"I like a stiff drink almost as much as..."
So, I realized, I've been home nearly 3 weeks (holycrap) and still haven't left a summary of the last little bit of my trip. Forgive me, for I don't plan to follow the rules of chronology.
You can also consider this part of the story a conclusion to what I didn't realize was a "to be continued" ending of my last entry.
When I got back to Berlin and got to Anthony's apartment, he was still in Leipzig, not getting back for a few hours. I was itching to gush about my Before Sunrise night. When he finally got back, it all just came tumbling out of my mouth, and left me with a big grin on my face.
"Well, why don't you go back? Change your flight! Doooo it," Anthony suggests.
"No no, I can't do... wait... yes I can... But... should I?"
I decided to indirectly leave it up to aforementioned participant in Before Sunrise night.
"I'll say I'm thinking of coming back to Vienna, and would he want to meet up again?" Yes.
So I did something uncharacteristically me and was IMPULSIVE! I figure, it's much easier to stay in Europe a few extra days than to pass up an opportunity and go back to Canada simply because I was feeling a little bit apprehensive.
So I hopped on the train, 9 and a half hours back to Vienna. I'm really glad I went. It was also Germany vs. Austria time in Vienna for the Euro cup, so the city was absolutely buzzing with fanatics. I watched the game at his apartment with his roommate, which was an absolute riot.
"Okay, so when the Austrian guy gets the ball, he's like 'hmm... alright, well... what do I do with this now? Umm... okay, I guess I'll - oh, too late. Oh well.' That's the Austrian mindset, too - screw up once, don't even bother trying again. If Germany gets one goal, it's all over for Austria."
Every time Austria screwed up, which was pretty frequent, they'd say "oh look! He... made an Austrian?" "You mean pulled an Austrian?" "yeah! He pulled an Austrian!"
And now, here I am, back in Toronto. It was good to come home, but I miss Austria and Germany so much. Going back there in March is really keeping me going, because I won't be back there as a tourist, living nomadically. I'll have an established life for 5 months, and I'll hopefully use my German A LOT.
It was great getting to use what little knowledge of that impossible language I do have. My conversational skills improved HUGELY, as well as a bit more of an instinct for how to speak casually.
A fun example, you say? Sure!
I bought some earrings, of the Ampelmänchen (the streetlight walk/don't walk man in East Berlin), and they immediately broke. I brought them back to the store and said "Diese Ohrenringe sind kaputt gegangen."
Exact translation? "These earrings went kaputt." And the woman, who was very concerned about my issue, sympathetically responded in German, which was cool since most people just answer you in English, realizing that you're a tool tourist. haha It was every so slightly farcical for someone who considers the word "kaputt" to be sort of a joke, and a novelty at that.
Also, on my first train ride back from Vienna (considering there were two of them... haha), I asked a girl on the train something about what an announcement was saying that I couldn't really understand. I went back to my seat, and a few minutes later, she came by and asked if I was learning German, and if I'd like to come sit with her and practice/have a chat.
And the police didn't ask for ID that time.
You can also consider this part of the story a conclusion to what I didn't realize was a "to be continued" ending of my last entry.
When I got back to Berlin and got to Anthony's apartment, he was still in Leipzig, not getting back for a few hours. I was itching to gush about my Before Sunrise night. When he finally got back, it all just came tumbling out of my mouth, and left me with a big grin on my face.
"Well, why don't you go back? Change your flight! Doooo it," Anthony suggests.
"No no, I can't do... wait... yes I can... But... should I?"
I decided to indirectly leave it up to aforementioned participant in Before Sunrise night.
"I'll say I'm thinking of coming back to Vienna, and would he want to meet up again?" Yes.
So I did something uncharacteristically me and was IMPULSIVE! I figure, it's much easier to stay in Europe a few extra days than to pass up an opportunity and go back to Canada simply because I was feeling a little bit apprehensive.
So I hopped on the train, 9 and a half hours back to Vienna. I'm really glad I went. It was also Germany vs. Austria time in Vienna for the Euro cup, so the city was absolutely buzzing with fanatics. I watched the game at his apartment with his roommate, which was an absolute riot.
"Okay, so when the Austrian guy gets the ball, he's like 'hmm... alright, well... what do I do with this now? Umm... okay, I guess I'll - oh, too late. Oh well.' That's the Austrian mindset, too - screw up once, don't even bother trying again. If Germany gets one goal, it's all over for Austria."
Every time Austria screwed up, which was pretty frequent, they'd say "oh look! He... made an Austrian?" "You mean pulled an Austrian?" "yeah! He pulled an Austrian!"
And now, here I am, back in Toronto. It was good to come home, but I miss Austria and Germany so much. Going back there in March is really keeping me going, because I won't be back there as a tourist, living nomadically. I'll have an established life for 5 months, and I'll hopefully use my German A LOT.
It was great getting to use what little knowledge of that impossible language I do have. My conversational skills improved HUGELY, as well as a bit more of an instinct for how to speak casually.
A fun example, you say? Sure!
I bought some earrings, of the Ampelmänchen (the streetlight walk/don't walk man in East Berlin), and they immediately broke. I brought them back to the store and said "Diese Ohrenringe sind kaputt gegangen."
Exact translation? "These earrings went kaputt." And the woman, who was very concerned about my issue, sympathetically responded in German, which was cool since most people just answer you in English, realizing that you're a tool tourist. haha It was every so slightly farcical for someone who considers the word "kaputt" to be sort of a joke, and a novelty at that.
Also, on my first train ride back from Vienna (considering there were two of them... haha), I asked a girl on the train something about what an announcement was saying that I couldn't really understand. I went back to my seat, and a few minutes later, she came by and asked if I was learning German, and if I'd like to come sit with her and practice/have a chat.
And the police didn't ask for ID that time.