You can just watch ANY music video you can think of!
http://www.mtvmusic.com
Does everyone already know about this? Am I really behind on youth culture?
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
It's in my backyard!
So I guess Hessen's own Frankenstein's Burg (the castle that inspired Mary Shelley) is making some North American news agencies.
http://www.nbc13.com/vtm/news/local/article/spending_halloween_in_frankensteins_castle/43499/
Yawn.
Any Hessischerin worth her weight in Applewein knows that this castle just south of Darmstadt (maybe 50 minutes south of the 'Furt) is the place to be for Halloween on mainland Europe. Make that the only place to be. Halloween is not big here. I don't know if I will have the opportunity to break out my beloved cat ears.* I chalk up Germans' chilly embrace of Halloween to their literalism. Germans have a very low tolerance for fancy, and even less for children knocking on their doors after sundown. Ja, ja, ja, I know that Halloween is an American export and many students and peers have pointed out that it's a holiday created by candy companies, but who cares? It's one of America's better exports, and traditions, if you ask me, and commercialism doesn't bother me so much when it culminates in a Funsize Twix or a Mylar balloon with the the word "Spooky" written on it.
I have had the weirdest work week, which I'm chalking up to the crazy global vibes of the election/the financial crisis/my proximity to Frankenstein's house. Students have been revealing things to me that make me very nervous, and I am just not sure how to respond:
-Today a male student told me that his children (let's be real, he said "childs" because he can't nail down that irregular plural) were miracles. I nodded and said, "I know, children ARE miracles." But then he went into a very detailed account of his fertility problems, including how he got nervous when he had to "Make it in [the] cup with the hardcore."
- On Tuesday a man whom I always thought was German revealed to me that he was in fact Peruvian, born to Estonian parents, and educated in a Swiss boarding school.I never thought him glamorous, and now I can't help thinking he's a spy. I don't trust him anymore.
- Those were actually the only two things, but I thought they were pretty weird, and deserved a mention on this Godforsaken blog.
* My cat ears are an integral part of the costume I have worn most for Halloween, "Black Cat." I love the simplicity of a few black eyeliner whiskers, a headband with ears, and a black turtleneck with jeans. This costume illustrates both my lack of ingenuity and my belief that black cats and I share a similar fashion sense.
http://www.nbc13.com/vtm/news/local/article/spending_halloween_in_frankensteins_castle/43499/
Yawn.
Any Hessischerin worth her weight in Applewein knows that this castle just south of Darmstadt (maybe 50 minutes south of the 'Furt) is the place to be for Halloween on mainland Europe. Make that the only place to be. Halloween is not big here. I don't know if I will have the opportunity to break out my beloved cat ears.* I chalk up Germans' chilly embrace of Halloween to their literalism. Germans have a very low tolerance for fancy, and even less for children knocking on their doors after sundown. Ja, ja, ja, I know that Halloween is an American export and many students and peers have pointed out that it's a holiday created by candy companies, but who cares? It's one of America's better exports, and traditions, if you ask me, and commercialism doesn't bother me so much when it culminates in a Funsize Twix or a Mylar balloon with the the word "Spooky" written on it.
I have had the weirdest work week, which I'm chalking up to the crazy global vibes of the election/the financial crisis/my proximity to Frankenstein's house. Students have been revealing things to me that make me very nervous, and I am just not sure how to respond:
-Today a male student told me that his children (let's be real, he said "childs" because he can't nail down that irregular plural) were miracles. I nodded and said, "I know, children ARE miracles." But then he went into a very detailed account of his fertility problems, including how he got nervous when he had to "Make it in [the] cup with the hardcore."
- On Tuesday a man whom I always thought was German revealed to me that he was in fact Peruvian, born to Estonian parents, and educated in a Swiss boarding school.I never thought him glamorous, and now I can't help thinking he's a spy. I don't trust him anymore.
- Those were actually the only two things, but I thought they were pretty weird, and deserved a mention on this Godforsaken blog.
