AROUND THE WORLD CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Get on the polar express! It’s December and on the blog we are still on board the Christmas train. Have you ever wondered how these dates are celebrated in other places around the world? We spend the season in an overexposure of images corresponding to the Netflix Christmas movie repeated endlessly: Santa Claus, decorated pine tree, shopping, hot cocoa, snow, dinners and gifts. Although that holiday template is canonical and touching, it can’t be all! Our world is rich in cultures and traditions.

I want to share with you other different and interesting ways to celebrate this season where some of my international friends grew up.

ARGENTINA

My friends Flavia and Adelina reminded me that in Argentina it is summer during Christmas. Something that my head just can’t imagine! Christmas on the beach or swimming in a pool with a cold drink is common during these times. The roast cannot be missed, with a suckling pig or a goat, a meal that takes at least six hours on the grill! Or the vitel toné, also typical, a dish that is served cold with slices of very tender meat and a sauce with tuna and mayonnaise. Gifts are opened at midnight, during or after fireworks, not the next morning, like in other countries. An interesting tradition is to buy or give pink underwear at Christmas to wear for the New Year. It is something that aunts or the oldest women in the family give to the youngest ones, as a representation of the emotional side, and the attraction of everything positive, of sweet love, and fertility.

Vitel Toné. Source: Paulina Cocina, 2015.

AUSTRALIA

Australia is quite multicultural, so the traditions tend to vary a bit family to family. My friend Ben considers that commonly Santa comes overnight, and the children will open their presents first thing in the morning. The big meal of the day with extended family is usually lunch, where the entre is usually cocktail prawns, the main will sometimes be roast meats, but also cold meat platters and salads because it can be as warm as 40 degrees on Christmas day. A common dessert is pavlova with fruit (delicious Australian/New Zealand food invention). On these celebrations, many Australians wear paper crowns as Christmas hats and drink lots of beer! On the 26th, there’s always the first day of a test cricket match. It wouldn’t be uncommon for a mix of family and friends to get together and watch that as part of a lazy day afterwards.

Christmas crown. Source: Free Images Live, 2023.

CHILE

According to my friend Cata, in Chile they eat the traditional pan de pascua, a dessert with dried fruits similar to Stollen, and drink cola de mono, a cold drink prepared with alcohol, coffee and condensed milk with sugar. Their Christmas is called Pascua, their Santa Claus is “El Viejito Pascuero”, and many children believe in him. However, something that is a bit difficult for them to understand is why the Old Man comes dressed so warm when it is summer here and it is so hot? The explanation is that he did not have time to change his clothes, the same ones he wears in his home at the North Pole.

Pan de pascua and cola de mono. Source, Lorenzo Gatica, 2020.

CHINA

I have several Chinese friends, who have chosen names in Spanish: Noa and Celeste told me that there are no official holidays in China during this time, since it is not a traditional celebration. But with the introduction of foreign cultures, in large Chinese cities, such as Shanghai, there is a strong Christmas atmosphere. More than a party for believers, it is a party for consumers and for the curious. There will be Christmas decorations everywhere, in shopping centers or in street stores. Young people usually go out with their friends after work or school to celebrate Christmas. However, in some places, like public areas or schools, there is often resistance to Christian Christmas symbols. Something very curious is that in China, Christmas Eve is called “ping an ye”, which in Chinese is pronounced like apple. Because of this, people have taken up the tradition of giving apples to each other, to their loved ones, friends or family.

Christmas apples. Source: Javiertzo, 2018.

COLOMBIA

Two of my closest friends, Angy and Liz, are Colombian. In their country, they celebrate the “Día de las velitas” (Day of the candles) on December 7th, a tribute to the Virgin Mary. After sunset the candles are lit, and for each lit candle you can make a wish or an intention: for family, health, prosperity… the next day you usually go to church. On the 24th they usually have turkey for dinner or some typical dish, such as ajiaco (dish prepared with chicken, potatoes, and different vegetables) and on the 25th they take the “Paseo de olla” (Pot walk), where people go with their pots and their family to the river bank to prepare some special soup or sancocho with firewood. Common to Latin cultures, there is a lot of eating and dancing. Another peculiarity of the season in Colombia is that nine days before Christmas, the “Novena de Aguinaldos” is held, a series of prayers and songs to prepare for the arrival of baby Jesus, a tradition that dates back to the 18th century. This is done together with neighbors and family, and at the end of each day’s prayers a meal is shared with everyone who participated.

