United Germany not all rosy

By Lea Goy, Forty-Niner Online
Sept. 18, 1995

Paul M. Lewis, director of the Center for International Education, welcomed a room full of students, staff and faculty in the Multicultural Center Wednesday, where the center hosted its first International Brown Bag Lunch presentation.

The topic of discussion was "Beyond Bonn and Berlin: The New Unified Germany" presented by Cecilia Fidora, study abroad coordinator for the center at Cal State Long Beach.

Fidora was one of 25 international education administrators who were invited by the German government to learn about the higher education system in Germany. Last spring she received a Fulbright scholarship which allowed her to spend five weeks there.

While in Germany, Fidora said she visited about 25 universities.

At the one-hour presentation, audiences were treated to drinks and desserts followed by a 10-minute slide show accompanied by classical German music.

Fidora spoke about the challenges, disappointments and betrayal the German people felt after the renunciation of Germany. She also focused on the freedom and hope that German people feel as well.

"How do you put back together a country that was cut down in the middle for 40 years?" Fidora asked. "And now all of a sudden the West and the East have to get along. It's not easy."

Other topics included primary and secondary education, higher education, scholarships and exchange opportunities available in Germany.

There are about 8,000 German students who are in the United States and only 4,000 Americans who are studying in Germany, Fidora said. She attributed the difference to language barriers, among other things.

Marion Winterholler, a graduate student in social work, was also featured at the lunch meeting. Winterholler is a Fulbright exchange student from Berlin and is attending CSULB for nine months.

The International Brown Bag Lunch was started in 1993 by Paul Lewis and is designed to bring together people who have international interests. It is an informal meeting were audiences and presenters interact with one another.

"America is very isolated," said Allison Murray, an English graduate student. "These type of presentations give people a more global perspective."

The next International Brown Lunch topic in October will deal with the Fourth U.N. World Conference on Women held in China earlier this month. The presenter will be Sherna Gluck, from the history and oral history program. She is currently in Beijing, China.