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!

A couple of things, with more to come on saturday

So I am slightly lost as far as what I have written here, what I have written in emails, and what I have written to family and friends personally. At any rate, I received a request for the resolution of yet another tale, the tale of my lost guitar.

Basically, I got to Frankfurt a week and a half ago, and my guitar decided not to come with me. Only I didn't know that my guitar didn't want to come until I went to get it in checked baggage, and it wasn't there. Needless to say, I was sad, but also bucked up because Alex told me that they would retrieve it free of charge. When the person at the Lost Baggage center told me the same thing, I was encouraged.

To cut a loquatious story short, I have my guitar back, and it has been a sorce of joy and comfort to me.
--Andrew, your case worked wonders, it's as snug as a bug in an armored truck. I'm keeping my eyes skinned for a Deutschland sticker, I found a music shop but haven't had the chance to go inside. Hoffentlich this fin de semana...

Yes, I just mentioned someone specifically by name. And that leads me to my next point. If you post a comment to any of my blog entries, could you please identify yourself? Otherwise, I have no clue who you are or what you are talking about. There, that was a bit of blunt german dialogue for you. I'm just trying to fit into the culture here...

Tomorrow we are going on a field trip, which will be exciting, and merit many much blog writings.

Until next time then, au revoir!

Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost Fotoapperat

Well, I was wrestling idealism last night, because I realized that too much is happening for me keep everyone updated about everything. Therefore, I am no longer going to try and include every single experience ever in this blog. Sorry.
Wenn ich alles schreibe, mache ich nichts. If I write everything, I'll do nothing.


That said, another sage. This I have entitled,

'never leave your camera in a restaurant, especially when you are in a country where you barely speak the language.'

So about halfway through last week, a couple of my fellow BCA Studenten and I went to a little Pizza place called Maxx. It was delish, but unfortunately, I forgot my camera there. Even MORE unfortunately, I didn't realize that I'd left my camera there until two days later, because I didn't have time to take any pictures, and I thought it was just in the bottom of my backpack.

So I retraced my steps, and decided that the only place I could have left it was Maxx. So I had to go back (which took some finding) and try and ask (in German) if anyone had left a camera there that week. Thanks to Alex Becker, I was armed with the necessary vocabulary, and actually was able to communicate very clearly with the lady at the counter. 'hat jemand hier eine Camera verlassen?' said I, 'Ja, vor drei Tage?' said she...etc.

Anyway, she had found my camera (it was the same lady who had served us) and put it in a safe place, telling her fellow workers that if anyone came in looking for a camera, that it was there.

You can imagine our shared chagrin when the camera WASN'T there.

She looked frantically around, and called a couple of people who weren't working that day, and finally told me sorry, and that I should come back that evening, when the other girl would be in, who might know where the camera had been moved to.

So I came back, and it was a repeat of the first time, only this time, they said to come back the next day. Saturday morning, I went, did some shopping a lovely open air market, and then went to Maxx. I wondered if I would be considered a regular after this adventure, even though I'd only bought anything once.

Finally, the clouds parted, heaven smiled upon the little Pizza place, and she beaming gave me my lost coin. I called all my neighbors, we slaughtered the fattened calf, and all was once again joy and merriment.

so now I have my camera back, no worse for wear other than that one of the rechargeable batteries must have fallen out, so now I only have one pair, which take a day to charge, so I have to plan ahead so I have batteries for important photo ops.

Speaking of which, it is beautiful outside today, so I am going to go get some sweet pics of the Schloß while I can, and hopefully I can upload them in the near future.

Viel Glück!

The sage meines Zimmers

Ok, so I owe everyone the amazing story if my room. The story is this. After lugging my horridly heavy suitcase up exactly 139 steps to the castle and into Kelsey's room (she is another Messiah BCA student, who was here for fall semester also, and who lives in the Schloß), I found out that I didnt have a room.

See, I was supposed to get Kelsey's room, but she was still in it, and even though she was going to move to a different room in the next few days, her Mitbewohnerin--her roommate--would be there until the middle of March or later.

So Kelsey took me to the other building across the cobblestone parking lot, up another 50 stairs or so (haven't counted those ones yet) to the top apartment, where the Collegium Philippinum's Gastzimmer--guest room--is. Guess what? There was already a Guest there! Only he wasn't supposed to be there, he was supposed to be in his friend's room, who had left. Oops though, his friend was still there!

I did what any beliegered person would do; I dropped my bags and went and saw a monster movie.

It was actually a pretty crappy movie, unfortunately,--Don't see the Blair Witch style alien movie, whatever you do-- but when I got back to the Schloß, I had a room!

The only problem was that I still didn´t have a key to get into the building, so I was locked out. I hung my head in the middle of the foggy, dark, cobbelstone courtyard, and a tear trickled down my cheek...well, it would have, only I don´t know how to cry in german, so I just made frustrated grunting sounds. I went and buzzed kelsey's room, and her roommate answered the door, cutting off my feeble german 'ist Kelsey da...?' with a cold english 'no, she's gone.'

a little side note here. one of the most depressing things I have experienced here is Germans not giving me a chance to attempt to speak in German. It's not a great confidence booster when people cut you off and try and MAKE you speak your native tongue. I mean, was I that bad?

Anyway, I was able to bang on the director's door (who speaks very quickly, and baffels me, but is at least very nice and doesn't stop me from speaking German) and he lets me into my building. I stumble up the stairs, to find an empty room waiting for me. Wunderbar.

The next evening, I am again locked out, again, I buzz on Kelsey's door, again her roommate sends me to the director. Again, the wonderful, warm director jabbers at me at a million wordsa minute, and lets me into the building, saying something about a 'Schlüssel,' which I am able to gather is the German word for 'key.' Armed with this new vocabulary, I march up into the room to see if I can get such a Schlüssel. No one is there, so I sit down to read. A little while later, in comes one of the residents. He says something rapidly, extending his hand. I assume he is introducing himself, and though I have no idea what he just said his name was, I give him mine. He asks how I am doing (this time slower--something must have clicked that I'm no native), and I say fine, but a little confused, because I have no Schlüssel. No Schlüsse? he asks. That is terrible! So he procedes to search all over the apartment for the extra key. He can't find it, so he does the smart thing and Phones a Friend. friend can't help, but another friend walks through the door at that moment, and after a corus of 'keine Schlüssel,' he joins in the search. A girl walks in, and now there are three people looking, and me feeling very awkward about all the attention I'm getting.

At long last, the key is found, and everything is smiles and back-patting. I have a Schlüssel, and can join the ranks of the not-locked-out.

So that's my current posish. I'll write more later, but now it's time for Baguettes with Alex, the part of the show where Alex Becker comes out and feeds me his leftover Baguettes.

God made you special and he loves you very much! bye!