About sushi, anime and technology

Honestly, how much do you really know about Japan? What’s the first thing that comes to your mind? According to the media and hearsay, we get a lot of information about what Japanese people do and how the country works and we’re pretty sure Japan is a crazy country, right?
Anata ni himitsu o oshiemashô (Let me tell you a secret):

Anime and manga are kid’s stuff!?

building-kleinerCan you remember playing Yu Gi Oh! or watching Pokemon, Naruto or Biene Maya after school? Known as the Japanese interpretation of comics and their animated version, anime and manga become famous in the 70s in Germany. Despite massive criticism of the violence by some people, it seems manga and anime are made for kids. However, only some anime are just for kids because there are topics and stories for all ages. While Biene Maya and Pokemon try to teach kids friendship, loyalty and honesty, others are meant for grownups and tell us something about our sometimes harsh and cruel world. They‘re very important methods for teaching values.

 

Itadakimas – Japan’s dangerous food

Besides sushi and ramen, Japanese people like food-table1-kleinerto eat dangerous things like fugo (pufferfish) and awabi (ear shells).If you go to Japan, you won’t find many restaurants serving this kind of food. Only a few selected cooks with a special qualification are allowed to serve these dishes. Apart from this, the most famous dishes are donburi, rice with a variety of toppings and karê-raisu (curry with rice).
An interesting fact about their food: they don’t put many spices into it and prefer light food, and is serve it very hot! As we’re used to western food, Japanese food might taste a bit strange, at first, but it gets better as you get used to it. And thanks to the 7/11 stores at every corner, you never go hungry, as you’re able to buy freshfood.

Japan as a high-tech country

When it comes to technology, Japan is second to none. Imagine one skyscraper next to the other with big screens on most of them, combined with the singing (!) traffic lights and masses of people wandering around – this is a typical day in Tôkyô or Ôsaka. Apart from singing toilets, a typical Japanese household isn’t full of technology. And because there’s a housing shortage in the cities, the Japanese people have to save space. They’re fans of minimalism and some don’t even own a TV. But as fancy as Japan is, not every big city is just filled with technology. Hiroshima, for example, is comparable with Augsburg in this sense, and if you take a closer look, you can see how high-tech mixes with tradition in many big cities. And if you go further into the rural areas, you’ll realise that these places aren’t affected as much by technology.

city-above-kleinerSo, clichés sometimes have a core of truth, but in order to tell the differences between the truth and generalisations, it might be a good idea to travel to different places. Every single country is uniquein its own way – datte bayo!

Author & Pictures: Sabrina Korti

Five things I hate about summer – and five things to make it all a little more bearable

Confession time: I haScreenshot_2017-07-19-15-54-14te summer. I know full well that I’m in the minority here, but it’s just what it is. It’s also not a very recent development for me, so I can’t really blame climate change or so. I know, though, that a lot of different things come into play which make me hate the favorite season of the majority of the population.

The most obvious reason is, of course, the heat. My favorite temperature is somewhere between 13° and 18°. In summer, it seems like it’s 30+° most of the time. There’s just no middle ground anymore. The thing is I’d be totally able to deal with it if it wasn’t so humid. This is what makes the heat so unbearable.

And this brings me to my third point. As a consequence of the heat and the humidity, I sweat. Yet I always seem to be the only one. Other people don’t suddenly have a very shiny forehead or little rivers running down their necks, slowly making their way down the back, even though they are not doing anything that could possibly lead to sweating. I, of course, do have to deal with both. All the time.

Screenshot_2017-08-02-16-36-17

Number four on my list of most hated things about summer would be spiders and bugs. Bugs simply bug me. German bugs more than others, though. In other countries, they seem to leave me alone most of the time. In Germany, they seem to attack me the moment I step outside, but, of course, they also don’t leave me alone when I’m inside either. They’re just always there. What makes it all so much worse is that outside they find a way in my mouth, even though I have my lips pressed tight together, and inside they have a tendency to drown in whatever drink I have standing on the table. It doesn’t even have to be something sweet like orange juice or lemon water. They’re just as alright with dying in a regular glass of sparkling water. Apparently, they really like the added thrill of the bubbles.