Día de las velitas. Source: El Informador, 2019.

ITALY

In many parts of Italy, including Venice, where my friend Isabella grew up, Christmas Eve is spent with the family. They normally eat lean fish. Once dinner is over, they usually go to midnight mass together. As for Christmas Day, gifts are exchanged and traditional dishes such as tortellini in broth and stuffed cappone are generally eaten. Panettone is a must, such as pandoro with mascarpone sauce, nougat, nuts and dates. Italy has a special character delivering children their gifts on the night of January 5th: the Befana. She is a kind of witch, an old woman who flies through the sky on her broom. In some places, however, a bonfire is held on the night of January 5th, where the befana burns, thus expelling the old year.

La befana. Source: Gabriella Marino, 2022.

CUBA

My friends Aracelis and Rogelio are Cubans and they told me that in 1959 the revolutionary government tried to get rid of Catholic Christmas because they considered it opposed to communist principles. So people began to celebrate humbly, only with the close family. That night, traditional food is served: pork, congrís rice, cassava, and salad. Only after Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1998 (the first visit by a Pope to Cuba) did the government declare December 25th a holiday. Furthermore, in the city of Remedios “Las Parrandas” are celebrated on the night of the 24th, which are very colorful and competitive popular festivals, declared National Heritage. Monuments are replicated, floats are decorated, choreographies are prepared, and all the inhabitants of the interested communities participate in the preparations.

Another interesting tradition is the creation and burning of the rag doll: „la quema del muñeco de trapo„. In Havana, a doll that represents the old year is created among the neighbors and burned at midnight on December 31st as a way to end that year. Also at midnight, buckets of water are thrown into the street and a suitcase is taken out onto the street to approximate the time of travel.

Quema del muñeco. Source: Directorio Cubano, 2022.

ROMANIA

My friend Eliza told me that Christmas in Bucharest, Romania is a vibrant and traditional celebration that blends religious observances with enchanting customs. The spirit of Christmas starts early, with the arrival of St. Nicholas (Moş Nicolae) on December 6th. He enters homes through chimneys and leaves presents for the children in their shoes or stockings. Another significant part of the Christmas preparations is the slaughtering of a pig (Tăierea porcului), a tradition that symbolizes abundance and generosity. The pig’s meat is used to prepare various dishes, including sausages, pâté, and roasted or stewed pork. The Romanian Christmas tree is decorated with intricate paper ornaments, gilded walnuts, dried fruits, and homemade star-shaped bread called cozonac. Christmas Eve is marked by a special feast that includes traditional dishes like sarmale (stuffed cabbage leaves), piftie (jellied meat), and sarmale cu prune (stuffed cabbage leaves with plums). The feast is preceded by a light meal of wheat grains sweetened with honey, known as coliva. Caroling (colinde) is an essential part of Romanian Christmas traditions. Young people form groups and go door-to-door, singing traditional carols and receiving gifts of food, drinks, or money in return. Moș Crăciun, the Romanian Christmas Man, arrives on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to distribute gifts to the children. Traditional Romanian children’s poems and songs are exchanged during his visit.

Cozonac bread. Source: Cristi Ursea, 2023.

SPAIN

Many of the Christmas traditions in Latin American countries have their origin in Hispanic culture. However, there are some particularities, for example, in food. As my friend Natasha told me, a Spanish Christmas Eve dinner usually consists of tapas as a starter, then meat and finally desserts; one of the favorites is turrón, also mazapanes (marzipan). There is a tradition for young people called “maitines”: parties until dawn with friends in an enclosure. On the morning of the 25th, gifts are opened.

To welcome the New Year, the tradition is to eat 12 grapes at 12 midnight following the 12 bells before the change of year. For each grape a wish is made. It is also customary to dress that day with something old, something new, something red and something borrowed, because it brings luck for the following year. The celebrations last until January 5th, the day of “La cabalgata de reyes” (The Three Kings Parade) which is a parade with several funny characters, crowned by the three wise men: Melchor (gold), Gaspar (myrrh) and Baltazar (incense). They are the ones who visit schools, bring most of the gifts and generate much more cheer than Santa Claus.

