I'd had enough.
We're well into the second week of our Sprachkurs, and the Americana in the class is congealing like you wouldn't believe. It was time to do something, and I did it.
But let me back up. First of all, about studying abroad. Obviously, I want to become fluent in German, and learn more about German culture, etc. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to Germany. However, as far as generic study-abroad goals go, I also just wanted to get to know ANYONE from another country, whose mother tongue wasn't English.
Ideally, the Sprachkurs is the perfect place to do this. A veritable womb for international friendships. Think about it: there we all are, I my native tongue is English, but this girl's is Japanese, this guy is from Belgium, those two are from Spain... In any normal circumstance, we wouldn't be able to communicate or get to know one another very well. Enter Sprachkurs, stage right. Now we are all thrown together into a language class, where we are all learning a language that isn't our native one, and we are all making a lot of the same mistakes, etc. Basically, we all suck, we all know it, and so we give each other a lot of grace, as well as help one another out, right? Wrong
The Americans (and the lonely Canadian) huddle together in a herd, and the others form their own group, making due with German and other shared European languages. Maybe this wouldn't happen if we didn't have such an unusually high concentration of English speakers in our class, but as it stands, over half the class speaks English as their native tongue, and exactly one half is from the US of A.
So the stage is set. I'm trying desperately to get to know no-English students, and my plans are being foiled by a combination of the superfluity of Americans in my class, and their tendency to congeal into an impenetrable mass, into which there is no entry, and out of which there can be no escape. Well, not unless you break out, which I was desperate to do.
So yesterday, during our half hour break, the whole class was scattered throughout the break area, and I walked over and sat down next to an Italian guy, named Elias. Nicole, one of the Americans who was also livid with the current state of interaction, was sitting across the table. We began making small talk, auf Deutsch, as we try to do as much as possible, thereby bettering out German.
Anyway, so Nicole is talking about how she's traveling to France this weekend to visit a friend who is studying in Strasbourg. Elias asked if Nicole was French, Nicole was of course elated to be mistaken for anything other than an Amerikanerin, but was stoically honest and denied the compliment. She asked Elias why he thought she was French, since her striking blond hair might mark her as Scandinavian, but not French, and her accent was definitely American. Elias said it was because she was speaking German to me, an American. This of course, made me feel a little grumpy, since it was obviously blatant that I was the Amerikaner. Auf jeden Fall (in any case), it broke the proverbial Eis, and the three of us continued talking, about language learning, etc. Near the end of the break, Nicole asked me if I had any dinner plans. Because she and Ali live right down the hill from Kelsey and I, we often make dinner together, the four of us, or some combination thereof. I didn't have any dinner plans, but had been wanting to make Ratatouille, and then all of the sudden I had an inspiration from above.
It was desperate. It was forward. But by jove, I had to do something. I turned to Elias, and promptly invited him to dinner. He seemed a little surprised, but flashed me a killer Italian smile and accepted. After class, I invited the other Italian, Sylvia, so that Elias wouldn't feel outnumbered. She also accepted, with the same surprised smile.
I must pause here, to collect my thoughts. It is impossible to describe how excited I was at this point, but I was pretty darn excited.
My excitement was slightly dampened after going shopping and spending two days worth of grocery money on one meal, but I was determined, if I had to eat Butterkekse and water, to bridge the ever widening gap between me and the other foreign students. That evening, I threw all of the ingredients into a pot, and got it cooking, and at 6pm went to meet Sylvia and Elias am Markt, leaving Nicole to watch over the Ratatouille.
I met Sylvia there, and we waited for Elias, who came about 10 minutes later. A refreshing break from German punctuality. He brought a bottle of wine, and Sylvia some Schokolade, in keeping with the guest's code of honor (vis, never arrive anywhere empty handed. I'm not sure if this is just German, or European, but it's pretty cool, and definitely helped ease my wallet's clamoring).
The evening went spectacularly. The Ratatouille was fantastisch, even wowing skeptisch Nicole, who had a hard time believing it could taste that good for the ingredients that went into it. In her defence, I thought the same thing when I made it for the first time...We managed to keep lively conversation going in German, two Americans and two Italians, and even did a lot of practicing back and forth with Grammatik that we'd learned that day in class. I drank a glass of the Wine that Elias had brought from that savior of hungry students, ALDI, and I actually liked it, making it the first alcoholic beverage that I've enjoyed while in Germany, and the first full glass of anything I've ever drank.