* My cat ears are an integral part of the costume I have worn most for Halloween, "Black Cat." I love the simplicity of a few black eyeliner whiskers, a headband with ears, and a black turtleneck with jeans. This costume illustrates both my lack of ingenuity and my belief that black cats and I share a similar fashion sense.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Germany: Where kids can look at porn
Sorry for the delay but between working (almost) full-time and going to school, I've neglected my blog. Fortunately, I have a group of students ending this week so I will have 180 more free minutes starting Wednesday... I will use this free time to blog. Or bake cookies. Or, let's be real, read fashion blogs and watch the Sarah Palin rap for the 17th time.
On Tuesday I was taking the subway to my crime fiction class where we just read Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue." My fellow students are old! At least 30! And they all smoke and wear real trench coats. Needless to say, I felt pretty intimidated during the first two lectures until one girl (woman, actually) asked me to do a co-presentation with her on prison imagery in fiction. I am so desperate for acquaintances and/or peers I actually said yes. Anyway, I was on the subway and noticed an old man reading Bild, the number one picture-packed newspaper in Germany. It's like USA Today with boobs. Boobs, boobs, boobs. Everyday the paper features a naked lady on the bottom front page, except on Sundays when she's inside on page 3. So this guy was reading and there was this 19 year-old Brigitte with her rack out when a group of about 15 fourth-graders got on. They crowded in, sat next to the man, and the boys immediately began to crack up. And it wasn't just laughing, it was a rolling on the floor of the dirty subway, gasping for air annoying but cute display. The best part was that the teachers started laughing too. Then the girls pretended to not know what was going on. It was so refreshing. I was glad to see that German 10 year-olds laughed uncontrollably about nudity and sexuality. They deal with the shame of nudity like the rest of us. That's how it should be. I was thinking that in this culture, with it's nude newspapers would have produced a generation of progressives, but not so.
On Tuesday I was taking the subway to my crime fiction class where we just read Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue." My fellow students are old! At least 30! And they all smoke and wear real trench coats. Needless to say, I felt pretty intimidated during the first two lectures until one girl (woman, actually) asked me to do a co-presentation with her on prison imagery in fiction. I am so desperate for acquaintances and/or peers I actually said yes. Anyway, I was on the subway and noticed an old man reading Bild, the number one picture-packed newspaper in Germany. It's like USA Today with boobs. Boobs, boobs, boobs. Everyday the paper features a naked lady on the bottom front page, except on Sundays when she's inside on page 3. So this guy was reading and there was this 19 year-old Brigitte with her rack out when a group of about 15 fourth-graders got on. They crowded in, sat next to the man, and the boys immediately began to crack up. And it wasn't just laughing, it was a rolling on the floor of the dirty subway, gasping for air annoying but cute display. The best part was that the teachers started laughing too. Then the girls pretended to not know what was going on. It was so refreshing. I was glad to see that German 10 year-olds laughed uncontrollably about nudity and sexuality. They deal with the shame of nudity like the rest of us. That's how it should be. I was thinking that in this culture, with it's nude newspapers would have produced a generation of progressives, but not so.
Monday, October 13, 2008
12 reasons they still love us
So the FAZ, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Frankfurt Daily Paper) had a big article on America in their weekend "Culture" edition. The FAZ is a bit like the NYT of Germany (full discretion: Also E's employer) and they usually have very good, thoughtful coverage of current issues. I can't understand the advanced German in the paper, but I look at the pictures and illustrations.
This Sunday the Culture section was called "We Love America." In the subhead that followed, the editorial staff wrote that even though the USA may have ruined the world economy, they still love the States and admire them. Wow, I thought, how bold. Then they gave the 12 reasons they still loved us. The reasons are a mix of the total obvious (Rock music? No shit.) and completely hilarious German observations.
Here's the list:
1. TV Series. They mention "Frasier" and "Malcom in the Middle" as their top pics. Ouch germany, ouch.
2. Mode (Fashion). Here they mention Jackie O., Michelle Obama, and Marc Jacobs.
3. Rockmusik. It's all about Bob Dylan.
4. Kinderliebe (Americans love children). This is my favorite, because the editors claim that children in America are treated like Kings and Queens. Their proof? The existence of Kid's menus at restaurants.
5. Universitaeten: We have some of the best research institutes, especially medical in the world.
6. Freundlichkeit (Friendliness): Also funny, they claim Americans are friendly because they ask everyone, the shop keeper, the waiter, even their employee, "how are you?" Hey Germany, this is just called being decent.
