Adventures in the library, and not the ones you're talking about
Yeah, so I don't really want to look at my last entry where I was falling into a pit of some sort. Thanks to you guys who responded. Honestly, vielen Dank. I've discovered the secret to things being better: ironically, lack of Internet!
So maybe after you read this you'll go offline. In fact, I'd recommend it. The second I unplugged my computer I felt more alive. The second I let go of all my connection to the world that I miss, I plunged headlong into Germany.
It begins in an average sort of town, nested among nondescript trees, nature trails, a couple of generic clubs and not-so-generic bars, a "rich" university history of research and students who considered it an honor to be thrown in the Karzer (the student jail) so they could decorate the walls. Bismarck himself tagged Ye Olde Göttingen Karzertür. This place also harbors a not-so-distant-past of immense Nazi support... over the national average, in fact. Albaniplatz was once Adolf-Hitler-Platz... and stacked high with student-collected books for the burning.
It's also a place where, as I discovered, the university library categorization system makes absolutely no sense. For example, an Australian slang book was next to a book in Japanese. It's almost as though books were randomly tossed on shelves and later labeled, which was probably what happened. I wandered the top section where I thought the "Freihandmagazin" section was, until finally, a half hour later, I worked up the nerve to ask the woman at the desk if I was possibly in the wrong place. Well. As it turned out it was down several flights of stairs on the other side of the hall. And as it turned out, there were three huge rooms down below to be searched over in vain as well. I asked a student if she knew where the 2003 section was. "Keine Ahnung," (No idea) was her curt reply. This was very comforting to me. If a German student didn't know offhand where something was, this meant that I was not completely incompetent. At length I discovered a map of the three rooms, and with a joyous cry located my prize. A book. A book about modern music which turned out to be completely useless for my report.
However, this did not mean that my library search was useless. Not at all. In fact, the next day, three of the Americans from my group asked me where the Freihandmagazin section was, and once they arrived there, they realized they had no choice but to follow me to the correct section. I have become an expert of sorts on that part of the library. Excellent.
Whenever I feel like a total idiot here (which is rather often ;)) , I remember my mom's friend's advice, that I need to make at least 2,000 mistakes before I start worrying.
Today I continued learning how to ride a bike. And by continued, I mean was caught numerous times by the good-natured Marina (who was letting me use her bike), Debbie (who would have let me use hers except it was too high for learning on), and Brenda (who was getting back into biking after a few years). My legs are a little bit sore now. Several people passed us and asked what we were doing. The answer inevitably surprised them.
Last night, Debbie and I watched The Mummy and made fun of most of the dialogue. God, I love that movie.
Things like walking down the hallway are becoming an event. For example, there's the matter of what to say in German if you run into the same person numerous times, without seeming a) unfriendly, b) repetitive, or c) like a person who can't speak German. So I ran into this guy in my hall, Thomas, about four times today. The first time was easy enough. He was on his bike, passing by, and we both said "Hallo," (there is really no Guten Tag between students... it's a myth) and then I asked him how he was: "Wie geht's?" He was so alarmed that I actually cared how he was, he hit the curb with his front tire and almost fell off the bike as he said, "Gut!" Second time, I went down the four flights of stairs to use the laundry room, and there he was, getting a cup of tea from the kitchen. We said "Hallo," again. (It starts to get old.) After I had figured out the laundry machine, I went back up to my room to take care of my next task, garbage. Simple, you say? Not here it isn't. You've got your Biomüll, your Altpapier, your Verpackung... a special yellow bag for packaging... my Intensive Language Prep teacher says, even though he's German, he fears throwing something in the wrong bin. I walked out of my room with the disgusting contents of my trash bucket (it really is a bucket), such as used tissue, banana peels, and so forth, and there was Thomas again, walking. Uh... We just nodded at each other this time. Too lazy to get my umbrella out of my room, I ran out into the rain through the parking lot to the big trashbins, and as water dripped down my neck from the overarching tree leaves, I sorted through tangerine peels and plastic wrap. I still haven't figured out where to throw all of it. I lugged my laundry back up the stairs, hung it all up in my room (my room reeks of detergent and there are NO dryers), and packed up to go to Brenda's place. As I walked out, who should I see but Thomas, stretching his clothes out to dry on the communal racks. I thought I'd be clever and say, "Hallo, nochmal" (once again). Then he grinned and said something really fast in German which I think meant that it was only natural we'd be seeing each other a lot. (He did use the word "natürlich" in there.) But I can never be sure.
