Cultural Comparisons: An American in Germany

Apostrophes

2012-02-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

See the example above (ignore the misspelled word for now)? German doesn't use apostrophes, though all the English that is taught in German schools has influenced that. Unfortunately, Germans' use of apostrophes in both English and German is just about as confused as the use of apostrophes in America. The only difference is that a lot of Germans tend to type them (whether correct or not) the wrong way, even though German keyboards are actually capable of ´ and ` and '. Most word processors will change the single quotation marks around words (such as in the case of 'word') to be at the correct angle anyway, so the straight up and down apostrophe symbol should be used in place of the grave accents and acute accents. This goes for contractions, too. "I`ve had a wonderfull day!!" should be "I've had a wonderful day!!" More info here.

Diagonal Pictures

2012-01-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

What do all these pictures have in common?

They're all diagonal. And they were all taken by German guys. I'm not saying all Germans do that. I'm just saying.

Learn East German

2011-10-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Just in case you wanted to know what the East German dialect sounds like. :)

Erdställe

2011-09-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Another thing to explore in Germany: Erdställe, or ancient underground tunnels with an unknown purpose. (I wonder if they're like the tunnels I saw in Cappadocia, Turkey, that early Christians built to hide in.)

(Image source here.)

Audiences at Concerts

2011-08-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

Apparently German audiences are more quiet at concerts than American audiences.

Concert in Germany:

Concert in America:

Cup Holders

2011-05-31T11:15:00.001-07:00

I never noticed that cup holders are missing from European cars.

Differing Names for the Same Things

2011-03-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Different names for the same things all over Germany. (My great uncle would love to see the Röschti one.)

Disruptive Swiss Youth

2011-01-17T17:55:00.000-08:00

Switzerland imprisoned disruptive youth without trial? It seems so uncharacteristic, but I suppose a love of peace and not deviance ruled here . . .

-chen

2011-01-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

"-chen"

is a postfix that you add to words to make them little or cute, like "-ette" in "kitchenette" or "-y" in "Jenny" or "cutesy." It is pronounced a little like the English word "hen" with more of a bite on the H and a slip of a Y before the E, kind of like "(c)hyen."

Here are some examples of it in action:

Häuschen (little house) = Haus (house) + ¨+ -chen (little)

Mädchen (girl) = Mädel (maiden) - -el + -chen (little)

So, after a month of living in Germany, when I ran across the word

Löschen

I mistook it for "Lös-chen," though I didn't know what a "Los" might be. The friend I was talking to didn't know what I meant at first and then laughed as he told me that in this case, the S, C, and H are all taken together ("lösch-en") to form the word "löschen," a verb that means

to delete

Bwa ha ha. Silly foreigner.

Zivildienst

2010-12-27T15:31:00.000-08:00

No more Zivis in Germany?

Weihnachtsmann der Deutschen Post

2010-12-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else think that Deutsche Post's Santa is a bit creepy? I don't know what it is.

Frohe Weihnachten!

Walking Dogs

2010-12-11T12:01:00.000-08:00

If you want to go walk dogs at the animal shelter, you have to have a "Hundeführerschein"--a dog walking license. Wow. That is so German.

German Beds

2010-12-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

At "Ann On a Moose" I found the following:

German beds are frequently problematic. Until now, we’ve had a water bed, but we’ll be switching to two twin mattresses. My mother mentioned that there were foam pieces for the notorius mattress gap and we decided to at least look and see if there was a similar product on the German market.

It would appear there is – die Liebesbrücke – the love bridge.

And the gap, the crack between the two mattressess is a “Besucherritze” – the visitor crack.

Happy to be of service.

Ha ha ha. A friend of mine told me that she and her husband were shocked when they saw that American beds only had one bedspread for the two of them. You have to admit, the two-bedspread system is more practical.

Stuffing for Thanksgiving in Germany

2010-11-22T11:06:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of those American holidays that you just don't miss, even if you're living in a foreign country. And I'll tell you why: it's the stuffing. Okay, for me, anyway. Turkey's great for making you zonk out and mashed potatoes and gravy are a staple in any true American diet, but stuffing . . . oh, it's something special.

So each time I've celebrated Thanksgiving in Germany, it goes something like this:

Someone: "We want to celebrate Thanksgiving."
Me: "Great! I'll make the stuffing!"
Someone: "I can make the stuffing. Why don't you make the potatoes?"
Me: "You could use my recipe. It's really awesome."
Someone: "Oh, that's okay. I've got one already."
Me: "I'll make the stuffing! And a pie!"
Someone: "Sounds good."

Yeah, so that was actually an exaggeration. But I do like to make stuffing or at least consume stuffing, especially when it's made of Mom's recipe. But then, when shopping for ingredients, it goes something like this:

Me talking to myself in Denglisch: Brot, Zwiebeln, Butter, gut. I have Salbei zu hause . . . now I just need celery (walking to the produce section, looking around, not finding any).
Me to a store employee: Haben Sie Sellerie?
Store employee: Yeah, here, let me show you (except in German, obviously).
Me: That looks like a root (see picture below). I need celery.

Store employee: This is celery (pointing to sign).
Me: Okay, but I need the plant part of celery.
Store employee: For what?
Me: Stuffing.
Store employee: ?
Me: Where do I get the green plant part of celery?
Store employee: We don't have that.
Me: Yes. Do you know where I could find some?
Store employee: Maybe a farmer's market? Or Kaufland (the German version of Target)?

So I make another trip or two. Just for the celery stalks. But you will know why it's worth it when you try this recipe (no turkey necessary!):

Basic Stuffing Recipe

2/3 cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

Saute until onion is clear.

In a large bowl, mix together:

18 slices bread, toasted and cubed

2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. poultry seasoning (sage, thyme, marjoram)

Dash of sage

Then add onion mixture and approximately one cup boiling water and mix well. Add more water if necessary. Stuff into turkey right before cooking. Bake remaining stuffing at 325 degrees (162 Celsius) for about an hour. You might want to cover it with foil and then uncover it for the last 15 or so minutes for some crispy pieces on top.

Angela Merkel

2010-11-17T11:53:00.001-08:00

I don't know what she's laughing about, but isn't Angela Merkel great?

Blaue Augen

2010-10-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know what are called bruised or "black" eyes in English are called "blue eyes" in German?

How does that make sense when people like me have blue eyes all the time?

Germany's Done with Payments

2010-10-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Did you know, as of the German Unification Holiday yesterday, Germany is done with the reparation payments from WWI?

See this article.

And here's an interesting photo gallery with pictures of East Germany right after the wall fell and again many years later.

Join Me In Laughing At German Bureaucracy

2010-09-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

I wonder how this system would be hilariously different if it were the American/German system.

Schwimmen

2010-08-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

Swimming in America's public swimming pools:

Swimming in Germany's public swimming pools:

(In case you didn't catch it, Americans seem to just play and Germans are all about the business of diving and laps and fitness.)

