Kassel

Hercules Statue

     Story Time!!! I went with my grandmother to Kassel. To get there, we took a three-hour charter bus ride. The best part? I had to get up at 8 A.M! Yeah, I was basically a zombie during the ride. I also felt really nauseous because I could barely sleep the night before so the ride was three hours of me trying not to throw up.

     Then there were our fellow passengers. Um, well, I was the youngest of the group. By far. By about, fifty years. Yup, I was on a bus ride with a group of retirees. I'm used to taking vacations with my parents, and that can be weird when you'd rather hang out with people your own age. But being in a travel group of only retirees is bizarre. I had nothing to talk about and chilled with my grandma while overhearing people say things like, "When someone is five minutes late, I feel physically ill and my throat closes up."

     We also had a delightful bus driver. He was, in the politest of terms, condescending and rude. Whenever someone asked him a question he acted like they were an idiot and was annoyed that he had to talk to them. H was a bit weird and liked to call out people. Apparently people usually give the driver tips on these kind of outings, but not a single person did so on this trip. My grandma said it was his own fault because he didn't even get out of his seat to say goodbye to people when it was time to go.

     Despite all that, seeing Kassel itself was a nice experience. Like most of the towns I've seen in Germany, it's a combination of idyllic village and industry. Fun fact: the Brothers Grimm lived and worked there as librarians for some time and also collected their stories there. That's what the lady giving us the tour guide mentioned many times. Oh yeah, the trip included a guided bus tour. When we arrived in Kassel a woman boarded the bus and she gave us an audio tour as the bus driver drove around the city. After the tour we had an hour break for lunch and plenty of time to walk around the city, as we were told. Um, no. We had enough time to take a bathroom break and wolf down fish rolls and (for me to drink a coca cola) and then had to head back to the buses.

     








         We then went to a nature park, Bergpark Wilhelmshoehe, known for its man-made and natural water features. And a nude statue of Hercules for some reason. That was interesting. My grandmother and I walked down about 200 steps and had to walk further down a steep hill to get to the main attractions. On our way, we saw natural waterfalls and at the end, the Grosse Fontaine, which is basically a strong jet of water.

Grosse Fontaine

      After our exertion we had, what else? Coffee and cake in a hotel lobby. At this point, after about an hour of physical activity, I was starving and I did not want cake. I wanted real food, like a steak and fries. But that was not meant to be. I tried to swallow the cake, which was apple, (I hate cooked apples), but I gave up after the third bite. Then it was back to the bus for the return 3-hour journey. Ahh, fun times in Germany!

Apology for Monday

Hey guys,

I want to apologize for not posting on Monday. I haven't been feeling well and didn't want to give a badly-written post. You all deserve more than that. I will post on Thursday.

Thanks for understanding!

<3 EuroFrau

Adjustments

Hey guys. So far my posts have been pretty light-hearted and general as I shared with you a small glimpse into German life from a German-American perspective. But I wanted to have a more serious talk about the reality of adjusting to a new place.

It's scary being in a country I didn't grow up in. Even if I think I know some of the culture and have a pretty good grasp on the language, that's not enough to prepare me for living in a new world. I have to adapt in ways I really didn't think of, like getting used to shopping in a new supermarket or remembering that people won’t always smile to you on the street. I’ve had to get used to a new climate and being looked at strangely when I don’t know where the checkout line is in a store. I don’t completely know all of the social rules yet so usually end up standing mute at a social function, and then people back home ask me if I’ve made any friends.

One of the worst things is being homesick. Not necessarily for things like 24-hour open stores or complementary iced water at restaurants, but for the people I left. I knew I would miss my family and friends a lot, but I wasn’t ready to accept how much. It’s hard when I hear about things they are doing and knowing I’m not going to see them for a while. I was ready to move out of my parent’s house, but it’s another thing not being able to quickly visit them when I need some quick advice or just a hug. I can’t even talk about how much I miss my sibling. And my friends. Thanks to Whatsapp and Skype I can keep in touch with them, but it’s not the same compared to seeing them regularly and knowing that there’s an ocean separating us.

Adapting to a new world is hard. I know in the long run being in Europe is going to be a very positive change on my life, but it’s not going to be an easy adjustment. At least I know this feeling can’t be new to many people my age trying to figure out their next step, especially if that step means being on their own for the first time, away from their support group. In the end, in the moments when the adjustment is the most difficult, we have to believe that the change will be a positive one.

What's on....TV!!!!

All millennials spent too much time watching television. 