They left at about 9.30 that evening, and as Nicole and I did victory dances all over the kitchen, I thought to myself, this is what studying abroad is really all about. Sure, I'm here to learn German, but why? why does one learn a foreign language? Why, to communicate, to connect, to get to know the people who you couldn't to know otherwise. If I had to leave right now and go home, I would consider this time well spent, but only after last night.
The battle against the Amerikaner-cloister isn't over, but I've struck a blow, and it was a good solid one too. Sylvia and Elias are more than just acquaintances now, and they may act as bridges to the others.
Now, I'm going to go drink some tea, eat some left over Ratatouille, and maybe have a little wine...
6.3.08
4.3.08
etwas über Sandwiches
Ok, so this post is completely random, has very little to do with Germany, except that the following theories, conclusions, and nonesense came into my head while I am in Germany.
The Perfect sandwich is an illusive creature. So much so that some businesses have devoted their entire vocation to creating sandwiches, in hopes that some day, the perfect sandwich will be found.
Now, as a mere layman, I do not claim to have found such a sandwich, however, I am convinced that I have found one of a lost race, which, though still imperfect, is perhaps not so far fallen from original glory as some sandwiches (vis, most fast-food burgers). In short, I believe I have found the Dunedain of sandwiches.
What is necessary, you may ask, for a sandwich to achieve such atlantian heights of deliciousness? Many factors come into play, but a simplified equation will suffice for our purposes, whatever they be.
The trick is to find the perfect balance between texture, moisture, and complimentary flavor. The heretofore mentioned paragon of sandwiches has these very things:
-A good wheat bread, with small sprinklings of whole grains throughout give the sandwich the necessary foundation. No stronghold can stand on uncertain foundings, and neither, as it so happens, can a sandwich.
-a good cheese is smelt, and tasted, but not felt. cheese provides the timbre of the sandwich, but with texture it should not be concerned.
-the perfect meat is the melody of the sandwich. strong, forefront, but not so overpowering that it drowns out the rest of the sandwich. The meat's texture must be in accord with that of the bread, so that it provides a smooth firmament over the rougher surface of the bread.
-vegetable additions are the percussion of the orchestral sandwich. in choosing vegetables, be sure to keep in mind that nature is as important as punctuation. For example, avoid iceberg lettuce, because it lacks substance, and though it provides a certain amount of punctuation in the sandwich, it lacks a pleasing timbre, and may be likened to a garish metal can struck in place of a cymbal.
-seasonings must be chosen carefully, because too much moisture can ruin the bread. drier seasoning such as oregano, basil, etc are often much less hazardous, and may be the last touch of finesse necessary to complete the sandwich
-an appropriate drink is vital. such a beverage should act as a cadence, to start each measure of sandwich anew. Much like a good wine when eating cheese, a good sandwich beverage cleanses the pallet, while providing just the right context of flavor to introduce the sandwich with flourish.
All this, I have found in the following sandwich:
Proper wheat bread, with salami, a quality feta cheese, cucumber, one slice of tomato, and a sprinkling of basil. Orange juice went well with it, though I suspect cranberry juice would do even better. Alas, cranberries are rare in Deutschland, so I take my orange, grin, and bear it.
Many happy returns, and may joy be present among your taste buds.
pip pip!
The Perfect sandwich is an illusive creature. So much so that some businesses have devoted their entire vocation to creating sandwiches, in hopes that some day, the perfect sandwich will be found.
Now, as a mere layman, I do not claim to have found such a sandwich, however, I am convinced that I have found one of a lost race, which, though still imperfect, is perhaps not so far fallen from original glory as some sandwiches (vis, most fast-food burgers). In short, I believe I have found the Dunedain of sandwiches.
What is necessary, you may ask, for a sandwich to achieve such atlantian heights of deliciousness? Many factors come into play, but a simplified equation will suffice for our purposes, whatever they be.
The trick is to find the perfect balance between texture, moisture, and complimentary flavor. The heretofore mentioned paragon of sandwiches has these very things:
-A good wheat bread, with small sprinklings of whole grains throughout give the sandwich the necessary foundation. No stronghold can stand on uncertain foundings, and neither, as it so happens, can a sandwich.
-a good cheese is smelt, and tasted, but not felt. cheese provides the timbre of the sandwich, but with texture it should not be concerned.
