Three Women

Across the hall lives an older couple, I'd place in their late 60s or early 70s. As happens from time to time, we leave our apartments at the same time and hop onto the elevator together and start chatting. Actually she does most of the chatting and I ask a short question here or there or comment on whatever she is talking about. My ability to formulate a response in German is too slow to keep up with her. I understand most of what she is saying though and I admire her passion for life. She and her husband are always up to something - travel, adventures in the city, learning something new. Recently I was running a bit late for work and she came strolling out of her house, yoga mat in hand and donning rainbow leg warmers and headband. She told me all about the gym down the street (for women only, because she doesn't like gyms with meatheads wandering around) and the great yoga class that she adores. I have to confess I was a bit jealous that as I was trudging off to work, she was headed for her big event of the day. Another time she told me all about her two week cruise around India that she and her husband just returned from and how fascinating she found India. Again, I was a bit envious of her golden tan and her adventure. One Friday night as I was returning from dinner, she was all dolled up and ready for a night on the town. She is a character and I love her energy and zest for life and enjoy our little chats.

I have a cleaning lady who comes twice a month to get my apartment straightened out. Once in awhile I work from home on a Friday when she happens to come and she likes to practice her English so we talk. One time I told her about my job and the hours and the travel and the stress as she mentioned that I looked a bit tired. So she told me her story. She had held two fairly senior positions in big companies and had had a similar lifestyle to me some years ago. She finally had enough of the stress and resigned and decided to start a cleaning company. She has a full time job at an office and then does some houses and apartments on the side. I wasn't sure what to make of what she told me but she told me she is happier now than she ever was in the corporate world. She simply likes the feeling that when the day is done she has made the workplace or someone's home tidy and even more she likes seeing the people happy with her work. Corporate work was wearing her down and she never felt appreciated for the effort. It made me of my favorite job ever, when I worked in an ice cream shop. There really is something satisfying about a routine job with low stress that puts a smile on people's faces and maybe I have forgotten that too much lately.

I've now moved on to the B1.1 level of German and still going strong. I finished the A2.2 7 week evening class (2 hours a night, 4 nights a week) and moved right on to the next level, another 7 week evening course. I have the same teacher for this session as the last. She is a seasoned teacher and is unbelievably patient and always helps relieve the tedium and occasional frustration with a dash of good humor. It's not easy after a long day of work to head for two hours of German class but she has helped make it possible since I started in September. I can tell she wants to be there. She remembers the full class's names by the end of the first hour, she tries to think of creative ways to get the ideas across and she has a funny giggle when we come up with something particularly creative. She reminds me that the same set of tasks can be approached in a variety of ways, but some approaches will make the task more memorable and fun and why not try to apply that attitude to as many situations in life as possible?

I like these accidental women in my life. I can't really call them friends but glad that for whatever complicated reasons and although I never would have imagined, these three German ladies and I have crossed paths and they have all made me think about who I am and what else I can be.

Posted from Munich

Part V

I am not even sure why I am doing this anymore.

Really, it is a lost cause.

But it has been more than a year and I can't resist trying again.

Oh, that rotten language.

What motivated me this time? A few things.

1. Inspiration. Reading about my fellow expats' ambitions (for example, Blogness Monster and No Apathy Allowed)

2. Fear of Regression. I've realized that my English has gotten worser and worser but my German hasn't improved much since around 2007. At this rate, I may reduced to babbling random words in a mixed vocabulary by 2012. Or grunting and pointing.

3. Shame. Realizing also that in January I will have been in Germany for 5 years. Woah! It is beyond embarrassing when meeting new German people to have the standard discussion:
'Where are you from?'
'The US'
'Oh, how long have you been here?'
'Coming up on 5 years'
'Oh, you must speak German!'
'Umm, erm, well,'
'But after 5 years!'
'Gulp, I know.'

4. Competition. Although Mr. Kilt has been in Germany longer than me, it hasn't been that much longer and he manages just fine in German and I secretly suspect that I am smarter than him. So if he can learn it, I should be able to as well. (Heehee, if he ever reads this blog, boy am I in trouble!)

5. World Cup Foolishness. I promised that if Germany won the world cup I would learn German. They came in 3rd place. It must be a sign.

While it's under discussion if Mr. Kilt and I will stay here long term (another post in the making), in the event that we do, I need to try, try, try again.

Yes, make that the 5th time.

Classes start September 13, first day back from vacation in the US.

Posted from Munich

Yahooooooo!!

After six straight days of (48 hours) of German class something clicked today.

My classmates and I traveled the 30 minutes from the dorm to class together speaking German the whole time.

I participated in class as much as everyone else.

I went shopping after class and spoke with the sales lady, describing the necklace I wanted to buy and some changes I wanted to make to it. I told her I was learning German and she spoke a little more slowly to help, which was really nice.

Walking around the city I was suddenly catching so much of what people were saying as they passed by.

Then in the taxi I had a 20 minute conversation which I not only fully understood but could actively participate in. Again, I confessed I was trying to learn German and he helped me fix some things I was saying wrong but he was nice about it and he gave me the thumbs up.

