I really love television.
I loved it before I moved abroad but recently I realized how much deeper my love has grown in light of the expat experience. Don't get me wrong, I still think books do more for my brain and thanks to at least an hour on subways per day I go through many a Bildungsroman (German word!) but this post sings the prises of the boob tube.
Telvsion DVDs are life boats for ex-pats, especially ones like me who just can't handle watching "Two and a Half Men" dubbed in German. Erik agrees and so luckily I've had a partner in crime. Since January we've watched:
Heroes: Season 1
Veronica Mars: Season 1
Mad Men: Season 1
Entourage: Seasons 1 and 2
Californication: Season 1
24: Season 6
Clearly the winner here is Mad Men, and thanks to itunes we can purchase season 2's episode each week. The writing, the ad campaigns, the style, that horribly sad moment when Peggy tries to do the Twist with Pete... this show can't be beat. Others were less than stellar, including Heroes (screw the cheerleader) and Entourage Season 1.
Should I be embarrassed that this is pushing 100 hours of TV?
No, I live in Germany for gosh sake's. What else am I supposed to do?
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Obama ist gekommen
The Obama speech just happened, and the political pundits are doing the analysis on German N24, our CNN.
200,000 people stood in the Tiergarten between the Siegesaeule (the gold tower under which Obama stood) and the Bradenberg Gate. Obama came on after about 15 minutes of "Yes We Can!" chants and then began his 35 minute speech. It was the largest crowd Obama has every spoken in front of.
The Germans were spilling the purple Kool-Aid all over themselves.
And why not? Obama came out like "ein Popsuperstar" and managed to be both thoroughly fawning ("If any city knows hope... it's Berlin") and stars-and-stripey (thanks for the Wikihistory of the Airlift!) He laid the foundation for asking for more troops in Afghanistan, then softened the blow with a call to end nuclear weaponry. He even managed to squeeze in a future reference about Iran and get cheers..... largely because the comment was sandwiched in between laments over melting ice caps. The speech was full of these one-two sweet contradictions and through it all the crowd cheered at appropriate pauses. Over and over again Obama kept bringing up the friendship between America and Europe, the friendship, nay, partnership that began in our fair Hauptstadt.
But still, I would be a liar if I didn't say I thought that speech was cool, and even more cool because it was in a city that defines cool, that manages to be hip and sad at the same time (hip+sad= cool). And Obama is certainly the coolest man we've ever had run for president: According to my latest perusing of people.com, he's taking his daughter to see "WALL-E" for her birthday. That's pretty cool.
I still may be protesting no thirst when the paper cup is passed my way, but I won't deny coolness. Besides, McCain recently admitted that he won't use e-mail. Brother is old, and if there's one thing America has taught the world: Old is not cool.
200,000 people stood in the Tiergarten between the Siegesaeule (the gold tower under which Obama stood) and the Bradenberg Gate. Obama came on after about 15 minutes of "Yes We Can!" chants and then began his 35 minute speech. It was the largest crowd Obama has every spoken in front of.
The Germans were spilling the purple Kool-Aid all over themselves.
And why not? Obama came out like "ein Popsuperstar" and managed to be both thoroughly fawning ("If any city knows hope... it's Berlin") and stars-and-stripey (thanks for the Wikihistory of the Airlift!) He laid the foundation for asking for more troops in Afghanistan, then softened the blow with a call to end nuclear weaponry. He even managed to squeeze in a future reference about Iran and get cheers..... largely because the comment was sandwiched in between laments over melting ice caps. The speech was full of these one-two sweet contradictions and through it all the crowd cheered at appropriate pauses. Over and over again Obama kept bringing up the friendship between America and Europe, the friendship, nay, partnership that began in our fair Hauptstadt.
But still, I would be a liar if I didn't say I thought that speech was cool, and even more cool because it was in a city that defines cool, that manages to be hip and sad at the same time (hip+sad= cool). And Obama is certainly the coolest man we've ever had run for president: According to my latest perusing of people.com, he's taking his daughter to see "WALL-E" for her birthday. That's pretty cool.
