Added: 01/22/2006 |
True Deutsch revelry and 'Gemutlichkeit'Situated in the heart of Europe and bordering nine other countries, Germany provides an ideal gateway to any tour of the subcontinent. Its land, Deutsch land, is wide and varied with turreted castles nestled below snow-capped mountains, lush river valleys, dark and mysterious forests and bustling medieval villages. This is the land of fairy tales, where farmland minstrels headed to Bremen to become musicians, where Sleeping Beauty was woken and Little Red Riding Hood ventured into the woods.
German cities each have something unique to offer the visitor. Each year millions of liters of beer are consumed in Munich during the city's Oktoberfest, where locals and visitors discover true Deutsch revelry and 'Gemutlichkeit' (a word the locals use to describe a comfortable, sociable environment). Berlin, while still recovering from some of the scars of division, contains many sights from the iconic Brandenburg Gate, to the path of the old Berlin Wall.
German Embassy is representation of the country in the United States. The Ambassador and the Foreign Service officers maintain contacts with their US counterparts in the State Department and in other federal departments and public institutions. They also establish relationships with private institutions, organizations and individuals with connections to or interest in Germany.
German Embassy is also home to a Consulate, one of eight in the US, which provides visa services for those who would like to travel to Germany and a range of services for German citizens. The Ambassador is supported in his role by the Deputy Chief of Mission and by the Foreign service officers in the Embassy's departments. They analyze US policies and politics and send reports to Berlin to keep the German government and Deutsch people informed about the US Administration's plans and initiatives.
US citizens in possession of a valid US passport do not need a visa for airport transit, tourist or business trips (for stays up to 90 days). The passport must not expire before the end of the scheduled trip. The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that allows the holder to travel freely within the borders of all.
Open-minded, modern and tolerant - these are the hallmarks of German society at the beginning of the 21st century. For the vast majority of Deutsch people, the family still forms the nucleus of their lives, yet the forms people choose for living together have become far more numerous. Supported by consistent measures by the state to ensure equality, there has been a change in the interpretation of the roles men and women play. An increasing number of Deutsch couples are now sharing domestic chores and the task of bringing up children, who are regarded as the parents' partners. Violence as part of bringing up children is despised, whereas peaceful co-existence with people from other countries and cultures has become part of everyday life. Around nine percent of the population is foreign. In every sixth marriage, one of the partners has a foreign passport.
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