7. Basketball: Deutschland hoops it up.
8. Indian Summer: And our entire New England landscape they have from movies.
9. New York City: "Es ist hip geworden." It was where hip was born.
10. Debattenkultur (Debating): They love that we actually "still" do this.
11. Kino (Cinema): They ruin this entry by saying the best moment in US film history is Julia Roberts in her red Opera dress in "Pretty Woman."
12. Literatur: In defense against that (French?) guy who said an American author does not deserve the Nobel Prize.
I love how unironic Germans are. And now that they mention it, there are no Kid's menus here! Maybe this is part of the birth rate problem!
This Sunday the Culture section was called "We Love America." In the subhead that followed, the editorial staff wrote that even though the USA may have ruined the world economy, they still love the States and admire them. Wow, I thought, how bold. Then they gave the 12 reasons they still loved us. The reasons are a mix of the total obvious (Rock music? No shit.) and completely hilarious German observations.
Here's the list:
1. TV Series. They mention "Frasier" and "Malcom in the Middle" as their top pics. Ouch germany, ouch.
2. Mode (Fashion). Here they mention Jackie O., Michelle Obama, and Marc Jacobs.
3. Rockmusik. It's all about Bob Dylan.
4. Kinderliebe (Americans love children). This is my favorite, because the editors claim that children in America are treated like Kings and Queens. Their proof? The existence of Kid's menus at restaurants.
5. Universitaeten: We have some of the best research institutes, especially medical in the world.
6. Freundlichkeit (Friendliness): Also funny, they claim Americans are friendly because they ask everyone, the shop keeper, the waiter, even their employee, "how are you?" Hey Germany, this is just called being decent.
7. Basketball: Deutschland hoops it up.
8. Indian Summer: And our entire New England landscape they have from movies.
9. New York City: "Es ist hip geworden." It was where hip was born.
10. Debattenkultur (Debating): They love that we actually "still" do this.
11. Kino (Cinema): They ruin this entry by saying the best moment in US film history is Julia Roberts in her red Opera dress in "Pretty Woman."
12. Literatur: In defense against that (French?) guy who said an American author does not deserve the Nobel Prize.
I love how unironic Germans are. And now that they mention it, there are no Kid's menus here! Maybe this is part of the birth rate problem!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
I have no pride
If you ever live abroad in a country where you don't really know the language, you will quickly lose any semblance of the pride or dignity you once possessed. If you don't give up your pride, you're subject to daily humiliation. When I first came here, I could barley introduce myself, let alone read German. Thus I walking into doors labeled "out," I was asked to move check-out lines because I had more than 5 items, etc. But even the past 9 months of letting go of shame did not prepare me for Sunday afternoon... when I got kicked out of a McDonald's.
How trashy do you have to be to get kicked out of a McDonald's? McDonald's, the one place in Europe where I could always count on fast service and the footwear-less presence of junkies. McDonald's is like my little American embassy: Visited rarely, in times of extreme desperation.
I was there Sunday using the t-mobile HotSpot WiFi. I had a Happy Meal, a speedy connection to cnn.com, and I was just youtubing some SNL clips when an angry manager approached me, hands waving.
"Geht Raus!"
I thought, "Hey! I understand this guy! :)" I know that means go away, or get outside, because that's what my student's say when there is a bee in the classroom. Then is hit me, he was shooing at me.. A man in Germany was shooing me, a paying AMERICAN customer out of his establishment. I felt the eyes of small children turn to me, and I was too embarrassed to respond. But if I had, I probably would have made a grammatical mistake.
How trashy do you have to be to get kicked out of a McDonald's? McDonald's, the one place in Europe where I could always count on fast service and the footwear-less presence of junkies. McDonald's is like my little American embassy: Visited rarely, in times of extreme desperation.
I was there Sunday using the t-mobile HotSpot WiFi. I had a Happy Meal, a speedy connection to cnn.com, and I was just youtubing some SNL clips when an angry manager approached me, hands waving.
"Geht Raus!"