I still may be protesting no thirst when the paper cup is passed my way, but I won't deny coolness. Besides, McCain recently admitted that he won't use e-mail. Brother is old, and if there's one thing America has taught the world: Old is not cool.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Amsterdam
Sorry for the delay in blogging, but I was in Amsterdam this last week with my friend Courtney.
I had always wanted to go to Amsterdam because it used to be the traditional NWA portal into Europe, and I often wished I could get out at Schipol and go see the city when flights were delayed. Courtney and I took the train this time, and it is only about a 4 hour trip, with a transfer in Cologne, to the capital of the Netherlands.
The Dutch are an amazingly friendly and happy people, and most stereotypes about them prove pleasantly true: They are prodigious bike riders. They are tall, blond, and most embody the quality of being "ruddy-cheeked." They like cheese and beer. They speak better English than the characters on The Hills.
In all, they were friendly hosts, and far from feeling like I was in some moral danger zone, I felt like I was in Europe's most water-drenched, un-bombed, gem of a city.
It rained most our trip, but, aside from an obligatory canal boat ride, most Amsterdam activities can be done in doors. The Van Gogh museum and the Anne Frank House were amazing. The entrance line at the Frank house wraps around the block consistently, so any visitor has to wait an hour minimum-- but it's worth it. The building is haunting but subtle, and really moving. We especially enjoyed the excited preteens (many Amis) roaming the premises with a keen interest, surely developed after a recent reading of The Diary of a Young Girl. The Van Gogh museum meets expectations, and I learned that Vincent shot himself in the chest! What? I always thought he died of consumption/syphilis! Did other people know this?
We wanted to go on the Heineken brewery tour, but they were renovating, so instead we capitalized on a dry two hour block to board the "Lover's" boat tour. Oddly named, but fun. I am a sucker for any and all boat tours, especially when they show me weird things, like these hooks that Amsterdaminan row houses have on the top window to hoist furniture into the steep buildings. I love those tidbits.
Besides sight-seeing, Courtney and I enjoyed the food and drink of the city. Amsterdam is a pancake city, and we had both sweet and savory for non-breakfast meals. We also had little pancakes coated in a magic butter and sugar sauce. They are called Poffertijes, and they are probably laced with heroin.
And finally: We discovered the best bar on earth. Seriously, the bartenders tell you exactly what to drink, they only carry Belgium and Dutch beers on tap (over 200 types in bottle) and they serve your drinks with Dutch cheese. I can't even begin to share how cool this place is, but here is the website.
http://www.cafegollem.nl/
I had always wanted to go to Amsterdam because it used to be the traditional NWA portal into Europe, and I often wished I could get out at Schipol and go see the city when flights were delayed. Courtney and I took the train this time, and it is only about a 4 hour trip, with a transfer in Cologne, to the capital of the Netherlands.
The Dutch are an amazingly friendly and happy people, and most stereotypes about them prove pleasantly true: They are prodigious bike riders. They are tall, blond, and most embody the quality of being "ruddy-cheeked." They like cheese and beer. They speak better English than the characters on The Hills.
In all, they were friendly hosts, and far from feeling like I was in some moral danger zone, I felt like I was in Europe's most water-drenched, un-bombed, gem of a city.
It rained most our trip, but, aside from an obligatory canal boat ride, most Amsterdam activities can be done in doors. The Van Gogh museum and the Anne Frank House were amazing. The entrance line at the Frank house wraps around the block consistently, so any visitor has to wait an hour minimum-- but it's worth it. The building is haunting but subtle, and really moving. We especially enjoyed the excited preteens (many Amis) roaming the premises with a keen interest, surely developed after a recent reading of The Diary of a Young Girl. The Van Gogh museum meets expectations, and I learned that Vincent shot himself in the chest! What? I always thought he died of consumption/syphilis! Did other people know this?
We wanted to go on the Heineken brewery tour, but they were renovating, so instead we capitalized on a dry two hour block to board the "Lover's" boat tour. Oddly named, but fun. I am a sucker for any and all boat tours, especially when they show me weird things, like these hooks that Amsterdaminan row houses have on the top window to hoist furniture into the steep buildings. I love those tidbits.
Besides sight-seeing, Courtney and I enjoyed the food and drink of the city. Amsterdam is a pancake city, and we had both sweet and savory for non-breakfast meals. We also had little pancakes coated in a magic butter and sugar sauce. They are called Poffertijes, and they are probably laced with heroin.