       I'd be offended by this stereotype if I didn't do just that. I watch a lot of TV, so much that I'm embarrassed to say how many hours I watch per week. I don't even want to start adding up the amount of time I spend watching random videos on YouTube like makeup tutorials using brands I can't afford or a video about the best moments between the characters I ship.
       While in college, I definitely used television as my main source of entertainment. Hey, it's a great way to wind down and avoid stress when you're an introvert. And honestly, there's a reason people like the cast of the Big Bang Theory get about a million dollars as their salary. People like watching TV. It gives us an opportunity to experience a life that we wouldn't have, and it's an escape from the mundane routine of studying, a nine-to-five job, or if you don't have the energy to move after working two part-time jobs.
      In Germany, TV is...interesting. First of all, you can watch most of your favorite shows here. They might be a season behind but you'll get the gist, if you understand German. (You can watch the shows in English if you have access to British TV channels.)
      I don't mind watching the shows in German. It helps me practice the language and I find that the more I watch, the more likely I'm to think in German instead of English. It's also interesting to compare the languages. It always seems to take three sentences longer to say something in German versus English when I'm watching the Big Bang Theory.
      There are of course German TV shows that you won't find in the US. Some are really good. I personally like cozy murder mysteries, and there's a show called Donna Leon about a Venetian police detective that is funny and interesting. Then there's the reality shows. Ummm...there's not a lot to say about them. In the kindest way possible...a lot of them suck. It's incredibly obvious that the shows are scripted so it's really awkward to endure a whole episode. But the competitive reality shows are where it's at! I am obsessed with 4 Hochzeiten und eine Traumreise. Four brides go to each other's weddings, rate them, and the bride with the most points gets a free honeymoon trip. It sounds boring, but I swear it's not! It's hilarious to see these pretty ordinary people critiquing each other. Everyone's usually nice and it's really sweet to see the weddings. And then of course you have the entertainment of watching the one bride who gives someone 6/10 points because she didn't understand the theme.
       This post isn't for people who are going to Germany for vacation. You should explore the country and the culture instead! But, if you're going to live here and are worried that you won't be able to enjoy one of your favorite pastimes, never fear! Watching TV is one of the things Americans and Germans have in common.

More Differences between Germany and the USA

Hey guys! I had such a fun time coming up with differences between the country that I decided to continue with a list of four more.

1. Leaving Food Outside. This might only be strange for a Floridian, but I am surprised at the stuff people don't put in their fridges. I'm the most nonplussed about the eggs. I'm sure there's a reason for it, but eggs here, in the grocery store or from a farmer, is not stored in a refrigerator. If you did that in Florida you would have salmonella for sure. The same goes for milk, which people are cool with leaving on the table for a few hours. Weird.
2. Public Restrooms aren't free. This is one of the most frustrating/annoying things for me whenever I'm in Germany. I have a very small bladder and typically have to pee every twenty minutes (at least that's what it feels like.) When you have to go to the bathroom urgently, the last thing you want to have to remember is that you need about 20 cents or more before you can even enter the facilities. As far as I understand, the money goes towards keeping the bathrooms clean, which makes sense, and they usually look a lot nicer than public restrooms in the US. But, who wants to pay for something so fundamental? At least it's the law that every food-serving establishment also has a bathroom that's free for its customers. Although sometimes in these places you have to enter a code at the bathroom door. Wow. Bathrooms are also usually either up or down a few flights of stairs in its own corridor which always makes the experience of going a bit of an adventure.
3. Prepare for Dehydration. Talking about things that aren't free that definitely should be, you can't drink water for free here. There aren't even water fountains. I know! I also think it's scandalous. It's always a rude awakening for me when I get off the plane in Frankfurt because I am always so freaking thirsty. I desperately look for a water fountain, can't find one, remember with a jolt of the injustice, and end up shelling out 3 Euros for a bottle of water. You also don't get free water in restaurants, which is a really rough adjustment for Americans, even hybrid ones. To add to the injustice, water is usually one of the more expensive drink options and it's cheaper to get a soda or beer. And forget about free refills. Yup, your 4 euros only goes towards one glass. If you're still thirsty you either cough up another 4 euros or accept dehydration until you can run home and drink liquids until you're bloated.
4. No Shopping on Sundays. This was something else that I had to get used to. You know how for some people Sunday is considered the Lord's Day which means you're not supposed to work, and that in some off-the-grid places, they don't sell alcohol in gas stations? Well in Germany, stores are officially closed. That means if you want to use the weekend to get your weekly grocery shopping done, make sure you don't forget to do it on Saturday or else you'll be forced to find nourishment from some stale bread and old cheese. (Okay, it's not that drastic. A lot of restaurants are still open. But you know what I'm getting at.) That also means you can't go shopping for clothes or other things on Sunday. On the plus side, going into the city is always kinda calming because there aren't throngs of people walking around.