Cabalgata de Reyes. Source: TeleMadrid, 2022.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

My friend Reyes lives in this African country and she tells me that it is very hot at this time. Having been a Spanish colony, the influence of this culture on Christmas is great. There is a curious ritual for the New Year: people usually ring in the New Year by taking a swim in the sea! It is typical to spend the first day on the beach so that the water washes away the old and only brings in the new. It is also a family culture, where either dinner on the 24th or lunch on the 25th is spent with loved ones.

MEXICO

In my country we have “Las posadas”: pre-Christmas parties with co-workers, family and friends, where the most traditional rituals include: A song that simulates the journey of Mary and Joseph to find a place to spend the night, where the participants are divided into two groups to sing: those who ask for accommodation and those who grant it. A colorful star-shaped piñata with seven peaks, representing the seven deadly sins; a stick is used to break it and, when doing so, fruit falls out as a symbol of God’s grace. A pastorela, which is a theatrical representation of the arrival of baby Jesus and the battle between the devil and the angel, who dispute the path of the shepherds. Some typical foods are tamales (corn dough wrapped in a corn or banana leaf), fruit punch, and rosca de reyes (a circle of bread where plastic figurines in the shape of a child are hidden). The person who finds a figurine in their piece must buy the tamales for February 2nd, Día de la Candelaria. As for the end of the year, red (for passion) or yellow (to attract money) underwear is also used. Coins are also often exchanged or swept inside the house to attract prosperity.

Piñata. Source: El Sol de México, 2018.

Do you know any other Christmas traditions? What is your favorite one? Share it with us in the comments.

I’M GRADUATING SOON, HOW DO I FIND A JOB? Ft. Career Center Workshop

In recent weeks we have written several articles aimed at the new students welcomed this semester. However, we do not forget all those who are about to complete their time in the classrooms. If, like me, you are also just a hair away from completing the credit bar and the requirements for your degree, you are surely wondering HOW AND WHERE TO START the job search.

Fortunately, as students at Uni Bremen we have the support of the Career Center to grab our hand during this uncertain transition. Surely you have received their emails with invitations to workshops, seminars or counseling. I absolutely recommend you take advantage of the offer! I have personally found the Career Center Workshops very useful as a guide in my own job search process.

The Uni Counseling Team offers a limited number of personal appointments per semester (it is best to approach at the beginning of the semester), where you can ask for help with an application document check. But they also offer special workshops for students, graduates and academic assistants who want to apply for an internship or a job abroad, and for international students, graduates and research assistants looking for a job in Germany, both in German and English.

Not long ago I attended one of the two-day online courses (8 hours in total) where the basics of the Job Application Process – Documents, Procedures and Interviews were covered. Registration for the course was very simple, through StudIP. I was initially on the waiting list, but a few days before I got a spot and access credentials to the zoom meeting. The moderator, Julia Heber, has several years of experience as a Business Coach and Trainer with international certification. I found her input interesting, concrete and quite professional.

I could not reproduce the content of the course in this article, however, some topics covered were:

  • How to prepare and optimize the three basics properly:
  1. Application letter: state on one page your qualifications, values that you share with the company, career perspective, tick the relevant boxes. Create a new individual document for each application.
  2. CV: normally in a tabular format. Mostly identical but minimal changes needed depending on the job or company profile target.
  3. Certificates: relevant degrees, trainings, languages or skills. Those are mostly identical for all applications.
  • How to stay relevant and memorable when you write an application
  • How to use all advantages strategically (points of contact, previous research, existing network, channels, and qualifications)
  • Platforms, search engines, professional social networks, job fairs, and other places to find relevant jobs: Glassdoor, Akadeus, Indeed, Stepstone, Monster, LinkedIn, Xing
  • Different kinds of job interviews, what to expect, and how to prepare for each
  • Self-Introduction and Presentation
  • Difficult questions and strategies to answer
  • Specifics and tips for the German context

The workshop was a great start to organize my steps in the search, but also to have an overview of everything I can take care of and optimize for my benefit as a future applicant. The virtual presence of other colleagues who are entering the same phase made me feel accompanied and understood; I also learned from their doubts and experiences. Certainly, at one point I felt a little overwhelmed, but also excited about the possibilities once I leave university. It is clear to me that the intention of the Career Center is to help with information and training that I can use when the right opportunity comes, and it’s always good to be prepared.