Tiere

2010-07-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

Guess who finally saw the Wildpark in Leipzig? That means that within a matter of a few weeks, I had finally seen animals that Germans couldn't believe I'd never seen . . .

two hedgehogs (one in the headlights--I totally scared the driver with my excited yell--and one up close in Schkeuditz)
two foxes (one on the sidewalk--I pulled over the car onto the sidewalk and started running towards it until it ran away--and a sleepy one in a fenced-in area at the park)
wild boars (that I guess aren't so wild since they're taken care of in the Wildpark)

Finally! Yes!

Uncapitalized First Words in Letters

2010-07-07T03:09:00.000-07:00

The differing German grammar and editorial rules have left my brain completely confused. But one thing that I will never remember is the uncapitalized word at the start of letters. Like this:

Liebe Michelle,

hast du einen schönen Tag gehabt?

To the American/English eye, the H needs to be capitalized because it's the start of a sentence, but to a German eye, the H needs to be lower case because "Liebe Michelle" is actually the start of the sentence. It makes sense, but a new paragraph that starts with a lower case seems so weird to me. I guess it's just the sense of tradition.

Flag Symbols

2010-07-02T01:35:00.000-07:00

= America

= Deutschland Fußball

This probably has a lot to do with the fact that under normal circumstances, too much national pride is connected with touchy nationalism of the past. But when Germany's soccer team plays, everyone can finally be proud and scream "Deutschland" as loud as they want.

Sandalen und Socken

2010-06-29T04:08:00.000-07:00

It's bad enough when older generations wear sandals with socks, but when they support their kids wearing the same to church . . .

Nein!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pie in Germany

2010-06-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

You know Germans ate the pie you made when they forget to eat the bottom crust. (They don't really make pie, and pie tins don't really exist here.)

:)

Besteck in der Geschirrspülmaschine

2010-06-11T03:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this is just a German thing, but I've noticed everyone here puts the handle down in those dishwasher silverware baskets. I think they think they'll get cleaner that way, but isn't that why there are holes in the basket, so the water can get everywhere?

I like to put handles up so that you don't cut yourself with knives when you put them away and so your spoons and forks and other utensils don't end up with fingerprints on the part that's going to be in somebody's mouth later.

Then there are those racks at the very top of the dishwasher, where the silverware can be washed laying down. Those are cool.

Which way do you place the silverware in the dishwasher?

Street Names

2010-06-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

Street names have no system here and it drives me a little bit crazy sometimes.

For example, a side street will have the same name as the main street.

Or a perfectly straight street will change names. Like this one:

Backing in Cars

2010-05-29T03:46:00.000-07:00

Another good point by American Dresdner:

Germans like to back their cars in to parking spots. See her amusing video here.

Man Vs. Chocolate

2010-05-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

Who has their priorities right? Those going for chocolate or those going for a man?

Trude Herr's "Ich Will Keine Schokolade:"

Ich lebe unerhört solide,
und habe nie ein Rendezvous.
Ich gehe höchstens mit den Eltern
ein Stück spazieren ab und zu.
Mein Vater sagt so muss das bleiben,
und dafür schenkt er mir Konfekt.
Doch neulich platzte mir der Kragen,
weil mir Konfekt nunmal nicht schmeckt!

Ich will keine Schokolade ,
ich will lieber einen Mann,
ich will einen, die mich küssen
und um den Finger wickeln kann!

Ich hatte neulich grad Geburtstag,
und diesen Tag vergess' ich nie,
denn alle Tanten und Verwandten
die waren mit von der Partie.
Sie brachten Rosen und Narzissen
und Schokolade zentnerschwer,
da hat's mich plötzlich fortgerissen,
ich schrie: "Ich will das Zeug nicht mehr".

Ich will keine Schokolade,
ich will lieber einen Mann,
ich will einen, die mich küssen
und um den Finger wickeln kann!

Ich kaufte Sonntag auf dem Rummel,
für zwanzig Pfennig mir ein Los.
Ich hab' auch wirklich was gewonnen
Doch die Enttäuschung, die war groß.
Denn ich gewann doch einen Teddy
aus Schokolad' und Marzipan.
Den schmiss ich wütend in die Menge
und schrie den Losverkäufer an:

Ich will keine Schokolade,
ich will lieber einen Mann,
ich will einen, die mich küssen
und um den Finger wickeln kann!

Ich will einen der mich küssen
und um den Finger wickeln kann!

Translation:

I never have any dates. At the very most I get to go for a short walk with my parents. But my father says, this is how it should stay and gives me chocolate (as compensation). But recently I just exploded because chocolate doesn't taste good anymore.

Chorus: I don't want chocolate. I would rather have a man. I want a man who can kiss me and wrap me around his finger.

I celebrated my birthday just a while ago, together with my aunts, who gave me flowers and chocolate. But I yelled "I don’t want that anymore!"

Chorus.

Last Sunday I bought lottery tickets at the fair and won. But the prize disappointed me a lot. Because I got a teddy bear, chocolate, and marzipan. I threw it all angrily into the crowd while screaming at the lottery ticket seller:

Chorus.

Toilet Paper

2010-05-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

I think this "new easy and fast to open" toilet paper is hilarious. Was it ever difficult to open toilet paper? And are people that desperate to open a new pack of toilet paper that they need a serated corner? Notice how whoever opened the package didn't even use the easy-to-open corner.

Speaking of toilet paper, did I ever tell you the story of how Elder Dixon put some toilet paper in the shopping cart and Sister Dixon, who can't read much German, but who understood the word "Recycling," yelled, "Eeeew! We can't buy recycled toilet paper!" (She thought it had been used as toilet paper before. Ha ha.)

Alu Folie

2010-05-08T04:08:00.000-07:00

Aluminum foil in Germany is noticeably thicker and thus stiffer than the stuff I always saw in the States. Maybe the American stuff isn't really aluminum anymore? Who knows.

Tortillas and Hash Browns

2010-05-01T04:48:00.000-07:00

It's a little difficult to find tortillas or frozen hash browns in Germany.

Good thing you can easily make tortillas with water, salt, and Schweineschmalz (lard):

The hash browns just require you to peel, grate, and pan-fry potatoes.

But on the other side, good luck finding marzipan, zitronat, and quark in the U.S.

Bureaucracy

2010-03-04T02:41:00.000-08:00

When I applied for a student visa, I had to open a locked account that only allowed me to withdraw a certain amount each month. That account has long been at 1.50 € because the bank can't close it without permission from immigration office. So I emailed the office and asked for a letter saying the account could be closed so I can have a free, online, non-student account. Here's the answer:

Sehr geehrte Frau Glauser,

die Aufhebung der Sperre für Ihr Konto habe ich verfügt.
Bitte holen Sie das Schreiben für die Bank an der AUSGABE unserer Behörde zu unseren Öffnungszeiten persönlich ab.
Die Gebühr beträgt 10,00 €.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

I have to pay 10 € to get 1.50 € and the peace of mind that comes with one less bank account. Typical.

