What I love--not so much--about Germany. Here's goes:
1. Anyone like showering in the dark?
If you're ever in Germany, and happen to be in an older house or building, you will notice that the light switches to the bathroom are OUTSIDE of the bathroom itself. This makes it all too easy for anyone with a sense of humor (or lack of one perhaps) to come by and turn the light off while you're still in there. I don't know who came up with the idea, but it's not a very bright one.
2. Deutsche Bahn
Ask any German here and they're likely to give you a lengthy answer to what they love "not so much" about DB. While the trains are reliable say, 90% of the time (in my experience), it is absolutely possible for the entire national railway network to be shut down, just like that.
3. Goin' green (but not green enough)...
Germans really care about the environment and the goin' green movement--which is great and fantastic, and I give them props for it--HOWEVER, I only wish that they cared a little bit more about adding some green stuff to their plates. I find that eating fresh fruits and vegetables are a rarity amongst the Germans I've encountered. With the exception of sauerkraut and paprika flavored everything (germans love pepper flavored chips)--broccoli and all his friends are few and far between.
4. "No, its not possible."
I don't know why this is, but for Germans a lot of things are just "not possible". Maybe its the way they translate this from German into English but I've never heard this phrase so often in my life as I have this year. I wouldn't call Germans negative nor a "glass half empty" kinda people, rather the type of people that would say, "The glass isn't half empty, there isn't enough water to fill the glass! Let's get a smaller one instead."
5. Sunshine (or lack thereof)
I can't blame the Germans for this naturally, but the sun is a rare visitor indeed here in this country. Its not always gray and cloudy here, but a little more sunshine couldn't hurt anyone.
Despite the meat-filled plates and soggy skies, I rather like Germany, it ain't such a bad place. I think Americans have the wrong picture when they think of Germany, usually associating it only with its past (Adolf ring a bell?) or with lederhosen and beer-- and while these are a big part of Germany its not the only part of Germany. Tourists seem to pass over Deutschland for sunnier, more "exotic" locations such as Spain, Italy or France--but I think many would be surprised, pleasantly so--that the country and its people are really welcoming and beautiful.
So until next post--viel spass.
Diana
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
9 Things I Love About Germany
This month will be my 9th month since moving to Germany, so I thought it fitting to make a list of nine things I appreciate and really love about the land of Deutsch. Here goes:
1. DEUTSCHE BAHN
I have a love hate relationship with the Deutsche Bahn but the fact that I can get to and from any destination I want to without needing a car, car insurance or having to pay for gas is definitely a plus. In addition, DB offers fantastic group tickets that allow up to five people to travel on a single ticket, which makes travelling all the more accessible by letting you split the cost. So while delays are common and shut downs on the railways of the entire nation possible (ahem, Frankfurt), Deutsche Bahn still adds, rather than detracts in my book.
2. BREAD
Perhaps you've seen an earlier post where I am stuffing my face with German bread and pasteries?? Hands down, Germans make the best damn bread there is... and its so freakin' cheap, you can't go wrong (except perhaps, on the waistline).
3. THEY CARE ABOUT MOTHER EARTH
Germans really care about reducing their carbon footprint and leaving a greener world for future generations. While it might be frustrating for the new comer to get used to initially, Germans sort their garbage into four different categories: bio waste, plastic, recyclable paper, and restmüll. There are even entire dorfs (or villages) that run on solar power. Way to go Germans.
4. THEIR INTENSE SWEET TOOTH
It is totally normal and acceptable for a household to have a large basket overflowing with Milka, Rittersport, KitKats, Haribo and the like to grab anytime you feel like it throughout the day. Not to mention that eating cake is totally acceptable for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Yea, how about that.
5. OLD WORLD CHARM
While I know that some cities in Germany are starting to take on an edgier, more modern feel ie: Berlin or Frankfurt... most everywhere else, however, still feels like you're walking through some medieval town.
6. TAKIN' IT EASY
Germans are pretty intense people. Or at least that's my impression of them at times, and when they do something, they do it all the way. And thats why when they want to take it easy, they do. Germans are not lazy by any means, but they refuse to "live to work" like the Americans do. They'd much rather "work to live" which is why they still close their shops early on Saturday and Sunday is definitely a no-go if you are planning on going out and doing something other than drinking a coffee in a cafe.