-the perfect meat is the melody of the sandwich. strong, forefront, but not so overpowering that it drowns out the rest of the sandwich. The meat's texture must be in accord with that of the bread, so that it provides a smooth firmament over the rougher surface of the bread.
-vegetable additions are the percussion of the orchestral sandwich. in choosing vegetables, be sure to keep in mind that nature is as important as punctuation. For example, avoid iceberg lettuce, because it lacks substance, and though it provides a certain amount of punctuation in the sandwich, it lacks a pleasing timbre, and may be likened to a garish metal can struck in place of a cymbal.
-seasonings must be chosen carefully, because too much moisture can ruin the bread. drier seasoning such as oregano, basil, etc are often much less hazardous, and may be the last touch of finesse necessary to complete the sandwich
-an appropriate drink is vital. such a beverage should act as a cadence, to start each measure of sandwich anew. Much like a good wine when eating cheese, a good sandwich beverage cleanses the pallet, while providing just the right context of flavor to introduce the sandwich with flourish.
All this, I have found in the following sandwich:
Proper wheat bread, with salami, a quality feta cheese, cucumber, one slice of tomato, and a sprinkling of basil. Orange juice went well with it, though I suspect cranberry juice would do even better. Alas, cranberries are rare in Deutschland, so I take my orange, grin, and bear it.
Many happy returns, and may joy be present among your taste buds.
pip pip!
2.3.08
Christus-Treff
Today was my second Sunday spent here in Mar-velous-burg, so I thought it would be appropriate to give an account of the Church body I have found here.
Christus-Treff, literally, 'Christ-meeting' is the name of the church, and it meets every Thursday night at 8 and every Sunday morning at 10. Thursday nights are the best though, because we meet in the Old Gothic Lutherische Kirche, who's tower I see right out my window. It's freezing in there, so the second time I went I was sure to bring gloves! The acoustics there are amazing, and I have a new appreciation for Gothic architecture; it draws your attention to the majesty of God in a way that modern Churches often fail to.
Christus-Treff is contemporary, and a lot like many churches I've been to back home (except auf Deutsch). It's really neat, because many of the songs that we sing are the German counterparts of English worship songs. This is especially nice, because I already have an idea of what the song is about, so when a grey vocabulary word crops up, I can usually make an educated guess as to the meaning. Worshipping in German has been amazing. It has helped build my vocabulary in areas that I wouldn't learn in my Sprachkurs, but areas which are nonetheless very important to me. Learning how to understand my faith auf Deutsch has been exciting.
Christus Treff is also helpful, because it is a time of structured listening, with a specific context. My years of Bible quizzing are proving to be invaluable as I hear a Bible passage and instantly have a framework to infer new vocabulary from. It's exciting to see how much my comprehension has improved just from my first Sunday here a week ago. Today I understood almost the entire sermon (except when I spaced out writing down a particularly long word to look up later), and felt like I came away not simply having had a good language\culture experience, but feeling like I do at home when I come away from a sermon with real life things to think about.
Today was also really neat because they had the equivalent of the 'Missions Moment' that my church has back at home. Today's moment was about the country of Somalia. That was really awesome, because last semester I got to be an English tutor for some Somali refugees. Hearing about their country, all the way across the world in Germany, and then breaking off into small groups and hearing the voices of a hundred Germans praying for Somalia the way I would after sessions last fall, it just made me realize that this is what life is all about, hardcore.
I can tell already that Christus-Treff is going to be one of the most significant parts of my time here in Germany, and I am already thinking about how much I will miss it!
P.S. I don't think I can ever sing Agnus Dei in English again...it's just so much better in German,
sorry Michael W....
Christus-Treff, literally, 'Christ-meeting' is the name of the church, and it meets every Thursday night at 8 and every Sunday morning at 10. Thursday nights are the best though, because we meet in the Old Gothic Lutherische Kirche, who's tower I see right out my window. It's freezing in there, so the second time I went I was sure to bring gloves! The acoustics there are amazing, and I have a new appreciation for Gothic architecture; it draws your attention to the majesty of God in a way that modern Churches often fail to.
Christus-Treff is contemporary, and a lot like many churches I've been to back home (except auf Deutsch). It's really neat, because many of the songs that we sing are the German counterparts of English worship songs. This is especially nice, because I already have an idea of what the song is about, so when a grey vocabulary word crops up, I can usually make an educated guess as to the meaning. Worshipping in German has been amazing. It has helped build my vocabulary in areas that I wouldn't learn in my Sprachkurs, but areas which are nonetheless very important to me. Learning how to understand my faith auf Deutsch has been exciting.
