Every day I come across people I feel the need to say this too. Unfortunately lately the people I have had the strongest urge to say this to is the Family. Whenever something comes up and it is clearly a case of cultural difference, the Family says "you are in Germany now- adapt".
However, the problems that are created due to a certain lack of "Pull Your Head Out Your Ass" on either of our parts makes me (usually) very frustrated and very out of sorts. Lately it has had a tendency of leaving me out in the cold too. Literally.
In the past week and a half I have been locked out of my house TWICE. Seriously. I don't have a key to the front door anyway (which is a prerequisite to using that door from the outside because it locks automatically the second it is shut- you must have a key to open that door) because the Family did not want to cut one more key. I would gladly pay for the stupid thing and get it cut myself, if that meant I could have one.
So I use the side door. I always feel a bit like I am skulking into the house. Plus, due to a bit of "cultural difference" aka- a serious paranoia about any door being unlocked, even when people are home, they stick a key in the inside of the lock. So, when i come home in the afternoon, I get locked out if i haven't remembered to basically unlock my entrance from the inside (pull the key out) on my way out of the front door in the morning. It is unpleasant to say the least. Especially seeing as today I was not dressed to sit around in the chilly damp weather we have been having here lately.
Ugh. Pull-Your-Head-Out-Your Ass-itis is apparently running rampant here.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Starting Early
I am getting an early start on the Christmas prep here in the Ahrtal. I bought some Christmas lights a couple of weeks ago at the Aldi and today i deemed that it was finally acceptable to put them up. Now I have a lovely string of lights gracing my ceiling. I am thinking about maybe adding some more Christmas type things, otherwise it will continue to look like pub-style lighting and not Christmas.
I will post some pictures when i feel that the decorating is complete. I will leave you in suspense til then.
xoxoxo
I will post some pictures when i feel that the decorating is complete. I will leave you in suspense til then.
xoxoxo
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Meeting New People
Meg and i have been trying to meet new people, hopefully even German people. imagine that hey?
Yeah, not so much... I think we could say it all started with a pretzel. A hot pretzel. It was so hot and tasty that i forgot to pay for it. The guy gave it to me and i was so excited about it that i immediately turned to Meg and started talking about it. That would have been ok except i hadn't paid yet. i was holding the money though, so i wasn't being a kleptomaniac intentionally. Turns out, that the only other guy at the pretzel place just happened to see what happened and also spoke English. Nice. I was kind of like- that's great. i think i am just going to wander away here really quick and never think about that guy again. HAHAHAHAHA. Apparently fate can be a bit cruel here...
So Meg and i wander away and manage to find a couple of seats next to an older woman and a young girl. Turns out they were Pretzel Boy's mom and daughter. They were waiting for a train as well and the five of us sat there and chatted. Then, as their train pulls up to the station buddy hands us a card with his name and cell number. He didn't even catch our names and we sure didn't catch his until we saw it on the card. lol.
Anyway- turns out his name is Matt. And yes, we did call him. Also- he is not a crazy stalker, so not so bad. And all because i have a tendency to get excited over fresh pretzels.
It makes me wonder though, if i had tried to steal some weinerschnitzel, would i now have a new German friend? Is that really how this meeting people thing works????
Yeah, not so much... I think we could say it all started with a pretzel. A hot pretzel. It was so hot and tasty that i forgot to pay for it. The guy gave it to me and i was so excited about it that i immediately turned to Meg and started talking about it. That would have been ok except i hadn't paid yet. i was holding the money though, so i wasn't being a kleptomaniac intentionally. Turns out, that the only other guy at the pretzel place just happened to see what happened and also spoke English. Nice. I was kind of like- that's great. i think i am just going to wander away here really quick and never think about that guy again. HAHAHAHAHA. Apparently fate can be a bit cruel here...