7. PRETZELS and SAUSAGES
Okay. I know food already took two other slots on this list, and technically pretzels are bread, but Germans really seem to place pretzels and sausages into a food group of their own. When you're sitting on the Deutsche Bahn on a weekday afternoon, half the passengers on board are snackin' on fresh pretzels they bought for like 50 cents at a Pretzel stand or Backery. And sausages? Well that's an easy one, at least in Nuremberg, there are sausage stands like every couple of feet in the city center. When I came here, I wasn't a big meat eater, but it slowly starts to wear you down and before you know it you're eating 3 Nürnberger Bratwürst in Brötchen--as a light snack.
8. ANGIE
Angela Merkel was voted the most powerful woman in the world, three years in a row by Forbes Magazine. Like all politicians, she gets her fair share of criticism, but there is something totally fantastically awesome about one of the strongest economies and world super-powers being run by a woman. Way to go Deutschland.
9. TRAVELING
Germans love to travel. They rank top five when it comes to contributing to the tourism industry abroad. Like I mentioned earlier, they work to live and when they want to play--they play. Germans average 30 paid vacation days a year! And when they have their holidays, their off to some other part of the world to enjoy themselves.
While Germany is grand is oh so many ways, I wouldn't call it Paradise just yet, which is why, maybe sometime in the near future I will follow with a list of some of the more bothersome things I've noticed about the Germans, but for now... let them bask in their glory.
Lang Lebe Deutschland! :)
1. DEUTSCHE BAHN
I have a love hate relationship with the Deutsche Bahn but the fact that I can get to and from any destination I want to without needing a car, car insurance or having to pay for gas is definitely a plus. In addition, DB offers fantastic group tickets that allow up to five people to travel on a single ticket, which makes travelling all the more accessible by letting you split the cost. So while delays are common and shut downs on the railways of the entire nation possible (ahem, Frankfurt), Deutsche Bahn still adds, rather than detracts in my book.
2. BREAD
Perhaps you've seen an earlier post where I am stuffing my face with German bread and pasteries?? Hands down, Germans make the best damn bread there is... and its so freakin' cheap, you can't go wrong (except perhaps, on the waistline).
3. THEY CARE ABOUT MOTHER EARTH
Germans really care about reducing their carbon footprint and leaving a greener world for future generations. While it might be frustrating for the new comer to get used to initially, Germans sort their garbage into four different categories: bio waste, plastic, recyclable paper, and restmüll. There are even entire dorfs (or villages) that run on solar power. Way to go Germans.
4. THEIR INTENSE SWEET TOOTH
It is totally normal and acceptable for a household to have a large basket overflowing with Milka, Rittersport, KitKats, Haribo and the like to grab anytime you feel like it throughout the day. Not to mention that eating cake is totally acceptable for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Yea, how about that.
5. OLD WORLD CHARM
While I know that some cities in Germany are starting to take on an edgier, more modern feel ie: Berlin or Frankfurt... most everywhere else, however, still feels like you're walking through some medieval town.
6. TAKIN' IT EASY
Germans are pretty intense people. Or at least that's my impression of them at times, and when they do something, they do it all the way. And thats why when they want to take it easy, they do. Germans are not lazy by any means, but they refuse to "live to work" like the Americans do. They'd much rather "work to live" which is why they still close their shops early on Saturday and Sunday is definitely a no-go if you are planning on going out and doing something other than drinking a coffee in a cafe.
7. PRETZELS and SAUSAGES
Okay. I know food already took two other slots on this list, and technically pretzels are bread, but Germans really seem to place pretzels and sausages into a food group of their own. When you're sitting on the Deutsche Bahn on a weekday afternoon, half the passengers on board are snackin' on fresh pretzels they bought for like 50 cents at a Pretzel stand or Backery. And sausages? Well that's an easy one, at least in Nuremberg, there are sausage stands like every couple of feet in the city center. When I came here, I wasn't a big meat eater, but it slowly starts to wear you down and before you know it you're eating 3 Nürnberger Bratwürst in Brötchen--as a light snack.
8. ANGIE
Angela Merkel was voted the most powerful woman in the world, three years in a row by Forbes Magazine. Like all politicians, she gets her fair share of criticism, but there is something totally fantastically awesome about one of the strongest economies and world super-powers being run by a woman. Way to go Deutschland.
9. TRAVELING
Germans love to travel. They rank top five when it comes to contributing to the tourism industry abroad. Like I mentioned earlier, they work to live and when they want to play--they play. Germans average 30 paid vacation days a year! And when they have their holidays, their off to some other part of the world to enjoy themselves.