I know it is still a very broken German but the sound barrier is broken!! Game on!!

Posted from Munich

That Rotten Language

Here we go again.

My one week in Munich for apartment searching just turned into three.

My boss gave me the green light to go for 2 weeks of intensive German class starting March 30 since things are kind of slow at work. I was planning to do this later in the summer but moved it up while I have the time. The classes are in Munich, full days plus cultural activities (I am curious about the part that says 'discos' - teehee).

After the two weeks I will start Saturday classes. I have been avoiding that as much as possible but for the near future I have no big weekend plans so might as well go for it. Another colleague convinced me to do it since that is what he did a few years ago when he couldn't make it work during the week either. After he had been in Germany for a few years and still hadn't made any progress he sucked it up. And so will I. (Haha - yes, we have all heard this before, but please humor me).

So let's see:
Apartment viewings lined up. Check.
Hair appointment to repair the rat's nest scheduled. Check.
Girls night out planned. Check.
Visits with random Munich-based expats foreseen. Check.
Camera packed. Check.

I'd say I am ready to hop on the plane tomorrow!

Posted from Köln

Musical Mondays 10.11 Edition

I was reminded recently of the Beatles connection to Germany. After a little googling and help from my friend YouTube, I found the history and the songs. I always liked the Beatles because it is perfect for those situations when you feel like a rowdy sing-along in a bar or in a car. Also because of my parents - my name Michelle Ma Belle and all that. Ok, that was French but this week's Musical Monday song selection (in German) is Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand - The Beatles.



Komm gib mir deine Hand
(“I Want to Hold Your Hand”)
Music: The Beatles
German Lyrics: Camillo Felgen

O komm doch, komm zu mir
Du nimmst mir den Verstand
O komm doch, komm zu mir
Komm gib mir deine Hand
Komm gib mir deine Hand
Komm gib mir deine Hand

O du bist so schön
Schön wie ein Diamant
Ich will mir dir gehen
Komm gib mir deine Hand
Komm gib mir deine Hand
Komm gib mir deine Hand

In deinen Armen bin ich glücklich und froh
Das war noch nie bei einer anderen einmal so
Einmal so, einmal so

O komm doch, komm zu mir
Du nimmst mir den Verstand
O komm doch, komm zu mir
Komm gib mir deine Hand
Komm gib mir deine Hand
Komm gib mir deine Hand

In deinen Armen bin ich glücklich und froh
Das war noch nie bei einer anderen einmal so
Einmal so, einmal so

Oh du bist so schön
Schön wie ein Diamant
Ich will mir dir gehen
Komm gib mir deine Hand...

Posted from Zürich

Musical Mondays 03.11 Edition

Das ist ein lied von Rosenstolz. Nicht so schwer als 'das hat die Welt noch nicht gesehen'.

Gib Mir Sonne
Rosenstolz



Es kann gar nicht hell genug sein
Alle Lichter dieser Welt
Sollen heute für mich leuchten
Ich werd raus geh´n
Mich nicht umdreh´n
Ich muss weg

Manchmal muss Liebe schnell geh´n
Mich überfahr´n, mich überroll´n
Manchmal muss das Leben wehtun
Nur wenn es weh tut
Ist es gut, dafür zu geh´n

Gib mir Sonne
Gib mir Wärme
Gib mir Licht
All die Farben wieder zurück
Verbrenn den Schnee
Das Grau muss weg
Schenk mir ´n bisschen Glück

Wann kommt die Sonne?
Kann es denn sein, dass mir gar nichts mehr gelingt
Wann kommt die Sonne?
Kannst du nicht seh´n, dass ich tief im Schnee versink

Und ich trage mein Herz offen
Alle Türen ganz weit auf
Hab keine Angst mich zu verbrennen
Auch wenn´s weh tut
Nur was weh tut, is auch gut

Gib mir Sonne
Gib mir Wärme
Gib mir Licht
All die Farben wieder zurück
Verbrenn den Schnee
Das Grau muss weg
Schenk mir ´n bisschen Glück

Wann kommt die Sonne?
Kann es denn sein, dass mir gar nichts mehr gelingt
Wann kommt die Sonne?
Kannst du nicht seh´n, dass ich tief im Schnee versink

Feier das Leben, feier das Glück
Feier uns beide, es kommt alles zurück
Feier die Liebe, feier den Tag
Feier uns beide, es ist alles gesagt

Hier kommt die Sonne, hier kommt das Licht
Siehst du die Farben, und alle zurück

Hier kommt die Sonne, hier kommt das Licht
Siehst du die Farben, und alle zurück

Hier kommt die Sonne
Hier kommt die Sonne
Hier kommt die Sonne
Die Sonne
Die Sonne

Eguisheim

Last night, determined to spend the day out of the house today, I pulled out my Switzerland Lonely Planet to plan a day trip. Two sheets of paper fluttered to the floor and I picked them up to see what they were. It was a year old print out of directions from Basel to Eguisheim, France - a recommendation from one of my former clients, who is Alsatian, on where to spend a nice day tasting and buying some regional wine.