Finally, number five is that everybody all of a sudden flocks outside like a bunch of summer zombies. I actually spend a significant amount of time outside all year round, so naturally I wonder: where are all these people in winter?
So in case anyone feels the same way I do about summer, here are five tips to get through it all relatively unscathed:

  1. Obviously, you should make the air condition or your fan your new best friend.
  2. Don’t take a cold shower. This only heats up your body way faster afterwards.
  3. Insect repellents are your second best friend 😉
  4. Always look in your glass before you drink, you never know what’s floating on top.
  5. Count down the days ’till September 1st, the magical day of meteorological start of fall 🙂

Finally, hang in there: it’s going to be autumn soon.

 

Author & Pictures: Alisa Lechky

A mole on the campus

20170707_113730_edited_oval.jpegHi, let me introduce myself. My name is Stefie; like you, I’m a student at the university of Augsburg and I’m rather short-sighted. Please, let me assure you that I’m not one of those disabled super heroes who are often shown on TV or mentioned in newspapers. What I mean is that I’m short-sighted, but none of my other senses have developed in an extraordinary way. I’m a completely average student struggling, more or less, with the same issues as you.

Hail to the public transport service

I have to consider things that have possibly never occurred to you. Take, for example, the criteria for choosing the university you wanted to go to. In my case, I not only had to take into account the subject I wanted to study, or if I liked the city the university is situated in, but also if the university is one where everything is on the same site or if it’s easily accessible with the public transport system, or not. I’m not able to drive a car or cycle so I completely rely on the more or less (in some cases rather less) efficient public transport system, my own two feet or the help of my family for getting from point A to point B.

A mole in sheep’s clothing

What’s more, I have to tell people who I’m in a professional or close relationship with about my disability. So if you met me, you wouldn’t know that my short-sightedness is so strong. See, I’m a mole in perfect disguise; I wear glasses, but so do hundreds of other students. The difference is that many can perceive the world like completely healthy persons if they’re wearing their glasses, but for me this doesn’t work. Mine can only help me to perceive the contrast between different things more easily. And, so I’m talking about this to avoid misunderstandings like “I waved at you but you completely ignored me…”.

Communication, communication…

Of course, communication is very important for me because even when people know about my poor eyesight, I can’t expect them to think about it all the time. Take the lecturers at  university, for example; the majority of them are very nice and I’ve met no one who refused to help me or to make the slides for the presentation bigger so that I could follow the course. In order to be able to help me, they have to know that I have this kind of problem; and I have to remind them from time to time because they’ve not only got me sitting in front of them but sometimes over a hundred of students to think about.

‘Inclusion’ – what a wonderful word

In general, I like studying here but there are some things that still need to be improved. For example, there’s no general information anywhere on university website for people with disabilities. Well, there is someone you can consult for questions about studying with a handicap. But, it’s very difficult to approach this person and when you finally do, don’t expect too much. He probably doesn’t know more than you do.

 

Author & Pictures: Stefanie Sohnle

An interview with Prof. Dr. Catriona Seth

Portrait

Could you please introduce yourself and your work?

I was lucky enough to be brought up in several different countries (England, Scotland, Switzerland, Venezuela and Belgium) and to go to university in the U.K. and in France. Until 18 months ago I worked in France, as a professor at the Université de Lorraine in Nancy, which has a joint study programme with Augsburg, thanks to Rotraud von Kulessa, my colleague in Romanistik. I am now the Professor of French at Oxford, which is wonderful. I am a fellow of All Souls, a beautiful College in the centre of Oxford—and my study overlooks the iconic Radcliffe Camera.

Which role do languages play in your life?

