OPINION: Germany, center of eurozone crisis
The name is Justin Hinh. You may remember me from my political commentaries and rants two years ago in the Statesman opinion section. I describe myself as an Asian atheist who just also happens to have a slightly unhealthy obsession with politics.
For some reason, I’ve decided to abandon Utah and head over to Germany for a year-long study abroad. I just arrived in Freiburg to visit a friend, and I’m going to be honest – I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.
To be more specific, I’m in a country I’ve never been to, on a continent I’ve never visited, interacting with people whose language I don’t know, all to study an economic crisis that could engulf the entire world any day now.
So basically I’m winging it for the next 12 months.
To keep myself sane – as well as padding my resume – I’ll be writing about my experiences abroad. Over the course of the year, I’ll be talking about a wide range of topics. One of which I’ll go into much depth is the eurozone crisis.
The eurozone is an economic and monetary union consisting of 17 European Union countries. The greatest accomplishment of the eurozone was the adoption of a single currency, the euro.
A few years ago, the Union began unraveling as some countries defaulted because of excessive spending and debt. Since everyone was tied to the same currency, if a country went bankrupt then everyone working with euros could be affected negatively.
Germany has been the leader in managing this crisis. The country has pumped in hundreds of billions of euros in attempts to save the eurozone.
This crisis will be the focus of my research during my stay here. In due time I’ll explain further why this crisis occurred, what is going on, and what ramifications we Americans should expect if indeed things do hit the fan.
Aside from the potential for a global economic catastrophe, I’ll also be examining German and European culture. Did you know German supermarkets don’t refrigerate their eggs and you have to deposit money to use a shopping cart?
The main goal of this column, however, is to establish an open forum for Utah State students. You all have the opportunity to ask questions about what you would like to know about Germany. Ask anything to your heart’s content.
I’ve only been here for two days and I’ve already noticed a stark similarity between the Germans I’ve met and the Americans I know back home. The German people here are very welcoming and warm. When I struggle to explain my thoughts in German, they are very patient and understanding.
I’m currently staying at a friend’s apartment in Freiburg and she has been extremely accommodating. Even though she’s living in a small one-room apartment, she still offered me a place to stay. She introduced me to her friends and they have been equally warm. The generosity I’ve seen here reminds me very much of Logan.
Differences do exist, however. The people in Germany view the role of government much more favorably than us Americans. They’ve accepted much higher taxes in order to help fund many public projects. Most goods have a 19 percent tax attached and the rich pay significantly more in taxes. Comparably, we Americans hate taxes. We’ve even have political movements like the Tea Party to fight any government involvement in the economy.
Many Germans benefit from this progressive style of government. German college students are only expected to pay €300 – about $390 – a semester for schooling. Imagine my surprise when I heard many students still demand lower tuition.
Many adventures are to be had over the next year. I hope you join me as I navigate as a stranger through this strange land.
Auf Wiedersehen!
– Justin Hinh is a senior majoring in political science and economics. He was previously the president of USU Students for Liberty. He is now on a year-long study abroad in Ingolstadt, Germany. If you have any questions or comments, please email him at justintsn10@gmail.com.