So Meg and i wander away and manage to find a couple of seats next to an older woman and a young girl. Turns out they were Pretzel Boy's mom and daughter. They were waiting for a train as well and the five of us sat there and chatted. Then, as their train pulls up to the station buddy hands us a card with his name and cell number. He didn't even catch our names and we sure didn't catch his until we saw it on the card. lol.
Anyway- turns out his name is Matt. And yes, we did call him. Also- he is not a crazy stalker, so not so bad. And all because i have a tendency to get excited over fresh pretzels.
It makes me wonder though, if i had tried to steal some weinerschnitzel, would i now have a new German friend? Is that really how this meeting people thing works????
Squished...in Marburg
This is a photo of Meg's reaction after squishing my hand into a wall as we were trying to pose for a picture in Marburg. We were at the castle and the view was spectacular. Unfortunately, Meg was more interested in accidentally flattening my hand than she was posing...
Meg's reaction at first...
Her reaction after seeing she hadn't busted my hand...
I am a little sad though. I took some pictures of the castle, but they didn't turn out that well. So, to make up for that i put up a cute one of Meg and Matt standing with some weird rock things :)
Meg's reaction at first...
Her reaction after seeing she hadn't busted my hand...
I am a little sad though. I took some pictures of the castle, but they didn't turn out that well. So, to make up for that i put up a cute one of Meg and Matt standing with some weird rock things :)
The Mall
I went back to Meg's house this weekend for some girl time :) it was pretty sweet. We went shopping and hung out in the mall. I'm usually not so into the mall but i did need a few things and Meg was really helpful in finding them.
However- there was some randomness in the mix. the mall in Wetzlar is already decked out for Christmas. But somehow that involved putting fairy tale scenes surrounded by faux snow in the middle of the mall. so random. I've included a shot here so that people around the world can enjoy the Christmas season Wetzlar style:
However- there was some randomness in the mix. the mall in Wetzlar is already decked out for Christmas. But somehow that involved putting fairy tale scenes surrounded by faux snow in the middle of the mall. so random. I've included a shot here so that people around the world can enjoy the Christmas season Wetzlar style:
Meg and Little Red Riding Hood
Also Meg and I had some chow at the Chinese place in the Mall. It was strange- it tasted more like really dry chicken noodle soup but whatever. It also took us a lot of effort to make this shot, so again- please enjoy.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Interested
If anyone can tell me exactly what they do for Remembrance Day here I would really appreciate it. between me and the net, I don't think we've got it completely accurate. Let me know, eh?
Remembrance Day
I was reading KB's post (catch the link on the side to Little House in the Big Woods) about Remembrance Day today and figured I should maybe write up a bit on it as well.
I too remember standing alongside my family in the freezing cold. I remember marching as a Sea Cadet in the solemn journey past the cenotaph. I remember the sadness in the eyes of those who are old enough to actually remember, the bored shuffling of teenagers, the shrieks of babies. I remember the misprints in the program. A serious day with reflective silence, Remembrance Day to me is a religious observance. 11 11 11.
Now, to be in Germany of all places on Remembrance Day. How to describe it here? Unimportant sums it up well. The only organized remembrance of any sort to remember the German dead and their national scars is Volkstrauertag.* I can understand not putting much emphasis on commemorating not one, but two resounding loses. And I really don't expect that an entire country should 90 and 63 years later, pay an exorbitant price for the mistakes of generations who are fading away or already sleeping. But Germans have their wounds and their painful memories as well as any of the victorous. One can say that they brought it on themselves and yes, maybe they did. But I wonder if as a nation, Germany has ever really been allowed time to heal within the privacy of their own borders.
It seems that acknowledging their guilt to the world and then accepting the harsh repercussions has never really given them the opportunity to privately grieve for their hurts- everything was played out in the world theatre. So now Germany doesn't make a big deal out of it and doesn't really talk about it, choosing instead to begin the festivities for Carnival on November 11th and "forget" what the rest of the world remembers with a vengeance.