As I was brought up speaking both French and English, languages are a way of life and a part of my identity. I also love learning new words and how they work or where they come from. I’m sorry not to have more occasions to speak some of the foreign languages I have studied—or picked up along the way. I’m happy that by spending time in Augsburg I am getting to practise some German.

What is your favourite book?

It would be impossible for me to choose a single book. A couple of French novels I find admirable are Laclos’ Liaisons dangereuses, which I have edited, and Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. I enjoy reading widely, fiction, poetry, but also non-fiction.

How did you develop your passion for literary studies?

I have always loved reading. I had some inspirational teachers at school. I really enjoy my job!

Could you please briefly explain your project (Transcultural European Literature) with Ms. Kulessa here in Augsburg?

Rotraud von Kulessa and I have worked together quite frequently. Our most recent venture is an anthology of Enlightenment texts about Europe (originally written in French, German, Spanish, Italian and English) which are freely downloadable.

We put the anthology together in French, very rapidly, for it to come out before the French elections. My colleagues and 121 students in Oxford have translated it into English and we managed to have it ready for the first anniversary of the Brexit referendum, which many of us consider to have been a very regrettable day for Great Britain and for Europe.  You can read The Idea of Europe. Enlightenment Perspectives free online here:

There will also be a German translation with the help of students from Augsburg.

Which topic have you worked on so far?

I have done a lot of work on the novel and poetry in the eighteenth century, but also on women’s memoirs. There is a cultural history aspect to some of my research: I have written on Marie Antoinette as a literary and historical figure, for example. I also have an interest in medical humanities and have looked at smallpox inoculation in the eighteenth century and its impact on mentalities.

What are your goals for your stay at the University of Augsburg?Uni_Aug_Logo_JFZ_RGB(1)

I’m looking forward to learning about how teaching is organised here. I enjoyed the Aktionstag called Gegen einfache Wahrheiten, which brought students and teaching staff together in a less formal way, to discuss wide-ranging social concerns, and involved engaging with the wider public.

What relevance does the work with the students have for you?

As I mentioned, I enjoy teaching. I always learn new things when preparing my classes. I enjoy the contact with the students, which is intellectually stimulating.

Why did you choose Augsburg for the guest professorship?

I was invited to Augsburg and am delighted to be here. I very much enjoy working with Rotraud von Kulessa. I am looking forward to looking into some of the bibliographical treasures in the Augsburg libraries. I also hope to visit some of the parts of Bavaria I do not know and to take advantage of the natural and cultural resources of this beautiful part of Europe.

 

Author: Janina Girschick, Andrea Schneider

Pictures:  Catriona Seth, Jakob-Fugger-Zentrum

Mieux vaut vivre.

Samedi, 10-06-2017

Il est samedi, le 06 juin, 2h de l’après-midi dans un foyer pour demandeurs d’asile.

On se trouve dans une petite chambre équipée de deux lits, avec une seule fenêtre et une grande armoire en acier. Sur les murs, il y a des photos de famille et un calendrier de Ramadan.

Mon interlocuteur s’appelle Moussa, 30 ans, sénégalais et sans statut officiel en Allemagne.

«L’asile ne s’obtient pas facilement.»

eMAG: Est-ce que vous pourriez nous dire d’où vous venez?

Moussa: Bon, je m’appelle Moussa et je suis sénégalais, de Dakar, notre capitale. Je suis ici en Allemagne depuis un an et quelques mois.

eMAG: C’est longtemps, surtout si l’on n’a pas eu de chance, en ce qui concerne son statut. Avez-vous eu des problèmes d’obtenir l’asile?

Moussa: Oui, naturellement, j’ai eu des petits problèmes avec mon statut. L’asile ne s’obtient pas facilement. Surtout nous, les Africains, on a des difficultés actuellement. Un problème de statut se pose, mais quand-même, ça ne nous empêche pas de vivre.

«Les gens pensent que l’Afrique, c’est un pays.»

eMAG: Vous parlez de «nous». Avez-vous rencontrés beaucoup de compatriotes ici?