Should I go to the trouble of picking up the letter and paying? :D

Je . . . Desto

2010-02-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

It took me a long time to grasp the way to say things like this:

The more I read the more I want to read.

or

The less I (fill in your own words here) the less I (and here).

etc.

And I'll tell you why. The words that Germans use in these cases sound ridiculously non-German to me. They sound Spanish or something. And I could never remember which word came first.

Here they are:

je

desto

The leo.org dictionary (my lifeline) defines "je . . . desto" as "the . . . the." Yeah. Confusing without an example. So here's one for your enjoyment:

Je mehr ich lese, desto mehr ich lesen will. (The more I read, the more I want to read.)

Telegraphic Sentences

2010-02-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

Because German verb conjugations have more forms (or it's my opinion anyway), in German, you can leave off your subject and it's already understood who did what. I like it but I've noticed it's left me writing some telegraph-sounding emails to friends in English:

Am finished with the book. Thought it was great. Hope you also enjoy it.

(Bin fertig mit dem Buch. Dachte, dass es super war. Hoffe, dass Du es auch genießt.)

Sleds

2010-01-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Since we've had -19 degrees Celsius around here (about 2 degrees Fahrenheit) that won't let the powdery snow go away, I've seen sleds everywhere. People pull their kids around on them. But where do they sled when Leipzig is so flat? I finally saw some kids going down an artificially-built hill that supported the train tracks. It was pretty steep and I was impressed.

Anyway, everyone has sleds that look like this. It surprises me a little. Since they're all raised up like that, isn't that a little more dangerous for the kids? I guess I'm just still wary since my sledding accident on January 1st, 2009.

Salina in Memphis

2009-12-17T05:23:00.000-08:00

I've got another comparison blog for you, this time the other direction--a German who's studying in American and writing in English.

Salina in Memphis.

Christmas Market

2009-12-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Going to the Christmas market is one popular activity at Christmas time. People will claim that it's mostly a tourist thing, but then they ask each other if they've gone yet, tell stories about what they saw and bought and ate there, and arrange new get-togethers to explore the treasures that can be found there.

There are tall tables where people stand around drinking Glühwein.

Here are some of my pictures from last year in Dresden, and here I am in Leipzig 2 years ago.

Someone Else's Comparisons

2009-11-25T09:05:00.001-08:00

Check out this post for some American/German comparisons (some are ones I've mentioned before).

Grapes

2009-11-19T04:30:00.000-08:00

I have only recently seen my first seedless grapes in Germany. Most of the time, they have those hateful seeds and I want to spit them out because they leave a dry, bitter taste in my mouth. Such a disappointment after seeing huge, juicy grapes. However, everyone else eats them, so unless I'm alone, I either avoid grapes or follow the crowd.

Mini Dogs and Men

2009-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

I keep seeing these strong German guys walking teeny, tiny dogs that would fly through the air if you tugged on their leashes. It makes me laugh every time because American guys seem to want to be seen with what non-yappy dogs.

Once I even saw the Gohlis punks with such a dog in tow. Do the dogs belong to their girlfriends?

Insulation

2009-11-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

It's no wonder I freeze in German houses. Instead of having insulation between 2x4s and sheet rock, there are enormous stacked rock-bricks covered with bumpy wallpaper that just emanate coldness. They may be sturdy, but I miss the warmth. When you knock on a wall here, there's no way anyone on the other side is going to hear it, the knocking just gets absorbed into the rock. Thus the cold walls and the cold floors and the house shoes and sweaters around the house.

Reformations Brötchen

2009-10-30T03:10:00.000-07:00

Around this time of year, because of the celebration of the Protestant Reformation, bakeries boast rolls called "Reformationsbrötchen." They are sweet rolls with raisins and zitronat in the bread and a dollop of jam in the middle. Some also have glaze or almonds on top.

Their background isn't very clear, but apparently they are supposed to look like Martin Luther's symbol of the rose, which had five points. Another theory is that it represents a bishop's miter (yeah, I had to look it up, it's one of those pointy hats Catholic bishops wear).

But anyway, I love Reformationsbrötchen and on Reformations Day tomorrow I'm going to bake some. You can read more about them here (in German--translate on Google if you can't understand).

Kastanien Sammeln

2009-10-22T04:22:00.000-07:00

Maybe I was just out of the loop, but I've never seen anyone suggest we go out to gather spiky green things that fall from trees (okay, I found out they're chestnuts) and acorns and leaves and such until I moved to Germany. Not that I mind it--I was always an autumn leaf gatherer anyway. And Jenny made the most beautiful wreath out of everything we found.

Emergency Vehicles

2009-10-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

This is what a German ambulance sounds/looks like:

This is what a German police car sounds/looks like:

Quite honestly, I don't even remember what they sound like in the U.S. So I looked that up too:

American police car:

American ambulance:

Now that I've heard both of those, I think they have the same siren. Is that true? I never noticed before. Maybe we should take a look at fire trucks? Ah, yes:

American:

German:

I think I'd rather get out of the way of the American fire truck, with that annoying honk.

Juice

2009-10-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

You know you're German if you mix juice with water. Especially if it's carbonated water.

(Picture from http://www.landwirtschaft-mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de/.)

Dating Werewolves

2009-10-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

Though I love, love, love Germany, I will never, ever, ever understand all the darling German girls who are in serious (okay, as "serious" as you can get in Germany without marrying) relationships with very unattractive guys. These aren't just homely men, they are scrawny, unstylish, and they sport what I call "the werewolf look," meaning they have long, greasy hair pulled back into a droopy ponytail. Many of them look girlier than the girl.

I just don't get it. There are lots of cute German guys. Why do the girls go for those ones? Or why don't they encourage their boyfriends to get haircuts and a new wardrobe, work out a little . . . ?

Okay, so I'm being a little shallow. But I just can't picture myself dating someone whose hair is longer than mine, unless he had well-taken-care-of dreds. But then again, I think everyone deserves love and I'm glad someone can look past those things.

(And a note: check out this cute couples in Berlin blog. This one gives you an idea . . . )

Trunks (or "Boots" for You British Peeps)

2009-09-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

(Again, maybe another Mormon German thing.) Germans use the trunks of their cars a lot more than Americans do. I don't think that any American ever first led me to the trunk of their car to put my bag there or asked me if they could put my bag in the trunk when giving me a ride somewhere. When I had a car, I just threw things onto the front or back seat or even onto the floor, and when I got a ride with someone, I just held my bag on my lap. It seems like for Americans, the trunk is kind of forgotten about unless someone is transporting a large suitcase or a stroller. Then again, most German cars, because they're small, don't have a real trunk--it's just the space behind the last row of seats.

Movies til the End

2009-09-15T02:45:00.000-07:00

Every time I watch a movie with German friends, the movie ends and I say something like, "That was good," and start to get up to go, or turn to start a conversation.

Then I am hit with the reality that they like to watch til the end of the credits, something I rarely do.

Nudity

2009-09-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ads, beaches, parks, you name it. It's no biggie.