In that sense, I wish you luck and clarity for your next steps! Do not hesitate to contact me if you have specific questions about this workshop. Of course, here is also the link to find more events like this if you are interested in the full content.

DINNER HOPPING: A DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE

Not long ago, invitation posters to participate in an unusual event circulated at the University.

You might remember this.

I knew the Dinner hopping dynamic as a walk through different restaurants or bars in the city, where one can taste (alone or with friends) several interesting dishes or drinks on the same night. However, I was surprised when I found out that Dinner Hopping Bremen does not go through specialized catering businesses, but through the homes of people! The participants in this event not only taste but also cook for others. In principle, the only requirements to participate are: having an available apartment, a kitchen, and space for six people to sit at the table. Rephrasing Remy’s favorite phrase: “Anyone can be a Dinnerhopper.”

I must admit that the concept sounded a bit strange to me at first: opening the doors of my house to strangers? Cooking without knowing if others will like my seasoning? What to cook even? Many questions and skepticism crossed my mind before exploring the proposal. So I just listened and decided to bring you testimonials from participants of the last Dinner hopping event in Bremen, who were delighted with the activity.

Dinner hopping is described as a culinary journey through three apartments in Bremen, followed by a party (after-show at the Lila Eule) in which all participants can meet. The dynamic, in short, is like this: You and your cooking partner prepare an assigned course in your apartment for you and two other teams. So there will be six of you dining. For the other two courses, you will be guests in two other apartments, where you will also meet the hosts and another team.

With the right mindset, you can get a lot out of this experience. To begin with, it has the advantage of offering its participants a full 3-course menu prepared with kindness and effort, and the opportunity to meet 12 new people —strangers willing to sit together and share food will most probably become friends by the end of the night. You also get the company of your amazing cooking partner and the randomness (surprise element) of it all. Basically, you know you’re going to eat, not knowing what, where, or who cooked it. In a world that is increasingly planned to the smallest detail and minute, it is nice to let life surprise us sometimes. Also, while on a traditional restaurant or bar tour you would end up shelling out around 20-30 euros, the ticket price for Dinner hopping Bremen is only 9 euros.

Dinnerhoppers Juan and Ricardo were kind to share the following about their latest experience:

The food

For appetizers, we were treated to a strawberry salad with balsamic, a special hummus, and an arugula salad with tomato and balsamic, accompanied by a warm baguette with olive oil. For the main dish, we were offered saffron rice and a delicious vegetarian stew with tofu and tomato. And we prepared a Carlota (lemon pie) for dessert. All the food was delicious, and homemade, with a beautiful presentation.

The company

Little by little we understood the dynamic and felt relaxed, the conversation was flowing more and more. We felt very comfortable; everyone came with a very good vibe. It was a varied group: young people, students and workers, of different nationalities. For most it was the first time dinner hopping. Later we got to know that a total of 72 persons participated in the event.

The time and distribution

We moved by tram, from near the University, to Schwachhausen and finally to the Viertel. Time went by very quickly, especially for the main course (where we only had 1.5 hours). We tried to be punctual and respect schedules, but also to be flexible if someone was late. Perhaps we would have liked to spend more time on the second course than on the appetizers (where we had 2 hours).

The best

The people, the friendliness of the interaction, and the conversation: The exchange. We had no expectations and everything was a pleasant surprise. We shared contacts with everyone we met that night and we’ve already made plans together, we’ve met a couple of times after the event, so friendships were born from there. We definitely want to participate again!

Dinnerhoppers enjoying the main course.

Happy vibes and a delicious dessert.

So now you know: Dinner hopping is the suggested activity for anyone craving a unique meal, something different. The next event is scheduled for 21.10.2023, 18h. All you have to do is register on www.dinner-hopping.de and let yourself be surprised.