While Germany is grand is oh so many ways, I wouldn't call it Paradise just yet, which is why, maybe sometime in the near future I will follow with a list of some of the more bothersome things I've noticed about the Germans, but for now... let them bask in their glory.
Lang Lebe Deutschland! :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
...wie der Zeit fliegt!
My most sincere apologies to all my blog readers for not updating since the beginning of February. Life has been getting in the way.
Last month was a busy month. I got several new clients at work, won my very first short story competition, went to Frankfurt to visit a good friend and have started up a blog for the Nuremberg Writers, with my fellow Nurembergian writer, John.
The weather has been getting nicer, skies bluer, snow disappearing and ice cream shops returning to the city of Nuremberg. Last week I passed dozens of people on Königstraße tasting the first eis of summer, and I must admit, the temptation was too great, and so I too, had my first scoop of 2010. Ein kugeln, Pfefferminzschoko im Waffel. Yum.
My German lessons at the Volkhochschule has ended, or to be honest, I ended them... for reasons I shan't list here. But I haven't given up on the German language yet. My goal for the month of March, in addition to studying German on my own every day, is to find a Tandem Partner to practice German with. The idea is to meet with another person who wants to learn the language you speak, and so we spend some time each meeting speaking German and English to improve and gain confidence in our language speaking abilities.
Some of you might be wondering why I don't just practice speaking with David. While its true that I could, and its true that I have, it is difficult to speak with someone that you are so used to communicating in another language with. We always speak English together, and when we attempt German, the words quickly convert back to English, unfortunately. And so its best to go to neutral territory I think.
As for The Nuremberg Writers website, I will post it as soon as it gets a little meatier. At the moment, its quite bare. We started the site in hopes of luring in more members.
Anyways short update, but this month, I will be writing more.
Seriously.
I know I said it before, but this time I mean it. :)
Until next post.
Last month was a busy month. I got several new clients at work, won my very first short story competition, went to Frankfurt to visit a good friend and have started up a blog for the Nuremberg Writers, with my fellow Nurembergian writer, John.
The weather has been getting nicer, skies bluer, snow disappearing and ice cream shops returning to the city of Nuremberg. Last week I passed dozens of people on Königstraße tasting the first eis of summer, and I must admit, the temptation was too great, and so I too, had my first scoop of 2010. Ein kugeln, Pfefferminzschoko im Waffel. Yum.
My German lessons at the Volkhochschule has ended, or to be honest, I ended them... for reasons I shan't list here. But I haven't given up on the German language yet. My goal for the month of March, in addition to studying German on my own every day, is to find a Tandem Partner to practice German with. The idea is to meet with another person who wants to learn the language you speak, and so we spend some time each meeting speaking German and English to improve and gain confidence in our language speaking abilities.
Some of you might be wondering why I don't just practice speaking with David. While its true that I could, and its true that I have, it is difficult to speak with someone that you are so used to communicating in another language with. We always speak English together, and when we attempt German, the words quickly convert back to English, unfortunately. And so its best to go to neutral territory I think.
As for The Nuremberg Writers website, I will post it as soon as it gets a little meatier. At the moment, its quite bare. We started the site in hopes of luring in more members.
Anyways short update, but this month, I will be writing more.
Seriously.
I know I said it before, but this time I mean it. :)
Until next post.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The German Language, part ii
One of my biggest gripes in trying to learn to speak the German language is figuring out the articles that precede the word. Unlike English where we have THE to refer to a specific noun, (regardless of where it is in the sentence), Germans have DER (masculine), DIE (feminine), DAS (neuter), DEM (another form of feminine), DEN (yet another form of masculine), DIE (plural), DEM (another form of neuter) and so on and so forth.
Mark Twain makes note of this in a really funny piece he wrote called "The Awful German Language", whose title pretty much sums up how a student of German feels after so many months of trying to learn it:
"Every noun has a gender, and there is no sense or system in the distribution; so the gender of each must be learned separately and by heart. There is no other way. To do this one has to have a memory like a memorandum-book. In German, a young lady has no sex, while a turnip has.
Gretchen: Wilhelm, where is the turnip?
Wilhelm: She has gone to the kitchen.
Gretchen: Where is the accomplished and beautiful English maiden?
Wilhelm: It has gone to the opera."
http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/awfgrmlg.html
This is the link to the entire piece. If someone with such a gift for language as Twain can struggle so much with this illogical language...than I think I can be forgiven.