I guess this is kind of attached to the indifference about hanging ALL your laundry out where anyone can see it.

Toastbrot

2009-09-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry. I will never, ever, ever understand how Germans can go on and on about how American bread is so horrible--"so soft and full of nothing so that I can squish it all into a ball smaller than my fist"--and yet they only make toast with the worst bread you have ever seen.

Worse than Wonder Bread.

I introduce "Toastbrot" to you:

(This brand couldn't even think of anything better to say than "yeah!")

Yeah. I don't get it.

American Tourists

2009-08-27T02:50:00.000-07:00

If you want to spot American tourists in Germany, just look for the guy wearing shorts and flip flops or running shoes, and the girl with straightened, highlighted hair and makeup. They'll also be talking more loudly than anyone else in the near vicinity.

Pencil Cases

2009-08-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Remember pencil cases? Those hard little tupperware-like things that you bought each new school year according to the latest styles?

Well check out the ones pictured on the right. Those are German pencil cases. And everyone has them (there are much prettier ones, I must say, like Lisa's). That's right, boys and girls, in Germany, pencil cases are not just for boys and girls.

I've never felt like buying an extra bag to put in my bag to carry around a bunch of pens, so every college student pulls out one of these doohickeys while I dig around in my bag for a pen that may or may not work. Hmmm. Who's missing out here?

Crutches

2009-08-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how I'm a bit of a cripple myself right now (who knew physical therapy would do that to you?) and a friend of mine who is currently a gimp just spent the last few days here, it's about time to write about crutches.

In America, most people have the crutches that go in your armpits. Very few people have the ones that you hold in your hands, and if they do, they're old guys with replaced hips or knees. Thus, I was surprised when I first saw young people in Germany using what I always viewed as old-people crutches. I thought it was just an exception until I realized no one ever had the kind of crutches I thought were normal.

I asked my friend about it, and he said that the armpit ones must be very uncomfortable. I wonder which ones help you to stand up the straightest.

First Day of School and Zuckertüten

2009-08-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Germany, the first day of school for six-year-olds is a huge deal. Extended family comes to town, the kids are congratulated in front of everyone at church, the primary congratulates them too, but best of all, they get these enormous "Zuckertüten" from everyone. They're colorful, cone-shaped paper that holds all sorts of goodies, from small toys to money to candy.

German Mormons

2009-07-30T02:29:00.000-07:00

So this one only applies to Mormons. I've noticed that the countries Mormons are called to on missions are limited. (I guess having heard a huge variety in Utah may also have to do with the fact that there was a huge number of missionaries.) The guys get called to England, Greece, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, or Russia, and the girls get called to Germany/Switzerland/Austria or Temple Square. Of course there are exceptions, but I'd say this claim could be made about the majority.

Taller Girls Than Guys

2009-07-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

It's not that rare for me to see German couples where the girl is taller than the guy, and I can't help taking a second look. I'm pretty sure it's more rare in the U.S. Does that mean Americans are more shallow? I'll let you judge.

And there's a second item I have to say about this picture, but I'll get to that later.

Monoculture

2009-07-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

On the way to the U.S., I talked to a German guy who said the biggest thing he noticed that differed between America and Germany is what he called "monoculture." He said that you can find the same stores everywhere and that houses all look the same.

While in some ways something is lost with every place being fairly similar, my sister and I discussed how it can also be comforting. No matter where you are in the U.S., you know that you can pick up a cheap but cute shirt at Old Navy, almost any kind of candy or marker at Target, and household stuff at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

In Germany, there are many things I would have no idea where to find. Like a white-erase marker. And while those things are available somewhere, the main stores don't carry a wide variety of things nor brands of those things they do have. But you do get more of the more unique, personality-filled, smaller stores.

Peeling Oranges

2009-06-25T02:29:00.000-07:00

I keep seeing this one. People here have to have a knife to peel oranges, or at least to start peeling. I don't think I've ever used a knife. Just dig in your thumb at the top, and voila!

Education Costs

2009-06-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Though every state and school is different in Germany, compared to America, education costs in Germany rock because they are subsidized so heavily by the government. Some students complain about the rising costs, but I never could find it in myself to sympathize with those who pay $200 a semester.

Personally, I pay 90 Euros a semester, which is $1400-$1900 cheaper than I ever paid in Utah (and even that was smoking cheap.)

Then you have to take into account that students have what's called "BaFög" available--money from the government so they don't have to work while they study. The monthly amount goes up and down depending on how much their parents make and how many siblings are also studying. Although a certain percentage has to be paid back several years after the education is completed, that percentage cannot exceed 10,000 Euros.

A lot is expected of the students, so it's good that they can focus. So, the hardcore German college tests where you're expected to know EVERYTHING you MIGHT have read during the semester + subsidization = German education is amazing.

And, while I'm at it, happy 600th birthday to the University of Leipzig!!! How cool is it that I'm graduating this year?

Pizza Toppings

2009-06-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Getting sick of plain old pepperoni or cheese pizzas? (I don't think I ever will.) Come to Germany, where you can find all sorts of pizzas covered with toppings and not a single pepperoni in sight.

Some toppings on my infamous list are corn, onions (and I mean long, stringy things that cover practically the whole pizza), and tuna.

Plus, it's one thing to eat pizza out of the fridge the day after you made it or ordered it, but it's completely different to buy it from the bakery and to realize it's just been sitting in room temperature for a while. Not quite as appetizing, somehow.

Banks

2009-06-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

I didn't know there were really banks that you pay to keep your money. Don't they realize that you're doing them the service by letting them invest your money? Unless you have a child account here, you have to pay to store your money there, you have to pay to have a credit card, you have to pay . . .

Okay, enough. I have a child account.

Plus, the people who work at the counters in banks received a special kind of education just to work there.

I like how Germany really trains people to do their jobs, no matter what it is, but sometimes that makes it hard to be versatile. If you study American Studies, you can . . . American study-ate? So far, no one seems to know.

BYOK and L (Kitchens and Lights)

2009-05-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

Apartments don't come as finished as they do in the U.S. If you move into your own apartment, you have to buy your own "kitchen," a.k.a. a long assemblage of cupboards, oven, and sink that you have to install. Fortunately, these can be secured at Ikea.

People even take the lights with them, leaving cords hanging out of the ceiling for you to connect whatever light fixture you'd like to have there.

Although I can see it's practical for fitting the apartment to your tastes, it seems kind of crazy to me to lug a kitchen around. And isn't part of the fun of moving having new fixtures, whether it be the lights or the kitchen cupboards?

Blue Overalls and Jumpsuits

2009-05-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

German builders/construction workers wear blue overalls and jumpsuits that a grandpa or two might be caught wearing in the U.S. Even normal guys sometimes pull out blue overalls when they're working on a project. No joke.

Leaving Food Out

2009-05-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Leaving food out is not as big of a concern over here. Sure, people have Tupperware, but some pasta and sauce sitting cold on the stove for a few days won't hurt anyone, and most don't make much extra anyway. (This habit drove me crazy at first--I felt like I either had to cover it up and refrigerate it for them, or eat it myself.)