Frau, Leben, Freiheit – Über die aktuelle Situation im Iran

Wer im September 2022 und in den darauffolgenden Monaten die Nachrichten mitverfolgt hat oder auch bloß in den sozialen Medien unterwegs war, an dem kann praktisch nicht vorbeigegangen sein, was sich zu dieser Zeit etwa 4.800 Kilometer von uns entfernt zunächst in der iranischen Hauptstadt Teheran und bald darauf im ganzen Land abspielte: Bilder und Videos von zahllosen Demonstranten die unter Sprechchören wie „Tod dem Diktator“ durch die Straßen ziehen, junge Frauen, die tanzend und unter dem Jubel der Menge ihre Hijabs verbrennen, aber auch Schüsse, die von Polizisten scheinbar wahllos in die aufschreienden Gruppen abgegeben werden und Verletzte, die davongetragen werden.

Der Auslöser: der Tod der 22-jährigen Jina Mahsa Amini, die am 13. September während eines Familienurlaubs in Teheran in der U-Bahn von sogenannten „Moralpolizisten“ festgenommen wurde; sie habe ihr Kopftuch nicht vorschriftsgemäß getragen.

Nur wenige Stunden nach ihrer Festnahme brach Amini auf der Polizeiwache bewusstlos zusammen und wurde in ein Krankenhaus eingeliefert, wo sie zwei Tage im Koma lag, bevor sie am 16. September offiziell für tot erklärt wurde. Mithäftlinge berichten, sie sei während des Transports und später auf der Wache immer wieder heftig geschlagen worden, unter anderem mit Polizeiknüppeln.

Auch die Untersuchungen im Krankhaus unterstützen diese Aussage; Amini habe ein Schädel-Hirn-Trauma erlitten, Bilder der Computertomographie zeigen einen Bruch des Schädels. Während die iranische Regierung einen gewaltsamen Tod dementierte und mal einen Herzinfarkt, mal einen Schlaganfall als Todesursache nannte, brodelten die ersten Proteste auf. Bald darauf breiteten sie sich im ganzen Land aus und lösten eine weltweite Welle der Solidarität aus.

Doch die Proteste blieben nicht unbeantwortet, die Polizei ging mit viel Härte und Gewalt gegen sie vor, hunderte Menschen starben in der Folge, darunter auch Kinder und Jugendliche. Die genaue Zahl der Todesopfer ist nicht bekannt, aufgrund der Verbote des Irans gegenüber genauen Ermittlungen wird von einer hohen Dunkelziffer ausgegangen. Zudem wird den Familien der Opfer häufig gedroht, sollten sie die offiziellen Begründungen nicht unterstützen. So auch im Falle Sarina Esmailzadehs: Mit nur 16 Jahren wurde sie am Tag ihrer Teilnahme an den Protesten in der Stadt Karadsch durch Knüppelschläge erschlagen; die Familie durfte sie nur unter der Bedingung bestatten, den Sarg nicht zu öffnen. Die Angabe des Regimes, Sarina habe Suizid begangen, musste die Familie unter Morddrohungen bestätigen.

Ein ähnlicher Fall betrifft Milad Ostad-Hashem – der 37-jährige Vater wurde auf dem Weg zu einem Protest von hinten erschossen. Seiner Familie wurde mit der Ermordung seiner achtjährigen Tochter gedroht, sollte sie die offizielle Erklärung, er sei von den Demonstranten erschossen worden seien, nicht bestätigen.

Bald folgten auf die Toten bei den Protesten auch die ersten Tötungen festgenommener Demonstranten – häufig handelt es sich um öffentliche Hinrichtungen nach Schauprozessen ohne tatsächlichen Rechtsstreit. Unter Folter und Drohungen erzwungene „Geständnisse“ dienen nicht selten als Grundlage für das Todesurteil. Dieser Versuch der Einschüchterung zeigte ihren Effekt; die Proteste ebbten an, bald schon war die Angst vor den Konsequenzen schlicht zu groß.

So dauerte es auch hierzulande nicht lange, dass es sich ähnlich verhielt, wie bei dem meisten Katastrophen, die sich ereignen: nach einem ersten Schub der Empörung flachte das Interesse an der Situation im Iran ab und die Not der Menschen dort geriet in Vergessenheit. Für die Bürger*innen im Iran ist sie jedoch noch immer allzu präsent. Immer wieder kommt es zu Hinrichtungen und Gewalt gegenüber Zivilisten, darüber hinaus über Monate hinweg immer wieder zu Giftanschlägen auf zahlreiche Schülerinnen verschiedener Mädchenschulen. Die Täter sind bis heute unbekannt, die Regierung beschuldigt Mitglieder einer oppositionellen Gruppierung, einige Einwohner Irans vermuten jedoch eine Beteiligung des Regimes selbst.