"I went often to look at the collection of curiosities in Heidelberg Castle, and one day I surprised the keeper of it with my German. I spoke entirely in that language. He was greatly interested; and after I had talked a while he said my German was very rare, possibly a "unique"; and wanted to add it to his museum.
If he had known what it had cost me to acquire my art, he would also have known that it would break any collector to buy it...it had been accomplished under great difficulty and annoyance, for three of our teachers had died (trying to teach me). A person who has not studied German can form no idea of what a perplexing language it is." (Twain, 1890)
Mark Twain makes note of this in a really funny piece he wrote called "The Awful German Language", whose title pretty much sums up how a student of German feels after so many months of trying to learn it:
"Every noun has a gender, and there is no sense or system in the distribution; so the gender of each must be learned separately and by heart. There is no other way. To do this one has to have a memory like a memorandum-book. In German, a young lady has no sex, while a turnip has.
Gretchen: Wilhelm, where is the turnip?
Wilhelm: She has gone to the kitchen.
Gretchen: Where is the accomplished and beautiful English maiden?
Wilhelm: It has gone to the opera."
http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/awfgrmlg.html
This is the link to the entire piece. If someone with such a gift for language as Twain can struggle so much with this illogical language...than I think I can be forgiven.
"I went often to look at the collection of curiosities in Heidelberg Castle, and one day I surprised the keeper of it with my German. I spoke entirely in that language. He was greatly interested; and after I had talked a while he said my German was very rare, possibly a "unique"; and wanted to add it to his museum.
If he had known what it had cost me to acquire my art, he would also have known that it would break any collector to buy it...it had been accomplished under great difficulty and annoyance, for three of our teachers had died (trying to teach me). A person who has not studied German can form no idea of what a perplexing language it is." (Twain, 1890)
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
not sleeping...
I seem to find myself updating most often when I can't sleep. Although--I guess I should have known better than to drink a cup of coffee so late at night. At the time it seemed like a good idea.
'Productive' and 'balanced' are two words I strive to be. I want to be more productive and I want more balance in my life, in just about every aspect... although I was thinking not too many hours ago, that most people who leave a mark in history, the people you read about, the people whose names are remembered are usually the least balanced people. The most extreme people are usually the most productive (or destructive).
Stalin, for example, was a pretty intense guy. Not that I have a desire to be like him--I mention him merely because I finished rereading Orwell's "Animal Farm" this evening. After having visited Berlin and learning more about the DDR (former East Germany), I find myself excessively curious about communism and socialism and all these extreme forms of -isms and ideologies.
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL
THAN OTHERS.
Napoleon (or rather, Leader Comrade Napoleon) and his entourage of pigs, give the reader a sort of 'why socialism failed for dummies’ course.
Its worth the read if you haven’t already.
Just a suggestion.
Until my next insomniac attack... aufwiedersehen :)
'Productive' and 'balanced' are two words I strive to be. I want to be more productive and I want more balance in my life, in just about every aspect... although I was thinking not too many hours ago, that most people who leave a mark in history, the people you read about, the people whose names are remembered are usually the least balanced people. The most extreme people are usually the most productive (or destructive).
Stalin, for example, was a pretty intense guy. Not that I have a desire to be like him--I mention him merely because I finished rereading Orwell's "Animal Farm" this evening. After having visited Berlin and learning more about the DDR (former East Germany), I find myself excessively curious about communism and socialism and all these extreme forms of -isms and ideologies.
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL
THAN OTHERS.
Napoleon (or rather, Leader Comrade Napoleon) and his entourage of pigs, give the reader a sort of 'why socialism failed for dummies’ course.
Its worth the read if you haven’t already.
Just a suggestion.
Until my next insomniac attack... aufwiedersehen :)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Sieben Monate
Tomorrow marks seven months since I left the states. Meine gute!
After seven months of being in the land of Deutsch, am I Germanized? Probably not enough as far as the Germans are concerned I suppose, but I do wonder if my untamed American edges are starting to smooth out a bit. Sometimes I get brief waves of pining for Americanness, but in truth, I'm not completely shut off from that world, as I do in fact teach English (my mother tongue), I have YouTube and Facebook and Yahoo! News to keep me up to date and I have my very favorite place, the Amerikahaus in Nuremberg to go to, when I desperately crave books to read in English. And if none of that works, there's always Starbucks--Nuremberg has at least four that I know of.
