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Meat is a large part of the German diet as well as a staple at any festival. Within the timeframe that we have been in Germany, our host mother has had several grill parties. The time and social aspect surrounding food is impossible to go without noticing. Each meal is an event and demonstrates the "social organization" associated with conversation around a dinner table or grill for that matter. The "time" value of a meal is also relatively high, in that people do not simply eat for nourishment. Meals are a time to join together as people in relationship and enjoy human interaction.

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Street art is an ever-present element of Berlin's culture along with many other cities in Germany. It offers an outlet of expression and connection with the public from an anonymous artist. This photograph below is from an African Beach Club named "Yaam", but it shows the time and effort that is invested in creating such works of art. Elements of "language", "social organization", and "authority are all present here. Many languages and pictures without language are present in the underground street art scene. It provides an outlet for political activism as well as other social movements. Due to the fact that this is illegal, the element of authority here, or rather the objection to authority, shows a lot about the attitude that is present toward police and other authority figures in Germany.

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This photograph from the Wittenberg Tierpark shows some Meerkats sleeping. This is a very popular exhibit at the local zoo. Interestingly, this zoo is free, but many people still invest their own "time" in going to see this foreign creatures that are not in the local "environment". The value placed on exploring nature even when travel is not possible is very interesting, but by no means limited to Germany.

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Upon speaking with a German family, it is evident that politics are much more prevalent in polite conversation that they are in the United States. This picture comes from the top of the Reichstag building in Berlin, which also boasts a glass ceiling to symbolize the importance of governmental transparency in Germany. This value of transparency is a clear form of both "social organization" in that they value open communication with government officials and "authority" in that these government officials are very much part of the normal populace, and not individuals put on a pedestal.

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This venue in the picture below is where our "Oma" had her 80th birthday party and where our guest mother is having her birthday in October. Interestingly, it is a building from the Third Reich that has been repurposed for banquets and parties. The "social organization" in Germany truly does seem to revolve around large celebrations from festivals to birthdays. Our guest mother is quite excited about her party and already has begun the purchasing libations for October.

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This view from Konigstein outside of Dresden shows the castle walls that have stood for over half of a century. Tourists and locals alike visit places like this in Germany to learn about history and enjoy natural beauty. Clearly "environment" is the most prevalent element in this photograph. Ecotourism and spending time in nature are very popular from the aforementioned gardens to sights such as this one. Natural beauty is much appreciated in German culture. Our guest mother loves spending time outdoors and has spent many vacations traveling to beaches and mountains that boast beautiful natural beauty.

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Religion, particularly Christianity, remains as a significant presence in Germany. Even those who do not actively practice often visit the beautiful Cathedrals in Germany. The massive churches throughout Europe, and especially Germany, carry a certain element of "social organization" as these buildings show the time, money, and sweat equity that has been invested into Religion over the centuries.

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In both the United States and in Germany, many people play sports to have fun and keep in shape. Fussball (Soccer) is much more prevalent in Europe as a past time than it is in the US. People of all ages engage in both playing and watching this sport. It is a "religion" if you will, as American Football is in college towns in the US. "Time", "Social Organization", and "Environment" are all present when discussing German Football. The entire country comes together around this sport and it truly establishes elements of social order, time management, and spacial allocation. When speaking with our host family, there was no question that football dictates television schedules and quite a large sum of financial allocation

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Our host-father collected many postcards over the course of his life. Similar hobbies are fairly popular in the United States. This shows the importance of history, culture, and remembrance for Germans. This example mostly emphasizes that Germans have different hobbies that are part of their free time. The LESCANT category of "time" is definitely present here as people ensure that they dedicate time and energy to their hobbies that collectively create

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Upon arriving at our host families' home, it became immediately apparent that a love of gardening and enjoying the outdoors was at the center of German culture. From flowers to fruits, these gardens provide the German people with a close connection to nature that is highly revered. Much "time" is invested in these Gardens and the "enviroment" element is very much present as the Germans love to spend time in nature via these gardens. Our guest mother said that gardens are quickly becoming a thing of the past, however, as young people do not have the same passion for gardening that her generation does.

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Walking through the streets of any German city, it is nearly impossible to miss some semblance of political activism. After years of oppression under fascist and then communist regimes, the German people have said enough is enough. Signs, sticks, and art resembling the image below are notable on every street in Germany. The element of political activism plays a major role in modern German society and culture. The "language" element in this sticker are striking to me in that the creator decided to use English. This may be so that the propaganda can reach a younger audience that has learned English in school.

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Concerts, Operas, and other such musical events are very popular in Germany. During Stadtfest, we all attended a concert with German celebrity "Captain Jack" who was quite the cultural experience. We had quite a bit of fun with the Wittenberg locals and those who traveled from around the world for the event. This event had a heavy basis in the "language" category as Captain Jack is an American singer who capitalizes on oldies hits from the United States. It was very interesting to see how successful someone could be singing American throwback music in Germany.

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From June 10-12, Lutherstadt Wittenberg hosted an enormous festival to celebrate Martin Luther's Wedding. The German people take pride in their dedication to culture and history, which is extraordinarily apparent through the festivals in which they invest so much time. This photograph clearly emphasizes the "social organization" in German culture through the amount of time and energy that is allocated towards festivals in German free time. Its feasible to say that this is another example of "time" in that much effort is put into the production of such festivals in Germany. Our host mother said that festivals truly are very important in Germany.

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The Elbe River runs through much of Eastern Germany and provides many towns with a beautiful resources. Locals often boat, fish, swim and engage in other activities on this river along with several others. This picture of the Elbe river accentuates the element of "environment" that surrounds German outdoor activities. Beautifully preserved pieces of nature are highly prized in Germany for the citizens to enjoy time outdoors as well to encourage the protection of natural resources.

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Above is the Ferropolis coal mine that our host mother so graciously took us to. This "City of Steel", as it has been deemed, serves as the final resting site for the enormous coal mining machines that powered East Germany for over half of a century. Now used as a concert venue, museum and outdoor recreational center, Ferropolis provides a place for Germans to enjoy their free time. The sheer size of these machines is an element of "environment" that reflects the power and presence of the DDR in the daily life of the Ostdeutschen. The free time activities that take place here could be classified under the category of "time" due to the time investment put into discovering history and enjoying concerts.