Christus Treff is also helpful, because it is a time of structured listening, with a specific context. My years of Bible quizzing are proving to be invaluable as I hear a Bible passage and instantly have a framework to infer new vocabulary from. It's exciting to see how much my comprehension has improved just from my first Sunday here a week ago. Today I understood almost the entire sermon (except when I spaced out writing down a particularly long word to look up later), and felt like I came away not simply having had a good language\culture experience, but feeling like I do at home when I come away from a sermon with real life things to think about.
Today was also really neat because they had the equivalent of the 'Missions Moment' that my church has back at home. Today's moment was about the country of Somalia. That was really awesome, because last semester I got to be an English tutor for some Somali refugees. Hearing about their country, all the way across the world in Germany, and then breaking off into small groups and hearing the voices of a hundred Germans praying for Somalia the way I would after sessions last fall, it just made me realize that this is what life is all about, hardcore.
I can tell already that Christus-Treff is going to be one of the most significant parts of my time here in Germany, and I am already thinking about how much I will miss it!
P.S. I don't think I can ever sing Agnus Dei in English again...it's just so much better in German,
sorry Michael W....
1.3.08
a bit of cultural commentary
As my second week here is drawing to a close, I realize that it is getting harder and harder to keep updates going, because life is starting to acquire a rhythm. This is, of course, very good, and much less strenuous on the me. This means for the time being, less nail-biting stories of terror and embarrassment, but also a better chance to get in some real observations on the people and culture of Germany. This post will attempt to capture some of the quirks and items of interest that I've noticed about Germany and it's people.
Die Deutsche - Germans
There is a common stereotype that is almost world-wide, which considers Germans to be some of the most rude and unfriendly people on the planet. This stereotype bleeds into many opinions about Germans and German culture, such as the following:
1. the German language is an 'angry' or 'harsh language.
2. German etiquette is missing consideration for others. The infamous German knocking into you as you walk down the sidewalk, passing you by without so much as a nod.
3. Germans do not appreciate form--functionality is everything.
These are just three things off the top of my head, stereotypes that I had or carried with me from others over to Germany. Here is my current, revised view of these stereotypes:
1. German is only an angry language when the speakers are angry, or when the emotion meant to be expressed through song, poetry, etc is one of intense anger or frustration. German is not an angry language, but angry Germans sound 'more angry' to American ears, because the phonetics are foreign. Advice: listen to some classical German music (with singing), or even better, contemporary (non-metal) music. Contemporary german worship songs are gorgeous, and are musically much more complex than most english ones.
2.I have yet to experience this one. Perhaps I have lucked out, but all of the Germans except for one that I have met so far have been very nice, and extremely helpful and concerned for the well being of a poor English boy who can't speak german! Perhaps I will revise my stance on this later, but so far Germans are in general at least as nice as Americans.
3. Boy is this way wrong. Germans are practical, but how this turned into the idea that they sneer at anything that isn't square and grey, I'll never know. Yesterday we went on a tour of Darmstadt. I'll load the pictures as soon as possible, but I'll let them speak for themselves as to this stereotype...
Quirks
Some things that I find entertaining and a little bit frustrating about Germany and it's residents:
1. I wish that German college students were different than typical US students, but they aren't. They are just as messy. Also, the average German college student's definition of what constitutes washing dishes is a lot more lenient that I would prefer. All dishes must be pre-washed before a meal.
2. Related to the above, vacuuming, sweeping, and etc. are also activities that are more annual than regular in the student residency houses. I cleaned out the guest room when I moved to my regular room, and I had to do epic battle with dust bunnies like I've never seen before. Those beasties were on their way to being highly evolved beings...
3. Germans are supposedly the most environmentally-minded of any country in the world. The are super-fans of organic food products, and there are advertisements like you wouldn't believe for healthy living, exercise, and what-not.