Strange German Sayings

In order for you guys to have a greater feel for a German environment, here's a list of German sayings that I've heard throughout my life either from family or when I was in Germany. I'll add more weird sayings later on.

·         Ich glaub’ mein Schwein pfeifft. (I think my pig whistles.)  - This is said when someone is angry and in disbelief over something.

·         Lacht wie ein Gummihex. (Laughs like a rubber witch.) Said when someone laughs in a way that sounds manic or crazy.

·         Babbelt wie ein Buch. (Babbles like a book.) Said when someone is being overly chatty and doesn’t stop talking.

·         Kuckt mir an wie ein Auto. (He looks at me like a car.) The look someone gets when someone tells them something they don’t understand.

·         Die Daumen drucken. (To press the thumbs.) Similar to crossing your fingers for good luck. In Germany, crossing your fingers is considered bad luck.

·         Sie sitzt in eine Ecke und mackt Duda. (She sits in a corner and hand-weaves baskets.) My mom says this every time she’s in the same room with a person and that person refers to her as she instead of directly referring to her. 

Differences between Germany and the USA

      Hey Guys! I'm sorry for not posting recently. A lot has been happening here and I've begun some new endeavors that I'll let you know about soon! However, because I've been busy with changes and figuring out multiple details, I've taken a backseat to this blog, and I don't want that. I think this blog can be a great way for me to share my experiences in Europe with people who either have never been here or are just interested in broadening their horizons and learning about different cultures. But this blog isn't going to be that effective if I don't give you regular updates, now is it? So I've decided that I'm going to regularly post two times a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. For Americans, I'm six hours ahead, but I'll try to regularly post at night here, which means you'll be able to read about my experiences at your leisure in the afternoon.

Now, back to posting.

As you know, I've been in Germany. So far I've posted snippets about life here and how it's different from the US, but I feel like I should you guys a generalized list of the differences I've observed myself.

1. No Air Conditioning. Okay, as a Florida native, I am basically addicted to air conditioning. It allows you to stay trapped safe indoors away from the sweltering and humid hell that is summer. The heat isn't that bad in Germany, and the humidity is laughable, but it still sucks when it's hot enough that sweat drips from your thighs while you're lying practically comatose on a couch. And you can't escape into an air-conditioned restaurant or movie theater. Yup, they don't have it either. At least it's only warm here about three months out of the year. Not that that thought helps much to deal with those three months.
2. Drink "Refunds". This is super cool. Usually, when a German buys something to drink in a store, like a beer, soda, water, etc., they are charged a Pfand in addition to the regular price of the drink. Then, after the bottle's empty, you can bring it back to the store or to a Pfand machine, give up the bottle, and you get MONEY!!! It's usually about 20 cents, but it's still cool, and it adds up. Sure it's technically just you getting your money back, but it's an awesome feeling getting cash for trash. It's also a great incentive to get people to recycle, which adds to the overall sustainability environment here in Germany.
3. Biergartens. In my opinion, Germany is a pretty sociable area, at least from what I've seen in the south. People are always open to meeting up with friends and family for a drink to talk for hours on end. A great place to do this is in one of the multiple Biergartens scattered around the country. A Biergarten is basically any place that serves food and drink (and just to be clear, usually beer.) Customers can sit inside the restaurant, but most people are in the open courtyard that in my experience has usually been in a forest. It's so rustic, I feel like I'm sitting in a Grimms fairytale as I sip my Weissbier, the only alcohol I can stand. (Fun info: I once tried banana-flavored beer. Interesting, but suprisingly not terrible.)
4. Easily Accessible Public Transportation. I think one of the biggest differences between the US and Germany is public transportation. Everything is so far away in the US (unless you're somewhere like New York City) that everyone needs a car in order to go...well, anywhere. Not the case here. First of all, Germany is just smaller overall than the US. I think Texas might be bigger, but don't quote me on that. Basically, you can get to the next town in about ten minutes via car, 20 minutes via bike. The public transportation itself is also fantastic. For a day ticket that costs about 3 Euros, you can ride any bus or train anywhere (within a certain geographical limit) for the whole day. This way you can go to the nearest city for lunch, shop at H&M, get groceries, and go back home all for that price. When you compare it to how many miles and money we need to get anywhere in the US, it's paradise.

What do you guys think? Are you surprised by these differences?