Darüber berichtete das Team des ZDF Magazin Royale um den Moderator Jan Böhmermann nach eine investigativjournalistischen Recherche Anfang März 2023, das Regime Irans mache auch international nicht vor Spionage und Verfolgung von beispielsweise irankritischen Jounalisten und Journalistinnen oder auch Teilnehmenden auf Solidaritätsdemonstrationen halt.

Doch obwohl es von Außen nicht so wirkt, haben die Proteste innerhalb Irans nicht aufgehört. Während die Straßen nun zwar größtenteils leer bleiben, hat sich der Widerstand ins Internet verlagert. Es finden sich Tanzvideos junger Mädchen (Tanzen in der Öffentlichkeit ist im Iran verboten), Videos, in denen Frauen sich aus Protest die Haare abschneiden, Gedichte über die Ungerechtigkeit in ihrem Land vortragen oder zu bekannten Protestsongs mitsingen. Doch auch dieser Internetauftritt ist gefährlich, der Druck auf die Bevölkerung ist groß; wer sich öffentlich gegen das Regime stellt, wird bestraft.

So auch der iranische Musiker Shervin Hajipour, der am 28. September 2022 seinen Song „Baraye“ im Internet veröffentlichte. Der Text besteht aus Tweets, die während der Proteste gepostet wurden. Doch nur wenige Tage nach der Veröffentlichung wurde Hajipour verhaftet, kam einige Tage darauf auf Kaution frei. Kurz darauf distanzierte sich der Sänger auf Instagram von seinem eigenen Song und der Bewegung, erklärte, er wolle nicht, dass sein Song für politische Zwecke „missbraucht“ werde. Doch dieser offensichtlich von der Regierung erzwungene Versuch, die Verbreitung des Songs zu stoppen, kam zu spät – unzählige Male gecovert, in verschiedene Sprachen übersetzt, durch weitere Zeilen ergänzt und bei Demonstrationen gesungen wurde die Ballade in kürzester Zeit zur Hymne der iranischen Protestbewegung. „Zan, Zendegi, Āzādi“, heißt es in der letzten Zeile des Lieds auf Persisch.

Besonders in der kurdischen Version („Jin, Jiyan, Azadî“) wurde dieser aus dem 20. Jahrhundert stammende Slogan zum Motto der Iranischen Protestbewegung:

Frau, Leben, Freiheit.

Der Kampf für Menschenrechte im Iran ist also noch längst nicht vorbei. Und gerade jetzt, in einer Zeit, in der die Bürger*innen des Landes durch Verbreitung von Angst und Gewalt von Seiten des Regimes in Schach gehalten werden sollen, braucht es internationale Unterstützung. Doch wie kann geholfen werden? Besonders ein Aspekt ist hierbei von großer Bedeutung und wird häufig unterschätzt; Online-Proteste sind gerade in diesem Fall sehr wichtig. Durch die rigorose Zensur und Arbeistverbote für Journalisten und Journalistinnen durch die Regierung dringen nur wenige Informationen über die Situation im Iran an die Außenwelt durch. Iraner*innen sind also angewiesen auf die Verbreitung von Protestvideos mithilfe von uns allen. So wird nicht nur Solidarität bekundet und Kraft zum Weiterkämpfen verliehen, sondern es wird dabei geholfen, wichtige Informationen über die aktuelle Lage nach außen zu tragen und die Regierung des Irans so an einer Abschottung und einer Verschleierung der Menschenrechtsverletzungen zu hindern.

Auch entsprechende Hashtags wie #jinaamini, #mahsaamini, #iranprotests oder #jinjiyanazadî unter Bildern und Videos können dabei helfen, die Inhalte effektiv zu verbreiten.

Wenn du spenden möchtest, kannst du dich an einige seriöse Organisationen wenden, die vor Ort humanitäre Hilfe leisten, zum Beispiel „Ärzte ohne Grenzen“ oder die „UNO Flüchtlingshilfe“.