However, despite this interest with being healthy, every citizen over the age of like 12 in Germany smokes. Even with the recent legislation that makes it possible for those who don't smoke to find refuge from the clouds of tar, anywhere that it is legal (or the people don't care), there are clouds of smoke pouring out of the mouths of Germans. Even more ironic is that cigarette companies are required by law to print warnings on all packages and advertisements: 'Rauchen kann tötlich sein.'-'smoking can be deadly' can be seen everywhere in large bold letters. Marburg is a very clean city as far as amount litter goes, but the fact that there is still a fair amount of trash to be seen on the streets, and that it is almost completely comprised of cigarette butts is astonishing. Needless to say, I'm becoming more accustomed to the smell of smoke, but I just pray I don't get lung cancer from living in Germany for 5 months. I figure I've smoked the equivalent of two or three cigarettes by now just by living here :P
There are also lots of amazing things about Germany, which I will miss, and which I hope the US picks up on in the near future.
First, there are all of the amazing food\drink items...
1. Apfelschorle the greatest drink invented by man. Ok, so that isn't true, but it's pretty darn lecker (delish) and I am going to have to make my own when I go back to the states. It's pretty much just Apple juice mixed with carbonated water, but it's amazing.
2. Butterkekse a holy union between grahm- and animalcrackers. You can even buy them with chocolate on them...mmmmaahhh
3. Nutella. we have this in the states, but it's expensive. Here they have generic brand nutella, and it is a magical addition to Butterkekse, bread, or just eating with a spoon, if you're desperate.
4. Beer. German beer is way better than US beer. I still don't like it, but I like it more than the guff in the states, and the places that sell it here are much more friendly anyway.
There are lots of other food things, but you get the idea...Now on to just life things:
1. Open-air markets. Every Saturday and Wednesday, there is an open air market 'am Markt,' right down the hill from the Schloß. There you can buy delicious fresh produce, meat, cheese, and flowers from stands that are set up in the Platz. The prices are great too! Today I bought 2 Zucchini, a small eggplant, 5 tomatoes, and 6 medium sized mushrooms for a little under 5 Euros. I also got some amazing cheese, which was more expensive, but for the quality it was about the same as in the states, maybe a little cheeper (well, that is, before the Dollar just plummeted again...)
2. Small little businesses. The terror of Walmart and monster coorperations has not yet lane waste to my fairytale town. There are about a bajillion little bakeries in the Oberstadt where I live, and numerous fresh produce places, as well as countless Cafes and of course, Kneipes (pubs).
3. Garbage. No seriously, it is awesome, because recycling here is like a cultural thing. Back in the states, depending on where you live, you have to bend over backwards to recycle anything. Here, it is a part of the system, and you can do your part to save the environment with ease.
4. Economic integrity. I hope I'm not harping to much on this, but seriously. Trains. why don't we do them in the US? Flippin' heck...Also, it's really awesome to be riding on a train to go to another town, and to look out the window to see dozens of huge windmills waving their arms, generating electricity without burning fules or anything. Go Germany! And housing: Seriously-- contrary to the opinions of most Americans, you don't have to have your own little kingdom. The houses here are much closer together, aren't as big, and people are just fine. So stop tearing up farmland in the US to build huge, sprawling developements! Good grief! build apartement buildings, for pete's sake. Seriously, Pete told me we need to do this...for him...for Pete...
5. Castles. Ok, so this one is just because Europe is old, and medievel, and there is nothing the Americas can do about that. I do think we should build prettier buildings, but whatever...
That's pretty much it for now! I'm sure there will be more as I learn and build relationships with people.
Bis später!
Die Deutsche - Germans
There is a common stereotype that is almost world-wide, which considers Germans to be some of the most rude and unfriendly people on the planet. This stereotype bleeds into many opinions about Germans and German culture, such as the following:
1. the German language is an 'angry' or 'harsh language.
2. German etiquette is missing consideration for others. The infamous German knocking into you as you walk down the sidewalk, passing you by without so much as a nod.
3. Germans do not appreciate form--functionality is everything.
These are just three things off the top of my head, stereotypes that I had or carried with me from others over to Germany. Here is my current, revised view of these stereotypes:
1. German is only an angry language when the speakers are angry, or when the emotion meant to be expressed through song, poetry, etc is one of intense anger or frustration. German is not an angry language, but angry Germans sound 'more angry' to American ears, because the phonetics are foreign. Advice: listen to some classical German music (with singing), or even better, contemporary (non-metal) music. Contemporary german worship songs are gorgeous, and are musically much more complex than most english ones.
2.I have yet to experience this one. Perhaps I have lucked out, but all of the Germans except for one that I have met so far have been very nice, and extremely helpful and concerned for the well being of a poor English boy who can't speak german! Perhaps I will revise my stance on this later, but so far Germans are in general at least as nice as Americans.