If only I didn't have to answer questions about the Rechtschreibreform (when the German language was standardized), find out the important Göttingen research from the 20th century, present about the seven Göttingen professors who rebelled in the 1800s, read Am kürzeren Ende der Sonnenallee, and figure out which German music is leftist, I might be able to go to the Altstadtfest (the annual celebration of Göttingen, in which much music, carousing, and food is forthcoming [forthcoming?! can you even say that?]) tomorrow for more than ten minutes.
There's this weird tower I can see from my window that reminds me of Storke Tower. It has two red lights at the top like eyes in the dark. We have no idea what it's for, but according to our guide the first week, it "does something to the air."
I have been eating too much sugar. Two days ago I thought I would throw up if I ate one more sweet thing. I think it is all these Ritter Sports Bars and oranges. They are far too easy to live on. I should probably have some salad. Any ideas for quick, good meals? I mean, really. Please send me recipes. :) I ate four Brötchen today. Nobody makes rolls like the German Bäckerei.
Well... it's about 3 in the morning here, but I think it's only 6 pm in California. My writing is getting sort of Britified.
My tip of the week? If you're trying to get exposed to new music, do a report on it. My teacher generously lent me German music for my upcoming presentation, and my collection has just about quadrupled. This makes me HAPPY. The knowledge, the knowledge.
Apparently the Germans do like being smiled at. It's the American secret weapon. This bodes well.
I've concluded today that if I do the things I dream of doing, and they don't necessarily go right, I will have no regrets. Better to look the freak temporarily than sit on the sidelines forever sniping at the ones who dare, right? Hope all is going the way you hoped! Or at least going in a shaky line in the right direction. Bis bald, Menschen.
Love,
>^..^<
P.S. What did I say about going offline? ;)
So maybe after you read this you'll go offline. In fact, I'd recommend it. The second I unplugged my computer I felt more alive. The second I let go of all my connection to the world that I miss, I plunged headlong into Germany.
It begins in an average sort of town, nested among nondescript trees, nature trails, a couple of generic clubs and not-so-generic bars, a "rich" university history of research and students who considered it an honor to be thrown in the Karzer (the student jail) so they could decorate the walls. Bismarck himself tagged Ye Olde Göttingen Karzertür. This place also harbors a not-so-distant-past of immense Nazi support... over the national average, in fact. Albaniplatz was once Adolf-Hitler-Platz... and stacked high with student-collected books for the burning.
It's also a place where, as I discovered, the university library categorization system makes absolutely no sense. For example, an Australian slang book was next to a book in Japanese. It's almost as though books were randomly tossed on shelves and later labeled, which was probably what happened. I wandered the top section where I thought the "Freihandmagazin" section was, until finally, a half hour later, I worked up the nerve to ask the woman at the desk if I was possibly in the wrong place. Well. As it turned out it was down several flights of stairs on the other side of the hall. And as it turned out, there were three huge rooms down below to be searched over in vain as well. I asked a student if she knew where the 2003 section was. "Keine Ahnung," (No idea) was her curt reply. This was very comforting to me. If a German student didn't know offhand where something was, this meant that I was not completely incompetent. At length I discovered a map of the three rooms, and with a joyous cry located my prize. A book. A book about modern music which turned out to be completely useless for my report.
However, this did not mean that my library search was useless. Not at all. In fact, the next day, three of the Americans from my group asked me where the Freihandmagazin section was, and once they arrived there, they realized they had no choice but to follow me to the correct section. I have become an expert of sorts on that part of the library. Excellent.
Whenever I feel like a total idiot here (which is rather often ;)) , I remember my mom's friend's advice, that I need to make at least 2,000 mistakes before I start worrying.
