By Sunday, December 19, I couldn't wait to get out of Salzburg. I was meeting with Christine, Ingo, and the kids, and I just couldn't wait. I took the train to a small town in Bavaria near the border, where I was to meet them. Being American, I had about 8 Euros in change in my pocket-not much cash. Luckily I was able to pay for my train ticket and get to an ATM upon arrival. But anyway...
The family went sledding in the mountains. I love sledding, but I was frightened by the mountains and decided to wait for them down on the ground, where it was safe-haha. After they finally got back, we walked into town to look at the Christmas Market. Christmas music playing, Glühwein and craft stands abound, it is always a treat to visit one of these traditional markets. We also went out for coffee and I got my usual latte machiatto. I don't want to know how much money I spend on those things. A fancy coffee machine would probably be a good investment for me. I saw the cutest Espresso machine at Tchibo that was calling my name the other day-sogar in PINK! ;) But at 100 Euro... It was either cut my hair or buy that, and I need a hair cut.
Back to Dec. 19...after that I drove back to their house with them and slept there. It was a nice evening, wine and one of the dumbest movies I have ever seen. Just think of a geeky German man wearing outdated clothes and saying things like, "Tschüssi," and you will get the idea... The film was definitely good for a laugh.
The next morning I headed from Augsburg to Goslar, which is supposedly a 5 hour train ride. But try telling that to the Deutsche Bahn (German train company). Due to the weather and numerous delays, I ended up getting to my destination about 4 hours later than expected. But the journey along the way was priceless. First, when I went to switch trains in Göttingen, I saw a notice that my train wasn't going to be stopping in Hildesheim (my stop-of course). So I had to get out at the stop before. As we were delayed by a few minutes, the next train that was sup. to wait for us didn't. So I ended up at the Hannover Messe (where they hold conventions) train station for 2 hours. Our train kept getting delayed, so I was out there in the freezing cold, commiserating with other people that were just as pissed off as I was. It was especially enjoyable when an announcement came on every few minutes saying, "Attention, a high speed train is coming. Please watch out." And a train would whoosh by, blowing wind (and lots of snow) in our faces. When our train did come, it quickly took us to Hildesheim, where I was sup. to change trains again. I was starving by the time I got there, and I decided that, although I only had 6 minutes before my next train was scheduled to leave, I would run downstairs and grab a roll or something. I did, and I quickly ran back up the stairs to try and catch my train. I got there in time to watch the train pull away. Perfect. Well, at least the next train was scheduled to leave in an hour, right? And of course that one was delayed by about an hour, too. Perfect. When I went to get on the train I heard a familiar voice say, "Can I help you, miss?" Then I realized it was my host dad. He had been working nearby and was taking the train back to Goslar too. So he and I passed the time talking in what was a very dark train ride (the lights were out for most of the ride). Finally we were able to get to Goslar and get the bus to Hahnenklee, where their house is.
And that is where I will end for this evening :)
Love, Molly
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Christmas Spirit
Celebrating Christmas with another family has been a good experience. It has allowed me to appreciate my own traditions, and to experience different ones. I have also developed my own perspective on the Christmas season.
No one has to give you gifts. It doesn't matter if things are "even." And the gifts aren't what matter. Appreciate a gift when it is given to you, but don't expect it. No one "owes" you anything. Be thankful for what you have, and for the people in your life. Enjoy the spirit of the season, and spread the holiday cheer!
That said, I am so grateful for the people in my life. I miss my family and friends back in the states very much. However, I am also ever so thankful to the people that I have here in Germany. I had no idea that, 5 years after my first visit to Germany, I would have friends all over the country, and, the world.
So, this year, I am thankful for family and friends, rather than things. Money isn't much without people to share it with. I have everything I could ever need and want.
<3 Molly
No one has to give you gifts. It doesn't matter if things are "even." And the gifts aren't what matter. Appreciate a gift when it is given to you, but don't expect it. No one "owes" you anything. Be thankful for what you have, and for the people in your life. Enjoy the spirit of the season, and spread the holiday cheer!
That said, I am so grateful for the people in my life. I miss my family and friends back in the states very much. However, I am also ever so thankful to the people that I have here in Germany. I had no idea that, 5 years after my first visit to Germany, I would have friends all over the country, and, the world.