Lacy Curtains

2009-05-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

Germans have what I would call "old lady curtains," or lacy, frilly, white affairs that I thought young people had put up out of kindness to their generous grandmothers.

Bryan Adams

2009-04-29T06:10:00.000-07:00

Every time a German friend of mine told me that he or she liked Bryan Adams, I thought they were talking about the comedian. Then I realized the comedian I was thinking of was Brian Regan.

When I finally recognized that they meant the singer of "Everything I Do," I was a bit thrown back. They liked the cheesy, elevator muzak-like stuff? But if you ever attend a German dance, where they dance to soft hits of the 80s and 90s and sing along with every word, you'll discover that you could easily enlighten them with a band name or two.

Floors

2009-04-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

So you don't get confused when you come visit, remember that there is the groundlevel (E=Erdgeschoss) and then the first floor (what Americans would call the second floor).

However, if you don't want to push the wrong button, join me on the stairs (except when I injure my meniscus).

Thank You

2009-04-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

I guess like in any language, there are a lot of ways to thank people. I just happen to think that one of them in German is really weird.

There's the basic thank you: "Danke schön," the "I thank you" ("Ich danke dir"), and the one that can only be semi-translated as "I thank myself" ("Ich bedanke mich"), even though it means that you're thanking others. I don't get it.

Water Boilers

2009-03-27T05:44:00.000-07:00

Every real German household has one of these:

That's a water boiler. Maybe Americans do too. I wouldn't know because they are mainly used for making tea and Mormons don't usually make tea (unless it's herbal). I find it very useful. Instead of having to wait forever for water to boil, this thing does the job within 1-3 minutes, depending on the boiler.

Fingernails

2009-03-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

Many men in Germany let their fingernails grow longer than men in America do. I think it's considered too feminine in America. In any case, I don't like it. Yuck.

Graffiti

2009-03-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Germany is covered in graffiti, which may seem shockingly disrespectful to newly-arrived Americans who are still marveling at buildings that have been around longer than the Declaration of Independence.

I still don't understand why no one tries to get rid of it or at least cover it up (this, along with litter, especially seems to be a problem in East Germany--which is obviously not an official place anymore), but graffiti has slowly faded into the background so I hardly notice it anymore.

Spicy Food

2009-03-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

Even when Germans here claim to like spicy food, I (and others, such as my Kiwi coworker) just have to laugh at their tolerance level. The sauce I made for Mike's birthday party was "pretty spicy" according to the guests. Today, our boss ordered Indian food for the four of us. The two Germans ordered spinach rice and something red with duck meat. I and the Kiwi guy ordered mango chicken and were enormously enjoying it as the Germans started to fan their faces, schluck their drinks, and use bread to neutralize their supposedly spicy food. The thing is, we tried their food, and it wasn't spicy. At all. Maybe salty, but not spicy.

I'm sure some cultures would laugh at my comparatively low tolerance level for hot foods, but today I got to be in that spot.

Kids' Backpacks

2009-03-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Kids' backpacks in Germany are chunky, boxy affairs. After seeing an ergonomic bag-carrying display at the Hygiene Museum in Dresden, I can understand why. They keep the weight at the top of the shoulders. This is what they look like (with variations of colors and patterns for the enjoyment of the child).

(Thanks to my friend Denise for posing.)

German City Gardens

2009-02-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

Germans love their flowers, but in the cities, they don't have the luxury of a backyard. So what do they do?

First of all, I can't even begin to describe the ascribed worth of a balcony attached to apartments. If an apartment is a piece of phooey and someone mentions that it has a balcony, no matter how minuscule, the apartment seems to have become a find in seconds, and covered in flowers, vegetables, bushes, and climbers of every kind within days.

Secondly, many people rent or buy a plot of land in an area dedicated specifically to gardens. They are fenced off and usually quite small, but they bloom beautifully and some people even have a tiny hut on the plot where they can spend summer evenings enjoying the fruits of their efforts.

I've Been Interviewed

2009-02-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Swisstory is an expatriate blog I read (since I love Switzerland so much), and as an extension of an interview she did, she has sent me interview questions:

- Where do you think you would be right now if not in Germany?
This is a good (which usually means "unanswerable") question. I tend to get antsy when I stay in one place for too long, so I travel to random places. As for where I would be living, I've always wanted to live in Switzerland. Germany is just my roundabout way of (hopefully) getting there after learning the language. However, it's also nice to be close enough to family to actually receive visits. I have yet to have someone come see me, so it might be nice to be in one of my favorite cities in the U.S. So, in short, either traveling (China, Thailand, India, Egypt, Hungary, and Poland are currently at the top of the list), or in Switzerland, or in Boston, San Francisco, or the like.

- What do you like the most & the least about living in Germany?
Wow. The most? Hmm, easy transportation, diverse people, beautiful architecture, lovely country, long history . . . I guess I would have to say the language. I always wanted to learn German, since I discovered that my Swiss ancestors spoke German. I think my (non-Swiss) grandma scared me a bit out of going directly to Switzerland when she said that I didn't want to learn Swiss-German, I wanted to learn High German. Now I love the sound of Swiss-German and can't wait to use my High German skills to help me learn Swiss-German.

The least? The obvious answer would be that my family is so far away. The not-so-obvious answer is the constant things I hear about Americans and the U.S. government, as if everyone else is the expert on me and everyone in the U.S., though they may not have been there or may not understand why things are the way they are. I don't think I fit most of the things people say about Americans (even directly to me), and yet I consider myself deeply American, and pretty typical too. Once I was on a date and the guy kept telling me how Americans did things that bothered him and that they were the worst workers. When I would do little things, he would say, "Oh yeah, all Americans do that." Then he would add comments about how "I bet you do this" or "You probably do that." It's really annoying to be classified before you do anything worth classifying.

- What is your favorite German food? What could you not bear to live without?
All German food is my favorite German food. Seriously. The first time I flew back to visit my family, my mom said, "Yeah, you like the German food" upon first seeing me. Thanks, Mom. ;) I love the Klöße and the Rouladen with Rotkohl especially for Sunday dinners, and chocolate for everything else. Unfortunately, I decided to give up the chocolate for a long while. It's just so much easier to say "no" than to say "a little." I also love anything that comes from the bakeries, yogurt, cheese, Wurst, everything . . . Of course, this might be adversely affected by the fact that I'm a student who will take anything given to me.