Moussa: Oui, j’ai connu pas mal d’Africains, de façon générale. Des Nigérians, des Maliens, des Sénégalais, des Gambiens. Ce sont les nationalités que j’ai rencontré ici.

eMAG: Ce sont beaucoup de nationalités et surtout beaucoup de personnes qui vivent ensemble dans un endroit très étroit. Est-ce que cela ne cause pas des problèmes? Ou est-ce qu’on trouve facilement des amis?

Moussa: Bon, des fois cela cause des problèmes d’incompréhension, de culture différente. Ici, beaucoup de gens pensent que l’Afrique, c’est un pays, alors que c’est un continent avec 54 pays très différents. La plupart du temps, on arrive quand-même à se comprendre, aussi parce qu’on est obligé de vivre ensemble, donc mieux vaut vivre.

Les amis, en général, se trouvent facilement, surtout quand vous êtes du même pays, car cela vous rend automatiquement des frères. Mais c’est aussi facile d’en avoir avec ceux qui habitent dans les autres pays africains, il y a de la sympathie car vous partagez une origine commune et vous êtes ici pour le même bût, pour la même raison, pour les mêmes causes. Il y a un sentiment de solidarité.

«Une très petite partie des Allemands sont des racistes.»

eMAG: Les allemands, est-ce que vous vous comprenez bien avec eux ou est-ce qu’il y a eu des problèmes de racisme?

Moussa: Non, je suis là depuis un an, mais je n’ai jamais eu des problèmes de racisme. Sauf un jour on est allé à un jeu de foot et ce que l’arbitre avait fait là, c’était carrément du racisme. Ça a même choqué les allemands qui étaient là-bas, je dirais donc que même s’il y a du racisme ici, ce n’est pas tout le monde qui l’est! En fait il n’y en a qu’une très petite partie qui est raciste, mais personellement, je ne l’ai pas encore rencontré. Espérons que cela ne change pas, Inch’Allah.

eMAG: Est-ce que vous pourriez encore nous donner quelques details sur votre vie quotidienne au Sénégal, votre famille, votre métier, la situation linguistique?

Moussa: Bon, au Sénégal, il y a une vingtaine de langues ou plus, mais la langue la plus parlée, c’est le Wolof, c’est ce qu’on pourrait appeler ma langue maternelle.. La majeure partie des sénégalais ne sont pas des Wolof dans le sens éthnique mais parlent quand-même le Wolof, parce que c’est notre langue nationale.

Pour le boulot, je suis un mécanicien et, c’est ainsi que je suis parvenu à gagner ma vie au Sénégal.

«Ce n’était pas ‘l’appel’ de Merkel.»

eMAG: Quand vous êtes arrivés en Allemagne, cela vous a pris beaucoup de temps? Quels ont été vos expériences?

Moussa: Bon, cela ne m’a pas pris beaucoup de temps, je suis passé par un autre pays européen et, après quelque temps là-bas, j’ai décidé de venir en Allemagne, pour déposer ma demande d’asile ici.. Ça ne m’a pas pris beaucoup de temps: j’ai pris l’avion.

eMAG: Beaucoup d’Allemands pensent que la politique de la «porte ouverte» de notre chancelière a été une des raisons pour lesquels nous sommes un des pays de destination privilégiée des réfugiés. Est-ce que vous aviez des amis qui vous ont «conseillé» de venir en Allemagne, est-ce que c’était peut-être pour des raisons économiques?

Moussa: Non, ce n’était ni l’appel de Merkel ni des raisons économiques. En fait, j’ai choisi un pays où je ne connaissais pas de Sénégalais, pas d’africains. Il y en a des milliers en Italie, en France, partout en Europe. J’ai voulu venir en Allemagne pour me cacher ici, pour sortir des radars. Je ne m’attendais pas à me trouver au milieu d’africains comme ça.

«Le portable, c’est comme l’eau qu’on boit.»

eMAG: On pourrait donc dire que vous avez fait de mauvaises connaissances et que vous avez décidé de leur échapper? Éviter leurs amis, leurs réseaux, leur mauvaise influence etc?

