Sunday, February 08, 2009
Saturday, February 07, 2009
On the road to the Hook of Holland
I was briefly stuck in traffic behind a dressed up potato from Munich:
Friday, February 06, 2009
Why the postal clerk needed a drink on Tuesday night
The tiny town of B has a small post office counter inside a store, standard protocol in small towns. I know all of the clerks, and they're used to me. They don't get so many foreigners in the post office as most expats working at benevolent company J live elsewhere, so anyone in B is usually married to a German or somehow has a modicum of German. That being said, they deal reasonably well with my random oddball requests in bad German, which always require them to look on their magic price lists because they are not so normal for B (a registered letter to the UK, for example.)
I had stacked up a variety of tasks, and unfortunately, the clerk working on Tuesday night is the least experienced postal clerk who gets flustered by the Germans, let alone the non-correctly speaking foreigners. I had the following tasks:
-drop off a dhl paeckchen, already prepaid online
-5 cards to the US, of varying sizes
-1 postcard to the US
-one letter within Germany
-inquire about mail forwarding
to add to the fun, I had gathered all the random little stamps I had left in various increments, so that I could use them up for this mixture of cards.
I started with the pre-paid package, no problem, although I had to point out where it says 'pre-paid'. "You paid this online?"
The 5 cards she needs to weigh and then look up, as two of them fell into the 2,20 range. Then the postcard needed to be looked up. "I'm not so familiar with postcards to USA as no one is usually sending those from here." Then the adding and subtracting of numbers to apply the existing stamps and 'did you bring this one or is it from me?' in the discombobulated stamp applying.
On the mail forwarding, she had never done it, and by then there were 5 people backed up in the line so I said I'd look into that one online. "Good idea."
I don't think she'll miss me once I leave.
I had stacked up a variety of tasks, and unfortunately, the clerk working on Tuesday night is the least experienced postal clerk who gets flustered by the Germans, let alone the non-correctly speaking foreigners. I had the following tasks:
-drop off a dhl paeckchen, already prepaid online
-5 cards to the US, of varying sizes
-1 postcard to the US
-one letter within Germany
-inquire about mail forwarding
to add to the fun, I had gathered all the random little stamps I had left in various increments, so that I could use them up for this mixture of cards.
I started with the pre-paid package, no problem, although I had to point out where it says 'pre-paid'. "You paid this online?"
The 5 cards she needs to weigh and then look up, as two of them fell into the 2,20 range. Then the postcard needed to be looked up. "I'm not so familiar with postcards to USA as no one is usually sending those from here." Then the adding and subtracting of numbers to apply the existing stamps and 'did you bring this one or is it from me?' in the discombobulated stamp applying.
On the mail forwarding, she had never done it, and by then there were 5 people backed up in the line so I said I'd look into that one online. "Good idea."
I don't think she'll miss me once I leave.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Most interesting response
From the Germans I have known since arriving here, probably the ones who know me the best...upon hearing that I will be moving to the UK, the initial reaction has been a 3 sentence standard, consistent from each:
(thoughtful pause, staring into space) Yes....yes, I think that will be good for you.
(quickly followed by) Not that we want you to leave Germany of course, H!
(and a return to philosophical seriousness) But I think this move will definitely be good for you.
As do I.
(thoughtful pause, staring into space) Yes....yes, I think that will be good for you.
(quickly followed by) Not that we want you to leave Germany of course, H!
(and a return to philosophical seriousness) But I think this move will definitely be good for you.
As do I.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
How to maximize your decluttering efforts - by moving
1. Move early and often.
2. Don't fork out cash for movers--do it yourself so that every item you are taking elsewhere, you will literally feel the weight.
3. Set a limit on space alotted for such a move.
4. Move in the winter time.
So where am I at?
1. I moved from the US to the UK in 2003, with two suitcases. I moved from the UK to town #1 Germany in 2003. I moved from town #1 to Cologne in 2005. I moved from Cologne to the tiny town of B in 2006. Now, I move to the UK in 2009. If I would not have had those three moves since 2003 I'd probably be much worse off.
2. As I knew I wouldn't be in Germany long term, most of my furniture was of a 'dent and scratch', 'trash-picked' or Ikea variety. So therefore I had no problems to sell it all off or give it away. Everything else I boxed and carried to the car on my own.
-Small Heather-sized boxes are my secret. Easier on the back as well as more convenient for the best Tetris-like arrangement of boxes in a small space.
3. My limit at this point in my life is whatever fits inside a VW Polo.
4. Not sure how it happens, but I seem to feel the need to make major like changes that somehow pan out with a January or February move. Knowing that it's cold and wet outside, I keep things moving and anything that I'm 50/50 on taking is easily decided.
I'm off to the UK for a long weekend. I'll leave a few more posts for you while I'm gone.
2. Don't fork out cash for movers--do it yourself so that every item you are taking elsewhere, you will literally feel the weight.
3. Set a limit on space alotted for such a move.
4. Move in the winter time.
So where am I at?
1. I moved from the US to the UK in 2003, with two suitcases. I moved from the UK to town #1 Germany in 2003. I moved from town #1 to Cologne in 2005. I moved from Cologne to the tiny town of B in 2006. Now, I move to the UK in 2009. If I would not have had those three moves since 2003 I'd probably be much worse off.
2. As I knew I wouldn't be in Germany long term, most of my furniture was of a 'dent and scratch', 'trash-picked' or Ikea variety. So therefore I had no problems to sell it all off or give it away. Everything else I boxed and carried to the car on my own.
-Small Heather-sized boxes are my secret. Easier on the back as well as more convenient for the best Tetris-like arrangement of boxes in a small space.
3. My limit at this point in my life is whatever fits inside a VW Polo.
4. Not sure how it happens, but I seem to feel the need to make major like changes that somehow pan out with a January or February move. Knowing that it's cold and wet outside, I keep things moving and anything that I'm 50/50 on taking is easily decided.
I'm off to the UK for a long weekend. I'll leave a few more posts for you while I'm gone.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
shopping on a theme
In Germany the low-cost chains such as Aldi, Lidl and Plus run weekly adverts around a theme: cleaning week, house improvement week, moving week, baby week, auto cleaning week, etc. Then, you can buy lots of things which relate to that theme, for that week and that week only. If you want to buy auto cleaning products in a different week, you're out of luck and must go to a regular, full-price store.
For the food section they offer a similar method to keep things fresh and moving out the door, by offering foods related to a particular topic such as:
American week
Indian week
and a variety of other cuisine weeks: Chinese, French, Italian, British, Mexican and Spanish come to mind. Speaking only for the American week, their offerings tend to be a German take on the particular cuisine--so popcorn from America, but sweet instead of salty for the German tastes or 'American' sauces: barbecue (of course) and currywurst (huh?). But, for a few items, if you find one which you like, you can stock up at a great price for something not usually easily available here at a good price--a colleague mentioned buying enough tortillas at Mexican week to last until Mexican week again appears in a few months.
I don't shop every week so I don't always watch the adverts, but I think this may be the first time that our friends to the North get their own week:
Scandinavian week at Lidl. (OK, so the three countries are sharing this dubious distinction.) Considering the chilly temps we've had over the past few weeks, we may as well be in Scandinavia.
For the food section they offer a similar method to keep things fresh and moving out the door, by offering foods related to a particular topic such as:
American week
Indian week
and a variety of other cuisine weeks: Chinese, French, Italian, British, Mexican and Spanish come to mind. Speaking only for the American week, their offerings tend to be a German take on the particular cuisine--so popcorn from America, but sweet instead of salty for the German tastes or 'American' sauces: barbecue (of course) and currywurst (huh?). But, for a few items, if you find one which you like, you can stock up at a great price for something not usually easily available here at a good price--a colleague mentioned buying enough tortillas at Mexican week to last until Mexican week again appears in a few months.
I don't shop every week so I don't always watch the adverts, but I think this may be the first time that our friends to the North get their own week:
Scandinavian week at Lidl. (OK, so the three countries are sharing this dubious distinction.) Considering the chilly temps we've had over the past few weeks, we may as well be in Scandinavia.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Why I love living in Europe
My Dutch colleague and I went out to lunch today, Turkish pizza. I've been going to this place in the tiny town of B for years, the staff is very friendly, and their food is superb. Like many of the businesses I patronize in the tiny town of B, the staff is Turkish German, so I've picked up quite a bit of Turkish German over the years. So they put up with my poor German and doubly poor version of their Turkish phrases all rolled into one.
Maybe because it's Friday, or I'm in a good mood because I'm leaving, or because it was sunny out, but when he opens with 'Bonjour Madame' I answered him in French. For the record, my French is crap. It's so bad, I shouldn't even say 'my French is crap' but rather 'the piddling few words of French I know is crap'. My French is based on a summer semester at community college ten years ago, 6 months of cds while driving in the car 1,5 hrs/day Mon-Fri in 2002, a VHS French course here, and periodically dabbling a bit here and there with my French colleauge or through shopping trips to Belgium. However, I started French after already knowing Spanish, so I picked up a lot, easily, and where I don't know something, I throw in the Spanish version and hope for the best.
And since the Turkish fellow continued to speak it, so did I for the entire duration, all the way out the door to 'Bon Weekend'. Listening to him speak French was much more pleasant than hearing him speak German.
So while looking at the menu I'm speaking English with my Dutch colleague, who is speaking German to the Turkish German guy, who is speaking French to me.
These are the random interactions I will miss moving to the UK.
I'm thinking I may abandon all German studies and if not going after Polish next (due to the large native Polish-speaking population in the UK and my previous studies), then I need to go after a Romance language next. Either properly study French or go after Portuguese or Italian.
Maybe because it's Friday, or I'm in a good mood because I'm leaving, or because it was sunny out, but when he opens with 'Bonjour Madame' I answered him in French. For the record, my French is crap. It's so bad, I shouldn't even say 'my French is crap' but rather 'the piddling few words of French I know is crap'. My French is based on a summer semester at community college ten years ago, 6 months of cds while driving in the car 1,5 hrs/day Mon-Fri in 2002, a VHS French course here, and periodically dabbling a bit here and there with my French colleauge or through shopping trips to Belgium. However, I started French after already knowing Spanish, so I picked up a lot, easily, and where I don't know something, I throw in the Spanish version and hope for the best.
And since the Turkish fellow continued to speak it, so did I for the entire duration, all the way out the door to 'Bon Weekend'. Listening to him speak French was much more pleasant than hearing him speak German.
So while looking at the menu I'm speaking English with my Dutch colleague, who is speaking German to the Turkish German guy, who is speaking French to me.
These are the random interactions I will miss moving to the UK.
I'm thinking I may abandon all German studies and if not going after Polish next (due to the large native Polish-speaking population in the UK and my previous studies), then I need to go after a Romance language next. Either properly study French or go after Portuguese or Italian.
Plan the work, work the plan...
During the next 16 days I have the following on my to do list:
-finish employment contract negotiations, or find a new job in the UK.
-sell the last 1 big item which will not come along to the UK.
-get to the post office to mail off the final ebay items.
-finish/submit my UK grad school applications which I've been working on since late November, to make my self-imposed deadline of submission before leaving Germany.
-figure out if/how the remaining items (bicycle, book, clothing) will best fit in Mr. Polo for next Thursday's drive to the UK. Mentally I've pictured it, but I need to confirm with the measuring tape if I'm correct in my mental arrangement.
-get Mr. Polo washed before attempting to load the car (he gets very dirty parking on the street near the office, thus packing him requires him to be a little less grimy).
-de-register in Germany, and then spawn corresponding cancellation letters to various Germany service providers like my internet.
-do a final clean of the flat.
-make travel arrangements: I need to be in a business meetings in various countries the day after I drive back from the UK, and then the 2nd day after arrival in the UK.
If you're contemplating that last bullet, it means that in the roughly 10 day time span from when I drive to the UK and back, and then fly to the UK for good, I will be in five European countries (including Germany and the UK), while orchestrating a flat move on my own.
Good times.
And I need to kick this cold this week. :-(
-finish employment contract negotiations, or find a new job in the UK.
-sell the last 1 big item which will not come along to the UK.
-get to the post office to mail off the final ebay items.
-finish/submit my UK grad school applications which I've been working on since late November, to make my self-imposed deadline of submission before leaving Germany.
-figure out if/how the remaining items (bicycle, book, clothing) will best fit in Mr. Polo for next Thursday's drive to the UK. Mentally I've pictured it, but I need to confirm with the measuring tape if I'm correct in my mental arrangement.
-get Mr. Polo washed before attempting to load the car (he gets very dirty parking on the street near the office, thus packing him requires him to be a little less grimy).
-de-register in Germany, and then spawn corresponding cancellation letters to various Germany service providers like my internet.
-do a final clean of the flat.
-make travel arrangements: I need to be in a business meetings in various countries the day after I drive back from the UK, and then the 2nd day after arrival in the UK.
If you're contemplating that last bullet, it means that in the roughly 10 day time span from when I drive to the UK and back, and then fly to the UK for good, I will be in five European countries (including Germany and the UK), while orchestrating a flat move on my own.
Good times.
And I need to kick this cold this week. :-(
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Divine fate
Is giving me a second opportunity, a grave warning, or looking for a confirmation of a de facto decision. Unfortunately, I cannot figure out which is it yet. Seeking a third sign to provide clarity.
Listening list these days, on repeat:
Listening list these days, on repeat:
- Peter Gabriel - Secret Word (Live)
- Foo Fighters - Times Like These
- The Killers - Human
- Herbert Grönemeyer - Mensch
- The Cure - Pictures of you
Back to the usual mundane posts about the logistics of moving from Germany to the UK shortly...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Cologne --> drinks on the way out, any interest?
For my last night in Germany, plans are coming together to gently end this adventure with a few drinks at my favorite bar in Cologne. Nothing too crazy, no dancing on the tables, D is in town but must leave early the next AM, and I'm flying the next day anyway, so looking to be a little low-key.
Date: Saturday, Feb 14th
Location: Koeln Deutz
Date: Saturday, Feb 14th
Location: Koeln Deutz
- closest train: about a 12 minute walk from the Deutz Bahnhof/Messe station
- closest trams: the 7, 1, or 9 at Deutzer Freiheit, maybe a 7 or 8 min walk
Time: evening, exact time tbd. (The bar doesn't have much of a food menu, so it will be after dinner). The bar is a local place and pretty basic: Koelsch, cola, juice, wine, water; nothing fancy but one or two cocktails on the drink menu.
If you're in the Cologne area and interested to drop by and say hi/bye (whether we have previously met or not :-)) let me know, either through the comments, or my email if you already have it, or send me an email to phillygirl06 and put the opposite of @coldmail.com after that, and I'll send you a note if/when something gets better organized/finalized, along with location/time.Friday, January 23, 2009
going to bed early
saturday already filled up with tasks, most of them fun.
one of my 'too large to bring with' items left tonight, bringing the total remaining down to 3, one of which has already been agreed for sale and pickup next week. the other two (the washer and dryer), i've been holding on to on purpose.
every time something leaves i feel a little more free. i think i will be slow to buy anything in the uk, to savor this feeling of simplicity and freedom.
back with you on sunday.
one of my 'too large to bring with' items left tonight, bringing the total remaining down to 3, one of which has already been agreed for sale and pickup next week. the other two (the washer and dryer), i've been holding on to on purpose.
every time something leaves i feel a little more free. i think i will be slow to buy anything in the uk, to savor this feeling of simplicity and freedom.
back with you on sunday.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
unexpected changes
1. eating healthy meals
2. going to bed early
3. exercising before work.
i have no idea of the source of such changes except:
1. i'm cooking creatively to use the things which i have, so i put more thought into my meals lately.
2. i'm mentally tired from busy days at work and busy time outside of work putting things on ebay etc. in addition, i sold my lights, so while i have some overhead lights, in general the flat is a bit darker than it was previously.
3. the new neighbor in the flat below me wakes up at 0630 each day, including Sundays. i think his early morning activities (opening the window shutters, scraping the kitchen chair on the floor), are gently intruding upon my sleep as i awaken to them.
(although D mentions that i am such a light sleeper than i can hear a gnat sneeze across the border in the next town. not true! i can hear the gnat thinking about sneezing, in the next state actually.) ;-)
2. going to bed early
3. exercising before work.
i have no idea of the source of such changes except:
1. i'm cooking creatively to use the things which i have, so i put more thought into my meals lately.
2. i'm mentally tired from busy days at work and busy time outside of work putting things on ebay etc. in addition, i sold my lights, so while i have some overhead lights, in general the flat is a bit darker than it was previously.
3. the new neighbor in the flat below me wakes up at 0630 each day, including Sundays. i think his early morning activities (opening the window shutters, scraping the kitchen chair on the floor), are gently intruding upon my sleep as i awaken to them.
(although D mentions that i am such a light sleeper than i can hear a gnat sneeze across the border in the next town. not true! i can hear the gnat thinking about sneezing, in the next state actually.) ;-)
Saturday, January 17, 2009
and the results are in...
You may recall back in November, I was taking the B1 test from the Goethe Institut. The results finally came today, I got a 2!-->here's what a 2 means.
I usually size down photos, but I thought perhaps someone who is thinking about taking the test in the future might like to see the details Goethe returns: (Click on the photo to make it bigger)
Final thoughts:
-Am pleased to have done this. I'm glad to have a paper which formally states that I do officially have some level of correct knowledge of the language.
-In retrospect, I probably could have passed with a 3 a year ago. (Although I wanted to be 100% sure I'd pass before taking it so as to not have to re-sit for the exam at a 100 EUR cost.) Or I could have seriously studied and tried for a 1. (The 65% section was the 2 pure grammar exercises where I was expecting a 50%--I knew they would be the worst for me.) But if I had it to do over again, I'm 99.9% sure I would have done the same thing all over again. The German language just doesn't mean anything to me, beyond a line on my CV.
-I will be taking this paper to the office along with a bottle of sekt. My work colleagues will be pleased. (Especially after having to put up with me giving them a hard time in the weeks leading up to the exam, for all the Denglish and slang they use in the office.)
I usually size down photos, but I thought perhaps someone who is thinking about taking the test in the future might like to see the details Goethe returns: (Click on the photo to make it bigger)
Final thoughts:
-Am pleased to have done this. I'm glad to have a paper which formally states that I do officially have some level of correct knowledge of the language.
-In retrospect, I probably could have passed with a 3 a year ago. (Although I wanted to be 100% sure I'd pass before taking it so as to not have to re-sit for the exam at a 100 EUR cost.) Or I could have seriously studied and tried for a 1. (The 65% section was the 2 pure grammar exercises where I was expecting a 50%--I knew they would be the worst for me.) But if I had it to do over again, I'm 99.9% sure I would have done the same thing all over again. The German language just doesn't mean anything to me, beyond a line on my CV.
-I will be taking this paper to the office along with a bottle of sekt. My work colleagues will be pleased. (Especially after having to put up with me giving them a hard time in the weeks leading up to the exam, for all the Denglish and slang they use in the office.)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Cheapness in Germany
Some of my non-German colleagues joke about the cheapness of the Germans. Perhaps due to moments like when one tipped 20 cents to the waitress after a night of drinking and good service from the waitress. The Brits and Americans, of course, tipped her more upon seeing that one. Bar staff aside, I see it more as--Germans pay for the quality which they seek. Germans pay big bucks for a BMW or Mercedes, but 2,99 for a bunch of flowers seems appropriate as flowers are only good for a week anyway, so unless you're a flowers expert, the basic quality will do.
Last week, at Rewe, I bought a bag of salad which was marked 1,79. It rang up at 1,89. I, of course, demanded my 10 cents there. If I want to donate money to someone, it won't be the to the management of Rewe. The checkout lady looked at the item and the price, at my slip, and just gave me the 10 cents back. I wasn't expecting an apology, this is Germany, after all. And, as it is Germany, I was willing to stand there and block her lane until I got my 10 cents back. So I imagine she ate the shortage as it was under her threshold and not worth the hassle to get a manager.
Again this week, something rang up wrong. I was sitting on the fence about buying coconut milk as it's much cheaper in the Asian supermarket. However, I had no plans to be in Leverkusen (my closest one), so I decided to suck it up and pay the 1,09 for 200 ml. Except when it rang up at 1,29. I had thought that perhaps I saw something incorrectly, so I went back to the aisle to check. Sure enough, it was 1,09. There are never employees or managers around Rewe, nor is there a customer service desk, only a raised platform with one way mirrors where I'm guessing they watch the customers and staff via hidden cameras. So I slid the little paper off of the shelf and brought it back with me to the same checkout line as previously.
H: This price, it is wrong. (holding the receipt and the tag).
Checkout lady: Did you take this sign from the shelf? (no mention of the price being wrong or any sort of apology.)
H: (knowing full well that she is trying to divert the focus from the 'wrongness' of the price to the 'wrongness' of me removing their little sign) Yes exactly, this is the price which was wrong on the shelf!
CL: (knowing that the ignorant foreigner is backing up her line and it's Friday night and the ignorant foreigner is not admitting wrongness). You're not supposed to take the sign from the shelf.
H: (louder and pointing) The price. It is wrong! I bought this. (fishing said coconut milk from bag.)
CL: (loud sign and eyes rolling, reaches into her cash drawer and slams 20 cents onto the change area, no apology, nothing. And she kept my receipt with the little sign.)
I can't really blame Germany for this cheapness, I arrived with that one. However, five years ago I would have been flummoxed in the same situation. Two years ago I still would have been polite. To Germany I owe thanks for making me a lot more pushy, agressive, and loud.
Good Lord am I going to need to unlearn some behaviors toot sweet in the UK.
P.S. Why did I even go to Rewe on a Friday evening? My favorite frozen pizza is on sale, save 50 cents each. Good deal. The sale ends on Saturday night and they tend to run out of the decent ones by Saturday afternoon. Or maybe they're trying to clear out the stock of the less favorite varietes, who knows.
Last week, at Rewe, I bought a bag of salad which was marked 1,79. It rang up at 1,89. I, of course, demanded my 10 cents there. If I want to donate money to someone, it won't be the to the management of Rewe. The checkout lady looked at the item and the price, at my slip, and just gave me the 10 cents back. I wasn't expecting an apology, this is Germany, after all. And, as it is Germany, I was willing to stand there and block her lane until I got my 10 cents back. So I imagine she ate the shortage as it was under her threshold and not worth the hassle to get a manager.
Again this week, something rang up wrong. I was sitting on the fence about buying coconut milk as it's much cheaper in the Asian supermarket. However, I had no plans to be in Leverkusen (my closest one), so I decided to suck it up and pay the 1,09 for 200 ml. Except when it rang up at 1,29. I had thought that perhaps I saw something incorrectly, so I went back to the aisle to check. Sure enough, it was 1,09. There are never employees or managers around Rewe, nor is there a customer service desk, only a raised platform with one way mirrors where I'm guessing they watch the customers and staff via hidden cameras. So I slid the little paper off of the shelf and brought it back with me to the same checkout line as previously.
H: This price, it is wrong. (holding the receipt and the tag).
Checkout lady: Did you take this sign from the shelf? (no mention of the price being wrong or any sort of apology.)
H: (knowing full well that she is trying to divert the focus from the 'wrongness' of the price to the 'wrongness' of me removing their little sign) Yes exactly, this is the price which was wrong on the shelf!
CL: (knowing that the ignorant foreigner is backing up her line and it's Friday night and the ignorant foreigner is not admitting wrongness). You're not supposed to take the sign from the shelf.
H: (louder and pointing) The price. It is wrong! I bought this. (fishing said coconut milk from bag.)
CL: (loud sign and eyes rolling, reaches into her cash drawer and slams 20 cents onto the change area, no apology, nothing. And she kept my receipt with the little sign.)
I can't really blame Germany for this cheapness, I arrived with that one. However, five years ago I would have been flummoxed in the same situation. Two years ago I still would have been polite. To Germany I owe thanks for making me a lot more pushy, agressive, and loud.
Good Lord am I going to need to unlearn some behaviors toot sweet in the UK.
P.S. Why did I even go to Rewe on a Friday evening? My favorite frozen pizza is on sale, save 50 cents each. Good deal. The sale ends on Saturday night and they tend to run out of the decent ones by Saturday afternoon. Or maybe they're trying to clear out the stock of the less favorite varietes, who knows.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Why didn't you leave earlier?
Since Frank asked in the comments...
Even when I know why and what your problems could have been in "good old germany", my question is: Why didn't you leave earlier? I hope that wasn't to much of German directness. Enjoy the UK
I love German directness, btw. The fact that you recognize that it could be seen as 'directness' confirms the fact that you are dating an American. I don't think that the average German would see it as 'directness' but more as 'a question'. ;-) However, the direct answer:
1. As an average American, it's difficult (but not impossible) to get permission to work in Europe.
One cannot up and decide 'I want to go work in Europe' the same way that a French person decides one morning to go work in Portugal. IF you do not have an EU spouse or another route like an EU parent, options are limited to get a foot in the door and to get over here. You take what you can get. Germany (in my personal experience in looking at various options as an IT person), is one of the easiest EU countries for an American to legally enter, without holding pre-existing local language skills. Others may have had other experiences.
2. Once you're here, in general you're still tied to your company/job.
Granted, there are various options in so many countries. However, my work permit configuration looked like this:
2003 - 1 year permit - tied to my job/company
2004 - 1 year permit - tied to my job/company
2005 - 1 year permit - tied to my job/company
2006 - 2 year permit - tied to my job/company
2008 - 2 year permit - not tied to my job/company, but limited to Germany
later in 2008 - at the 5 year point I traded up for an unbefristet permit, so a permit without an expiration, not tied to my job/company, but limited to Germany.
I was originally only supposed to be in Germany for 3 months before moving on to Spain and then France. Company J changed the rules though after year 1.
In the early years it would have been possible to change jobs, to another German company who would be willing to pick up the sponsorship of my work permit, but not easy. Or to change to another European country would have been almost the same as trying to come over from America, not easy.
During the 2000's, unemployment has remained high in Europe. I recognize that to have a job in Europe, as a non-EU person, was a blessing. From a language skills perspective, Spain would have been the only place where I'd have a bit of an advantage, but I'd suggest that it's one of the toughest to enter due to the restrictions they put on foreign workers in an effort to protect jobs in their high unemployment climate. Benevolent company J tried to get me over there for 3 months but got enmeshed in paperwork so it never happened.
In the later years by the I had the unlimited permit I had already come to the conclusion that I did not want to work for a different company in Germany, but rather, not in Germany so it was time to sit tight and re-evaulate options.
3. Financial reasons
A. I was paid as an expat for the first three years here. Financially it made sense for me.
B. I qualified for a financial benefit from my company, as long as a stayed with them until the five year point (March 2008). So really, years 1-3 made financial sense, and to add on another 2 years, well, why not at that point?
4. the unlimited work permit
Even if I never work in Germany ever again, I recognize the value of the EU work permits in my passport, and that I did get the unlimited permit from Germany (Sept 2008). Unfortunately it has a short shelf life. Once I de-register from Germany I have 6 months to come back in order to be able to come back under this permit, otherwise it's back to square one. However, since I was already staying another 1,5 years, what's another 6 months on that? (Plus I was waiting during those 6 months for the UK paperwork to process, so I had nothing better to do.)
Thus 5 years in Germany semi-explained. :-/
Even when I know why and what your problems could have been in "good old germany", my question is: Why didn't you leave earlier? I hope that wasn't to much of German directness. Enjoy the UK
I love German directness, btw. The fact that you recognize that it could be seen as 'directness' confirms the fact that you are dating an American. I don't think that the average German would see it as 'directness' but more as 'a question'. ;-) However, the direct answer:
1. As an average American, it's difficult (but not impossible) to get permission to work in Europe.
One cannot up and decide 'I want to go work in Europe' the same way that a French person decides one morning to go work in Portugal. IF you do not have an EU spouse or another route like an EU parent, options are limited to get a foot in the door and to get over here. You take what you can get. Germany (in my personal experience in looking at various options as an IT person), is one of the easiest EU countries for an American to legally enter, without holding pre-existing local language skills. Others may have had other experiences.
2. Once you're here, in general you're still tied to your company/job.
Granted, there are various options in so many countries. However, my work permit configuration looked like this:
2003 - 1 year permit - tied to my job/company
2004 - 1 year permit - tied to my job/company
2005 - 1 year permit - tied to my job/company
2006 - 2 year permit - tied to my job/company
2008 - 2 year permit - not tied to my job/company, but limited to Germany
later in 2008 - at the 5 year point I traded up for an unbefristet permit, so a permit without an expiration, not tied to my job/company, but limited to Germany.
I was originally only supposed to be in Germany for 3 months before moving on to Spain and then France. Company J changed the rules though after year 1.
In the early years it would have been possible to change jobs, to another German company who would be willing to pick up the sponsorship of my work permit, but not easy. Or to change to another European country would have been almost the same as trying to come over from America, not easy.
During the 2000's, unemployment has remained high in Europe. I recognize that to have a job in Europe, as a non-EU person, was a blessing. From a language skills perspective, Spain would have been the only place where I'd have a bit of an advantage, but I'd suggest that it's one of the toughest to enter due to the restrictions they put on foreign workers in an effort to protect jobs in their high unemployment climate. Benevolent company J tried to get me over there for 3 months but got enmeshed in paperwork so it never happened.
In the later years by the I had the unlimited permit I had already come to the conclusion that I did not want to work for a different company in Germany, but rather, not in Germany so it was time to sit tight and re-evaulate options.
3. Financial reasons
A. I was paid as an expat for the first three years here. Financially it made sense for me.
B. I qualified for a financial benefit from my company, as long as a stayed with them until the five year point (March 2008). So really, years 1-3 made financial sense, and to add on another 2 years, well, why not at that point?
4. the unlimited work permit
Even if I never work in Germany ever again, I recognize the value of the EU work permits in my passport, and that I did get the unlimited permit from Germany (Sept 2008). Unfortunately it has a short shelf life. Once I de-register from Germany I have 6 months to come back in order to be able to come back under this permit, otherwise it's back to square one. However, since I was already staying another 1,5 years, what's another 6 months on that? (Plus I was waiting during those 6 months for the UK paperwork to process, so I had nothing better to do.)
Thus 5 years in Germany semi-explained. :-/
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The most fascinating Germans
Maybe it's because I'm in a good mood because I'm leaving...or because the Germans I'd dealing with recognize that I'm leaving so they're not on my case to integrate...or because I'm meeting like-minded frugal people--however, in selling off the things from my flat, I am meeting the most fascinating set of Germans since I've been here.
Today, a woman came for the small Ikea bookshelf; it being for her small daughter (perhaps 2,5 years old) whom she brought along. She was asking me about my future plans and mentions that she, her husband and small daughter will be moving to Spain, hopefully this year. Her English was superb, with accent, but not a noticeably German one.
She explained that she had lived outside of Germany for over 8 years, most recently in Argentina, where she met said husband, an Argentinian. When the Argentinian economy collapsed, they decided to come to Europe, but of Germany, 'I do not like the lifestyle, especially now that I have gone and have come back.' (I didn't get to ask if she has family in the region, or if the job only brought them to this area.) And she uttered one of my favorite Germanized English phrases regarding life in Germany--'it is nothing for me'.
So their plans are to move to Spain as they speak Spanish at home and for a different lifestyle and better weather. So they are not investing too heavily in life here for the moment depending on how things turn out, only small things like my used bookshelf from kalaydo.
Today, a woman came for the small Ikea bookshelf; it being for her small daughter (perhaps 2,5 years old) whom she brought along. She was asking me about my future plans and mentions that she, her husband and small daughter will be moving to Spain, hopefully this year. Her English was superb, with accent, but not a noticeably German one.
She explained that she had lived outside of Germany for over 8 years, most recently in Argentina, where she met said husband, an Argentinian. When the Argentinian economy collapsed, they decided to come to Europe, but of Germany, 'I do not like the lifestyle, especially now that I have gone and have come back.' (I didn't get to ask if she has family in the region, or if the job only brought them to this area.) And she uttered one of my favorite Germanized English phrases regarding life in Germany--'it is nothing for me'.
So their plans are to move to Spain as they speak Spanish at home and for a different lifestyle and better weather. So they are not investing too heavily in life here for the moment depending on how things turn out, only small things like my used bookshelf from kalaydo.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
2nd verse, same as the first
Since returning from the US and then the UK, I've turned up the flat moving activities. Prior to the December holidays was taking care of things I don't use, so now I ran out of fat to cut and am cutting to the bone. Specifically, I'm down to 35 nights before I leave Germany for good, of which only 25 of them are in Germany. (I ended up with a work trip to Bulgaria, and as I have never visited before, I managed to extend a few days to include the weekend.)
Recent activities...I've spent every waking moment listing things on kayado to sell. Since returning in January exactly one week ago, I've sold:
-my Ikea wardrobe
-the bed
-my remaining Ikea lamps. (Fortunately I have overhead lights in the living room which stay with the flat.)
-an old suitcase
-every kitchen appliance excluding the coffee and juice machine. The juice machine is up for sale. The coffee machine will be one of the last things remaining. ;-)
-various sundry items which won't come along to the UK, to the tune of over 100 EUR.
-my remaining English books from bookswapper.de, so that I have a chance to use my remaining credits to zero out my balance.
I wasn't planning on selling the bed quite so soon, but the person who bought the wardrobe was very pleasant to deal with and extremely effiencient at taking apart and picking up the wardrobe and offered to take the bed. I can deal with a few extra nights on the floor in exchange for the ease of getting one more big thing out of the flat so easily. Plus, I kept the bedding, that will come to the UK.
I am rather surprised at how easy it has been thus far to sell things in Germany. Granted many of the things here were bought expressly because I knew I would leave at some point. So there was limited emotional attachment, especially as much was 'dent-and-scratch' floor models or sperrmuell.
Next up: hitting it hard for the next two weeks, clearing out as much as possible and trying to figure out the logistics of how the car should best be loaded. I've eaten every vegetable in the house so I've had to go to the store to replenish veg and tofu, but otherwise I'm eating down the remaining food in the flat, nothing new so that I have as little as possible left when it's time to leave for the UK.
Recent activities...I've spent every waking moment listing things on kayado to sell. Since returning in January exactly one week ago, I've sold:
-my Ikea wardrobe
-the bed
-my remaining Ikea lamps. (Fortunately I have overhead lights in the living room which stay with the flat.)
-an old suitcase
-every kitchen appliance excluding the coffee and juice machine. The juice machine is up for sale. The coffee machine will be one of the last things remaining. ;-)
-various sundry items which won't come along to the UK, to the tune of over 100 EUR.
-my remaining English books from bookswapper.de, so that I have a chance to use my remaining credits to zero out my balance.
I wasn't planning on selling the bed quite so soon, but the person who bought the wardrobe was very pleasant to deal with and extremely effiencient at taking apart and picking up the wardrobe and offered to take the bed. I can deal with a few extra nights on the floor in exchange for the ease of getting one more big thing out of the flat so easily. Plus, I kept the bedding, that will come to the UK.
I am rather surprised at how easy it has been thus far to sell things in Germany. Granted many of the things here were bought expressly because I knew I would leave at some point. So there was limited emotional attachment, especially as much was 'dent-and-scratch' floor models or sperrmuell.
Next up: hitting it hard for the next two weeks, clearing out as much as possible and trying to figure out the logistics of how the car should best be loaded. I've eaten every vegetable in the house so I've had to go to the store to replenish veg and tofu, but otherwise I'm eating down the remaining food in the flat, nothing new so that I have as little as possible left when it's time to leave for the UK.
Friday, January 09, 2009
January is...
the driest month. A habit I picked up from an Irish colleague since living here was to give up alchohol in the month of January. And let's face it, the Irish know a bit about this topic. In particular, I think that January in my corner of NRW can sorta cause one to get into a slump. From the excitement of going back to the US as well as the Christmas markets in December until Karneval in February, January tends to be a little boring.
Before you ask the regular questions:
Are you a purist, stopping at exactly 23.59 on Dec 31st?
-No. I'm not so into this to that level. If the night of Dec 31st doesn't end until 02.00 on January 1st, so be it.
Do you make up for it by having a good drink up at the first possible moment in February?
-Actually, the opposite. I ease back into drinking in February gradually.
Isn't that a difficult month to choose, January can be so dark and dreary?
I think it's probably the easiest actually. I'd miss it more in the summer when there are nice beer gardens or wine in the summer beside the Rhein.
In the meantime, Father Ted on this topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxbyO4FQ_Fk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoYVVnBDNxg
Before you ask the regular questions:
Are you a purist, stopping at exactly 23.59 on Dec 31st?
-No. I'm not so into this to that level. If the night of Dec 31st doesn't end until 02.00 on January 1st, so be it.
Do you make up for it by having a good drink up at the first possible moment in February?
-Actually, the opposite. I ease back into drinking in February gradually.
Isn't that a difficult month to choose, January can be so dark and dreary?
I think it's probably the easiest actually. I'd miss it more in the summer when there are nice beer gardens or wine in the summer beside the Rhein.
In the meantime, Father Ted on this topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxbyO4FQ_Fk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoYVVnBDNxg
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Why do you not want to stand next to me?
Probably because you would get singed as I get struck by lightning for lying.
I find myself making a lot of little, white harmless fibs in Germany, mainly because that tends to simplify conversation making. For example:
-There was a restaurant I used to go to every other month or so in my early days here, which I liked very much. But then I moved to Cologne and the restaurant was not so convenient, but I still went occasionally as the service was very good. Then I went again, with my French colleague, and they pleasantly remarked on my appearance and how I had been away a while.
On the spot with my poor German of the time to try to explain that I had moved to Cologne and and I liked their food very much, but they were not so convenient for my commute home, and not wanting to hurt their feelings because I know I wouldn't be able to explain it properly, instead, I went with the easy fib:
Oh, I was home in America for some months for work.
After the server walked away, I looked to my French work colleague (who knows very well I was not in America for some months). I started to say, "My German is not good enough to try to explain", but she cut me off. "Trust me, I do the same thing in English, sometimes it's easier".
-Last night, my very nice downstairs neighbor caught me in the hallway. Frau Liebe Nachbarin, does your car not start in the very cold weather? because they saw that my car stayed covered in snow in its parking spot on the Monday and Tuesday workdays rather than driving off to benevolent company J at 08.30.
Rather than trying to answer, "well, my neck was very sore when I arrived back from the UK on Sunday night from running around too much in the cold weather and uncomfortable beds and leaning on the plane and then train windows to snooze, and well I didn't feel up to shoveling out my car then on Monday in the cold due to said neck stiffness and the crappy looking roads anyway so I took the lazy way out and just took the bus instead, and well Tuesday I worked from home so that I could stay wrapped in a blanket with heat on the neck", instead my simplified German answer was:
I have fear to drive in the snow, so I instead take the bus this week.
Because I didn't want to get into a drawn out conversation about cold moving air on the neck in the UK made it stiff, or that new-fangled concept of working from home. I thought this tiny lie would sort this conversation out in the fastest manner.
Imagine my abject surprise then, upon scurrying out on the way to the bus stop, to see that the pleasant Germans in my building had shoveled out behind my car in the lot. Due to the structure of the parking lot, it was clearly done for me, it's for no one else's benefit. I imagine they were trying to be ever so helpful in giving me confidence in taking out Mr. Polo to brave the winter wonderland.
Boy do I feel guilty.
I find myself making a lot of little, white harmless fibs in Germany, mainly because that tends to simplify conversation making. For example:
-There was a restaurant I used to go to every other month or so in my early days here, which I liked very much. But then I moved to Cologne and the restaurant was not so convenient, but I still went occasionally as the service was very good. Then I went again, with my French colleague, and they pleasantly remarked on my appearance and how I had been away a while.
On the spot with my poor German of the time to try to explain that I had moved to Cologne and and I liked their food very much, but they were not so convenient for my commute home, and not wanting to hurt their feelings because I know I wouldn't be able to explain it properly, instead, I went with the easy fib:
Oh, I was home in America for some months for work.
After the server walked away, I looked to my French work colleague (who knows very well I was not in America for some months). I started to say, "My German is not good enough to try to explain", but she cut me off. "Trust me, I do the same thing in English, sometimes it's easier".
-Last night, my very nice downstairs neighbor caught me in the hallway. Frau Liebe Nachbarin, does your car not start in the very cold weather? because they saw that my car stayed covered in snow in its parking spot on the Monday and Tuesday workdays rather than driving off to benevolent company J at 08.30.
Rather than trying to answer, "well, my neck was very sore when I arrived back from the UK on Sunday night from running around too much in the cold weather and uncomfortable beds and leaning on the plane and then train windows to snooze, and well I didn't feel up to shoveling out my car then on Monday in the cold due to said neck stiffness and the crappy looking roads anyway so I took the lazy way out and just took the bus instead, and well Tuesday I worked from home so that I could stay wrapped in a blanket with heat on the neck", instead my simplified German answer was:
I have fear to drive in the snow, so I instead take the bus this week.
Because I didn't want to get into a drawn out conversation about cold moving air on the neck in the UK made it stiff, or that new-fangled concept of working from home. I thought this tiny lie would sort this conversation out in the fastest manner.
Imagine my abject surprise then, upon scurrying out on the way to the bus stop, to see that the pleasant Germans in my building had shoveled out behind my car in the lot. Due to the structure of the parking lot, it was clearly done for me, it's for no one else's benefit. I imagine they were trying to be ever so helpful in giving me confidence in taking out Mr. Polo to brave the winter wonderland.
Boy do I feel guilty.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Behold, the purse
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Somebody needs to go on a diet
In case you cannot read the little numbers, it says 13.5 pounds. Before you start suggesting that she's big-boned, keep in mind:
-2 different vets at 2 different points in one year have said she needs to lose 3 lbs
-her pregnancy weight from 18 months ago (with 5 kittens) was 12 lbs.
-as there is a price per pound to fly her to the UK, now is a great time to lose the excess.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
How Lufthansa disappointed me
I love Lufthansa. They've become my preferred airline since arriving in Germany for when I travel to the US, as well as for intra-Europe flying. And as US carriers are cutting back on food or special meals like vegetarian, or charging for every little thing, it makes Lufthansa look even better with their open bar in the air.
Except when one orders a Vegan option (VGML) and is served a salmon sandwich as a snack, especially as they're slinging cheese pizzas to the rest of the passengers. Granted, vegans don't eat fish or dairy, so neither is acceptable, but I found it rather ironic. The very nice Lufthansa crewman offered me a cheese pizza in exchange for the fish, and actually apologized so my disappointment was short-lived fortunately. ;-)
Except when one orders a Vegan option (VGML) and is served a salmon sandwich as a snack, especially as they're slinging cheese pizzas to the rest of the passengers. Granted, vegans don't eat fish or dairy, so neither is acceptable, but I found it rather ironic. The very nice Lufthansa crewman offered me a cheese pizza in exchange for the fish, and actually apologized so my disappointment was short-lived fortunately. ;-)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Back from the US
J asked what I brought from the US. Instead I'll start with what I didn't bring:
She's going to go directly to the UK instead, hopefully in 6 months or so, after the US in-country quarantine is done. So she gets another 6 months of being spoiled in Philly. :-)
And for the record, I am now of the opinion that it is easier to get work permission for a person for the UK than it is to bring over a cat to the UK. Feel free to quote me on this one.
I'm off to the UK tomorrow for new year's, but I'm leaving you a few postings in advance. I'll still pick up emails over the next few days so I'll see any comments. :-)
She's going to go directly to the UK instead, hopefully in 6 months or so, after the US in-country quarantine is done. So she gets another 6 months of being spoiled in Philly. :-)
And for the record, I am now of the opinion that it is easier to get work permission for a person for the UK than it is to bring over a cat to the UK. Feel free to quote me on this one.
I'm off to the UK tomorrow for new year's, but I'm leaving you a few postings in advance. I'll still pick up emails over the next few days so I'll see any comments. :-)
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tonight's agenda
Bags are already packed, boarding pass printed, dinner made and eaten.
Next up, trips to:
Target
Walgreens
Godmother
Great-aunt 1
etc.
to fill in the remaining space in the suitcase.
Will be back online once I'm back in DE.
Next up, trips to:
Target
Walgreens
Godmother
Great-aunt 1
etc.
to fill in the remaining space in the suitcase.
Will be back online once I'm back in DE.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Hell may be freezing over
Philly's been stuck in a code blue with overnight lows in the teens and daytime temps in the low 20's.
And Heather bought a purse.
I'm more of a 'wallet in the back pocket of the jeans' kinda gal and haven't owned a purse in at least 10 years. But I have a few upcoming activities in the new year which don't involve jeans and I need somewhere to put my keys and cash.
Once I'm back in Germany I may take a photo of the little fellow. I picked him up on one of my recent vintage/secondhand jaunts here, along with a few other things.
And Heather bought a purse.
I'm more of a 'wallet in the back pocket of the jeans' kinda gal and haven't owned a purse in at least 10 years. But I have a few upcoming activities in the new year which don't involve jeans and I need somewhere to put my keys and cash.
Once I'm back in Germany I may take a photo of the little fellow. I picked him up on one of my recent vintage/secondhand jaunts here, along with a few other things.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Less than 24 hours...
Was how long it took before I spoke German in the US. I arrived early this year so was able to go on the Christmas tree hunting trip, something I've never been able to do because it's always a week before I've always been home, due to the tradition of doing it on my aunt's birthday. While we were there, I could hear an older woman complaining about something, in German, to her son. I quickly headed down a different tree aisle.
After choosing the tree and getting all of that sorted, we needed to pick up some of the free greenery, as I was in charge of making the cemetary arrangements this year. (I've been in charge of lots of random things this year, because I'm home so early, with a very small agenda outside of drinking coffee and cooking.)
My aunts and I were picking up some of the free tree branches, and there is that German woman again, yet again complaining, now both in English and German, that her son does not know how to properly pick branchs (she had the same purpose as me). My one aunt and I are like cheese and chalk. My aunt, seeking to make things better says, 'you must not be around here, if the cold is bothering you?' The woman answers 'no, no, I am from Germany.' My ever so helpful aunt says, 'oh really--she lives in Germany!' and the woman looks at me with a questioning eye.
Of course I had to ask her then, in German, where she is from. Essen. No wonder I so easily understood her, that is barely 40 minutes from where I live. And then she got on a roll. 'Robert, come over here, she speaks German!' (Robert was her tall, dark and handsome son who was shuttling her chosen branches too the car, as he was deemed unskilled for choosing them.) Robert got in a cursory 'that's nice' before continuing on his pack mule banch hauling way.
She explained to me that they had to leave Germany after the war, and she's never been back. Her children all speak and understand German, because that is all that she and her husband spoke in the house. Her children had some friends in an equivalent position, but their parents 'were lazy', the children could understand her but not speak German properly. She then tells me, that there are very few German speakers in this area. True, true.
She then goes on (out of the corner of my eye, her son is done hauling and is now speaking with my aunts), to call her son over. 'Robert, look at her, how schlank!' and points to my waist. (My black wool coat is indeed quite slimming.) Gotta love the German directness. Some things never die. She then proceeds to rail on him, about how he gets in the car in the garage, drives to where he wants to go, and then gets back into the car, and how all Americans are like this and that's the problem. She asks me, how do you stay so thin? Um, I walk a lot daily and go walking in the woods on Sundays in Germany, and sometimes the pool. (Because nothing else is open I wanted to add, but didn't.) 'Precisely! You walk in Germany!'
I get the feeling Robert has heard this argument before as he scurried away. He was talking with my aunt about her car. The old woman gives them the razor eye...do they speak German too? No only me. She's been talking almost non-stop for 15 minutes, and I think I barely escaped getting invited home and married off. At this point I was saved by the bell.
The tree place, it's run by the local fire company. The tree lot is located next door to the fire company. The ancient fire siren sounded, loud as all get out, three long wails, before switching to a lower constant clanging. The old woman grabs my arm and shouts over it. "I remember this sound very well." Thankfully, it gave us our exit to leave.
After choosing the tree and getting all of that sorted, we needed to pick up some of the free greenery, as I was in charge of making the cemetary arrangements this year. (I've been in charge of lots of random things this year, because I'm home so early, with a very small agenda outside of drinking coffee and cooking.)
My aunts and I were picking up some of the free tree branches, and there is that German woman again, yet again complaining, now both in English and German, that her son does not know how to properly pick branchs (she had the same purpose as me). My one aunt and I are like cheese and chalk. My aunt, seeking to make things better says, 'you must not be around here, if the cold is bothering you?' The woman answers 'no, no, I am from Germany.' My ever so helpful aunt says, 'oh really--she lives in Germany!' and the woman looks at me with a questioning eye.
Of course I had to ask her then, in German, where she is from. Essen. No wonder I so easily understood her, that is barely 40 minutes from where I live. And then she got on a roll. 'Robert, come over here, she speaks German!' (Robert was her tall, dark and handsome son who was shuttling her chosen branches too the car, as he was deemed unskilled for choosing them.) Robert got in a cursory 'that's nice' before continuing on his pack mule banch hauling way.
She explained to me that they had to leave Germany after the war, and she's never been back. Her children all speak and understand German, because that is all that she and her husband spoke in the house. Her children had some friends in an equivalent position, but their parents 'were lazy', the children could understand her but not speak German properly. She then tells me, that there are very few German speakers in this area. True, true.
She then goes on (out of the corner of my eye, her son is done hauling and is now speaking with my aunts), to call her son over. 'Robert, look at her, how schlank!' and points to my waist. (My black wool coat is indeed quite slimming.) Gotta love the German directness. Some things never die. She then proceeds to rail on him, about how he gets in the car in the garage, drives to where he wants to go, and then gets back into the car, and how all Americans are like this and that's the problem. She asks me, how do you stay so thin? Um, I walk a lot daily and go walking in the woods on Sundays in Germany, and sometimes the pool. (Because nothing else is open I wanted to add, but didn't.) 'Precisely! You walk in Germany!'
I get the feeling Robert has heard this argument before as he scurried away. He was talking with my aunt about her car. The old woman gives them the razor eye...do they speak German too? No only me. She's been talking almost non-stop for 15 minutes, and I think I barely escaped getting invited home and married off. At this point I was saved by the bell.
The tree place, it's run by the local fire company. The tree lot is located next door to the fire company. The ancient fire siren sounded, loud as all get out, three long wails, before switching to a lower constant clanging. The old woman grabs my arm and shouts over it. "I remember this sound very well." Thankfully, it gave us our exit to leave.
Friday, December 19, 2008
What gave it away?
My grandmother's house is typical for the Phillyland area, neat little row homes, block parties in the summer, everyone knows everone else. Many people have been on this street since before I was born, so they knew me way back when. The area is pretty close, so people have known when I would be in town more or less, because Grandma told them.
Neighbor from up the street (who was a US soldier in Germany in the 1960's and who married a German woman and they have lived here ever since): Yo H.
H: Hi.
N: So I knew you were in town.
H: The old lady gossip network told you?
N: No. In the awful rainy weather the other day, when I was driving up the street, guess what I saw? I saw someone dressed in dark colors, out walking. I knew it was either a Kraut* or someone who lives in Krautland*, so therefore odds would be that it was you, because the fat Americans all drive when it's raining H.
H: Yep, that was me.
N: Welcome back.
* his words, not mine
Neighbor from up the street (who was a US soldier in Germany in the 1960's and who married a German woman and they have lived here ever since): Yo H.
H: Hi.
N: So I knew you were in town.
H: The old lady gossip network told you?
N: No. In the awful rainy weather the other day, when I was driving up the street, guess what I saw? I saw someone dressed in dark colors, out walking. I knew it was either a Kraut* or someone who lives in Krautland*, so therefore odds would be that it was you, because the fat Americans all drive when it's raining H.
H: Yep, that was me.
N: Welcome back.
* his words, not mine
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
on the way
If you happen to be in the D'dorf area Saturday, be sure to squint upward at around 11.45ish, looking for a shiny Lufthansa plane, direction Newark. I am already online checked in and I have a window seat. I'll keep an eye out for you waving from below. ;-)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
circular
Certain things have been falling into place which continue to point to this move to the UK as the right thing. Last night I ran into my chatty neighbor in the hallway. I was dreading this moment, as I heard from the hallway on Tuesday night, my landlady ran into him. So I knew that he knew that I was leaving, so I knew that would spawn a massive discussion. He's a very nice fellow, but the absolute epitome of the noisy old neighbor down the street, or in my case, down the hall, and it taxes my German to the core.
Of course he was sad to see me go, and did I know that nice neighbor below me was also leaving, as of Dec 31? Most interesting to me is that nice neighbor and I arrived at the same time. When I came to view apartments I had turned down even looking at her flat as it was at ground level. He proceeded to tell me the whole background as to why she was leaving, something about the boyfriend and mother and on and on. It has a nice parallel that we came and now leave at the same time.
Exciting changes in the building. I had to fill him in on the details of my leaving, which I'm sure were promptly dissemenated and then dissected thoroughly starting that evening. Yes, the job...yes, the English language...yes, maybe some German classes would be good...yes, 'the friend'. Finally he makes his verdict, yes, this is a good move and....pause...und vielleicht in Grossbrittanien, baby machen...? (I blushed)
Gotta love that German honesty.
Of course he was sad to see me go, and did I know that nice neighbor below me was also leaving, as of Dec 31? Most interesting to me is that nice neighbor and I arrived at the same time. When I came to view apartments I had turned down even looking at her flat as it was at ground level. He proceeded to tell me the whole background as to why she was leaving, something about the boyfriend and mother and on and on. It has a nice parallel that we came and now leave at the same time.
Exciting changes in the building. I had to fill him in on the details of my leaving, which I'm sure were promptly dissemenated and then dissected thoroughly starting that evening. Yes, the job...yes, the English language...yes, maybe some German classes would be good...yes, 'the friend'. Finally he makes his verdict, yes, this is a good move and....pause...und vielleicht in Grossbrittanien, baby machen...? (I blushed)
Gotta love that German honesty.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Keep on keeping on
My landlady showed the flat the week before last and the people wanted to take it but something fell through. She called earlier this week, she'll bring someone again on Tuesday night. This is actually quite useful as it forces me to keep moving, keep cleaning, keep clearing.
Exciting stuff I've been up to lately? Warning: not so interesting. ;-)
1. I sold my TV, TV stand, free to air box and antenna via kalaydo.de.
I've been pleased with the experience of selling things via kalaydo and ebay.de. I had started selling things a few weeks prior to my German test, partially to force myself to get my game up on my practical, daily German. I'm not a big fan of TV, but I bought one for educational purposes. No, really I did, in order to be able to hear spoken German from outside of this region. To that end, I bought the most basic one possible--a floor model which was super discounted when walmart was closing a few years ago in Germany. There was no way any of it was coming to the UK, so I gave it all decent prices and then one lower bundled price if someone would buy all. I listed it on Sunday and it was paid and picked up on Tuesday, under the bundled option.
2. Friday the desk and ikea floor lamp went out the door.
I had the most basic of desks, it was actually a table which I repurposed. It had an ikea look, all glass and metal. A woman found it on kalaydo after it had been there a few weeks, so I was happy. She was very happy, her 17 year old daughter 'is very into the simple ikea look, although I don't really care for it'. They recently redid their house to create more of a separate apartment for the daughter, so they needed to furnish it on the cheap. She was telling me, in her daughter's class, they were being asked, what is St. Nicklaus bringing you? Other kids are saying chocolate or whatever, her daughter proudly answered, 'a desk!'
As the lady was leaving she asked me if a lamp standing next to a stack of boxes was for sale.
-Yes, I bought it from ikea, it goes also. (Basically everything electrical is going, rather than dealing with the different electrical plug converters/fixtures.) Sure, for 7 Euros, it's yours.
'Perfect! My daughter will love it.'
Even better, you've saved me the trouble of listing it.
3. the sewing machine, out the door
My boss from the US didn't bring hers here. I had put it on the company J bulletin board and there she found it, duh. She has only been my boss since Sept, so I don't yet fully know her, but gosh, had I known she would have been interested it it would have saved me the hassle of photographing it, writing up an annoucement in English/German and then schlepping the announcement over to the main building to place it on said bullentin board. I live and learn on that one.
4. mashed potatos.
Actually D was on top of this one. D makes the best mashed potatos. I don't even try, it's one of the few veg dishes I don't do, mainly due to the excessive work. (I'm not a good potato peeler) I am a good potato buyer, however. I went to the potato farm and purchased 5 kilos of mashing potatos in advance of his visit and placed them in the cellar. He spent a few hours boiling, peeling, mashing and seasoning, so I now have plently of mashed potatos in my fridge and tiny freezer, enough to last a few weeks if I ration properly.
5. UK move
Since D had suitcase space, the first things are now off to the UK (my snowshoes and some German souvenirs). We had another big snow this week, but I'm willing to forgo the rest of the season as it's rare that we get a good weekend snow and I have so few weekends left...
What's next?
A. I'm packing for the US this weekend, to go next week Saturday.
B. More stuff I don't use to list, perhaps I can still get it out the door this week.
C. Lots of logistics, booking flight ticket to leave DE and some plans after that.
D. Booking a weekend to drive/ferry to the UK in late January. I'm still in job negotiations with benevolent company J to move my job to the UK, but I probably won't get moving expenses kicked in since it's a self-requested move.
However, I have a company J provided car and legally it is mine for personal use anywhere in the EU, excluding east of Germany. I don't have so many things but based on transport costs (in particular for my books), it will be more cost effective for me to pay up for the ferry, as the car + petrol are 0 cost (company J provided) and once I have more than 3 boxes of books, I break even.
E. Flat being shown again on Tuesday, so need to have things presentable again.
Exciting stuff I've been up to lately? Warning: not so interesting. ;-)
1. I sold my TV, TV stand, free to air box and antenna via kalaydo.de.
I've been pleased with the experience of selling things via kalaydo and ebay.de. I had started selling things a few weeks prior to my German test, partially to force myself to get my game up on my practical, daily German. I'm not a big fan of TV, but I bought one for educational purposes. No, really I did, in order to be able to hear spoken German from outside of this region. To that end, I bought the most basic one possible--a floor model which was super discounted when walmart was closing a few years ago in Germany. There was no way any of it was coming to the UK, so I gave it all decent prices and then one lower bundled price if someone would buy all. I listed it on Sunday and it was paid and picked up on Tuesday, under the bundled option.
2. Friday the desk and ikea floor lamp went out the door.
I had the most basic of desks, it was actually a table which I repurposed. It had an ikea look, all glass and metal. A woman found it on kalaydo after it had been there a few weeks, so I was happy. She was very happy, her 17 year old daughter 'is very into the simple ikea look, although I don't really care for it'. They recently redid their house to create more of a separate apartment for the daughter, so they needed to furnish it on the cheap. She was telling me, in her daughter's class, they were being asked, what is St. Nicklaus bringing you? Other kids are saying chocolate or whatever, her daughter proudly answered, 'a desk!'
As the lady was leaving she asked me if a lamp standing next to a stack of boxes was for sale.
-Yes, I bought it from ikea, it goes also. (Basically everything electrical is going, rather than dealing with the different electrical plug converters/fixtures.) Sure, for 7 Euros, it's yours.
'Perfect! My daughter will love it.'
Even better, you've saved me the trouble of listing it.
3. the sewing machine, out the door
My boss from the US didn't bring hers here. I had put it on the company J bulletin board and there she found it, duh. She has only been my boss since Sept, so I don't yet fully know her, but gosh, had I known she would have been interested it it would have saved me the hassle of photographing it, writing up an annoucement in English/German and then schlepping the announcement over to the main building to place it on said bullentin board. I live and learn on that one.
4. mashed potatos.
Actually D was on top of this one. D makes the best mashed potatos. I don't even try, it's one of the few veg dishes I don't do, mainly due to the excessive work. (I'm not a good potato peeler) I am a good potato buyer, however. I went to the potato farm and purchased 5 kilos of mashing potatos in advance of his visit and placed them in the cellar. He spent a few hours boiling, peeling, mashing and seasoning, so I now have plently of mashed potatos in my fridge and tiny freezer, enough to last a few weeks if I ration properly.
5. UK move
Since D had suitcase space, the first things are now off to the UK (my snowshoes and some German souvenirs). We had another big snow this week, but I'm willing to forgo the rest of the season as it's rare that we get a good weekend snow and I have so few weekends left...
What's next?
A. I'm packing for the US this weekend, to go next week Saturday.
B. More stuff I don't use to list, perhaps I can still get it out the door this week.
C. Lots of logistics, booking flight ticket to leave DE and some plans after that.
D. Booking a weekend to drive/ferry to the UK in late January. I'm still in job negotiations with benevolent company J to move my job to the UK, but I probably won't get moving expenses kicked in since it's a self-requested move.
However, I have a company J provided car and legally it is mine for personal use anywhere in the EU, excluding east of Germany. I don't have so many things but based on transport costs (in particular for my books), it will be more cost effective for me to pay up for the ferry, as the car + petrol are 0 cost (company J provided) and once I have more than 3 boxes of books, I break even.
E. Flat being shown again on Tuesday, so need to have things presentable again.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Don't forget to leave your shoes out
St Nick comes Friday night into Saturday.
And if you're in my neighborhood you can pop over and see him in person on Saturday night. ;-)
And if you're in my neighborhood you can pop over and see him in person on Saturday night. ;-)
Monday, December 01, 2008
Lost in translation
I was doing some research online, on ways to ship things to the UK. On one hand, it's nice when a German-based company offers an English version of their website. On the other hand, if you are multi-national corporation, I have higher expectations of your English, than, say, my work colleague who had only school English and never left Germany.
Maybe this has a more approriate meaning in another style of English than American English:
No more humping stuff around - we'll do it all for you!
Here's the German original:
Schluss mit der Schlepperei - Wir machen das für Sie!
Here's where my thoughts went upon reading it.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=to+hump
Usually with a half decent understanding of German and English, one can connect the dots of how they came up with what they did (such as when you see 'hello together' or 'we meet us until 6' or other such literal translations).
This one leaves me stymied, as to where they came up with it. I was so fascinated that I even searched Leo, trying to figure out where this one went wrong, I still have no idea. If you see the connection, please tell me...
Maybe this has a more approriate meaning in another style of English than American English:
No more humping stuff around - we'll do it all for you!
Here's the German original:
Schluss mit der Schlepperei - Wir machen das für Sie!
Here's where my thoughts went upon reading it.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=to+hump
Usually with a half decent understanding of German and English, one can connect the dots of how they came up with what they did (such as when you see 'hello together' or 'we meet us until 6' or other such literal translations).
This one leaves me stymied, as to where they came up with it. I was so fascinated that I even searched Leo, trying to figure out where this one went wrong, I still have no idea. If you see the connection, please tell me...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Dear downstairs neighbor
Please come home! I know things are going well with the boyfriend as it seems you're spending every weekend with him and you only come back on Sundays around 4. And he's pleasant enough, always saying hello when we pass in the building...
But you know this year winter is actually behaving like winter. It snowed overnight here again, just an inch or so. Then it changed to sleet, and the snow where it's piled up isn't really melting. And I decided this year not to turn on the heating...
To explain, last year I didn't turn it on at all. Granted, last year's winter was incredibly mild, and the year before I only turned it on twice. Heat in Germany is very expensive, it seems to me, compared to other places where I've lived. I saw the bills, and could easily pick out the one month where I turend it on twice.
And it's not that I'm so cheap, ahem, frugal. It just doesn't make so much sense to turn it on, because I have an advantage in that I'm in the middle of the apartment building. You're beneath me, the nice couple with the child are above me, and I'm sanwiched on the side by nice Marion, leaving really only one side and a half exposed to the great outdoors. The double-glazed windows let in nothing, so it's really quite cozy 95% of the time, naturally.
Further, it's hot water heat, through the floor. The other reason for not turning it on is that there is no 'little bit' with it. It takes about an hour to get the hot water into the pipes, then it's like the inside of an oven and you could walk about in shorts and a t-shirt, and it stays warm for hours, and quite frankly, too warm for me.
Sure, I have my little tricks to warm it up a tiny bit on days like today. I choose to wash my sheets and towels and to use my dryer (located in the bathroom). Or I make lunch with something involving oven use, today I roasted a butternut squash with garlic. Or in the evening I light a few tea light candles. Or sometimes a wine or a coffee will warm things up. I've already broken out the big guns (my eastern European wool socks), and nothing is working here.
I can feel the chill from the floor, so I know you've been away since Friday. Yeah, ok, maybe this is karmic payback for the cucumber incident, but you really handled that one gracefully, in particular as this is Germany it could have blown up with letters and posters on the door about 'intrusive gardens' but you just laughed it off. But really, couldn't you and the boyfriend stay here occasionally on a weekend?
Regards,
Your upstairs neighbor
But you know this year winter is actually behaving like winter. It snowed overnight here again, just an inch or so. Then it changed to sleet, and the snow where it's piled up isn't really melting. And I decided this year not to turn on the heating...
To explain, last year I didn't turn it on at all. Granted, last year's winter was incredibly mild, and the year before I only turned it on twice. Heat in Germany is very expensive, it seems to me, compared to other places where I've lived. I saw the bills, and could easily pick out the one month where I turend it on twice.
And it's not that I'm so cheap, ahem, frugal. It just doesn't make so much sense to turn it on, because I have an advantage in that I'm in the middle of the apartment building. You're beneath me, the nice couple with the child are above me, and I'm sanwiched on the side by nice Marion, leaving really only one side and a half exposed to the great outdoors. The double-glazed windows let in nothing, so it's really quite cozy 95% of the time, naturally.
Further, it's hot water heat, through the floor. The other reason for not turning it on is that there is no 'little bit' with it. It takes about an hour to get the hot water into the pipes, then it's like the inside of an oven and you could walk about in shorts and a t-shirt, and it stays warm for hours, and quite frankly, too warm for me.
Sure, I have my little tricks to warm it up a tiny bit on days like today. I choose to wash my sheets and towels and to use my dryer (located in the bathroom). Or I make lunch with something involving oven use, today I roasted a butternut squash with garlic. Or in the evening I light a few tea light candles. Or sometimes a wine or a coffee will warm things up. I've already broken out the big guns (my eastern European wool socks), and nothing is working here.
I can feel the chill from the floor, so I know you've been away since Friday. Yeah, ok, maybe this is karmic payback for the cucumber incident, but you really handled that one gracefully, in particular as this is Germany it could have blown up with letters and posters on the door about 'intrusive gardens' but you just laughed it off. But really, couldn't you and the boyfriend stay here occasionally on a weekend?
Regards,
Your upstairs neighbor
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
It's all Greek to me
Here's a small scan of part of the letter. (click on photo to see it bigger)
Greek colleague sent a quick 2 sentence update by email:
-"it is old Greek" but he understands it.
(not sure if that would equate in my world to something like 'old German script', or rather that it's a dialet.)
-"it's a very strange letter." -->really curious as to what he means by that!
Hopefully he is able/willing to translate it. Dutch colleague had only asked as a favor that he confirm/deny if it's Greek as a first step. Stay tuned...
Greek colleague sent a quick 2 sentence update by email:
-"it is old Greek" but he understands it.
(not sure if that would equate in my world to something like 'old German script', or rather that it's a dialet.)
-"it's a very strange letter." -->really curious as to what he means by that!
Hopefully he is able/willing to translate it. Dutch colleague had only asked as a favor that he confirm/deny if it's Greek as a first step. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The liguistics goose chase - a mystery in progress
One of the nice things about working at big, global company J in Europe is the access to a number of people with foreign language skills, who are usually willing to help with something, inside or outside of work.
I have a letter which I discovered during my genealogy research. It has a story attached that it was sent to my great-grandmother from Europe, and that it has something to do with two of my grandfather's younger brothers. Both were killed during WW2 and are buried in military cemetaries in Italy. My grandmother remembers when the letter arrived, and that her mother-in-law had taken it to the Veterans' affairs office who instructed her to ignore it, that it was a plea from someone in Europe who had somehow found out her name, and would try to ply her for money as Europe as poor after the war. (Her memory of the story, 60 yrs later!)
So I have two pages of a letter in some foreign language that I cannot identify. I've toted the thing around here and there, and based on my own knowledge and that of others, it's none of the following:
-English
-Spanish or any other Romance language. I cannot make out a single word here, not one. Usually from my Spanish I can pick up some similar words from the Latin base.
-German
-Polish
-Lithuanian
-Russian
-Dutch
My Dutch colleague suggested that it has a Slavic base, his feeling was that it went toward Russia and eastward, due to some of the characters seeming to be well outside of a Western Europe character set. I had mentioned that I already passed it via my Lithuan cousin who group up during Soviet times and is fluent in Russian, and that he ruled out Russian, Lithuanian, and an 'old Lithuanian' dialect he knows, as not being able to recognize anything.
However, a Russian works in the next room, so it's always worth a shot. He recognized not a single word. His guess: Greek. That's my guess also as that fits the geography of the story as I know it, it's the right area of the world, and I was guessing on some of the characters looking Greek. However, it's not modern Greek as we know it, I already went down this route, trying to pick out words, such as the date and plug them into online translators.
Next stop, my Dutch colleague works with a Greek colleague elsewhere in company J. The letter has been scanned and is en route via email to see if Greek colleague has any thoughts...
I have a letter which I discovered during my genealogy research. It has a story attached that it was sent to my great-grandmother from Europe, and that it has something to do with two of my grandfather's younger brothers. Both were killed during WW2 and are buried in military cemetaries in Italy. My grandmother remembers when the letter arrived, and that her mother-in-law had taken it to the Veterans' affairs office who instructed her to ignore it, that it was a plea from someone in Europe who had somehow found out her name, and would try to ply her for money as Europe as poor after the war. (Her memory of the story, 60 yrs later!)
So I have two pages of a letter in some foreign language that I cannot identify. I've toted the thing around here and there, and based on my own knowledge and that of others, it's none of the following:
-English
-Spanish or any other Romance language. I cannot make out a single word here, not one. Usually from my Spanish I can pick up some similar words from the Latin base.
-German
-Polish
-Lithuanian
-Russian
-Dutch
My Dutch colleague suggested that it has a Slavic base, his feeling was that it went toward Russia and eastward, due to some of the characters seeming to be well outside of a Western Europe character set. I had mentioned that I already passed it via my Lithuan cousin who group up during Soviet times and is fluent in Russian, and that he ruled out Russian, Lithuanian, and an 'old Lithuanian' dialect he knows, as not being able to recognize anything.
However, a Russian works in the next room, so it's always worth a shot. He recognized not a single word. His guess: Greek. That's my guess also as that fits the geography of the story as I know it, it's the right area of the world, and I was guessing on some of the characters looking Greek. However, it's not modern Greek as we know it, I already went down this route, trying to pick out words, such as the date and plug them into online translators.
Next stop, my Dutch colleague works with a Greek colleague elsewhere in company J. The letter has been scanned and is en route via email to see if Greek colleague has any thoughts...
Sunday, November 23, 2008
My balcony snowman
Interviewer: H, what's this about?
H: It's a snowman.
I: Yes, I know what it is. But how did it get onto your balcony?
H: I created it there. (I'm guessing we had 5 inches of snow.)
I: And why?
H: why not?
I: Let's try another direction...how old are you?
H: Old enough to know how to make a snowman.
I: But I mean, you don't have kids...?
H: No, I'm bucking that expat trend at this time. Although Mazal tov to all concerned.
I: Er, is it normal to build a snowman on one's balcony in Germany?
H: Not that I know of.
I: Will the Germans in your building question this?
H: Nah, they're used to such odd things from 'the American' at this point. Although I'm sure someone will point out that I did it wrong. (I didn't have a carrot for the nose, so I used a pointy seashell instead!)
The view from my window
It started to snow Friday and didn't melt all weekend.
Tonight it started again and it's now a few inches.
Tonight it started again and it's now a few inches.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Buzzing with activity
The boring move minutiae is the only thing on my mind.
To summarize: I arrived in the UK almost six years ago with two suitcases. Yes, two! Then I moved to small-town Germany. Then I moved Cologne, Germany. Then I took a local contract and moved to the tiny town of B, to an apartment which was unfurnished, but with kitchen. Needless to say, I've ended up picking up a few things since arriving.
I probably won't pick up moving expenses from company J as this is a self-requested move. Also, I feel this is a new beginning, I'm not the same person I was when I was packing to come over from the US. In addition, I will be living in already furnished digs. I've set an arbitrary limit, one carload is all that will accompany me on this new adventure, maximum.
To that end, what is making the cut so far?
-a few boxes of books, in particular non-English books which I've picked up in various countries because they are cheaper when bought in-country and would be hard to find again.
-my Christmas market mugs. This is my one souvenir from living in Germany
-my business suits as i'll still need to have an office job :-/
-blue jeans and trainers from the US, because they're so d*mn expensive over here
-personal photos
-the laptop
What's outgoing (so far)?
-the balcony garden, already mentioned. :-(
-the indoor plants. thankfully, my work colleauge is more of a plant person that me, so she took all of them.
-books still on their way out, mainly through bookswapper
-the aldi sewing maching - i figured out this really wasn't a hobby i enjoyed.
-shoes i never wore much for whatever reason - ebay has been my friend on this one, as well as for several other random items.
What lit the fire to get things moving here?
-My calendar which is rapidly filling up with little X's in the boxes. (66 more nights in Germany if you're curious.)
-Upon sending the letter to my landlady, she graciously responded, and asked if I could give her an availability schedule, as she perhaps already has someone lined up to see the place. The sooner I move things out the easier it is to put it into a more presentable fashion. Thankfully, the first two days I listed have already past, so maybe this was only an availability check.
-In addition, I'm doing this solo so spreading it out and doing a few things per day in advance is the only option.
To summarize: I arrived in the UK almost six years ago with two suitcases. Yes, two! Then I moved to small-town Germany. Then I moved Cologne, Germany. Then I took a local contract and moved to the tiny town of B, to an apartment which was unfurnished, but with kitchen. Needless to say, I've ended up picking up a few things since arriving.
I probably won't pick up moving expenses from company J as this is a self-requested move. Also, I feel this is a new beginning, I'm not the same person I was when I was packing to come over from the US. In addition, I will be living in already furnished digs. I've set an arbitrary limit, one carload is all that will accompany me on this new adventure, maximum.
To that end, what is making the cut so far?
-a few boxes of books, in particular non-English books which I've picked up in various countries because they are cheaper when bought in-country and would be hard to find again.
-my Christmas market mugs. This is my one souvenir from living in Germany
-my business suits as i'll still need to have an office job :-/
-blue jeans and trainers from the US, because they're so d*mn expensive over here
-personal photos
-the laptop
What's outgoing (so far)?
-the balcony garden, already mentioned. :-(
-the indoor plants. thankfully, my work colleauge is more of a plant person that me, so she took all of them.
-books still on their way out, mainly through bookswapper
-the aldi sewing maching - i figured out this really wasn't a hobby i enjoyed.
-shoes i never wore much for whatever reason - ebay has been my friend on this one, as well as for several other random items.
What lit the fire to get things moving here?
-My calendar which is rapidly filling up with little X's in the boxes. (66 more nights in Germany if you're curious.)
-Upon sending the letter to my landlady, she graciously responded, and asked if I could give her an availability schedule, as she perhaps already has someone lined up to see the place. The sooner I move things out the easier it is to put it into a more presentable fashion. Thankfully, the first two days I listed have already past, so maybe this was only an availability check.
-In addition, I'm doing this solo so spreading it out and doing a few things per day in advance is the only option.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
London, by way of half of Germany
I am looking at booking my final trip out of DE (which is now 91 nights away). I am lucky in that I can travel from either Cologne or D'dorf, my only constraint in this instance is that someone is driving past the Cologne airport at 7 AM and would be happy to drop me off, which would be nicer than schlepping myself and my luggage on the bus and then the regional train.
I looked on all of the usual places for early AM flights...AirBerlin only runs from D'dorf to Stansted (my preferred UK destination for this trip), not Cologne to Stansted. Wings does Cologne to Stanstead but nothing in the early AM.
Branching out to Expedia and the similar sites brought some amusing options.
Keep in mind--AirBerlin will allow me to go DUS-STN, at 15 or 18.30, for 64 EUR (approx 81 USD).
Expedia suggested the below:
Sun 15-Feb-09
CGN-MUC 15.30-16.40 272 mi(438 km) Duration: 1hr 10mn, Flight: 6121
MUC-DUS 20.45-22.00 pm 302 mi(486 km) Duration: 1hr 15mn, Flight: 6040
Mon 16-Feb-09
DUS-STN 10.15-10.30 298 mi(480 km)Duration: 1hr 15mn,Flight: 8676
All for a mere 114 USD, which really isn't so bad, when you consider that I'm tripling the distance for a mere 30 USD. ;-)
It gets better...
For an extra 10 USD, instead of travelling through DUS, I can substitute in HAJ (Hannover), arriving into HAJ at 19.55 and departing the next morning at 06.30.
For an extra 20 USD, instead of travelling through DUS, I can substitute in TXL (Berlin), and still make it in on Sunday, or the next early morning.
Another TXL option: Cologne to Berlin, Berlin to D'Dorf, then the next morning's 06.30 DUS to STN.
I am so easily amused.
I looked on all of the usual places for early AM flights...AirBerlin only runs from D'dorf to Stansted (my preferred UK destination for this trip), not Cologne to Stansted. Wings does Cologne to Stanstead but nothing in the early AM.
Branching out to Expedia and the similar sites brought some amusing options.
Keep in mind--AirBerlin will allow me to go DUS-STN, at 15 or 18.30, for 64 EUR (approx 81 USD).
Expedia suggested the below:
Sun 15-Feb-09
CGN-MUC 15.30-16.40 272 mi(438 km) Duration: 1hr 10mn, Flight: 6121
MUC-DUS 20.45-22.00 pm 302 mi(486 km) Duration: 1hr 15mn, Flight: 6040
Mon 16-Feb-09
DUS-STN 10.15-10.30 298 mi(480 km)Duration: 1hr 15mn,Flight: 8676
All for a mere 114 USD, which really isn't so bad, when you consider that I'm tripling the distance for a mere 30 USD. ;-)
It gets better...
For an extra 10 USD, instead of travelling through DUS, I can substitute in HAJ (Hannover), arriving into HAJ at 19.55 and departing the next morning at 06.30.
For an extra 20 USD, instead of travelling through DUS, I can substitute in TXL (Berlin), and still make it in on Sunday, or the next early morning.
Another TXL option: Cologne to Berlin, Berlin to D'Dorf, then the next morning's 06.30 DUS to STN.
I am so easily amused.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Even more graffiti in B
Here in the tiny town of B we have these little locked boxes which dispense plastic bags, for dog owners to use in order to pick up after their dogs. Granted, B has lots of small woodsy pockets where dogs can visit, but for the most part, these boxes remain regularly stocked and appear to be used regularly.
Why the graffiti? No idea. This particular one is on a sidestreet with a kindergarten.
Why the graffiti? No idea. This particular one is on a sidestreet with a kindergarten.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
More graffiti near B
One of the great things about the office we moved to a while back, is that we traded life on an Industry Street for more of a residential location which backs up to farms and is criss-crossed by marked walking trails. It makes for a relaxing lunch hour walk on some days.
The interesting this about the below...one has to leave the main street of Podunk and walk 15 minutes past the cow and then corn fields, then the road turns into a farmer's dirt road. Then it turns into a marked walking path, alongside the pasture, before depositing you at the foot of the forest. Then after another 5 minutes of walking through the forest, you happen upon the following:
Non-German speakers, if you know that 'Raus!' = 'get out!' you have the message. Although I suspect they were merely borrowing from the song. 
Couldn't really tell what the orange paint message was. It was a bit too weather worn or scrubbed off to be able to read what was left of it under the black paint.
How do you know it was written by a German, beside the obvious fact of it being in German?
-By the excessive use of exclamation points. It's a little difficult to see in the photo, but there are 3 of them there.
Sidenote: I proofread English messages sometimes for my German colleagues. Some messages are written both in German and English at company J. They're always a little concerned when I start removing exclamation points, like I'm somehow diluting their message. Somehow if a message says 'Please turn in the form by Friday!' no one will respond, but if it says 'Please turn in the form by Friday!!!' then compliance is guaranteed. We reached a happy medium that the number of exclamation points does not need to equate between the German and English versions of the same notice. ;-)
Monday, November 10, 2008
On the recent recent 70th anniversary
of Kristallnacht in Germany, Merkel said all of the things one would have expected.
Her speech reminds me...when I lived in Cologne, either the graffiti wasn't there, or I didn't notice it. Here in B, it's plentiful:
This is about a 5 minute walk from my flat. Not that I need to start another photo series (after the widely popular 'pigs on B rubbish bins' postings) but I easily could. I would estimate that the graffiti of this theme is 75% of B's graffiti. And it remains once it gets there, no one 'official' paints over it--although sometimes additional 'artists' will tend to modify it, as you see here with the scratches in the center.
Why I find this so interesting:
Her speech reminds me...when I lived in Cologne, either the graffiti wasn't there, or I didn't notice it. Here in B, it's plentiful:
This is about a 5 minute walk from my flat. Not that I need to start another photo series (after the widely popular 'pigs on B rubbish bins' postings) but I easily could. I would estimate that the graffiti of this theme is 75% of B's graffiti. And it remains once it gets there, no one 'official' paints over it--although sometimes additional 'artists' will tend to modify it, as you see here with the scratches in the center.
Why I find this so interesting:
- The tiny town of B is located in the state of NRW, in a triangle formed by D'dorf, Cologne, and Leverkusen. We're not exactly in NPD territory.
- Want to study election results? here and here are quite interesting. Overall NPD took just under 1% of the NRW vote in 2005, with B giving 1,2%.
- B has approx 17k residents, including the surrounding ultra tiny neighborhoods and farms. It tends to be seen as a sleepy village where only one bar is open past 10 pm on Saturday nights rather than a center of any type of political strife.
Therefore I remain curious--who has the gumption and incentive to be painting the town? Bored and disgruntled kids...or someone else?
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Sunday lunch - vegetarian Rogan Josh
One of the things I'm really looking forward to about moving to the UK will be the easy access to tasty, spicy Indian food--be it a proper restaurant or around the corner take away.
It's not that Germany doesn't have Indian restaurants, it's just that the German taste tends to avoid spicy, so it always seems that something is missing to me when eating out here. I even quizzed my Indian colleagues who have been here for some years:
'where would you recommend to go for good Indian food?'
'oh Heather--unfortunately no such thing here. Although there is a place in Leverkusen that sells authentic spices from India, I highly recommend it.'
(Having tried every Indian restaurant in Cologne, I sorta already expected such an answer.) It's like the elusive Mexican restaurant in Germany, the holy grail of US expats--just not to be found. Although if you know of one in the Cologne area, by all means prove me wrong. ;-)
One of my colleagues was very passionate about the subject. He had gone to the Indian restaurant near the Main train station in Cologne, and was appalled by the food, in particular because the proprietor was from his region in India. He accused the fellow of giving a bad reputation to their region, by serving such lackluster food. The owner explained--he had to modify the traditional recipes to make it appropriate for a German audience.
So in the meantime, I'll survive the best I can. Rogan Josh is traditionally made with lamb, here is a super recipe with photos. My vegetarian take on it instead includes tofu, broccoli, and lentils:
I'm not so good at making curries from scratch and I don't have the required cooking time during the week, so I rely on a jarred version. Here's a look inside the pantry, for those of you who like such photos. I mainly depend on Sharwoods, which I buy on periodic trips to Belgium and then ration myself until the next trip. The Sharwoods which can be found there is produced for that market--as well as for the Nordics from looking at the label languages, so it's not as expensive as an import from the UK found at the British shop here. I was just in Belgium two weeks ago, so currently well stocked. :-)
Front left is a Patak's, a gift from an expat leaving. Patak's is the only Indian food label I find at the Asian supermarkets here. Front and center is one of the few Hokkaido pumpkins still remaining. ;-)
It's not that Germany doesn't have Indian restaurants, it's just that the German taste tends to avoid spicy, so it always seems that something is missing to me when eating out here. I even quizzed my Indian colleagues who have been here for some years:
'where would you recommend to go for good Indian food?'
'oh Heather--unfortunately no such thing here. Although there is a place in Leverkusen that sells authentic spices from India, I highly recommend it.'
(Having tried every Indian restaurant in Cologne, I sorta already expected such an answer.) It's like the elusive Mexican restaurant in Germany, the holy grail of US expats--just not to be found. Although if you know of one in the Cologne area, by all means prove me wrong. ;-)
One of my colleagues was very passionate about the subject. He had gone to the Indian restaurant near the Main train station in Cologne, and was appalled by the food, in particular because the proprietor was from his region in India. He accused the fellow of giving a bad reputation to their region, by serving such lackluster food. The owner explained--he had to modify the traditional recipes to make it appropriate for a German audience.
So in the meantime, I'll survive the best I can. Rogan Josh is traditionally made with lamb, here is a super recipe with photos. My vegetarian take on it instead includes tofu, broccoli, and lentils:
I'm not so good at making curries from scratch and I don't have the required cooking time during the week, so I rely on a jarred version. Here's a look inside the pantry, for those of you who like such photos. I mainly depend on Sharwoods, which I buy on periodic trips to Belgium and then ration myself until the next trip. The Sharwoods which can be found there is produced for that market--as well as for the Nordics from looking at the label languages, so it's not as expensive as an import from the UK found at the British shop here. I was just in Belgium two weeks ago, so currently well stocked. :-)
Front left is a Patak's, a gift from an expat leaving. Patak's is the only Indian food label I find at the Asian supermarkets here. Front and center is one of the few Hokkaido pumpkins still remaining. ;-)
Friday, November 07, 2008
how does heather celebrate the friday...
which marks 100 nights (of which 78 will be spent in DE) until i'll be in the UK?
-by sucking it up and getting out the german books, as i have only 2 more weekends to study for the upcoming B1 test and there is one particular sub-section of the test i want to go after, in order to nail it.
-I've been spending every other Monday with my Polish teacher (she came to Germany as a child and is therefore a native of both languages), to work on pronunciation, as I feel that is my weak point.
-i feel i have a very good chance to get a high pass, so why not?
in other news i gave away all balcony garden items this week.
i currently have 4 auctions on ebay of other things i'm not using and do not need to bring with me to the UK.
bittersweet.
-by sucking it up and getting out the german books, as i have only 2 more weekends to study for the upcoming B1 test and there is one particular sub-section of the test i want to go after, in order to nail it.
-I've been spending every other Monday with my Polish teacher (she came to Germany as a child and is therefore a native of both languages), to work on pronunciation, as I feel that is my weak point.
-i feel i have a very good chance to get a high pass, so why not?
in other news i gave away all balcony garden items this week.
i currently have 4 auctions on ebay of other things i'm not using and do not need to bring with me to the UK.
bittersweet.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
just when i think i've heard everything...
Thursday is English class night. I always spend a few minutes chatting with the student's mother. She only had school English, so she likes to practice it. Although now that she knows I'm taking a test this month she makes an extra effort to speak German to me. Although we've drifted naturally into a happy medium--I speak to her in English and she answers in German.
She was explaining to me about how the daughter had recently bought a pet bird. Each week I've received an update from the daughter about what the bird is doing. Then last week they received a letter--from the 'Animal Amt'. Just when I thought I had heard about all Amts, a new one. (Non-German speakers: in Germany an 'Amt' is a governing body of sorts, and for any official business you can guarantee there is one out there, regulating things and providing order and structure. I.e. you send in your taxes to the Finance Amt.)
She explains--'we did not register the bird with the...'Animal Amt' or 'House pet Amt'...not sure of their exact responsibility area...nor did we know it existed even', but upon buying the bird locally they had given their name and address, and all legally sold birds are sold with a number tag around the ankle, so this data is reported to the Amt.
So the Animal Amt was in contact because there was some kind of bird virus going around local birds, so they were being informed as this virus can also be transferred to humans. So this Amt was recommending that they take the bird to their vetrinarian in order to get a certain test done to be sure that their bird was not carrying this virus.
There truly is an Amt for everything.
She was explaining to me about how the daughter had recently bought a pet bird. Each week I've received an update from the daughter about what the bird is doing. Then last week they received a letter--from the 'Animal Amt'. Just when I thought I had heard about all Amts, a new one. (Non-German speakers: in Germany an 'Amt' is a governing body of sorts, and for any official business you can guarantee there is one out there, regulating things and providing order and structure. I.e. you send in your taxes to the Finance Amt.)
She explains--'we did not register the bird with the...'Animal Amt' or 'House pet Amt'...not sure of their exact responsibility area...nor did we know it existed even', but upon buying the bird locally they had given their name and address, and all legally sold birds are sold with a number tag around the ankle, so this data is reported to the Amt.
So the Animal Amt was in contact because there was some kind of bird virus going around local birds, so they were being informed as this virus can also be transferred to humans. So this Amt was recommending that they take the bird to their vetrinarian in order to get a certain test done to be sure that their bird was not carrying this virus.
There truly is an Amt for everything.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
The final countdown
The date is now set: Feb 15. It's the first day on the working permit (I had requested that day).
I officially resigned my apartment this week for Feb 15. (My apartment contract has a 3 month notice period).
I have a giant calendar at home where I keep organized. I counted down backwards from Feb 15. 106 days until I leave Germany.
I counted down again, taking out the days where I'm not already in Germany, such as holidays in the US, etc., as those are 'non-productive' days in the grand scheme of moving. 84 more nights in Germany.
Holy cr*p, so much to do....
I then counted again to confirm. Then I opened a bottle of nice Spanish white wine upon second confirmation.
What a wonderful opportunity this will be to re-examine everything I own, and to contemplate if I really need it enough to cart it 550 km away. :-)
I officially resigned my apartment this week for Feb 15. (My apartment contract has a 3 month notice period).
I have a giant calendar at home where I keep organized. I counted down backwards from Feb 15. 106 days until I leave Germany.
I counted down again, taking out the days where I'm not already in Germany, such as holidays in the US, etc., as those are 'non-productive' days in the grand scheme of moving. 84 more nights in Germany.
Holy cr*p, so much to do....
I then counted again to confirm. Then I opened a bottle of nice Spanish white wine upon second confirmation.
What a wonderful opportunity this will be to re-examine everything I own, and to contemplate if I really need it enough to cart it 550 km away. :-)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The answer to where Heather is going...
From the other post's comments:
Kristen and J: already knew.
Jul: thank you.
Moonwaves: I wouldn't have minded Ireland, to be honest.
Jeff: Spain would have been my next step using my Germany residency if this had fallen through.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Some people collect baseball cards or books...
Heather in Europe collects the permission to work in EU nations.
Why?
Why not.
Take heed: you do not find what you do not seek.
Nothing against Germany or the Germans, but after five plus years here, it's time to go somewhere else, to try something new, to learn new things, to be tested in different ways...it was never meant to be forever, else the blog would have been called 'Heather in Germany.' ;-)
I am in discussions with benevolent Company J, they'd like to keep me and perhaps move my job to an office in this new country, as I've definitely made my mental commitment to move there. It would be nice to be able to stay with company J, but location is the driver here, so I'm going with or without a job.
But on to the interesting part, where is Heather going?
Chew on that one for a few days until I pick up my passport with its shiny new sticker which they say is granted and ready to be picked up. Comment away and place your guess.
Any hints H?
Ach! It's somewhere in Europe, not Germany. You've been reading here long enough (painfully boring as I'm sure that's been), it's not a country I've never named here before, just pick one of the 27 EU nations which sounds good.
Is there a prize if I pick the right country H?
Sure, I'm still in 'down-sizing mode', in particular now that a move is involved. How about a free book or two in the mail from my bookshelf here? Or if you live in the US--I'll bring an EU prize home in December and mail it to you from the US (most likely German chocolate if I cannot think of anything better!). Or perhaps you live in the Cologne or D'dorf area and would like a few potted plants? ;-) Or just the satisfaction of being right? :-)
--The answer will be provided during this coming work week once I pick up the pass, I promise.
Why?
Why not.
Take heed: you do not find what you do not seek.
Nothing against Germany or the Germans, but after five plus years here, it's time to go somewhere else, to try something new, to learn new things, to be tested in different ways...it was never meant to be forever, else the blog would have been called 'Heather in Germany.' ;-)
I am in discussions with benevolent Company J, they'd like to keep me and perhaps move my job to an office in this new country, as I've definitely made my mental commitment to move there. It would be nice to be able to stay with company J, but location is the driver here, so I'm going with or without a job.
But on to the interesting part, where is Heather going?
Chew on that one for a few days until I pick up my passport with its shiny new sticker which they say is granted and ready to be picked up. Comment away and place your guess.
Any hints H?
Ach! It's somewhere in Europe, not Germany. You've been reading here long enough (painfully boring as I'm sure that's been), it's not a country I've never named here before, just pick one of the 27 EU nations which sounds good.
Is there a prize if I pick the right country H?
Sure, I'm still in 'down-sizing mode', in particular now that a move is involved. How about a free book or two in the mail from my bookshelf here? Or if you live in the US--I'll bring an EU prize home in December and mail it to you from the US (most likely German chocolate if I cannot think of anything better!). Or perhaps you live in the Cologne or D'dorf area and would like a few potted plants? ;-) Or just the satisfaction of being right? :-)
--The answer will be provided during this coming work week once I pick up the pass, I promise.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Sunday lunch: Thai chickpeas and pumpkin soup
Christina G gives a great cooking lesson, and let's face it, I need all the visual help I can get--so I really liked the video! I never met a chickpea dish I didn't like, and this was no exception:
I needed to use another Hokkaido pumpkin, so I went out on a limb and tried another new recipe in the Thai genre. This recipe also turned out well, but I did spice it up a tiny bit more. The Hokkaidos provide the rich flavor such a soup needs, and a lovely balance to the coconut flavor.
Theae square containers are .5 liter, so a perfect size to take to the office as an afternoon snack or a compliment to the above. If lunch plans appear and if it looks like I won't be finishing these by Wed (ok, I ate one tonight already), they are actually freezer containers so they will get popped into the freezer to become an easy meal later.
A busy week is upcoming which I spent all weekend preparing for. More on that topic soon.
I needed to use another Hokkaido pumpkin, so I went out on a limb and tried another new recipe in the Thai genre. This recipe also turned out well, but I did spice it up a tiny bit more. The Hokkaidos provide the rich flavor such a soup needs, and a lovely balance to the coconut flavor.
Theae square containers are .5 liter, so a perfect size to take to the office as an afternoon snack or a compliment to the above. If lunch plans appear and if it looks like I won't be finishing these by Wed (ok, I ate one tonight already), they are actually freezer containers so they will get popped into the freezer to become an easy meal later.
A busy week is upcoming which I spent all weekend preparing for. More on that topic soon.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Germans and parking spaces
yes I realize this sort of thing happens in the US and other places also...
My work colleague and I meet every other month for a haircut appointment (same salon, different stylists, at the same time). This establishment is located on a relatively busy street in the Leverkusen suburbs, but mainly with cars passing through to other shopping areas. This street itself has only the hair salon, a bakery and a kiosk as commercial establishments, the rest is residential. The main street was parked full, so I had to park on one of the many residential streets. These streets are free for parking, with marked spots. Most of the houses on this street have driveways and garages, so 80% of the street spots were free.
I am parked, and a man walked out from the house (which has a driveway and garage) I parked in front of and knocks on my window. As I'm pressing down the window button, he opens my car door.
"How long are you going to be here?"
-an hour.
"You cannot park here, go park across the street."
-I'm sorry, but my German is not so good. I cannot park here?
"No. You may not park here."
-Where is the sign which states I cannot park here? (looking up and down the empty street where no such sign exists.)
"This is my wife's parking spot. You may not park here. You may park over there."
-This is a free parking street. Your wife may park over there.
"Da ist mir egal." (and he walks away, perhaps realizing that he has no basis for his request.)
Uh-huh. Having made my point, I did park on the other side of the street, because life is too short to get caught up in such foolish little games, and I did not want to be worrying for an hour what he would be doing to my unattended car. Had he come up with some reason like he was going to be trimming the bushes (someone was doing that down the street) or his wife could not walk far or whatever, I would have immediately moved, with pleasure.
Interactions like these tire me. I know it has absolutely nothing to do with me being a foreigner in DE, that this is just how people here are. But it reminds me that I don't really belong there, as I cannot understand these things.
(Although the Philly side of my had a fleeting Philly thought, to return after dark with some rotten eggs to his wife's car, but then I remembered we're not in Philly so a Philly reaction is not called for here.) ;-)
The stress over parking in this country seems silly. My work colleague lives in Duisburg, on a street with an old lady. When I went to visit him, he explained in advance not to park in front of the yellow house two houses down, because if one does, the old lady comes out and starts to shout at you, that you need to move your car, or she will call the police.
-So Colleague J, does she have an elderly partner who needs the spot because he has difficulty walking?
"No H, she has no car."
-??? So why the fuss.
"Because she's retired H, with nothing to do and no people interactions, and she looks out her window all day, and she doesn't like to see a car there."
-But colleague J, it's a public street. Do the police really do anything?
"No, they never come, or she never calls. But the path of least residence is to park elsewhere to avoid the drama."
My other work colleague had a h*ll of a time at her last flat where parking was tight. She parked and her neighbor came out as soon as she parked in front of the neighbor's house. The neighbor told her not to park there, as the neighbor's husband should park there. But it's a public street? Yes, you may park down there, a few doors away, there is always extra space. But your husband could park there? No, this is the spot in front of my house.
On principle then, she remained, and it then got worse. Notes were left on her car each time she parked in front of this particular neighbor's house, threatening to call the police. Then she was mysteriously reported to the TV police, and it was a continual escalation of silly things.
I cannot fathom what life must be like for these people who get so emotional over parking spaces, nor do I really want to know at this time. Thankfully life in the Tiny town of B does not include such shenanigans--or at least not where I live.
My work colleague and I meet every other month for a haircut appointment (same salon, different stylists, at the same time). This establishment is located on a relatively busy street in the Leverkusen suburbs, but mainly with cars passing through to other shopping areas. This street itself has only the hair salon, a bakery and a kiosk as commercial establishments, the rest is residential. The main street was parked full, so I had to park on one of the many residential streets. These streets are free for parking, with marked spots. Most of the houses on this street have driveways and garages, so 80% of the street spots were free.
I am parked, and a man walked out from the house (which has a driveway and garage) I parked in front of and knocks on my window. As I'm pressing down the window button, he opens my car door.
"How long are you going to be here?"
-an hour.
"You cannot park here, go park across the street."
-I'm sorry, but my German is not so good. I cannot park here?
"No. You may not park here."
-Where is the sign which states I cannot park here? (looking up and down the empty street where no such sign exists.)
"This is my wife's parking spot. You may not park here. You may park over there."
-This is a free parking street. Your wife may park over there.
"Da ist mir egal." (and he walks away, perhaps realizing that he has no basis for his request.)
Uh-huh. Having made my point, I did park on the other side of the street, because life is too short to get caught up in such foolish little games, and I did not want to be worrying for an hour what he would be doing to my unattended car. Had he come up with some reason like he was going to be trimming the bushes (someone was doing that down the street) or his wife could not walk far or whatever, I would have immediately moved, with pleasure.
Interactions like these tire me. I know it has absolutely nothing to do with me being a foreigner in DE, that this is just how people here are. But it reminds me that I don't really belong there, as I cannot understand these things.
(Although the Philly side of my had a fleeting Philly thought, to return after dark with some rotten eggs to his wife's car, but then I remembered we're not in Philly so a Philly reaction is not called for here.) ;-)
The stress over parking in this country seems silly. My work colleague lives in Duisburg, on a street with an old lady. When I went to visit him, he explained in advance not to park in front of the yellow house two houses down, because if one does, the old lady comes out and starts to shout at you, that you need to move your car, or she will call the police.
-So Colleague J, does she have an elderly partner who needs the spot because he has difficulty walking?
"No H, she has no car."
-??? So why the fuss.
"Because she's retired H, with nothing to do and no people interactions, and she looks out her window all day, and she doesn't like to see a car there."
-But colleague J, it's a public street. Do the police really do anything?
"No, they never come, or she never calls. But the path of least residence is to park elsewhere to avoid the drama."
My other work colleague had a h*ll of a time at her last flat where parking was tight. She parked and her neighbor came out as soon as she parked in front of the neighbor's house. The neighbor told her not to park there, as the neighbor's husband should park there. But it's a public street? Yes, you may park down there, a few doors away, there is always extra space. But your husband could park there? No, this is the spot in front of my house.
On principle then, she remained, and it then got worse. Notes were left on her car each time she parked in front of this particular neighbor's house, threatening to call the police. Then she was mysteriously reported to the TV police, and it was a continual escalation of silly things.
I cannot fathom what life must be like for these people who get so emotional over parking spaces, nor do I really want to know at this time. Thankfully life in the Tiny town of B does not include such shenanigans--or at least not where I live.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Gotta pay your dues...
Background music for perusing the below: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eUbntU2N7xY
Non-German speakers-->this is the letter from the local town hall, inviting me to pay and then come pick up my passport with my permanent residency sticker in it.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Friday lunch - Hokkaido pumpkin stir-fry
As I mentioned, I'm somewhat limited in what I can take to the office. The tiny 'Tea Kitchen' where the microwave is housed is constantly busy with people picking up tea and coffee, and the microwave is an older, smaller machine with limited power. So most of us use it for simple tasks, and as my colleague noted, always defrost in advance, else it takes 15 min!
I like to make multiple meals at a time so here was tonight's dinner, with a second portion for lunch on Friday, and probaly a smaller portion for Saturday's lunch.
I roasted another Hokkaido pumpkin. They're fully in season now, so they're down to 1.99 at my Kaufpark.
While it was in the oven I sliced some garlic and onions and fried them up.
Then I added the in-season brussel sprouts.
I had fried up some tofu, that went in.
I had some leftover fresh zucchini from last night, that went in.
I sliced up the roasted pumpkin and gave that a few minutes.
I put in 2 egg whites, which fried nicely.
I put in some chilli soy sauce and some vegetarian 'oyster' (read mushroom) sauce.
Sauted it up all together and off we go.
I threw in a handful of Thai basil at the end.
I had left some noodles from today's lunch in the fridge in the office so we're set for lunch.
I like to make multiple meals at a time so here was tonight's dinner, with a second portion for lunch on Friday, and probaly a smaller portion for Saturday's lunch.
I roasted another Hokkaido pumpkin. They're fully in season now, so they're down to 1.99 at my Kaufpark.
While it was in the oven I sliced some garlic and onions and fried them up.
Then I added the in-season brussel sprouts.
I had fried up some tofu, that went in.
I had some leftover fresh zucchini from last night, that went in.
I sliced up the roasted pumpkin and gave that a few minutes.
I put in 2 egg whites, which fried nicely.
I put in some chilli soy sauce and some vegetarian 'oyster' (read mushroom) sauce.
Sauted it up all together and off we go.
I threw in a handful of Thai basil at the end.
I had left some noodles from today's lunch in the fridge in the office so we're set for lunch.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
What's for Sunday lunch - Hokkaido pumpkin in Germany
If your corner of Germany is anything like mine in NRW, you're seeing Hokkaido pumpkins, like the one I bought the other day. Pumpkins are like every other seasonal produce one finds in Germany, we'll be awash with them for maybe a month, and then just like that they're gone until next year. So I'm buying them like the dickens, squirreling them away in my cellar storage area (they last up to 3 months when stored in a cool place), and making 4 meals a week with them in the meantime.
I must admit, I was not a pumpkin eater prior to coming to Germany. The only pumpkin I had ever had was the stuff that came out of a can and was made into pie, and we all know my aversion for desserts. The second strike against US pumpkin for me, is that a lot of recipes with it also include cinnamon and/or nutmeg, the only two spices in the entire world I abhor. So back to the Hokkaido.
Step 1: Buy one at your local farmer's market or supermarket. I bought one at Aldi Sued for 1.79, my local Kaufpark/Rewe affiliate and Edeka sells them for 2.75 each. My farmer's market connection is usually around 2 Euros or so. Mainly they seem to be coming from Holland. Go for a Bio one if possible, as one of the best things about the Hokkaido is that the skin is edible, so you save yourself the peel time/effort, as well as raising the fiber content of your recipe.
Step 2: Wash er up. Slice the top off. Scoop out the seeds.
If you're feeling ambitious you can set the seeds aside to wash and roast. Or you can throw them in your garden compost. We have a communal area in the small forest nearby for such biodegradable items which is where mine went. Either a forest creature is going to find a nice treat or next spring the Germans will begin to wonder how pumpkins are growing wild in the forest.
After I remove all the seeds, I use my small knife to give the insides a scrape, to remove all of the stringy bits remaining. Then I wipe the insides out with a paper towel to be sure I got them all.
Step 3: Into the oven. This is a great activity for cold rainy days like today to heat up the flat. I put it into a ceramic pan, then put about 1.5 inches of water inside the pumpkin. Then put the top back on, but slightly at an angle to allow for a little of the steam to escape. Next, give the whole thing a quick rub with olive oil. Finally, put a piece of foil lightly over the pumpkin, to allow the inside to cook without the outside getting overdone.
I try for around 195C, for around 50 min, but it depends on your pumpkin size, oven, etc. You'll know it's done when you poke it with a fork and the skin is easily pierced. If you want, pull the foil off for the last few minutes to allow the skin to brown up a little.
Coming out of the oven, it will look like this:
Step 4: The pumpkin is usually hot as heck, especially as the outside is oiled. So you can let it sit for a few minutes to cool, and then dump out the inside water. Then let it sit for a few more minutes to cool further. Or speed up the whole process and carefully dump the water immediately after taking it out of the oven.
Step 5: Slice and serve. Slice anyway you want. Sometimes I try chunks, today I went with slices.
Today's plate, starting at 12 o'clock is the pumpkin. I had a decent sized one, and here is about half of it. I so enjoy the warm rich taste of the Hokkaido, I purposely left it without any sauce or dressing for a change today. Continuing clockwise, in the 4 o'clock region are some pan-seared brussel sprouts, flavored with Bragg Liquid Aminos, although soy sauce would give you a similar result. 7 o'clock has some leftover beans which were spiced up with chili and onions when cooking them. 11 o'clock has some of those lovely Dutch sausages.
Because I take a lot of convenient 'one plate' meals to the office such as stir frys (due to our lack of on-site meal facilities and a shared microwave), on the weekends I like to prepare 'independent' items which aren't all mixed together in the same sauce.
The above is actually vegan, excluding the sausages which contain egg and milk. That wasn't my intention either way, but moreso to make something a little healthier as I was pretty run-down last week and wasn't eating so good in the days prior. In a time-saving maneuver I created double of the above, so tomorrow's dinner will be the same.
I must admit, I was not a pumpkin eater prior to coming to Germany. The only pumpkin I had ever had was the stuff that came out of a can and was made into pie, and we all know my aversion for desserts. The second strike against US pumpkin for me, is that a lot of recipes with it also include cinnamon and/or nutmeg, the only two spices in the entire world I abhor. So back to the Hokkaido.
Step 1: Buy one at your local farmer's market or supermarket. I bought one at Aldi Sued for 1.79, my local Kaufpark/Rewe affiliate and Edeka sells them for 2.75 each. My farmer's market connection is usually around 2 Euros or so. Mainly they seem to be coming from Holland. Go for a Bio one if possible, as one of the best things about the Hokkaido is that the skin is edible, so you save yourself the peel time/effort, as well as raising the fiber content of your recipe.
Step 2: Wash er up. Slice the top off. Scoop out the seeds.
If you're feeling ambitious you can set the seeds aside to wash and roast. Or you can throw them in your garden compost. We have a communal area in the small forest nearby for such biodegradable items which is where mine went. Either a forest creature is going to find a nice treat or next spring the Germans will begin to wonder how pumpkins are growing wild in the forest.
After I remove all the seeds, I use my small knife to give the insides a scrape, to remove all of the stringy bits remaining. Then I wipe the insides out with a paper towel to be sure I got them all.
Step 3: Into the oven. This is a great activity for cold rainy days like today to heat up the flat. I put it into a ceramic pan, then put about 1.5 inches of water inside the pumpkin. Then put the top back on, but slightly at an angle to allow for a little of the steam to escape. Next, give the whole thing a quick rub with olive oil. Finally, put a piece of foil lightly over the pumpkin, to allow the inside to cook without the outside getting overdone.
I try for around 195C, for around 50 min, but it depends on your pumpkin size, oven, etc. You'll know it's done when you poke it with a fork and the skin is easily pierced. If you want, pull the foil off for the last few minutes to allow the skin to brown up a little.
Coming out of the oven, it will look like this:
Step 4: The pumpkin is usually hot as heck, especially as the outside is oiled. So you can let it sit for a few minutes to cool, and then dump out the inside water. Then let it sit for a few more minutes to cool further. Or speed up the whole process and carefully dump the water immediately after taking it out of the oven.
Step 5: Slice and serve. Slice anyway you want. Sometimes I try chunks, today I went with slices.
Today's plate, starting at 12 o'clock is the pumpkin. I had a decent sized one, and here is about half of it. I so enjoy the warm rich taste of the Hokkaido, I purposely left it without any sauce or dressing for a change today. Continuing clockwise, in the 4 o'clock region are some pan-seared brussel sprouts, flavored with Bragg Liquid Aminos, although soy sauce would give you a similar result. 7 o'clock has some leftover beans which were spiced up with chili and onions when cooking them. 11 o'clock has some of those lovely Dutch sausages.
Because I take a lot of convenient 'one plate' meals to the office such as stir frys (due to our lack of on-site meal facilities and a shared microwave), on the weekends I like to prepare 'independent' items which aren't all mixed together in the same sauce.
The above is actually vegan, excluding the sausages which contain egg and milk. That wasn't my intention either way, but moreso to make something a little healthier as I was pretty run-down last week and wasn't eating so good in the days prior. In a time-saving maneuver I created double of the above, so tomorrow's dinner will be the same.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Today's hailstorm in my corner of NRW
here at the beginning and at the 45 second mark, you can see my humble little peppers, the last real non-herb bit of the garden.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Fall in Germany...
is my favorite time of year. Is starts with these items, but I need to explain more...
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
My sick day
It rained all day. I slept a lot, because of the DayQuil. I watched birds landing on my balcony, jumping amid the plants. (Which finally puts to rest my outstanding questions of how slugs and worms made it into my tomato plants.) I stopped sniffling after it got dark.
-The end.
This is the first actual 100% full sick day I've taken in 5+ years in EU, and in 10+ years at least. Where I come from, you don't get sick days. It took a few years for the German way of life to wear off on me. ;-)
Apparently I've been stuck at lesson 4, or in a slightly different version here for a long time on this point.
-The end.
This is the first actual 100% full sick day I've taken in 5+ years in EU, and in 10+ years at least. Where I come from, you don't get sick days. It took a few years for the German way of life to wear off on me. ;-)
Apparently I've been stuck at lesson 4, or in a slightly different version here for a long time on this point.
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