so Ninwa, your problems with languages @ monash mostly come down to how the cultural component is taught, and that it's compulsory?
what are the language units like? do you cover the grammar etc in good time?
I'm hoping to take languages at monash next year so your warning has really got my attention.
afaik, melbourne has a compulsory culture component when you do a language major, eg.
https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/view/2010/!B-ARTS-MAJ+1017and from speaking to a few people taking german subjects there, there is an element of literary analysis. Not something i'm looking forward to either, but if it's only two units out of 24, then it's not too bad.
what proportion of your major at monash is taken up with these culture subjects?