And finally: We discovered the best bar on earth. Seriously, the bartenders tell you exactly what to drink, they only carry Belgium and Dutch beers on tap (over 200 types in bottle) and they serve your drinks with Dutch cheese. I can't even begin to share how cool this place is, but here is the website.
http://www.cafegollem.nl/
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Obama ist mein Fuehrer
This was a t-shirt I saw the other day walking down the Fressgasse. A large German man was stretching the cotton to unseemly proportions but there it was: Obama's face with the phrase "Obama is my leader" emblazoned under it.
The Germans (and most Europeans) began their love affair with "Der Schwarze Kennedy" (the black Kennedy) almost a year ago, and many of my students brought up Obama's upcoming campaign stop to the Fatherland in class this week.
If I were a German, I would have a little resentment towards Obama's campaign bringing its "Yes we can!" patriotism to my country (Obama will be in Berlin on the 24th). I get the whole global village idea but don't Germans see the brassy attitude displayed in this visit? Obama is saying, "Hey Deutschland, pay attention because I may be the president in a few months and we all know your lives are dictated by that possibility." It's a little brash. But what's even more brash is Obama's presumptive choice of speech locale: the Bradenberg Gate. Long a symbol of the Cold War and made famous by Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, take down this wall bit" in 1987, the Gate is arguably the most important public space in Germany. So why do our candidates get to make stump speeches there? Isn't this event, with its pomp, publicity, and sound exactly what they don't like about us?
Some Germans, like Angie, agree with me. But others raise an interesting counter-argument: America helped save Berlin, so the Gate is as much our symbol as anyone else's. What's interesting is that this pro-America argument is coming from the left... would they be so willing to lend the candidate their backdrop if he was associated with "Mr Bush?" It's also coming from Berlin's mayor, a man who looks at a very poor, underpopulated city and probably sees Obama's visit as a ka-ching, ka-ching photo op.
I asked my students their opinions and they welcomed the use of the Gate. Again, they said that it's hard for them not to see Berlin as a proxy American city, so why not? Plus, they said, Obama is so young. And his wife is so stunning. And he has two little girls. And, he's not Bush. They've got a crush on Obama.
In Other Berlin-Ami news, the new American embassy opened up on July, 4. George Bush Sr. (who the Germans like), was in attendance. The embassy is located right next to the Gate, in the most prime real estate in the city: 100 yards away from the Reichstag, 50 feet from the former wall, 100 feet from the Murdered Jews monument, and half a block away from that hotel where MJ dangled his baby.
Read this article about Obama in Deutschland:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3473664,00.html
The Germans (and most Europeans) began their love affair with "Der Schwarze Kennedy" (the black Kennedy) almost a year ago, and many of my students brought up Obama's upcoming campaign stop to the Fatherland in class this week.
If I were a German, I would have a little resentment towards Obama's campaign bringing its "Yes we can!" patriotism to my country (Obama will be in Berlin on the 24th). I get the whole global village idea but don't Germans see the brassy attitude displayed in this visit? Obama is saying, "Hey Deutschland, pay attention because I may be the president in a few months and we all know your lives are dictated by that possibility." It's a little brash. But what's even more brash is Obama's presumptive choice of speech locale: the Bradenberg Gate. Long a symbol of the Cold War and made famous by Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, take down this wall bit" in 1987, the Gate is arguably the most important public space in Germany. So why do our candidates get to make stump speeches there? Isn't this event, with its pomp, publicity, and sound exactly what they don't like about us?
Some Germans, like Angie, agree with me. But others raise an interesting counter-argument: America helped save Berlin, so the Gate is as much our symbol as anyone else's. What's interesting is that this pro-America argument is coming from the left... would they be so willing to lend the candidate their backdrop if he was associated with "Mr Bush?" It's also coming from Berlin's mayor, a man who looks at a very poor, underpopulated city and probably sees Obama's visit as a ka-ching, ka-ching photo op.
I asked my students their opinions and they welcomed the use of the Gate. Again, they said that it's hard for them not to see Berlin as a proxy American city, so why not? Plus, they said, Obama is so young. And his wife is so stunning. And he has two little girls. And, he's not Bush. They've got a crush on Obama.