- Why do you blog and which blog/s inspire you most?
I love to blog; I love that I have somewhere to put all my random thoughts. Although I love getting comments, if I were to never, ever get comments, I would continue blogging because of that space I have that is so very me. Naturally, I love blogs that keep me in touch with friends and/or family, but I also love a variety of other blogs of non-acquaintances. I like ones that are personal and thoughtful, intellectual, and/or funny, even if they don't really relate to me, such as with the mommy blogs I read. Oh, and I also like the beauty I find in design blogs. Some of my favorites are Bankhead Adventures (my sister's family), Lawsons Did Dallas! (for funny anecdotes), American Dresdner (expatriate blog), Colour Lovers (design), Scribbit (mommy blog), Feminist Mormon Housewives (religious discussion), "The World is a Book" (friend's blog), Design Mom, Amo, (another friend's blog), What About Mom (another mommy blog), The Jolly Porter (the famous NieNie's brother), No Caption Needed (discussions of photo journalism), Segullah (more religious discussion), You Go Nate! (another expatriate), ach I'd better stop here . . . and many, many more.

- And stealing from Ms. Mac, if you had to choose a flavor of ice cream that most fits your personality, what kind do you think you would you be? Feel free to make one up if necessary.
What a tough question. It would be so much different if you were to ask what my favorite flavors were (lemon and starlight mint), though you might think people would like to be their favorite ice cream. I like to think of myself as eclectic in my identity--it is made of spirituality, books, music, sports, traveling, art, family, friends, etc. So I guess that would mean my ice cream would be made up of a lot of things that don't typically go together. Maybe lemon and starlight mint ice cream actually would work, but it doesn't sound very appetizing. However, I'd also like to think that this variety would be enjoyable, so let's think about the individual flavors to make it sound better: the crispness of the mint combined with the coldness of the ice cream, the tang of the lemon, and the joy of those bits of chocolate . . . we may as well add some raspberries for texture and color. Make sure you eat it on a realllly warm, sunny day in a beautiful place with people you love. Or alone with a good book. Then you have the ice cream combination that fits me. :)

If you would also like to be interviewed, here are the rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” (done!)
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions. (here they are!)
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. Be sure you link back to the original post. (http://www.swisstoryblog.com/2009/02/mrs-mac-interviews-me.html)
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

The Michelle

2009-02-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

I like how the German language allows for people to have definite articles. In English, you wouldn't say, "the Michelle" in answer to the question, "Who writes this blog?"

But in German, you would. And because nouns have genders, it would be a cute little feminine "die," pronounced "dee," that goes along with my name.

"Wer schreibt diesen Blog?"

"Die Michelle."

Cute.

Blue Pipes

2009-01-24T06:47:00.000-08:00

When I was brand new in Leipzig, I saw these blue pipes throughout the city. Since there were several new buildings going up, and the city even has its German version of Boston's Big Dig, I thought they were part of the construction. However, they're permanent fixtures!

I guess it makes more sense for repairs and building and such to have pipes above ground, but to me, it's an eyesore. Could they at least refrain from painting them bright blue? I've also seen a lot of blue bridges. How very un-Frank-Lloyd-Wright-ian.

Cheesy Things

2009-01-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Another thing I can't figure out: how can a people well-known for their cleanliness, and their love of nature, simplicity, and logic be such lovers of all things cheesy?

It started with an engineer friend of mine who likes all those motivational emails and cartoon images. Then I noticed the plethora of songs and pictures with cartoon animals and such.

One day I saw a very nice, modernish kitchen with a huge, framed movie poster of Pride and Prejudice (with Keira Knightley) on the wall. It's not Branson stage stars (Grandpa, hint, hint), but it's not what I would ever allow to be posted in a kitchen that is otherwise quite normal.

Let's start with their use of napkins for decorations.
That's right. Paper napkins. Useful, but not classy.

Then the fake flowers that remind me of old grannies.

And the stickers of animals sledding posted on the sides of the tram during Christmastime.

But this cheesiness sure does make you feel good when they send you birthday wishes. Instead of the normal "Happy birthday. Sincerely, ______," it's "I want to send you the best of birthday wishes. I hope this day is very special and that the next year will bring you much joy and success." Yada yada.

McDonald's

2009-01-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

There is a German obsession with McDonald's, no matter how American they think it is. I personally haven't been to McDonald's for years and it doesn't even whet my appetite to think about it.

I have friends whose families went to McDonald's for family night, and those who will pick that as their first stop after a long train ride. But the most prevalent pattern I've seen is people giving directions in relation to McDonald's. "It's across from McDonald's," they'll say, or "you know you're almost there when you see McDonald's."

After picking up 9 strangers to give them rides during the holidays, I must say I now understand this, as I made that the meeting place in every city because there was guaranteed to be a McDonald's at the train station, and it's not like it's hard to find with that big, yellow M. This doesn't mean I'm going to start endorsing McDonald's or even start picking up a Big Mac here and there. It just means I recognize its usefulness as a meeting place since it's everywhere.

Weird Hair Colors and Butch Cuts

2009-01-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

I decided to take this draft out of retirement today (I checked, and it was started on the third of January, 2008) because JEM at American Dresdner wrote about it here. I would have posted it earlier as it seems like such a dominant quirk, but I was too wussy to take pictures. Lucky for me, JEM has no fear.

It is true, I see so many weird hair colors and cuts here. I think the ladies' butch cuts shocked me a lot more last year than they do now, but the color still gets to me--it's like the chunks of crimson that were in during 2002. The only thing I can add to JEM's post is that the colors people choose might seem semi-normal for punky teenagers, but to see them repeatedly being used on women over 30 who consider it respectable . . . I just don't get it. If my mom were to dye her hair purply I would not be able to keep from laughing, and she would not be able to keep from hiding from the world. But if she were to do the same in Germany, it would be normal. Weird.

Cooking Ingredients

2009-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

There's something different about the cooking ingredients here, I am telling you. I'm pretty sure it's the flour. This is what my bread dough looks like, every time, no matter how much flour I add. It is so sticky that I have to scrape it off of whatever it touches, including my hands, and it has ruined many an innocent sponge trying to clean up the damage.

You should see me trying to form it into flat portions to make scones--it's a joke. And cookies? Forget it!

Whatever I make always still tastes and looks alright, though. That's a relief.

Oh, and just a side note: I find it funny that yeast and baking powder come in little packages, and the recipes actually call for the packages instead of a measurement. Helpful when you have a box of baking powder someone gave you. A package, huh?

Guten Rutsch!

2008-12-31T08:54:00.000-08:00

In Germany, people don't say "Happy New Year," they literally say, "Good slide into the new year."

Cool.

Christmas in Germany

2008-12-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

This week, I have all sorts of posts about Christmas in Germany over here at my other blog. But let me just say that for most Germans, it's not a religious holiday in the least. Frohe Weihnachten!

Also, enjoy this Denglisch poem:

Denglisches Weihnachtsgedicht

When the snow falls wunderbar

And the children happy are,
When the Glatteis on the street,
And we all a Glühwein need,
Then you know, es ist soweit:
She is here, the Weihnachtszeit

Every Parkhaus ist besetzt,
Weil die people fahren jetzt
All to Kaufhof, Mediamarkt,
Kriegen nearly Herzinfarkt.
Shopping hirnverbrannte things
And the Christmasglocke rings.

