Karl

 **__ BIOGRAPHICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE __** Karl Hienzen was born in Bavaria, Germany. He was born on December 15, 1967. He grew up in Cham, a city in Bavaria. The town was very compact and most things necessary was within 5 minutes walking distance. He grew up while Germany was going through an economic boom, but then in the seventy’s, the oil crisis and an economic turn for the worst. Later in life he met Debbie, whom he proceeded to date and eventually marry. They had one child named Lucas. This is when they moved to America. On October 23, 2002 they landed in Atlanta, Georgia and proceeded to move into a house in Ohio. There Karl got a job at Dayton University Arena and eventually switched to a job at Behr Dayton Thermal Products. He visits Germany to see his family on occasion and still lives in Ohio today.


 * __Interview Transcription__**

Chris: So you are from Germany correct? Karl: Yes. Chris: what was the weather like in Germany? We’ve had a lot of snow here recently so what is the weather like in Germany? Karl: There are different weather zones in Germany just like here in the U.S. Were I’m from, is the southern part of Germany which is Bavaria and the weather in Bavaria is quite similar to the weather in Michigan. Chris: so it’s cold and snowy? Karl: There is snow and cold in the winter and it also gets nice and warm in the summer, just like in Michigan. Maybe not as warm as here in Ohio overall throughout the year but all there’s all four seasons, let me put it that way. Chris: What brought you to the U.S, why did you come here? Did you come here by choice or did your parents bring you? Karl: No, I came here by choice, I came with my family, because Debbie (aunt) lived in Germany for several years and she wanted to be closer to her family again so we decided to move. Chris: So Debbie came and lived with you in Germany and then you both moved back to Ohio. Karl: Yes Chris: So, other than Debbie and your son, no one else came with you, none of your family? Karl: My immediate family from Germany, no. Just my wife, my son, and me. Chris: So, how did you come to the U.S? Did you fly by plane, take a boat… Karl: Yep, I flew by plane. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So the trip wasn’t as bad as earlier in the years for some immigrants taking boats and those were pretty bad… <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Nope, we flew in by plane and landed in… Atlanta, actually. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Atlanta, Georgia? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yep <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So did you go to Michigan and live there for a while? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: No, we moved directly to Ohio actually. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: What was something in the U.S that you don’t have, that you miss from Germany? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: What I miss from Germany is a lot of the foods, especially bread and different sausages, and the beer. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Well what is your favorite U.S food? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: oh… I don’t know I like a good burger. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Like hamburgers? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yea, like a real burger not a McDonalds burger, a real, good burger. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Okay, so what was your favorite Germany food? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Anything my mom made. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: your mom was a good cook? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yea. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: What is one thing better in the U.S than it was in Germany? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: The biggest difference between Germany and the U.S is that there is space, a lot of space <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: More space… so was it more compact in Germany then? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes, Germany fits in Texas two and a half times and 85 million people live in Germany so compared to the U.S, there isn’t much space that isn’t utilized in Germany, either forestry, or agriculture, or industrial, or living space. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Well if it’s so compact in Germany does that affect your daily life? What would be a typical day in Germany? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: The biggest difference in Germany is when we get up in the morning; we get ready and walked across the street to the bakery and got breakfast. Then after you had breakfast, you go to work, come back, stop at the grocery store and the butcher and got dinner, because everything was within like 5 minutes walking distance form the house. You can get your food fresh every day, and you don’t have to go shopping once a week for the whole week or for the whole month, you go shopping at least daily, at least once, if not twice. That’s the biggest difference. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So that’s just HOW compact Germany is? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes, the last place we lived at in Germany, we had everything we needed to live, including bank, post office, gas station, bar, grocery store, baker, butcher anything within five minutes walking distance. Another big difference concerning that is public transport in Germany. There are buses, trains, subways, not in the smaller cities but in bigger cities and the public transport in Germany is a lot more effective, reliable, much more, utilized than it is in the U.S. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Is it because the people are so close together they can just use more public transport? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yep <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So did you know English at all in Germany? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So you knew English when you came here? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes, I started learning English in the 5th grade, its mandatory. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So you had no problem when you came to the U.S, speaking English? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Nope, because I learned it in school plus, because of being in the military and being stationed around Americans in the naval headquarters I had to utilize the English language for 10 years prior to coming here so language was not a problem. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So, speaking of language, can you teach me some of your language? I know some of the numbers but I don’t know some basics <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Ok, for example if you want to say… “Hi” for instance you can say “gutantag”. Which means, hi or good day. Or if you want to say bye to somebody you say Auf Wiedersehen. Which translated means to see you again. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: You said you were from Bavaria right? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Isn’t that language not written but only spoken? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes it’s a dialect, a very heavy dialect, with its own grammar rules, different wording. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So when you came to America were you ever discriminated against for being German? Did anyone ever make fun of you or something? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: That happens every once in a while, I don’t want to call it discrimination, but being made fun of because of that. Asked maybe somewhat uncomfortable questions because of where you’re from and the country’s history, yes that happens but it’s not a big deal. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So, backing up a bit, I didn’t ask the date you were born. Could you tell me that? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: December 15, 1967 <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: You said you lived in Bavaria? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: What city did you live in? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: That was the city of Cham. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: When you came to America did you get a job immediately or did you look for a while, and then get a job? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: It took about three months to get a job, four months to be exact. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Where did you get a job at? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: At the University of Dayton Arena. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Are you still working there? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: No, I work at Behr Dayton Thermal Products <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: You said you were born in 1967, what was going on during that time period in your country? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: There was an economic boom, then in the 70’s it turned into an oil crisis, and somewhat of an economic downturn. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Did you meet your wife in Germany? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: So you dated in Germany, got married and had your son? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Then you came to the U.S. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: Yes. <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: Do you specifically remember what date you came to the U.S? <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: October 23, 2002 <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Chris: All right, thank you for your time! <span style="color: black; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl: No problem, any time!