Moussa: Voilà. Je me suis réfugié pour ma propre sécurité, je ne suis pas un réfugié économique. Comme je l’ai déjà dit, j’avais un boulot au Sénégal.

eMAG: On a beaucoup parlé du rôle de l’ordiphone et des réseaux sociaux pour les réfugiés du 21ème siècle. Quels étaient vos expériences durant votre réfuge votre fuite et après?

Moussa: Bon, si je prends l’exemple de mon téléphone, cela me permet de rester en contact avec qui je veux. Avoir les nouvelles de ma famille, connecter ici et ailleurs. Au 21ème siècle, le portable est comme l’eau qu’on boit: on ne doit plus en manquer. C’est un outil de vie, tout le monde sait que le portable n’est plus un luxe. J’en ai besoin pour savoir où est-ce que je vais, ta famille pour savoir comment tu vas. Le portable, les réseaux sociaux, ils sont nécessaires pour rester en contact avec tout le monde, la famille, les amis, les gens qui se soucient de nous.

«La nostalgie est là, tout le temps.»

eMAG: Le sujet de notre prochaine édition papier sera le „throwback“, les souvenirs et la nostalgie. Sûrement, c’est un sentiment que vous connaissez?

Moussa: Bon, je pense, même sans devoir poser des questions, tout le monde sait que c’est difficile de vivre séparé de sa famille. Des fois, tu as vraiment envie d’aller à l’aéroport et de prendre le prochain avion. Parce que la famille représente infiniment plus que de vivre en Allemagne. Donc, la nostalgie est là, tout le temps. Mais, à long terme, tu t’y habitues, et ce qui nous aide, ce sont les réseaux sociaux comme WhatsApp. Il y a mille moyens de rester en contact avec sa famille, mais le téléphone ne peut pas remplacer le fait d’être côte à côte avec quelqu’un. On essaie de faire avec les moyens qu’on a, mais on est aussi des croyants, donc, on va tout simplement accepter notre destin et essayer de nous en sortir de la façon la plus digne possible.

eMAG: Parlons de la religion. Est-ce que vous avez l’impression de pouvoir l’exprimer et la vivre librement en Allemagne?

Moussa: Oui, je la vie librement ici, sans contraintes. Et vous savez, avoir une religion différente de la majorité ne t’empêche pas de t’intégrer. Avant tout, la foi, elle est en toi. Il n’y a pas besoin de faire de la publicité, c’est en toi, dans ton cœur, dans ton esprit. Je n’ai jamais eu des problèmes, quel que soit l’endroit où je suis, au contraire, il m’est arrivé que quelqu’un me voit prier, s’approche de moi parce qu’il voit: ça, c’est aussi c’est un musulman. Ici, je n’ai trouvé que du respect mutuel, de la tolérance.

«Mon aspiration, c’est d’être libre.»

eMAG: Dernière question: Quelle est votre perspective pour l’avenir?

Moussa: Bon, mon but, c’est de vivre en paix, de pouvoir gagner ma propre vie, là il n y a pas de différences entre un allemand et un réfugié. Un allemand, par contre, s’il veut travailler, il le fait, s’il veut voyager, il le fait. Ça, c’est mon aspiration, d’être libre, de faire ce que je veux, d’aller où je veux, tout en respectant la loi, bien sûr.

eMAG: Bonne chance. Merci pour l’interview.

Moussa: De rien.

(texte abrégé)

Interview conduit par Niklas Schmidt

Photos prises à Friedberg par Niklas Schmidt

Augsburger Sommernächte

Thousands of people in the streets. The streets turn into stages. Different squares turn into dancing areas. In the centre of the city people, feast and dance to various sounds. Well, let me tell you what I’m talking about: the Augsburger Sommernächte. This event took place for the second time this year from Thursday June 28th until July 1st. For those of you who participated this year it should be crystal clear why it’s definitely worth a visit. For all those who don’t know why they should actually go there, I’ll givAS5e a few convincing reasons. But first of all, some of you may not even know what the Augsburger Sommernächte are…

What is it?