So, this year, I am thankful for family and friends, rather than things. Money isn't much without people to share it with. I have everything I could ever need and want.
<3 Molly
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
English as the Lingua Franca: Why it’s hard for Americans to learn other languages.
Lingua Franca: "any language that is widely used as a means of communication among speakers of other languages." (dictionary.com)
German for foreigners class: we are broken up into small groups to discuss the apparent decline in the Austrian educational system. The Italian girl in my group, searching for a word, gives up quickly and says it in English, “base.” Although I am the only native English speaker in the group, we nod and move on. It is clear that everyone understands. I mean everyone speaks English, right?
The other day I went to a Christmas party with a friend at the Salzburg FH, a trade school about 30 minutes outside the city. As the announcer (a student) gets onstage and grabs the mike, he says “Welcome to the FH Salzburg Christmas party!.” In English, yes. And then he proceeds to continue in German.
In the hall, waiting to go to a lecture, two girls who sounds as if they are from Eastern Europe, speak English with each other as they wait for the doors to open. Neither of them are native speakers. Perhaps they both speak German, but they choose to speak English with each other.
At a restaurant with some friends, we speak English to each other while waiting for the waiter to get to us, “Do you speak English?” he asks and smiles.
In the cafeteria, as the American students speak English amongst themselves, an older man turns to us and says, in English, “Could you please speak more quietly.”
On the bus, after hanging up with my mom, I proceed to stand up, as my stop is coming up. “Your bottle,” an older Austrian woman says. In…guess? English.
English: nearly everyone speaks it. For an American living or traveling in a country where they don’t speak the language this is a godsend. We are spoiled: we can get along nearly anyone without even having to learn a foreign language. For those of living or traveling in a country where we are trying to learn or practice speaking the local language, this can be a nightmare for Americans. More often than not, the locals want to practice English with the native speaker. Either that, or they hear the American struggling with the local language and try to help them out by speaking English. After all, that’s easier, right?
Those from other countries have, in my eyes, an advantage. The locals most likely can’t speak their local language (or at least not as many speak it as they do English), and they have to try to talk in the local tongue. Although, as I said, English has become the lingua franca, and perhaps they do end up speaking English with the local shopkeepers.
English is essentially destroying language learning. Quite depressing.
German for foreigners class: we are broken up into small groups to discuss the apparent decline in the Austrian educational system. The Italian girl in my group, searching for a word, gives up quickly and says it in English, “base.” Although I am the only native English speaker in the group, we nod and move on. It is clear that everyone understands. I mean everyone speaks English, right?
The other day I went to a Christmas party with a friend at the Salzburg FH, a trade school about 30 minutes outside the city. As the announcer (a student) gets onstage and grabs the mike, he says “Welcome to the FH Salzburg Christmas party!.” In English, yes. And then he proceeds to continue in German.
In the hall, waiting to go to a lecture, two girls who sounds as if they are from Eastern Europe, speak English with each other as they wait for the doors to open. Neither of them are native speakers. Perhaps they both speak German, but they choose to speak English with each other.
At a restaurant with some friends, we speak English to each other while waiting for the waiter to get to us, “Do you speak English?” he asks and smiles.
In the cafeteria, as the American students speak English amongst themselves, an older man turns to us and says, in English, “Could you please speak more quietly.”
On the bus, after hanging up with my mom, I proceed to stand up, as my stop is coming up. “Your bottle,” an older Austrian woman says. In…guess? English.
English: nearly everyone speaks it. For an American living or traveling in a country where they don’t speak the language this is a godsend. We are spoiled: we can get along nearly anyone without even having to learn a foreign language. For those of living or traveling in a country where we are trying to learn or practice speaking the local language, this can be a nightmare for Americans. More often than not, the locals want to practice English with the native speaker. Either that, or they hear the American struggling with the local language and try to help them out by speaking English. After all, that’s easier, right?
Those from other countries have, in my eyes, an advantage. The locals most likely can’t speak their local language (or at least not as many speak it as they do English), and they have to try to talk in the local tongue. Although, as I said, English has become the lingua franca, and perhaps they do end up speaking English with the local shopkeepers.
English is essentially destroying language learning. Quite depressing.