I thought, "Hey! I understand this guy! :)" I know that means go away, or get outside, because that's what my student's say when there is a bee in the classroom. Then is hit me, he was shooing at me.. A man in Germany was shooing me, a paying AMERICAN customer out of his establishment. I felt the eyes of small children turn to me, and I was too embarrassed to respond. But if I had, I probably would have made a grammatical mistake.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Moving trials and tribulations
So we've moved into the much more centrally located, well-cafe-ed area of Sachsenhausen. I would have blogged earlier and posted pictures of our glorious oven, but of course our internet and phone have not yet been connected.
I really think that Americans win when it comes to efficiency in the service industry. If I pay (or E pays) for a service as necessary as a telephone, it should be set up without the prodding of a dozen phone calls and a two-week waiting period. E tells me I am being an impatient American, but really, ask any ex-pat and they'll tell you that without internet they'd be fashioning a noose out of that super sticky IKEA tape that has piled up in any neue Whonung corner. Also, German TV is just not covering the news stories I need. Political upheavals in Bavaria don't do much for me.
The move took place Sunday and Monday. We rented a molester van and also had some new furniture delivered by IKEA on Tuesday. We painted the new place, which is high-ceilinged and sunny, then began unpacking the boxes. Luckily we have big clothes wardrobes so our clothes hanging no longer takes place on free-standing rods. We also have a very sharp Expedit bookshelf that also serves as room divider. We're still working on putting the place together but at least E has put up the bathroom light and assembled everything.
While he works with his newly acquired power drill (is that what that's called?) I have been playing with oven. Things I have made, and subsequently eaten: Coconut and Cranberrry Oat Bars, Blondies, Yogurt Scones, Bean Boulangerie and stuffed peppers. Baking supplies are different here: Baking powder comes only in individual packets as does vanilla extract. Brown sugar is not hard-packed and they do not sell disposable pie tins. Today I attempt cookies.
I start school on Tuesday. My first class is on violence in the American novel. I think the first assigned book is Blood Meridian. Today there is no work. It's Oct. 3, German Day of Reunification, or Einheit. Everything is closed (I can use WiFi at Starbucks or McDonald's) but the day is sleepy. It's not like Bastille Day or 4th of July. Germans don't have any attachment to this specific date and both Ost and West question the Einheit, even as we're approaching the 20 year mark next year.
Here;s some links about our new neighborhood (we live on Textorstrasse) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachsenhausen_(Frankfurt_am_Main
http://www.frankfurt360.de/sachsenhausen-e.htm
I really think that Americans win when it comes to efficiency in the service industry. If I pay (or E pays) for a service as necessary as a telephone, it should be set up without the prodding of a dozen phone calls and a two-week waiting period. E tells me I am being an impatient American, but really, ask any ex-pat and they'll tell you that without internet they'd be fashioning a noose out of that super sticky IKEA tape that has piled up in any neue Whonung corner. Also, German TV is just not covering the news stories I need. Political upheavals in Bavaria don't do much for me.
The move took place Sunday and Monday. We rented a molester van and also had some new furniture delivered by IKEA on Tuesday. We painted the new place, which is high-ceilinged and sunny, then began unpacking the boxes. Luckily we have big clothes wardrobes so our clothes hanging no longer takes place on free-standing rods. We also have a very sharp Expedit bookshelf that also serves as room divider. We're still working on putting the place together but at least E has put up the bathroom light and assembled everything.
While he works with his newly acquired power drill (is that what that's called?) I have been playing with oven. Things I have made, and subsequently eaten: Coconut and Cranberrry Oat Bars, Blondies, Yogurt Scones, Bean Boulangerie and stuffed peppers. Baking supplies are different here: Baking powder comes only in individual packets as does vanilla extract. Brown sugar is not hard-packed and they do not sell disposable pie tins. Today I attempt cookies.
I start school on Tuesday. My first class is on violence in the American novel. I think the first assigned book is Blood Meridian. Today there is no work. It's Oct. 3, German Day of Reunification, or Einheit. Everything is closed (I can use WiFi at Starbucks or McDonald's) but the day is sleepy. It's not like Bastille Day or 4th of July. Germans don't have any attachment to this specific date and both Ost and West question the Einheit, even as we're approaching the 20 year mark next year.
Here;s some links about our new neighborhood (we live on Textorstrasse) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachsenhausen_(Frankfurt_am_Main
http://www.frankfurt360.de/sachsenhausen-e.htm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)