When I was back home in Canada, I recall thinking about things done by the Axis Powers and especially the Nazi Regime. And man, could I ever hate them for what they had done. But the people I know here today aren't Nazis. They haven't tried to rip the world apart. They have tried to help us heal it.
I think perhaps it is now time for the descendants of the Allies to work with the descendants of the Axis on a deeper level than just petty treaties and agreements. It is time for us to remember WHY we remember. We remember not to remind ourselves of the enemy's atrocities, but rather to remind ourselves of the fact that we could not pull together as the human race to fix what we ourselves had broken.
So with this in mind, as the day quietly fades away into evening and into November 12th, Remembrance Day is finished with the Last Post and heartfelt wish for a better future where we don't make the same mistakes. Lest We Forget.
I too remember standing alongside my family in the freezing cold. I remember marching as a Sea Cadet in the solemn journey past the cenotaph. I remember the sadness in the eyes of those who are old enough to actually remember, the bored shuffling of teenagers, the shrieks of babies. I remember the misprints in the program. A serious day with reflective silence, Remembrance Day to me is a religious observance. 11 11 11.
Now, to be in Germany of all places on Remembrance Day. How to describe it here? Unimportant sums it up well. The only organized remembrance of any sort to remember the German dead and their national scars is Volkstrauertag.* I can understand not putting much emphasis on commemorating not one, but two resounding loses. And I really don't expect that an entire country should 90 and 63 years later, pay an exorbitant price for the mistakes of generations who are fading away or already sleeping. But Germans have their wounds and their painful memories as well as any of the victorous. One can say that they brought it on themselves and yes, maybe they did. But I wonder if as a nation, Germany has ever really been allowed time to heal within the privacy of their own borders.
It seems that acknowledging their guilt to the world and then accepting the harsh repercussions has never really given them the opportunity to privately grieve for their hurts- everything was played out in the world theatre. So now Germany doesn't make a big deal out of it and doesn't really talk about it, choosing instead to begin the festivities for Carnival on November 11th and "forget" what the rest of the world remembers with a vengeance.
When I was back home in Canada, I recall thinking about things done by the Axis Powers and especially the Nazi Regime. And man, could I ever hate them for what they had done. But the people I know here today aren't Nazis. They haven't tried to rip the world apart. They have tried to help us heal it.
I think perhaps it is now time for the descendants of the Allies to work with the descendants of the Axis on a deeper level than just petty treaties and agreements. It is time for us to remember WHY we remember. We remember not to remind ourselves of the enemy's atrocities, but rather to remind ourselves of the fact that we could not pull together as the human race to fix what we ourselves had broken.
So with this in mind, as the day quietly fades away into evening and into November 12th, Remembrance Day is finished with the Last Post and heartfelt wish for a better future where we don't make the same mistakes. Lest We Forget.
*See post below on Volkstrauertag
Volkstrauertag
Wikipedia had this to say on Volkstrauertag and how it is commemorated:
"Volkstrauertag (German: national day of mourning) is a public holiday in Germany. It is observed two Sundays before the first of Advent, and commemorates those who died in war. It was first observed in 1952.
A Volkstrauertag was proposed in 1919 by the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) as a commemoration for German soldiers killed in the First World War. It was first held in 1922 in the Reichstag and in 1926, it was decided to observe Volkstrauertag regularly on Reminiscere (the second Sunday of Lent.)...
An official observation of Volkstrauertag takes place in the German Bundestag. The German Bundespräsident traditionally gives a speech with the Chancellor, the cabinet and the diplomatic corps present. The national anthem and the song "Ich hatt' einen Kameraden" are then played. Most states also hold their own ceremonies.
Because of the relation to Advent, the date is the Sunday nearest 16 November, i.e. in the period from 13 November to 19 November."
(check out the full article here--> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkstrauertag)
Despite this, so far i have heard no one mention it. I hadn't even heard of of it before I was writing my piece on Remembrance Day. I don't think it is a really big deal here, but time will tell and potentially nullify part of my post on Remembrance Day.