In Other Berlin-Ami news, the new American embassy opened up on July, 4. George Bush Sr. (who the Germans like), was in attendance. The embassy is located right next to the Gate, in the most prime real estate in the city: 100 yards away from the Reichstag, 50 feet from the former wall, 100 feet from the Murdered Jews monument, and half a block away from that hotel where MJ dangled his baby.
Read this article about Obama in Deutschland:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3473664,00.html
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Mistaken Identity
Even though soccer ended last week I can't get over how much the Portugal coach looked like Gene Hackman. In fact, I think it was Hackman, "Hoosiers" style.
Happy 4th of July!
Nothing is more depressing than celebrating a national holiday in a foreign land.
Yesterday was the 4th of July and even though I made all my students learn holiday vocab ("parade," "sparklers," "stars and stripes") no one was really excited. The Germans aren't too big on national holidays and understandably so: Their country day is Oct. 3, Reunification Day of East and West. Too bad Reunification didn't actually happen on Oct. 3. Most argue that Reunification day is Nov. 9, 1989 when the Wall came down. But Nov. 9, 1938 was Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass when Nazis attacked synagogues and Jewish businesses...so, Oct. 3 it is.
This week has been major for our lives here in Germany. I got permission/acceptance to become a Gaststudentin at the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Univeristaet starting next semester! I will be taking Master's seminars in Americanistik and I even have an academic adviser named Bernd. Bernd rocks. He's obsessed with the idea of American space and the Western frontier. I went in for a meeting with him and he had sickeningly good English. Granted, he lived in Boston for 4 years, but he actually said stuff like "No problemo," and "Man, hot enough for you?"
We also found a perfect new apartment, with.... drumroll... an OVEN! It's also in a much better neighborhood, Sachsenhausen, and it's in a pre-war Altbau house. And it has a bay window. I can't get too excited since we still have to get approved by the landlords but I am jazzed for the potential move.
While Courtney and I were at our regular quiz pub on Thursday evening something sweet happened, and I guess it sort of embodied the spirit of Independence Day one day early. We were sitting and a group of Germans started talking to us. A woman at the table asked where we were from and when we said Minnesota she exclaimed, "I knew it!" Turns out, she spent 1986-87 living in Hastings, and she said our accents made her "feel at home," which is just about the nicest complimet you can give a person. Then, she started talking about her Homer Hanky and Kirby Puckett. It is a small, America-dominated world after all.
Yesterday was the 4th of July and even though I made all my students learn holiday vocab ("parade," "sparklers," "stars and stripes") no one was really excited. The Germans aren't too big on national holidays and understandably so: Their country day is Oct. 3, Reunification Day of East and West. Too bad Reunification didn't actually happen on Oct. 3. Most argue that Reunification day is Nov. 9, 1989 when the Wall came down. But Nov. 9, 1938 was Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass when Nazis attacked synagogues and Jewish businesses...so, Oct. 3 it is.
This week has been major for our lives here in Germany. I got permission/acceptance to become a Gaststudentin at the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Univeristaet starting next semester! I will be taking Master's seminars in Americanistik and I even have an academic adviser named Bernd. Bernd rocks. He's obsessed with the idea of American space and the Western frontier. I went in for a meeting with him and he had sickeningly good English. Granted, he lived in Boston for 4 years, but he actually said stuff like "No problemo," and "Man, hot enough for you?"
We also found a perfect new apartment, with.... drumroll... an OVEN! It's also in a much better neighborhood, Sachsenhausen, and it's in a pre-war Altbau house. And it has a bay window. I can't get too excited since we still have to get approved by the landlords but I am jazzed for the potential move.
While Courtney and I were at our regular quiz pub on Thursday evening something sweet happened, and I guess it sort of embodied the spirit of Independence Day one day early. We were sitting and a group of Germans started talking to us. A woman at the table asked where we were from and when we said Minnesota she exclaimed, "I knew it!" Turns out, she spent 1986-87 living in Hastings, and she said our accents made her "feel at home," which is just about the nicest complimet you can give a person. Then, she started talking about her Homer Hanky and Kirby Puckett. It is a small, America-dominated world after all.
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