Today I continued learning how to ride a bike. And by continued, I mean was caught numerous times by the good-natured Marina (who was letting me use her bike), Debbie (who would have let me use hers except it was too high for learning on), and Brenda (who was getting back into biking after a few years). My legs are a little bit sore now. Several people passed us and asked what we were doing. The answer inevitably surprised them.
Last night, Debbie and I watched The Mummy and made fun of most of the dialogue. God, I love that movie.
Things like walking down the hallway are becoming an event. For example, there's the matter of what to say in German if you run into the same person numerous times, without seeming a) unfriendly, b) repetitive, or c) like a person who can't speak German. So I ran into this guy in my hall, Thomas, about four times today. The first time was easy enough. He was on his bike, passing by, and we both said "Hallo," (there is really no Guten Tag between students... it's a myth) and then I asked him how he was: "Wie geht's?" He was so alarmed that I actually cared how he was, he hit the curb with his front tire and almost fell off the bike as he said, "Gut!" Second time, I went down the four flights of stairs to use the laundry room, and there he was, getting a cup of tea from the kitchen. We said "Hallo," again. (It starts to get old.) After I had figured out the laundry machine, I went back up to my room to take care of my next task, garbage. Simple, you say? Not here it isn't. You've got your Biomüll, your Altpapier, your Verpackung... a special yellow bag for packaging... my Intensive Language Prep teacher says, even though he's German, he fears throwing something in the wrong bin. I walked out of my room with the disgusting contents of my trash bucket (it really is a bucket), such as used tissue, banana peels, and so forth, and there was Thomas again, walking. Uh... We just nodded at each other this time. Too lazy to get my umbrella out of my room, I ran out into the rain through the parking lot to the big trashbins, and as water dripped down my neck from the overarching tree leaves, I sorted through tangerine peels and plastic wrap. I still haven't figured out where to throw all of it. I lugged my laundry back up the stairs, hung it all up in my room (my room reeks of detergent and there are NO dryers), and packed up to go to Brenda's place. As I walked out, who should I see but Thomas, stretching his clothes out to dry on the communal racks. I thought I'd be clever and say, "Hallo, nochmal" (once again). Then he grinned and said something really fast in German which I think meant that it was only natural we'd be seeing each other a lot. (He did use the word "natürlich" in there.) But I can never be sure.
If only I didn't have to answer questions about the Rechtschreibreform (when the German language was standardized), find out the important Göttingen research from the 20th century, present about the seven Göttingen professors who rebelled in the 1800s, read Am kürzeren Ende der Sonnenallee, and figure out which German music is leftist, I might be able to go to the Altstadtfest (the annual celebration of Göttingen, in which much music, carousing, and food is forthcoming [forthcoming?! can you even say that?]) tomorrow for more than ten minutes.
There's this weird tower I can see from my window that reminds me of Storke Tower. It has two red lights at the top like eyes in the dark. We have no idea what it's for, but according to our guide the first week, it "does something to the air."
I have been eating too much sugar. Two days ago I thought I would throw up if I ate one more sweet thing. I think it is all these Ritter Sports Bars and oranges. They are far too easy to live on. I should probably have some salad. Any ideas for quick, good meals? I mean, really. Please send me recipes. :) I ate four Brötchen today. Nobody makes rolls like the German Bäckerei.
Well... it's about 3 in the morning here, but I think it's only 6 pm in California. My writing is getting sort of Britified.
My tip of the week? If you're trying to get exposed to new music, do a report on it. My teacher generously lent me German music for my upcoming presentation, and my collection has just about quadrupled. This makes me HAPPY. The knowledge, the knowledge.
Apparently the Germans do like being smiled at. It's the American secret weapon. This bodes well.
I've concluded today that if I do the things I dream of doing, and they don't necessarily go right, I will have no regrets. Better to look the freak temporarily than sit on the sidelines forever sniping at the ones who dare, right? Hope all is going the way you hoped! Or at least going in a shaky line in the right direction. Bis bald, Menschen.
Love,
>^..^<
P.S. What did I say about going offline? ;)