(no subject)
I made it. I'm now in Germany. I can tell, because everything I try to read and everyone I try to talk to speak a language I can't understand, all of the electric plugs need adaptors to work with my computer and one has to pay to use a public bathroom.
Berlin is a city filled with History and Culture. Unfortunately, I hate cities almost as much as I hate History and Culture. I am a "low culture" kind of person, who likes her art in comics and fantasy books, and enjoys symbols of culture like the television with attached DVD player.
In addition, I am at best a reluctant and self-concious tourist and I HATE the fact that I don't know the language. Darn it, there are plenty of fascinating and culture-filled places that speak English… or even French. Unfortunately, my dad feels the same way about travelling in places where he doesn't speak the language, and he knows German. Now, my parents are so determined to give me a crash course on German grammar that I had to make a rule: no German grammar lessons until after 10am. Especially on the morning after we've arrived, and we're all slightly batty from jetlag.
I was feeling very distressed yesterday afternoon, because I realized that I was going to be spending 10 days without books in English (I only managed to jam one into my suitcase), computers (we can't find converters anywhere to recharge them), internet access (because my parents thought they could live without it), a phone line (Germans are WEIRD about telephone lines), people my age, friends, etc. Plus, I couldn't go anywhere and my parents were really grating on my nerves. Now, we've dug up a couple of converters, found a way to connect to the internet temporarily and made friends with a couple with a telephone line; my dad is offering all three books he brought over in English for me to read. Most importantly, I have a week-long bus/subway/rail pass! I can go anywhere! (The tricky part will be getting back home again…)
Love y'all, and miss you huge amounts.
Berlin is a city filled with History and Culture. Unfortunately, I hate cities almost as much as I hate History and Culture. I am a "low culture" kind of person, who likes her art in comics and fantasy books, and enjoys symbols of culture like the television with attached DVD player.
In addition, I am at best a reluctant and self-concious tourist and I HATE the fact that I don't know the language. Darn it, there are plenty of fascinating and culture-filled places that speak English… or even French. Unfortunately, my dad feels the same way about travelling in places where he doesn't speak the language, and he knows German. Now, my parents are so determined to give me a crash course on German grammar that I had to make a rule: no German grammar lessons until after 10am. Especially on the morning after we've arrived, and we're all slightly batty from jetlag.
I was feeling very distressed yesterday afternoon, because I realized that I was going to be spending 10 days without books in English (I only managed to jam one into my suitcase), computers (we can't find converters anywhere to recharge them), internet access (because my parents thought they could live without it), a phone line (Germans are WEIRD about telephone lines), people my age, friends, etc. Plus, I couldn't go anywhere and my parents were really grating on my nerves. Now, we've dug up a couple of converters, found a way to connect to the internet temporarily and made friends with a couple with a telephone line; my dad is offering all three books he brought over in English for me to read. Most importantly, I have a week-long bus/subway/rail pass! I can go anywhere! (The tricky part will be getting back home again…)
Love y'all, and miss you huge amounts.