I noticed today that the snow on the roofs are melting... which although doesn't quite mean spring yet, it does mean that its warming up a bit. It feels as though the holidays are finally out of the way and with that, my mind has been a little preoccupied with thoughts about the not so far future.
Where on the earth am I going to be this time next year?
I have some ideas and options, but its too soon to make anything official. As of now, nothing seems to be more likely than another as far as my cloudy crystal ball can read.
Anyways. Sorry for not updating much the last couple of weeks... I'll try my best to change that.
Until next post.
Aufwiedersehen.
PS. Feel free to leave comments mystery readers, those of you who stop by without leaving any trace--I don't bite, I promise ;).
After seven months of being in the land of Deutsch, am I Germanized? Probably not enough as far as the Germans are concerned I suppose, but I do wonder if my untamed American edges are starting to smooth out a bit. Sometimes I get brief waves of pining for Americanness, but in truth, I'm not completely shut off from that world, as I do in fact teach English (my mother tongue), I have YouTube and Facebook and Yahoo! News to keep me up to date and I have my very favorite place, the Amerikahaus in Nuremberg to go to, when I desperately crave books to read in English. And if none of that works, there's always Starbucks--Nuremberg has at least four that I know of.
I noticed today that the snow on the roofs are melting... which although doesn't quite mean spring yet, it does mean that its warming up a bit. It feels as though the holidays are finally out of the way and with that, my mind has been a little preoccupied with thoughts about the not so far future.
Where on the earth am I going to be this time next year?
I have some ideas and options, but its too soon to make anything official. As of now, nothing seems to be more likely than another as far as my cloudy crystal ball can read.
Anyways. Sorry for not updating much the last couple of weeks... I'll try my best to change that.
Until next post.
Aufwiedersehen.
PS. Feel free to leave comments mystery readers, those of you who stop by without leaving any trace--I don't bite, I promise ;).
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A visit to Brrrr--lin*!
we were greeted to a very cold and snowy berlin...
this is us making our way to the underground (subway)... four out of five of us
our first evening there, we decided to explore zoological gartens, and we stumbled across this very interesting place
this is the church in the daytime--it was destroyed during the 2nd World War and was never rebuilt, as you can see the top of the tower is missing
this is the inside of the memorial church they built right next to it--completely stained glass
two silly tourists at the brandenburg gate-- it was built at the end of 1700's as a gate linking east to west
daniela and andria outside the DDR museum
a map of berlin, divided up amongst US, France, Britain and the Soviet Union
THE wall
between the Berlin Wall dividing East & West, this look out tower is where the Soviet (or Stasi) soldiers would keep people from escaping... if they saw someone, they shot...
walking along the East Side Gallery, former wall, that was painted over by artists from around the globe
another mural on the wall...
a quote I liked
one of many cool architectural wonders in Berlin, near East Side Gallery
the world's largest aquarium(!) inside the Radisson hotel lobby
the TV tower in Alexanderplatz
Sony Center at night
Checkpoint Charlie with my fellow American
the Buddy Bear exhibit at the Hauptbahnhof... they had hundreds of bears painted that represented countries from around the world, as an effort to create peace and understanding between nations
*photo credits go to the two lovely photographers, Andria and Daniela
this is us making our way to the underground (subway)... four out of five of us
our first evening there, we decided to explore zoological gartens, and we stumbled across this very interesting place
this is the church in the daytime--it was destroyed during the 2nd World War and was never rebuilt, as you can see the top of the tower is missing
this is the inside of the memorial church they built right next to it--completely stained glass
two silly tourists at the brandenburg gate-- it was built at the end of 1700's as a gate linking east to west
daniela and andria outside the DDR museum
a map of berlin, divided up amongst US, France, Britain and the Soviet Union
THE wall
between the Berlin Wall dividing East & West, this look out tower is where the Soviet (or Stasi) soldiers would keep people from escaping... if they saw someone, they shot...
walking along the East Side Gallery, former wall, that was painted over by artists from around the globe
another mural on the wall...
a quote I liked
one of many cool architectural wonders in Berlin, near East Side Gallery
the world's largest aquarium(!) inside the Radisson hotel lobby
the TV tower in Alexanderplatz
Sony Center at night
Checkpoint Charlie with my fellow American
the Buddy Bear exhibit at the Hauptbahnhof... they had hundreds of bears painted that represented countries from around the world, as an effort to create peace and understanding between nations
*photo credits go to the two lovely photographers, Andria and Daniela
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