Entschuldigen!
I'm beyond the point of hating LJ's. When I finally do manage to write one, too much has happened. I grow tired of writing and thinking, thus stop, and dread the next. This intro was unnecessary, yes.
Ok, I have moved to Germany. I am settled in and alive. I know the closest place in which one can buy soy milk, where I can mail a letter, and what times my trains and subways depart every morning. These things are comforting to me, especially after last week.
I live in Roncalli Haus, German for Circus House. Me and the other clowns inhabit a dark dorm near the city center, and a few minutes from campus via public transit. As of yet, I am the sole American in my building (circus tent?), but most of the inhabitants are international students. I have been told by many people that my dorm is desirable - it is cheap and very near all of the bars and shops. But, it is not what I was expecting. Last week I cursed public transit daily. No, German trains are not efficient nor always punctual. Combine that with a lack of knowledge of said system, and you had a very frustrated me. S-Bahns are usually Street Trains in most cities, but here they are Schnell (Fast) Trains. U-Bahns are Underground Trains, but here they are often above ground. And there are also street trains and many bus lines. After a week, I think I got 'er all figgered out.
My architecture courses don't begin until October 11. In the meantime all international students are perfecting their German and enduring a month of orientation. OK, it was difficult to leave Vienna. I knew the city fairly well, always knew how to get where I needed to go, and was learning German at an incredible rate. A week ago last Monday, I sat before my Deutsch teacher with a roomful of students who hadn't understood a single German word she said. I had gotten most of it, and so had the other KU kids. We said, 'Please, they don't understand you. Can you speak more slowly?' She replied, 'Of course not.' Laster, she yelled at Kim and I when, purely by chance, we were partners after having drawn cards. 'Stop sitting next to each other and stop speaking English!', when we had done neither of those things. She kicked Rich out of class after an argument, but demanded that Kim and I stay because we were necessary to explain everything to the rest of the students. I was furious. I don't have time to review or be a teacher's aide. I need to learn more German! Schnell, mach schnell! I spoke with another German teacher, who also complained to me about my teacher being a condescending, heinous bitch. Yesterday Kim and I started in a higher class, and things have gone much better. I am in class with people who have been studying German from 3 to 8 years, and everyone is shocked when I say I just started learning the language in July. Today in class we talked about different cultural values and stereotypes, the definition of Freedom, and specifically German behavior. I understood nearly all of it, but still need a lot of practice speaking.
I could never have predicted how exhausting it is to learn a language. At the end of the day, I just want to go home and lay in bed. Nearly every day last week was filled with German class plus a few meetings plus a mandatory bullshit activity. I am living here for a year - I don't want to go to the museum immediately, especially when all of the grocery stores close at 6 or 8 and I am starving! I was going crazy. One day as I was leaving a building, I set off some kind of door alarm. I looked at it for a few seconds, thought about having to deal with the situation in German, and just ran. Literally ran. My conscience caught up with me when I saw a friendly janitor-like man. I said in German, 'I have made... the loud noises! the sound!.... I am sorry.' He looked at me strangely, but smiled. Still, I feel a comaraderie with all of the other foreigners here, whether it's the Turkish guy at the internet cafe or the Vietnamese girl down the hall. I have been the benefactor of a lot of kindness and patience in the last week.
I can't write any more now. Really, everything is fine. I am going to like it here. Last week was just full of necessary bullshit. Yes, the beer is quite good.
Ok, I have moved to Germany. I am settled in and alive. I know the closest place in which one can buy soy milk, where I can mail a letter, and what times my trains and subways depart every morning. These things are comforting to me, especially after last week.
I live in Roncalli Haus, German for Circus House. Me and the other clowns inhabit a dark dorm near the city center, and a few minutes from campus via public transit. As of yet, I am the sole American in my building (circus tent?), but most of the inhabitants are international students. I have been told by many people that my dorm is desirable - it is cheap and very near all of the bars and shops. But, it is not what I was expecting. Last week I cursed public transit daily. No, German trains are not efficient nor always punctual. Combine that with a lack of knowledge of said system, and you had a very frustrated me. S-Bahns are usually Street Trains in most cities, but here they are Schnell (Fast) Trains. U-Bahns are Underground Trains, but here they are often above ground. And there are also street trains and many bus lines. After a week, I think I got 'er all figgered out.
My architecture courses don't begin until October 11. In the meantime all international students are perfecting their German and enduring a month of orientation. OK, it was difficult to leave Vienna. I knew the city fairly well, always knew how to get where I needed to go, and was learning German at an incredible rate. A week ago last Monday, I sat before my Deutsch teacher with a roomful of students who hadn't understood a single German word she said. I had gotten most of it, and so had the other KU kids. We said, 'Please, they don't understand you. Can you speak more slowly?' She replied, 'Of course not.' Laster, she yelled at Kim and I when, purely by chance, we were partners after having drawn cards. 'Stop sitting next to each other and stop speaking English!', when we had done neither of those things. She kicked Rich out of class after an argument, but demanded that Kim and I stay because we were necessary to explain everything to the rest of the students. I was furious. I don't have time to review or be a teacher's aide. I need to learn more German! Schnell, mach schnell! I spoke with another German teacher, who also complained to me about my teacher being a condescending, heinous bitch. Yesterday Kim and I started in a higher class, and things have gone much better. I am in class with people who have been studying German from 3 to 8 years, and everyone is shocked when I say I just started learning the language in July. Today in class we talked about different cultural values and stereotypes, the definition of Freedom, and specifically German behavior. I understood nearly all of it, but still need a lot of practice speaking.
I could never have predicted how exhausting it is to learn a language. At the end of the day, I just want to go home and lay in bed. Nearly every day last week was filled with German class plus a few meetings plus a mandatory bullshit activity. I am living here for a year - I don't want to go to the museum immediately, especially when all of the grocery stores close at 6 or 8 and I am starving! I was going crazy. One day as I was leaving a building, I set off some kind of door alarm. I looked at it for a few seconds, thought about having to deal with the situation in German, and just ran. Literally ran. My conscience caught up with me when I saw a friendly janitor-like man. I said in German, 'I have made... the loud noises! the sound!.... I am sorry.' He looked at me strangely, but smiled. Still, I feel a comaraderie with all of the other foreigners here, whether it's the Turkish guy at the internet cafe or the Vietnamese girl down the hall. I have been the benefactor of a lot of kindness and patience in the last week.
I can't write any more now. Really, everything is fine. I am going to like it here. Last week was just full of necessary bullshit. Yes, the beer is quite good.