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My conversations with my partner taught me a lot about the culture of Germany and differences in our lives growing up. My partner grew up during World War II and the splitting of Germany. He does not remember a lot about that time, but he lived in West Germany and had a somewhat normal childhood where he could do what he wanted. He remembers his family getting their first radio and first TV in the 1950s, and they loved sitting around the TV watching the broadcasted programs. This portion of our conversation taught me to be more grateful for all the opportunities that I have and have had as a child because there was a time when people did not have access to the same technology at their fingertips. My partner even advised me to spend time away from electronics every day, to go for walks, enjoy nature, and be in the moment. Our intergenerational differences gave me an appreciation for the creativity and ingenuity of people back then to keep themselves entertained without applications such as YouTube and Netflix.
Hearing about my partner’s life reminded me that for most of the time, the amount of our similarities with other people exceeds our number of differences. Before talking with my partner, I was anxious that I was going to have a hard time steering a conversation. It turned out that I didn’t need to be nervous at all. Everything went smoothly. I also learned that key to having a fulfilling life is being your own person by making your own decisions. She was very interesting to talk to and I believe it is because she was an adventurous person. It is a trait I might pick up for my benefit.
My first question in the first interview is regarding any life lesson to give me. She responds by always to learn and to experience the world. As a Buddhist, she was having some problems with her mother that often gets angry at her, and she quits the church after her unpleasant experience in children. She recognizes my bright opportunity in the future while slightly whining for her future life.
These conversations were helpful in better honing my German conversational skills as well as creating some cross-cultural and cross-generational understanding, we were still able to joke and have a good time despite our differences. It was nice to speak to someone who was open-minded and seemed just as interested in me and I was in her. I sometimes worry that because I live outside the status-quo, older people might look down on me or think of me as a spectacle, but after chatting with my partner, I think I will be less likely to shy away from conversations with the elderly in the future.
The most important thing that I learned was that the elderly are very alone. The woman I spoke with told me that she communicates very little with her son. Everyone, whether young or old, needs a friend, and I am grateful that I had the chance to speak with my partner. I also feel better about myself after the conversation. I learned new social skills as well, because I don’t have many chances to speak with the elderly usually. [...] The lesson I learned from her is that education comes first. My partner finished her education in her 50s because her parents couldn't afford it as well because as a young woman, she felt that it wasn't essential. She now regrets this choice.
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