Thanksgiving in Germany!

Over the weekend, me and Johanna H made our first "Thanksgiving in Germany" dinner! We made a whole dinner with Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Green bean Casserole etc...  She invited all of her friends over and they got to experience their first Thanksgiving ever!

  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Johanna's Article!

http://www.derwesten.de/nachrichten/zeusmedienwelten/zeus/fuer-schueler/zeus-regional/muelheim/Das-Energiesparlicht-geht-auf-id3919932.html 

Check this article out! My Friend Johanna wrote it for her city's newspaper! I am very proud of her. ;-)  Its in German, so maybe run google translation on it.

Culture Clash

The "give and take" of cultures that occurs abroad is, I think, the hardest aspect to deal with. You know what your own cultural norms and traditions are. These norms in turn define you, make you "you". But now you are presented with this new way of life, and it starts to make a new "you". However this way of life is only temporary. So, then the question becomes, does one lose herself entirely to the new way of life. Does she hold on to her old self, knowing any changes are temporary? Is there a balance? How do you find that balance?

For example, I am usually kind of an independent person. I like to do things by myself and make my own decisions. However in Germany, I live in a flat with 5 other people. So any decision I make effects them, so a lot of times I have to ask them before doing anything within the flat. I think that in America, we are so used to making independent and quick decisions, that to ask 5 other people seems so annoying. But thats they way it is here, so do I adapt my way of my decisions? Do I gather a lot of info and opinions before I make a decision or do I stick with the american way? :"Quick, looks good, lets do it"

How to make your German Lesson crash and burn, like the Hindenburg!

1. Make sure your students have a loose and shaky grasp on the standard German pronunciation.


2. Teach them dialect in 30min and then test them 10 min later on it.


3. Make them listen to a noisy and constantly dialect switching program with native dialect speakers who sound like they are drunk. Also make sure they speak fast and have really strong accents. Almost to the point of total distortion but not quite!


(Note: If ALL the students have blank looks on their faces, just ignore it. Its all good)

4. Then one at a time, with their 30min of knowledge, expect them to pick out words amongst the chaos. Then state which specific sound, in the word, differs from the standard pronunciation. And to say what the words mean in english!



5.If they student cant ( But come on, how could they not?) you pick out random compound words that no one would know unless they were a native speaker. Then tell them how this unknown only differs slightly in the "a" sound and then draw a picture to help then visualize the word.


6. Then make sure you picture is so ambiguous that anyone who might have had a clue, now is completely lost!


AND that my friends is how to make the worst German dialect lesson ever!!!

Cultural Things I find interesting!

Pets in Germany: Okay, my favorite aspect of German life. You can take your dog, literately anywhere. Even inside shops! I have seen dogs being walked inside of, drug store, butcher shops, clothing stores,etc! You name it a dog can get in! It does my heart good to see a country that treats its dogs as true members of the family!

Clothes Shopping: This is the bane of my existence. All the shops are small and cramped, so that means that when even a decent amount of people enter the store, its like fish trying to swim in too small of a bowl. You constantly collide, push and bump into people. And the cultural rule of giving people space, doesnt go here. You can be two inches away from a person, and stare at the same thing that you have in your hand!  And the sizing information is confusing as hell, so you spend like 30 min trying to find your size and.........(head explodes)

Men: Girls, you need to approach them. Cause a majority of them feel that if they approach a girl, then they are seen as too aggressive!

Deutschland the Land of Opportunity!

Online, I have been offered by a Bulgarian man to "bed" with him after a Scooter Concert....

I have been offered to marry someone's brother ( Joke)

I have been offered  to date someone's creeper.....(again joke)


So there, don't let anyone tell you Germany isn't the land of opportunity!

Countdown Clock by Zoodu.com

Welcome to the First Edition of: Trying to Explain American things to Germans!!!

As you all know, there are certain ideas, concepts and things that exist in one culture but not another. The following are a few of the many failed attempts to explain American things to German people.

Professor: What is a"bean-bag chair"?
Ben: Its basically a trash bag filled little plastic beans....
Prof: Huh? Thats sounds horrible..why would you all sit on that?
Ben:...uh....Your right that does sound bad....but its not!

Me: Its a running gag we have.
Anna: 0_o? What?
Me: Running means continuous. And gag is another name for a joke. So its a continuous joke.
Anna: But doesn't Gag mean someone is choking? Why would you use it for the word "joke"?
Me.....Yeah....Nevermind.

Kat: She was sassy today! lol
Grammar Prof: Sassy?
Kat: hum........(Several thousands adjectives and examples later)
Prof: I still don't understand
Kat: Yea me neither....
(Yeah, you  try to come up a concrete definition for that)

Alles Klar

Photos from my vist with Johanna!

The cute Couple!!!!! Marian + Johanna

Johanna at the resutrant

Johanna and Ich

Modeling Shoot! LOL

Life is crazy sometimes!

Life is Crazy

You don’t expect to feel like you are sisters with a stranger with whom you lived with for only 6 days.

You don’t expect this stranger’s city to feel like yours.

You don’t expect this stranger’s home to be the most comfortable and welcoming place you have been in a long time. 

You don’t expect to look forward to getting up early, to go to a school that you don’t even attend.

And lastly, you don’t expect to cry when you even think about this stranger and your time with her.

