montana," sometimes "Kim Possible," and of course "High School Musical."

Carla: I love listening to Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus!

Anna: Don’t forget Leona Lewis, Rihanna, or German bands like die Aerzte ("the Doctors") or Rosenstolz.

Charlotte: What is a normal school day like for you?

Anna: We have school from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. My favorite subjects are sports, nature and biology. After school, I play the piano. Two times a week I go to gymnastics. If I have enough time, I swim or go horseback riding. We have a lot of homework, though!

Charlotte: You sure sound busy! Tell me about the greatest holiday of the whole year.

Anna: I love Christmas.

Carla: Easter is my favorite! After looking for Easter eggs, we have our family Easter breakfast and we eat the "Easter lamb." It's a kind of cake, and I eat it with butter and marmalade. It tastes very good!

Charlotte: That Easter cake sounds delicious! Check out the photo of a typical German breakfast. What's the yummiest German food you wish the whole world knew about?

Carla: I love to eat Spätzle made by my grandma! It's a kind of noodle. And I like pretzels.

Anna: I have two favorites -- for breakfast a typical Bavarian Weisswurst (a white tasty sausage) with sweet mustard and Brezels (soft pretzels) with butter -- and for lunch or dinner I love Bavarian Schweinebraten (roast pork) with Knödel (dumplings) and red Kraut (sour cabbage).

Charlotte: Do you both have goals for the future?

Anna: I'd like to become a teacher, so I will have 14 weeks off a year! Enough time left for traveling or working as an actress.

Carla: I want to become a pop star. And I want a job where I can work with animals!

Charlotte: Last question! Could you teach me something fun to say in German?

Anna: We say Jack die bohne to mean "we are the best."

Carla: Alles paletti means "everything is okay!"

*Word Nerd – Horse dressage: training and demonstrating a horse's skilled movements and obedience