<span style="display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: center;"> **//__ ANALYSIS __//**

<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tabstops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;">Karl Hienzen relates to the overall experience of immigrants because he came to America because his wife wanted to be closer to her family. He flew in on a plane, so compared to earlier immigrants he had the trip here go quite well. He also relates to some immigrants in the fact that he came here by choice he was not brought with his parents to the U.S. But a lot of immigrants sent only one person to America to earn the family more money, but Karl came with his new family, his wife and so, and settled in Ohio and got a job here.

**__<span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">CREATIVE WRITING PIECE __**<span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">Karlhienz Karlhienz was born in the city of Cham in Bavaria, Germany. He grew up in Pahtersdorf and joined the German Air Force. Karl works at Behr Dayton Thermal Products. He and his family currently live in Centerville, Ohio. <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">What Life was like b y Chris Krafft

Sometimes life is so simple you can describe it, and sometimes, it’s so complex that you could get tangled in the web of events that happened in just one short day. I live, thankfully, a simple life. I wake up in the morning cold in the winter, hot in the summer, just right in between those two. I get dressed and head out the door to go to work. I walk a short ways to the baker to grab a warm slice of bread. Then I stop at the butcher for a sausage and sit down to enjoy my breakfast. After breakfast and another short walk, I arrive at the bank where I pick up money for tonight’s dinner, then go to sit at the bus stop. As I ride in the bus I have an epiphany. Public transport is so much more utilized here than I heard it is in the U.S.A. After a short ride, I arrive at Ramstein Air Force Base. I go through the doors and head into work. Before I know it, I’m back on the bus heading back to the bank. I stop by the baker for a few loaves of bread, the butcher for some salami and sausages and the grocer for beer and vegetables. I head home. When I get to the door, my mom greets me and helps me carry in the groceries. We socialize a bit and then we cook dinner. After the delicious meal, complimented by ice cold beer, we watch a little TV to unwind then it’s off to bed. Not necessarily tired, I doze off eventually. As you can tell, my life wasn’t all that complicated, but that was before I came to the U.S. Although it’s still not extremely complicated it is harder than it was in Germany. The grocery store is a fifteen minute drive instead of a five minute walk. You don’t have what you need close to your house anymore. Everything is a pretty long drive compared to Germany. But that, is just what life is like.