Deutsch-Sein [being German]

I've actually been pleasantly surprised by how easy it's been to readjust to "being German." Even though my semester in Potsdam was incredibly fun, when I think back to those first few weeks, I distinctly remember how stressed out I was--like when I accidentally had the wrong ticket on the Berlin  city train and had to pay a 40 Euro fine? (#throwbackthursday: http://paulgoestogermany.blogspot.de/2011/03/schwarzfahrer-free-rider.html)

This time around, however, it's been quite pleasant. Aside from a stressful series of train rides across the country, I've been settling in just fine. Having a full week with Andreas and Evelin in Alzey made for a relaxing, stress-free start to this adventure.

Having a fine time on the Rhine.

After our time on the Rhine came to a close, Alice and I journeyed to Cologne for the introductory orientation for all the Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in Germany.

Fellow Fulbright friends Amanda (left) and Valeria (right). Note: not a real photograph. 

After orientation I moved into my apartment in Kiel and started work in Schleswig. I'll plan on posting pictures and writing more about both of these places in my next blog post. But I did want to post something to keep up the regularity of this blog. So what I did do was come up with a top five list of "German things" that I've had to readjust to. Obviously, I'm doing some generalizing, but these are observations on life here in Germany that I had forgotten about until I came back.

5. Weather

It's rainy and cold in Germany... a lot. Even though I'd take this rainy mess going on here over baking in a non-air conditioned classroom in Billings, it's still crazy to me to be leaving the house everyday in September with an umbrella and coat. 

4. Paying with cash 

I'm relearning how important it is to have cash on you--and specifically coins. You need cash for a lot things, and often credit cards are a no-go. I've been forced to use cash to buy a 20 Euro train ticket and also to use a shopping cart. 

You want to use a shopping cart? Insert a coin. When you bring it back, you get the coin back. 

This doesn't happen here.

3. Bread

Germans are serious about their bread, and they eat so much of it for breakfast, and it's overwhelming, and there are too many different kinds of Brötchen. 

Brötchen: this much is probably like 2 German breakfasts (Note: dramatization)

2. Vulgarity 

So this has two parts to it: As far as foul language goes, it's amazing how many English swear words Germans know and crazier how often I hear them in class, among teachers, etc.

Also, the topics that teachers discuss with students don't seem to have many boundaries. Granted I work with students over the age of 16, but certain words, terms and concepts that are brought up casually I don't think I ever heard in an academic setting--even at the collegiate level. 

1. Shutting down the small talk:

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I've known forever--even before visiting Germany the first two times--that Germans don't do "small talk." I distinctly remember learning freshman year in German class that you don't just ask strangers in Germany, "How are you?" like we often include in our simple greetings. It's not that Germans aren't nice people... they just see no need to force conversation.

That being said, I have had a hand full of situations where I've been fighting my inner American, who keeps telling me talk! For example: I was sitting on the train and this lady ran in, sat down, sighed in relief that she made the train, (she even smiled at me!), asked me what the next stop was and then sat right across from me, stared at me and was silent for 40 minutes. I had to fight every instinct in me to continue the conversation. 

I just need to think more like this guy: