I found out the hard way that you can’t open the dryers to check how close to done your clothes are….unless you want them to be done right then and there because the dryer won’t start back up without more money. Or else your room will end up looking like this:
The way most of my initial conversations with people go:
“I can hear you have an accent, where are you from?….You’re American? How is it that you speak such good German?” (Does that mean most Americans speak poor German?)
No one eats while they walk. This practice is all too common in America, and I still fully participate, so I often get funny looks here when I stand at a bus stop or walk down the street eating a banana or granola bar or something. This difference is compounded by the fact that they don’t sell travel coffee mugs here – it took me literally hours and hours to finally find one.
Ikea gives free refills! It is the only such place I have seen since my tenure in this country. They had to advertise it like crazy with red signs everywhere reminding people that they could actually refill their drinks when they were finished. I was a pro, and took advantage of it a few times, of course.
Text messaging in German is really awkward. And yes, my phone has predictive text in German.
I bought “American” salad dressing the other day, just to see what “American” salad dressing is. I figured it would be Ranch, but it is definitely some sort of tomato-basil-ish type thing, that I certainly haven’t ever eaten in the States. It’s good though.
Snow is in the forecast next week.
In a conversation with a Rotarian who spent some time in America, he asked me what my least favorite part about Germany is. I told him it was the bureaucracy and how long it takes to get anything done over here. His least favorite part about America: he thought the people were too friendly. “I don’t want anyone at the cash register to talk to me, or on the bus, or in the elevator – Americans talk to each other too much!” I laughed and told him that’s one of the things I miss most about home - the people are nice and actually approachable.
4 comments:
What part of America were you from, originally?
Atlanta. I saw you are from New York - I have family there, and believe me, even in New York the people are more receptive to strangers than they are here. It's like talking to a brick wall, except the brick wall is more likely to respond.
Haha... yeah in a lot of ways it's perfect here (perfect for me anyway). New Yorkers keep their distance but not to the point where it's unfriendly or rude. I've never been down to Atlanta, but I've lived in Ohio and there are days where you just want to be left alone and the talking and friendliness can be annoying, lol.
And yeah... Atlanta. I shoulda known when I saw you were a Bulldog fan.... Ohio State Buckeye here.
I've gotten the same comments as far as being american and speaking German... I think they're just not used to Americans/Native English speakers learning a new language
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