Doch auch das Unterschreiben von Petitionen, wie dieser von Amnesty International, die die Freilassung mehrerer zum Toder verurteilter Inhaftierter fordert, kann helfen. Hierbei ist wichtig zu beachten, dass Personen mit persönlichen Verbindungen zum Iran sich die Teilnahme sorgfältig überlegen sollten, da die angegebenen persönlichen Daten mit dem offenen Brief an die iranische Regierung weitergeleitet werden.

In jedem Fall gilt: Jede Hilfe zählt. Die Veränderung, die sich im Iran zeigt, ist noch nicht vorbei und wir können und müssen die furchtlosen Menschen unterstützen, die im Iran ihr Leben aufs Spiel setzen, um eine Freiheit zu erkämpfen, die für uns allzu oft viel zu selbstverständlich wirkt.

 

IMPOSTOR FEELINGS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM

Last week I attended a talk organized by the university within the framework of the Vereinbarkeitswoche (2023). The theme was related to the bridges between gender and internationalization in the academy. Something special caught my attention: most of the talk attendees reported having impostor feelings on more than one occasion, either during their time at the university or when they began their scientific careers.

The topic is doubly interesting since we are in the European Mental Health Awareness month (small commercial: if you are interested in this topic, do not miss our following articles)…but also because these feelings have crossed my mind several times. For instance, when I started my first job in Germany I felt that getting my position was more a stroke of luck than a logical consequence of my preparation and my effort. Like some of the conference attendees, I felt that I wasn’t good or capable enough, that someone had taken pity on me and ignored my language deficiencies. I doubted myself so much that I didn’t believe what was happening to me was true.

After the experiences related in this conference I realized that I was not the only one with those thoughts. A colleague recalled that someone even dared to tell her once that she had gotten her job only because she was “pretty” and the professor in charge probably liked that, so the impostor feelings came. Here I would like to highlight two points:

  1. The impostor is more common than we think: it has been studied that 70-82% of people face this phenomenon (Bravata, D.M. et al., Journal of General Internal Medicine, vol. 35, no. 4 , 2020). However, most of those who experience it prefer not to talk about it, which is why it has not yet been given the importance it deserves in many academic spaces.
  2. The blame of impostor feelings (and the responsibility to do something about it) is not on individuals only, but on the historical and cultural contexts that propel its existence on the first place. The impostor phenomenon is especially prominent among people with underrepresented identities.

The concept (“impostor syndrome”) was originally developed by the psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in a 1978 study, which focused on high-achieving women. It was defined as doubting ones abilities and feeling like a fraud. However, impostor “phenomenon” or “experience” are more adequate terms for it, since the word “syndrome” normally refers to a clinical diagnosis. The most common feelings related to the impostor include a degree of anxiety, second-guessing, struggling with the sense that one hasn’t earned what is achieved, and the sense that one doesn’t belong.

 

10 WAYS TO DEAL WITH THOSE IMPOSTOR FEELINGS

At the personal level:

  1. Let go of perfection. Acknowledge that you don’t know everything (no one does) and instead be open to new learning opportunities. Focus on progress.
  2. Recognize and celebrate your abilities and achievements. If possible, write them down…own them. Go to that list whenever you start doubting yourself, use it as evidence.
  3. Pay attention when someone congratulates you and reflect on even your small successes. For example, print an email with positive feedback and have it near your desk for when you need an external reminder.
  4. Also welcome your mistakes (everyone has them). They don’t stop you nor define you.
  5. Never take yourself prematurely out of an opportunity because of fear to failure. You’ll never know what could have been if you don’t try. Remember you’re not judging.

At the collective level:

  1. Make sure that everyone is represented: hire and promote people with underrepresented identities too. Only white or male leadership can leave marginalized individuals feeling like they don’t deserve their place.
  2. Talk supportively to a friend or colleague that minimizes their accomplishments. Apply the same supportive language to your own narration. We’re stronger together.
  3. When working in teams, credit everyone for their own work, express thanks, and highlight what others contributed as well.
  4. Open spaces to share impostor feelings and experiences. Connect in empowering communities that can provide validation and empathy. That may be easier with people from similar backgrounds. Hear the impostor stories of respected mentors and role models…they have them too (Leaders who have struggled with impostor syndrome).
  5. Be compassionate. Our procedures should pursue community over competition.