Winnetou, Part II
Remember my crazy buddy who dressed in the buckskins and wandered around town. Well, i saw him again the other day again. I'm just gonna say though- the second time was still so shocking and random that i may or may not have stared...again. i am a bad and shallow person :(
Monday, November 10, 2008
Is that a Salami in Your Pocket....
My salami loves you all really lots- so much that it underwent extra processing....
My Kitchen
I cooked some stuff the other day and i realized that i hadn't shown you a picture of my kitchen. it makes me a bit sad that the kitchen i have and don't use all the time is way bigger than the kitchen that my buddy Meg uses on a daily basis. She doesn't even have a freezer in her fridge :( it's a bit ridiculous.
My awesome beer fridge :)
St. Martin's Day
Apparently Saturday was St. Martin's Day. I am not really sure why he was so important and neither was my host family. But the mom had us do up some oranges real fancy like with cloves and tealights for a centre piece.
The results:
Lena and Quenten
My contribution to the crafty-ness
The results:
Lena and Quenten
My contribution to the crafty-nessThursday, November 6, 2008
An Oft Repeated Statement
so we talked about Obama today while waiting for the world's latest teacher. the kids basically came to the conclusion that Sarah Palin was a gun-toting moron and were glad that McCain didn't win- because they were certain he would die in office and Palin would become president.an interesting thought, although i think they may have pirated that oft repeated idea off some sort of website...
A Few Minutes Late Indeed.
Hmmmph. If someone says that they will be a few minutes late, i don't mind. But 25 minutes is not a few minutes. However, if mentioning this lateness happens just before the class starts and the teacher hands you (the assistant) the text book and says get them to read this page- that is not ok.
Especially since these kids are UNRULY at best. There was throwing and yelling and being just generally disruptive. it was also a suck ass boring text about going to colonial williamsburg. after about 10 minutes i just ditched it. i figured whatever- the teacher isn't going to show up, she doesn't get to pick the material. we talked about the election instead.
Anyway, when the teacher finally showed up she was like - did you read and discuss the text? Are you finished with it? what are you doing now? It was a stressful class and was i not after a great recommendation on my resume a couple months from now- i would have jumped down her throat, mentioning that it says in my contract that i don't ever teach without the teacher in the room. *sigh* any time these people want to get it together, cause this sure as shit ain't the first time it's happened....
Especially since these kids are UNRULY at best. There was throwing and yelling and being just generally disruptive. it was also a suck ass boring text about going to colonial williamsburg. after about 10 minutes i just ditched it. i figured whatever- the teacher isn't going to show up, she doesn't get to pick the material. we talked about the election instead.
Anyway, when the teacher finally showed up she was like - did you read and discuss the text? Are you finished with it? what are you doing now? It was a stressful class and was i not after a great recommendation on my resume a couple months from now- i would have jumped down her throat, mentioning that it says in my contract that i don't ever teach without the teacher in the room. *sigh* any time these people want to get it together, cause this sure as shit ain't the first time it's happened....
Clear and Concise
Today the teacher had me read a few paragraphs on the American Electoral System in order to expose the students to my "crazy/unclear/unaccented" Canadian English. So i did. however, as i was reading it to the students, i realized that i was reading in my absolute best jeopardy clue voice. you know the ones where they speak super slowly and incredibly concisely?
During it I was kinda thinking a) i am making Trebek super proud b) no Canadian (or anyone really) actually talks like that. so doesn't that kind of defeat the point of me reading so they can hear my accent? I know we speak all garbled and lazy like. so was the whole thing about listening to english or was it about hearing my weird accent?
During it I was kinda thinking a) i am making Trebek super proud b) no Canadian (or anyone really) actually talks like that. so doesn't that kind of defeat the point of me reading so they can hear my accent? I know we speak all garbled and lazy like. so was the whole thing about listening to english or was it about hearing my weird accent?
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