Augsburger Sommernächte is probably the largest party in the whole of Augsburg and the surrounding region. Some restaurants and bars spill into the streets, and sell all kind of foods you’ve never dreamt of. The nightly entertainment also keeps the place bustling: all over the city thirteen areas present nearly every imaginable kind of music! From mainstream to HipHop straight to Indie – everybody of all ages get their money’s worth. From the Königplatz over the Maxstraße to the Rathausplatz – the whole city is a party, and takes place from 5pm to 1am.

A few reasons why..

It’s not just like one party, but many morphed into one! You can spend quality time with your friends under the clear night sky, because who doesn’t prefer a party under the stars instead of spending the night in a muggy club? AS3The Sommernächte also gives you the chance to meet new people. Everybody’s in a good mood and always ready for a chat! Apart from this social aspect, what is really cool is that the Neue Szene presents newcomers. Not only young bands try to entertain the people with their music, but also poetry slammers who try to catch the listener’s attention with their own texts.

Next to the small stages that are spread all over the Maxstraße, you’ll find delicious food from all over the world. It’s like a mini street food market. These smells of freshly made falafel, curry and burgers make you think you’re on holiday in Ibiza. All of these new impressions are so overwhelming that you will need to go there again in order to see everything! Unlike an expensive holiday, the Sommernächte don’t cost anything (but you’re not allowed to take any kind of food or drinks with you).

Save the date!AS4

So, I’ve not completely convinced you? Take a look yourself! Next year the Sommernächte will take place from 28th June to 1st July. So what are you waiting for? Take out your calendars and mark the date!

Author: Chiara Leick

Pictures: CIA Veranstaltungs GmbH

What goes on behind closed doors?

anglistentheaterOn Thursday, 6th July, the Anglistentheater premiered their latest play “Speaking in tongues”, by Andrew Bovell.

Have you ever wondered how other people cope with their problems? How they seek a cure for their emotional wounds? This play starts by showing us a pretty drastic way of handling an unstable marriage: cheating. Jane is married to Pete and Sonja is married to Leon, yet here our play starts with everyone in a cheap hotel room with the other’s partner. But only Leon and Jane go through with it. Disaster unfolds and Pete leaves Jane and Sonja leaves Leon and as the guys meet each other in one bar and the girls in another, they find that judging and forgiving is harder said than done.

At this point, I was kind of bored, thinking “Great. Another modern play about adultery. So innovative…”, but as the play unfolded it left me speechless. It’s about so much more than just that. It’s a play about mutual love and unrequited love. About unconditional love and doubted love. About trust and betrayal. About therapist and client. About murder and innocence. About sanity and mental illness. About past and present. And about cruelty and kindness. It’s a play about Leon, Sonja, Pete, Jane, Valerie, Sarah, Nick, Neil and John. Each with their own story but still intertwined through all these elements.

I won’t go into further detail, since I don’t wanna spoil the fun, but let me tell you: it’s shocking and mysterious. I also found it devastating to see what horrible things people want to happen to their “loved ones”, just for the sake of their own convenience… enough said.

Andrew Bovell has written an amazing play about the depths of human relationships and the enormous impact apparently small acts can have. The Anglistentheater has done a great job performing it. The actors were marvelous and the stage design really paid attention to detail and came up with great concepts. You could really see how much time, effort and practice everyone had put into making a fabulous premiere.

I recommend you go and see the play for yourself – it’s amazing. But make sure to borrow one of the cushions (the play takes about 2:15 hours, and, let’s be honest, a lecture theatre isn’t that comfy.

Speaking in tongues will be performed on Tuesday 11th and Thursday 13th July 2017

At 8 p.m. in Hörsaal II

 

 

Author: Michaela Lappler

Picture: Anglistentheater