This project in the university is trying to address the struggles of impostor and related feelings in the academic environment, and also connect women of color in science: Training und Beratung/BIG.

Before ending this article here’s an important reminder:

Let’s talk about different family dynamics

Warning: This note is more a personal reflection than an investigation.

This semester break I was fortunate to welcome my parents for the first time in Bremen. They traveled from Mexico to Europe specifically to visit me and spend some time together. They stayed for a month. In that month we hardly separated at all: I took them to meet my friends and made them sit next to me while I worked. We traveled a lot, we talked daily, and we always ate at the same table. There were no private spaces and we felt so close. That seems normal to me. Before I moved to Germany it was always like that.

When they went back I was left missing them so much, despite the fact that I have lived away from the family house for more than a decade. I remembered the family dynamics I had before coming to study at Uni Bremen. It even took me some days to adapt again to my routine as a very independent and self-sufficient foreign student (wink). I realized that I missed my mom’s cooking, and how my dad can’t sleep —regardless of the late hour— until I get home safe and sound from a party (which at some points was kind of annoying, I must recognize). I missed all their attentions and their many opinions, but above all I missed what I call the “Mexican muégano feeling”: knowing that all the activities, meetings and decisions will be made together, with such total integration that any pre-existing trait of individuality practically disappears.

This is how a muégano looks like. Source: https://brokebankvegan.com/mueganos/ (2023).

Recounting the best moments of this time, I shared my feeling with two friends from different cultures. Their impressions were very different and that motivated me to reflect on the family dynamics in our stage of university life and on the importance (or not) of the role we assign to them. My Pakistani friend perfectly understood the muégano sentiment. He told me that in his culture, generally, family is the most important thing: family is the people who are not only part of his decisions, but also sometimes make them. His parents are his compass, figures of respect, stuffed teddy bear models whom he must (want to) love above all and fill with the cotton of pride. For him, his family is the greatest motivation to successfully complete his university career abroad. In Mexico it is (or at least was) common to hear similar versions.

On the other hand, my German buddy has a very different perception of family. His has a much more diffuse role, and his incredulous reaction upon hearing me was impressive. He didn’t understand how I managed to spend a whole month with my parents without overloading myself, without needing a time and space for me. Then I began to understand why that seemed so impossible for him, extravagant. Our life histories or family models are clearly not generalizable, but they do show a number of differences that in a certain sense I consider cultural and extrapolable, as well as interesting:

  1. I never questioned the hosting situation. From the beginning it was clear to me that my parents and I would sleep in the same room during their entire stay because we are used to sharing a space. In Mexico, the age to leave the nest is much higher than in Germany. As I understand it, most German students leave the family home around university time. This is why the Studentenwohnheim concept is so well received. Here, the idea of becoming independent and living alone is extremely important.
  2. I also did not question the idea of needing privacy. In Mexico many houses work with the open door policy. I don’t know if it’s my perception, but houses usually have fewer divisions and more open spaces, fewer rooms, and also fewer doors. What each person in the family is doing is transparent at all times, even to people our age. Not to mention locking yourself in your room with a partner, that would be shocking for many families.
  3. During the holidays, in addition to my parents‘, I felt the constant presence of my sister, aunts and cousins. It seems to me that families tend to be more numerous and compact in other countries, even with members outside the basic nucleus. For example, grandparents and grandchildren often live in the same house. The elements of a German family seem to me a bit more scattered and independent.
  4. Finally, I realize that at this stage I still involve my parents in most of the personal, educational and love decisions I make… I value their opinion very much (they ALWAYS have opinions) and they know more about what happens to me than even some of my friends. According to the statistics compiled by the World Values Survey (2023), society in Germany tends to give more importance to friendships (the family one chooses) or to WG flatmates (for some second families), than to the blood family.

I would like to know what you, dear readers, think about this. What role does your family have in your university life? In what way do your parents participate in this stage? Are they mere providers, or advisers and confidants? How does their presence feel? Do not stop exchanging your experiences and perceptions with us.