3. Boy is this way wrong. Germans are practical, but how this turned into the idea that they sneer at anything that isn't square and grey, I'll never know. Yesterday we went on a tour of Darmstadt. I'll load the pictures as soon as possible, but I'll let them speak for themselves as to this stereotype...
Quirks
Some things that I find entertaining and a little bit frustrating about Germany and it's residents:
1. I wish that German college students were different than typical US students, but they aren't. They are just as messy. Also, the average German college student's definition of what constitutes washing dishes is a lot more lenient that I would prefer. All dishes must be pre-washed before a meal.
2. Related to the above, vacuuming, sweeping, and etc. are also activities that are more annual than regular in the student residency houses. I cleaned out the guest room when I moved to my regular room, and I had to do epic battle with dust bunnies like I've never seen before. Those beasties were on their way to being highly evolved beings...
3. Germans are supposedly the most environmentally-minded of any country in the world. The are super-fans of organic food products, and there are advertisements like you wouldn't believe for healthy living, exercise, and what-not.
However, despite this interest with being healthy, every citizen over the age of like 12 in Germany smokes. Even with the recent legislation that makes it possible for those who don't smoke to find refuge from the clouds of tar, anywhere that it is legal (or the people don't care), there are clouds of smoke pouring out of the mouths of Germans. Even more ironic is that cigarette companies are required by law to print warnings on all packages and advertisements: 'Rauchen kann tötlich sein.'-'smoking can be deadly' can be seen everywhere in large bold letters. Marburg is a very clean city as far as amount litter goes, but the fact that there is still a fair amount of trash to be seen on the streets, and that it is almost completely comprised of cigarette butts is astonishing. Needless to say, I'm becoming more accustomed to the smell of smoke, but I just pray I don't get lung cancer from living in Germany for 5 months. I figure I've smoked the equivalent of two or three cigarettes by now just by living here :P
There are also lots of amazing things about Germany, which I will miss, and which I hope the US picks up on in the near future.
First, there are all of the amazing food\drink items...
1. Apfelschorle
2. Butterkekse
3. Nutella. we have this in the states, but it's expensive. Here they have generic brand nutella, and it is a magical addition to Butterkekse, bread, or just eating with a spoon, if you're desperate.
4. Beer. German beer is way better than US beer. I still don't like it, but I like it more than the guff in the states, and the places that sell it here are much more friendly anyway.
There are lots of other food things, but you get the idea...Now on to just life things:
1. Open-air markets. Every Saturday and Wednesday, there is an open air market 'am Markt,' right down the hill from the Schloß. There you can buy delicious fresh produce, meat, cheese, and flowers from stands that are set up in the Platz. The prices are great too! Today I bought 2 Zucchini, a small eggplant, 5 tomatoes, and 6 medium sized mushrooms for a little under 5 Euros. I also got some amazing cheese, which was more expensive, but for the quality it was about the same as in the states, maybe a little cheeper (well, that is, before the Dollar just plummeted again...)
2. Small little businesses. The terror of Walmart and monster coorperations has not yet lane waste to my fairytale town. There are about a bajillion little bakeries in the Oberstadt where I live, and numerous fresh produce places, as well as countless Cafes and of course, Kneipes (pubs).
3. Garbage. No seriously, it is awesome, because recycling here is like a cultural thing. Back in the states, depending on where you live, you have to bend over backwards to recycle anything. Here, it is a part of the system, and you can do your part to save the environment with ease.
4. Economic integrity. I hope I'm not harping to much on this, but seriously. Trains. why don't we do them in the US? Flippin' heck...Also, it's really awesome to be riding on a train to go to another town, and to look out the window to see dozens of huge windmills waving their arms, generating electricity without burning fules or anything. Go Germany! And housing: Seriously-- contrary to the opinions of most Americans, you don't have to have your own little kingdom. The houses here are much closer together, aren't as big, and people are just fine. So stop tearing up farmland in the US to build huge, sprawling developements! Good grief! build apartement buildings, for pete's sake. Seriously, Pete told me we need to do this...for him...for Pete...
5. Castles. Ok, so this one is just because Europe is old, and medievel, and there is nothing the Americas can do about that. I do think we should build prettier buildings, but whatever...
That's pretty much it for now! I'm sure there will be more as I learn and build relationships with people.
Bis später!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)