Johanna Marx affected me more than words can express in either English or German.  She helped me learn about all aspects about German life. I learned a lot about dating in Germany, and how a lot of the boys are shy and you need to be the one to talk to them. She showed her school and how it is a complete 360 from the American school. Kids are allowed to talk during the exams and while the teacher talks!!! So crazy! I learned about how hard it can be to learn English. I got the privilege to sit in on her English course. Wow, I admire these kids a lot. She taught me to feel okay about myself. I haven’t felt truly okay about myself in a long time, ever since I arrived. I always felt like my German wasn’t ever good enough. But patiently she helped me as I awkwardly stumbled my way through every sentence I spoke. Now, thanks to her, I am a little bit more confident in my German. I also though that my appearance wasn’t good enough for germany. She convinced me otherwise. She took me shopping and found me a wonderful outfit!! She was honest but best way possible, she told me about how my long pants looked horrible, or my shirts were too short. Which this advice was needed for me.  I even got some attention at  Marian’s birthday party (even though it was unwanted) lol.

If I had to sum up my week with Johanna in one sentence its this: You don’t need to speak the same language to understand each other.

Oh Sarcasm, How I Have Missed You!

The following conversation took place last night has I was studying.  I was listening to music trying to study. When my flatmate came in ( Note: He is a really nice, sweet guy he just happened to have caught me a particular smart-assy moment) and heard the German song that I was listening to (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11LzBOPtJVs) . Linguistic hilarity ensues.

Carston: Hello!
Me:  Hey, whats up? (Goes back to lip-syncing the song)
Carston: ( listen to the song and gets a puzzled look) What are you listening to?
Me: Arschgesicht  by the Bangbros ( Ass-Face in english, the whole song is strange, but its got a good beat)
Carston: Do you know what they are singing about?
Me: (Looking at him with a smile on my face) Nope I don't have a clue what they are saying even though I am a German major.
Carston: Okay well the chorus is about someone having a pretty ass-face and.....
Me: No....No Carston, I was being sarcastic.
Carston: I dont know this word in english.
Me: (I dont know Sarcastic in german) Well its when you say something but you mean the opposite.
Carston: (Puzzled look returns to face) So you were trying to tell me you do understand and your not a german major?
Me: No...no!!! Your right about the first part, the second part was to try to make my sarcasm more obvious!
Carston: Oh lol. I think I get it now....thanks
Me: (Get ready Big Bang Theory fans) Geez I think I need to hold up sarcasm sign every time I am joking.
Carston : (Laughs nervously) You dont need to do that. I know it now.
Me: (Slumps over the table in laughter) I was kidding!
Carston: Oh lol. I guess you got me.
Silence for about 5min.
Carston: (Looks at me and smiles) Thanks for the lesson in sarcasm, your going to be a great English teacher!
Me: Oh, thanks.
(Carston laughs and walks away)
Me: Wait............Was he being sarcastic????!??!?!

Video and Pictures of my temporary German home!

Here are some of the pictures of my beautiful home town! They are two main streets, that contain so many wondrous cobble stone ally-ways that its impossible to take them all in. Everyone of these streets manages to inspire/ touch you in some way. Its a town that prides its self on the fine arts! There are street artists/ dancers and singers that come out everyday to entertain the masses. There are cafes on every corner that once you sit down you never want to get up. As you sit, you hear the street performers do there song and dance. You get to watch the hustle and bustle of everyday life, while comfortably sipping your coffee. And just below you feet are little channels with clear glistening waters, which provide a cool little breeze by your feet. 

The city manages to combine the bustling, hectic, tourist filled modern city, with all the old world charm that Germany is known for.  

One of the beautiful streets I walk down everyday!

This is one of the most beautifully detailed churches I have ever seen. This is the Martins Church and the pictures do not do it justice. Its something you must see to believe! 

The Famous Freiburg Clock Tower!

So Freiburg as many, little foot-wide channels, that flow down almost every street. They were what used to be the irrigation system for Freiburg's settlers. Now the add to the stunning atmosphere! They also encourage provide an excellent play place for dogs and small children! 

This is one of the little water-ways in Freiburg. This one is guarded by a big stone Crocodile!  He has been there for over 100 years!

First 2 1/2 Days!

Hi everyone! Wow its been a fun and emtionally draining two days. But here are some photos from my stay at Johanna's house and being out and about in good ole' Stuttgart!

My Friend Jojo and one of her lovley girl-friends and mine, Anja! This was a the Schaeferlauf. We were inside a beer barn/tent thing. It was loud but a cool place to be!

This was my first meal I ever bought in Germany! It was apple juice and a tomato and mozzarella sandwhich!

This is my view from my room in Jojo's house. Jelous yet? lol She lives in the wonderful Village of Moeglingen! Just of the outskirts of Stuttgart.

For my mother: This is Johanna's Mom! She was so happy to take us to Stuttgart and even bought us starbucks to make me feel at home! She will take good care of me mom. So dont worry, you will meet in person soon!

The closer you get the flame the hotter you feel.....

Well as my semester winds down here at my home Uni, I begin to feel more nervous and excited about my adventure. I begin to daydream more and more about my new life as a temporary German citizen. I begin to worry about all the usual things kids worry about when they are going to a new place on their own. "Will I like it there?" "Will I make friends?" and other such things. But then some special concerns come to my mind as well like "Will people be able to understand my German?" Will I understand them?" "How many times will I have cultural misunderstandings or embarrass myself?" "What do they think of Americans?"

But then I sit back and take look around and think, why worry? Its not in my control, its in the hands of fate, God, the universe, or whatever you believe. The only thing I can do is take things  in-stride and as they come. I will have times when I want to be somewhere else on earth and times when I want to be no where else on earth.

I have two wonderful friends in Germany, who I know will have my back no matter what. I have many friends here who will always be here for me. I have 4 wonderful siblings, brother-in-law, and step-father. Whom I am both proud and sometimes embarrassed to call my family. ;-) I have a mother who, I love with everything in my heart. Without her and  my fathers fantastic job of loving and supporting me, I wouldn't have the courage and strength to do this. I have my dad to thank for all the financial support and for encouraging me to go, and keeping my sense of adventure and wonder alive and well.

Why Germany?