Merry Christmas, merry Christmas,
Hear the music, see the lights,
Frohe Weihnacht, Frohe Weihnacht,
Merry Christmas allerseits…

Mother in the kitchen bakes
Schoko-, Nuss- and Mandelkeks
Daddy in the Nebenraum
Schmücks a Riesen-Weihnachtsbaum
He is hanging auf the balls,
Then he from the Leiter falls…

Finally the Kinderlein
To the Zimmer kommen rein
And es sings the family
Schauerlich: “Oh, Chistmastree!”
And the jeder in the house
Is packing die Geschenke aus.

Merry Christmas, merry Christmas,
Hear the music, see the lights,
Frohe Weihnacht, Frohe Weihnacht,
Merry Christmas allerseits…

Mama finds unter the Tanne
Eine brandnew Teflon-Pfanne,
Papa gets a Schlips and Socken,
Everybody does frohlocken.
President speaks in TV,
All around is Harmonie,
Bis mother in the kitchen runs:
Im Ofen burns the Weihnachtsgans

And so comes die Feuerwehr
With Tatü, tata daher,
And they bring a long, long Schlauch
And a long, long Leiter auch.
And they schrei - “Wasser marsch!”,
Christmas is - now im - Eimer…

Merry Christmas, merry Christmas,
Hear the music, see the lights,
Frohe Weihnacht, Frohe Weihnacht,
Merry Christmas allerseits…

Sports Clothes

2008-12-18T15:20:00.000-08:00

When Germans participate in sports, they bring their sports clothes with them, or at least their sports shoes in a bag, instead of wearing them on the way. To me, that's kind of inconvenient, so I get weird looks on my way to and from football, especially when I'm splashed with mud and my shoes are leaving behind caked dirt.

I entered my old post on scarves in Scribbit's December Write-Away Contest.

Very Casual Dress Pants

2008-12-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

In Germany, dress pants go with running shoes.

Knock on Wood

2008-12-06T01:20:00.000-08:00

Knocking has different roles in Germany.

-When a professor is done teaching, all the students knock on the desks as appreciation. Yup, that was a huge surprise to me.
-All office doors are closed, even during office hours (seems ridiculous to me), so you have to knock and wait for them to say "come in." (Of course, this is especially complicated if you aren't sure what they've said.) After entering, you close the door behind you. I will never ever get used to the whole office hours thing. They're not there for you, you're there for them, so it doesn't matter what you have on your schedule, if you want them to help you, you'd better show up for the couple of hours they have scheduled. (And yes, this even applies when you're calling from a foreign country. They told me to call back during office hours which were during the middle of my night.)
-Sometimes people will come in to a gathering and instead of greeting everyone individually, will knock on the nearest table or doorjamb and wave at everyone.

Kur

2008-11-27T11:09:00.001-08:00

Coming from America, where health care for everyone is still a hope of the future, I couldn't believe that in Germany, there's a thing called "Kur." As far as I can tell, when you need some kind of long-term therapy, they send you off to some lovely little city snuggled in European scenery, to an amazing spa--for several weeks. I've heard of people going there after surgery or a heart attack; one friend of mine was there for her eczema; others have gone for physical therapy. You have a heated room and a pool, three meals a day . . . and this is fully covered by insurance.

Is it just me, or does this sound almost like "paid-for vacation" to someone else, too?

Knaben and Mädchen

2008-11-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

Schools in Germany used to have a separate door for the "Knaben" (boys) and the "Mädchen" (girls). They still have the doors marked, but they aren't limited to those people.

Kinderwagen

2008-11-13T23:19:00.000-08:00

I'm letting Jasmine do the talking this week.

See here.

It's true. Those strollers are insanely amazing.

Cars in Good Repair

2008-11-06T00:37:00.000-08:00

Cars here never look old and beat up. It was a rather eery feeling when I first noticed it. There aren't missing rear view mirrors or smashed in bumpers. There aren't even crumples on the side of doors. When I was reading up a bit in preparation for my trip to Switzerland (where I was the only driver), I read that there's a thing called the "TÜV" that checks cars and they have to be in really good shape or they don't pass the test. In America, a car with a smashed bumper (ahem, Sequoia) may just stay that way if no one wants to pay for it.

Zimmermänner

2008-10-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

How interesting is this? German carpenters have carried on the old tradition of wearing funny clothes (okay, so they probably weren't that funny when the tradition started) and traveling from place to place to learn tricks of the trade from carpenters in different cities. When people see them, they know to buy them some food or to take them as far as they're going.

Hatchback Cars

2008-10-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

Most cars here are hatchbacks. They like the extra storage space, I guess.

Aussteigen

2008-10-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

People in Germany get ready to get off trams and buses way early, sometimes right after the last stop. Maybe they're anxious to push the "stop" button, maybe not. But I'm always the last one still sitting.

Old People in Ads

2008-10-10T02:39:00.000-07:00

Ads in Germany have old people who don't seem to have been technologically young-ified. They don't hide oldness like Americans do.

Get Togethers

2008-10-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Germans take their get-togethers very seriously. I have been completely surprised by all the times that I thought it would be fun just to have some friends over, and it turned into a full-blown, planned party with everyone bringing food and games. One time my fellow students and I wanted to get together to have dinner and catch up a little. I said I'd be glad to have them at my place. One friend wanted to make meat, so I said that was great and could she bring the meat. I was given the assignment to make cornbread and buy mini-barbecues and baking paper and napkins. She ended up cancelling the party (which was to be at my apartment), because I didn't offer to spend the whole day preparing and "Officially inviting people is a whole lot different from some informal meeting with friends." To me, when I want people to come over, they can casually come over, bring whatever/whoever they want, and maybe I'll dig something off the shelf and cook it for us. We can drink water if they get thirsty. We can just talk or play one of the board games I have. But that doesn't work for Germans, though I'm not sure why not because of their complete love of casual Spazieren.

The Noble Savage in Germany

2008-09-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

Germans have this weird fascination with American Indians. For some reason, they take every chance they can to dress up with feathers and headbands and face paint and moccasins and dresses with those dangly leather flap things (even for primary and ward and university activities). Their dances and costumes are never anything close to authentic, not that I can say what "authentic" is. They reflect their ideas of what American Indians would wear (mind you, I also would be stuck with stereotypes if I were to dress up as an Indian, and yes, it is correct to say "American Indian," I emailed the Library of Congress about it once, and I was actually disappointed, because I also thought "Native American" was better).

Anyway, I think this fascination stems from two things, but I don't think they really get down to it. 1. There was this German author named Karl May who wrote all sorts of cowboys and Indians books that sold very well and are now considered classics, though he never traveled to America until after the publication of his books, and then not further west than Buffalo, NY. However, that doesn't explain the success. 2. Maybe Germans' love for nature applauds those who lived "closer" to the land?

Whatever the reason, I wonder that May's American Indians were always perceived as the innocent noble savages and the lasting impression he has left with modern Germans. Was he/were Germans bitter about German settlers going to America? Did Karl May just write so well that interest was picqued and continues to this day? I don't know.