I ditched the Lonely Planet and decided to check out this one stop on the wine trail of France. We had never made it last year, always too busy, but today was going to be a picture perfect warm fall day just made for lazing around in the sun and sampling some wine.

I knew I made the right choice as soon as I arrived. I parked the car and started skipping all over town taking photos of everything, wondering how I was ever going to shoot the whole thing in one day.





I had some lunch (a low-calorie tarte flambee) and then went off for some wine tasting. In this area they mostly have white wines - riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, cremant d'alsace and a few reds. Although normally not a fan of white wines, the wines I tasted show how good they can be if done right.

When I walked into the first wine shop, I asked if I could do a wine tasting.
Je ne parle pas anglais.
Mmmm...ok, sprechen Sie deutsch?
Ja.
So I did my best and the woman got a lot friendlier.

When I walked into the second shop I was a lot more confident and just started in German. The man was chatting away and miraculously I understood all he was saying and even could respond. The nice Alsatian man complimented on my German - somehow I am not sure that is a good thing but it put a big smile on my face anyway. Good sales technique.



After lunch and stowing the bottles I bought in the car, I headed through town and up the hills for a hike through the vineyard. It was getting late in the afternoon and the sun was making the hills glow in the autumn sunshine. Another 100 or so photos later, I finally decided to head back to Zurich.



The spoils of the day - averaged about 5 euro a bottle.



Posted from Zürich

A New Semester

I am trying, really trying, to get motivated to start up German classes again. My teacher and I have our first lesson in over two months next week. We can call it the start of the fall semester. However, a sense of hopelessness at ever learning this language is winning out. My brain just can't absorb anymore at my age.

At the pace I am going I may reach the B level classes sometime in 2009. I wish I could blame my teacher but he is a saint. I fumble and mumble, never really saying anything without taking forever to construct each sentence and then it's wrong anyway. Two times wrong. Wrong grammar and wrong pronunciation.

I know I need to learn. I just don't want to anymore. I may have to completely surround myself with English speaking expats. An insulated bubble protecting me from the dour German faces as I try to navigate through everyday life.

Maybe I should take another couple of weeks off...

Posted from Basel

Best Tram Stop in Basel

Bahnhofeingang Gundeldingen

I giggle every time I hear the announcement. Then for some strange reason I start singing it along to the can can, which can then gets stuck in my head for several hours. A real ohrwurm. There is simply no explanation for the whole chain of events. But just ask my sister; she saw how its done.

Tonight I am on a serious mission. At risk of death by finger wagging, I started laundry at the shocking hour of 9:30. Given the two hour wash cycle and the one hour dry cycle, that puts finishing time at around 12:30 AM. Duh duh duuuuh!!

Wait, it's time to move the clothes to the dryer...

(Queue Mission Impossible music)

I peak out my peephole and see if the lights on the hallway are off, a sure sign no one is around. I remove my shoes and my heart starts racing as I slowly open the door and tiptoe in the dark down the hallway to the laundry room.

My snoopy hausfrau (ex KGB spy) could be lurking at any corner waiting to wag her finger at the late hour, the light left on in the laundry room or the little spill of detergent on top of the laundry machine.

On hands and knees a slither along the floor to avoid the criss-crossing laser detection beams blocking my way to the big prize, the washer. Next time, I will drop in a harness from the ceiling with a flashlight but this time it is gymnastics that will get me through.

I debate turning on the light in the laundry room but after a moment's hesitation I realize I can't see the settings in the dark. That light draws snoopy hausfrau like a moth to the flame. Anything longer than 45 seconds and she knows someone may have left the light on for the long haul and there goes 0.0003 CHF for everyone in the building. But she is a patient one. And she will wait. Until they come back. I know.

With the double violation of after hours washing and using electricity at night, I am very careful to turn off the light as I bolt down the hall, dash into my apartment and lock the door. Slowly my heart rate comes down and I try to relax until it is time to collect the clothes from the dryer. For now, victory is mine!!

Stay tuned for the next adventure of After Hours Washer Woman!

Posted from Basel

Rededicated

Tonight, instead of joining the others from work to see the musical Bollywood, I had my third first German lesson.

First round was with the Goethe Institute in DC. Loved the class, the pace, and the teacher. I went twice a week for a few months. When the class ended I took a break because my future need for German was uncertain.

Second round was with Inlingua in Basel. Everyone in the class had fear of commitment and we never established a good pace. I had trouble making all of the classes myself due to my travel schedule. Progress was slow. When the class ended I took a break because I didn't want to speak German anymore.

Tonight I started lessons with a private tutor. He comes to the office and we work at my pace for an hour and a half each week after work. If I have to be out of town I don't pay and we just pick up where we left off when I get back.

Tonight he did an informal placement test. We skipped around through the topics to see how much I could do already. I like that we have a text and a workbook, that he explains grammar in English, that he assigns homework and that there is structure to the approach - much like language lessons in a classroom. On the other hand, we can speed up and slow down without anyone else to consider and have the flexibility to go off topic when I want to. I'll give it a few weeks but this seems promising.

I hope third time's the charm!

Posted from Basel