Soapy Dishes

2008-09-18T01:02:00.000-07:00

Sister Dixon complained to me recently about this one. A lot of people here don't rinse their dishes. They dry with the soap dripping off, or sometimes they're put straight into the cupboard still wet. (Diarrhea, anyone? Maybe that's one of those stubborn ideas that Americans have, like Germans and going without scarves.)

Bike Ramps

2008-09-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

Germany has these brilliant ramps for all the people who want to
take their bikes or strollers all over. They go in and out of bike stores, up and down stairs to apartments, and to or from bridges (here is the Eiserner Steg in Frankfurt).

Recycling

2008-09-03T13:51:00.000-07:00

As a small continuation from last week, here are the details of recycling in Germany. First of all, don't get discouraged. You'll eventually get it.

This picture only shows three bins, but there are actually four bins and something besides. The first bin includes anything that can be considered non-paper packaging. That's bags, cans, foil, and anything plastic. The second bin is for bio-degradable things. That's easy enough to figure out. The third bin is for whatever is left over after all the separating. The fourth (and unseen) bin holds paper products.

Then, somewhere random that may not necessarily be a bin, you will have your glass items, plastic bottles, and batteries. The glass items are to be split into green glass, clear glass, and brown glass. The plastic bottles are to be separated into groups of those you can get money back for (by simply bringing them to the store), and those that you can't get money for. Those that you can't get money for should go into the packaging bin. Batteries are brought to the store.

Where it gets really difficult is when things are mixed, such as a (paper) egg carton with (biodegradable) eggs shells totally stuck to it, or an envelope that has a plastic "window" where the address goes.

Good luck.

Environmentally Aware

2008-08-27T11:00:00.001-07:00

I read a post giving advice to Americans on being better to the environment, and in evaluating my life in Germany, I think Germans might laugh because these things are so obvious to them. Read my reply:

Reading over your suggestions, I think I'm about as green as the Emerald City.

Small:
I have one energy-saving lightbulb but mostly rely on daylight. This threw me at first when I'd go to public offices and they wouldn't have any lights on. 2. I always use re-usable water bottles that my roommates bought. (I like to replace now and then because of those studies about plastic wearing down and causing cancer.) 3. I never let the water run (even when brushing teeth, and I take short showers, no baths). 4. We, like everyone in Germany, split garbage into a. packaging, b. paper, c. biodegradable, and d. leftover stuff. Even the bags that hold each of those categories is separated into the packaging bin. 5. I use cloth grocery bags or simply a backpack to carry groceries.

Medium:
1. German apartment buildings are made of super-thick stone. 2. My window isn't old or leaky and it takes care of the fact that 3. we don't have air conditioner.

Large:
1. I use a bicycle/public transportation (and not just because I'm a poor student), which is better than a hybrid vehicle and which hopefully makes up for the lack of personal involvement for the next two. 2. I personally don't have solar panels. But Germany is all about wind and solar energy. 3. I vote for people who like the environment.

So, Germany. A+. Or should I say "1,0"?

Cultural Comparisons: An American in Germany

*Apostrophes*

*Diagonal Pictures*

*Learn East German*

*Erdställe*

*Audiences at Concerts*

*Cup Holders*

*Differing Names for the Same Things*

*Disruptive Swiss Youth*

*-chen*

*Zivildienst*

*Weihnachtsmann der Deutschen Post*

*Walking Dogs*

*German Beds*

*Stuffing for Thanksgiving in Germany*

*Angela Merkel*

*Blaue Augen*

*Germany's Done with Payments*

*Join Me In Laughing At German Bureaucracy*

*Schwimmen*

*Tiere*

*Uncapitalized First Words in Letters*

*Flag Symbols*

*Sandalen und Socken*

*Pie in Germany*

*Besteck in der Geschirrspülmaschine*

*Street Names*

*Backing in Cars*

*Man Vs. Chocolate*

*Toilet Paper*

*Alu Folie*

*Tortillas and Hash Browns*

*Bureaucracy*

*Je . . . Desto*

*Telegraphic Sentences*

*Sleds*

*Salina in Memphis*

*Christmas Market*

*Someone Else's Comparisons*

*Grapes*

*Mini Dogs and Men*

*Insulation*

*Reformations Brötchen*

*Kastanien Sammeln*

*Emergency Vehicles*

*Juice*

*Dating Werewolves*

*Trunks (or "Boots" for You British Peeps)*

*Movies til the End*

*Nudity*

*Toastbrot*

*American Tourists*

*Pencil Cases*

*Crutches*

*First Day of School and Zuckertüten*

*German Mormons*

*Taller Girls Than Guys*

*Monoculture*

*Peeling Oranges*

*Education Costs*

*Pizza Toppings*

*Banks*

*BYOK and L (Kitchens and Lights)*

*Blue Overalls and Jumpsuits*

*Leaving Food Out*

*Lacy Curtains*

*Bryan Adams*

*Floors*

*Thank You*

*Water Boilers*

*Fingernails*

*Graffiti*

*Spicy Food*

*Kids' Backpacks*

*German City Gardens*

*I've Been Interviewed*

*The Michelle*

*Blue Pipes*

*Cheesy Things*

*McDonald's*

Apostrophes

Diagonal Pictures

Learn East German

Erdställe

Audiences at Concerts

Cup Holders

Differing Names for the Same Things

Disruptive Swiss Youth

-chen

Zivildienst

Weihnachtsmann der Deutschen Post

Walking Dogs

German Beds

Stuffing for Thanksgiving in Germany

Angela Merkel

Blaue Augen

Germany's Done with Payments

Join Me In Laughing At German Bureaucracy

Schwimmen

Tiere

Uncapitalized First Words in Letters

Flag Symbols

Sandalen und Socken

Pie in Germany

Besteck in der Geschirrspülmaschine

Street Names

Backing in Cars

Man Vs. Chocolate

Toilet Paper

Alu Folie

Tortillas and Hash Browns

Bureaucracy

Je . . . Desto

Telegraphic Sentences

Sleds

Salina in Memphis

Christmas Market

Someone Else's Comparisons

Grapes

Mini Dogs and Men

Insulation

Reformations Brötchen

Kastanien Sammeln

Emergency Vehicles

Juice

Dating Werewolves

Trunks (or "Boots" for You British Peeps)

Movies til the End

Nudity

Toastbrot

American Tourists

Pencil Cases

Crutches

First Day of School and Zuckertüten

German Mormons

Taller Girls Than Guys

Monoculture

Peeling Oranges

Education Costs

Pizza Toppings

Banks

BYOK and L (Kitchens and Lights)

Blue Overalls and Jumpsuits

Leaving Food Out

Lacy Curtains

Bryan Adams

Floors

Thank You

Water Boilers

Fingernails

Graffiti

Spicy Food

Kids' Backpacks

German City Gardens

I've Been Interviewed

The Michelle

Blue Pipes

Cheesy Things

McDonald's

Weird Hair Colors and Butch Cuts