My 23rd Birthday: December 11th, 2010
I woke up a little before 11am to go and have breakfast with some friends from the program: Megan and Carlo, who live in my building, and Brittany and Chuck, who live in House Humboldt. We went to the Afro café and I had hot chocolate and waffles. Was delicious.
Then I relaxed and called my family before heading to the train station to pick up Susanne and her family. Together we went to the Christmas market, where we drank Glühwein and did a bit of shopping. After that we went up to the fortress. It is at the top of a mountain and has a beautiful view of the city. It was freezing, so we didn’t stay long. We headed to my street so that we could eat dinner at the Italian restaurant I had chosen. I’d been there a couple times and even gotten take-out there, but it had been a while. I knew that they served good carbonara, so I knew that was where I had to go for my birthday dinner.
When we got to the table I got to open my presents. They gave me American food that had been imported to Germany and was sold at a local grocery store. They said they didn’t want to feel homesick on my special day, which was very sweet of them. I also got an H & M gift card, one of my favorite stores. ☺ I was so glad they came. I almost felt like I was celebrating my birthday with family at home. They are very special to me and I appreciate them coming all the way to Salzburg just to spend a few hours with me.
In the evening my German friend Kerstin came over. She and I, along with Megan and Brittany, went bar hopping, which ended up being pretty fun. I’ve definitely discovered that the only beer I actually like is corona.
All In all, it was a really nice day. But I’m excited to celebrate with my family and friends back in the states next year!!
Then I relaxed and called my family before heading to the train station to pick up Susanne and her family. Together we went to the Christmas market, where we drank Glühwein and did a bit of shopping. After that we went up to the fortress. It is at the top of a mountain and has a beautiful view of the city. It was freezing, so we didn’t stay long. We headed to my street so that we could eat dinner at the Italian restaurant I had chosen. I’d been there a couple times and even gotten take-out there, but it had been a while. I knew that they served good carbonara, so I knew that was where I had to go for my birthday dinner.
When we got to the table I got to open my presents. They gave me American food that had been imported to Germany and was sold at a local grocery store. They said they didn’t want to feel homesick on my special day, which was very sweet of them. I also got an H & M gift card, one of my favorite stores. ☺ I was so glad they came. I almost felt like I was celebrating my birthday with family at home. They are very special to me and I appreciate them coming all the way to Salzburg just to spend a few hours with me.
In the evening my German friend Kerstin came over. She and I, along with Megan and Brittany, went bar hopping, which ended up being pretty fun. I’ve definitely discovered that the only beer I actually like is corona.
All In all, it was a really nice day. But I’m excited to celebrate with my family and friends back in the states next year!!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Annoyed
I am frustrated right now. I'm speaking too much English here. If it were up to me I would be speaking German the entire time I was here. Isn't that what we're here for, to improve our German?
-ahh!
-ahh!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Christmas
Christmas is, all too often, centered around gifts. Some people go into debt to try and get the people they love the gifts that they feel they need to give them. What about the true spirit of Christmas, and of all holidays?
Ask me what exactly I got for Christmas 2 years ago, and I couldn't tell you. But ask me about the people in my life, and I remember everything.
More than the gifts at Christmas, I remember the things people do for me all year long. I appreciate my mom bringing me a special lunch on my birthday to school every year as a kid, my dad watching Rodney Dangerfield with me, my grandparents spending time with me. My best friend for listening to me complain about boys or stress or anything I feel like.
A few years ago, a few close friends from college and I decided not to get each other gifts at all. None of us had the money and we decided, rather, to spend time with each other on our special days instead. I treasure the memories of birthdays spent in Canada, at the movies, at the bar, or at home.
This time of year makes me so thankful for the people in my life. They mean more to mean than anything in the world.
I love you all!
Ask me what exactly I got for Christmas 2 years ago, and I couldn't tell you. But ask me about the people in my life, and I remember everything.
More than the gifts at Christmas, I remember the things people do for me all year long. I appreciate my mom bringing me a special lunch on my birthday to school every year as a kid, my dad watching Rodney Dangerfield with me, my grandparents spending time with me. My best friend for listening to me complain about boys or stress or anything I feel like.
A few years ago, a few close friends from college and I decided not to get each other gifts at all. None of us had the money and we decided, rather, to spend time with each other on our special days instead. I treasure the memories of birthdays spent in Canada, at the movies, at the bar, or at home.
This time of year makes me so thankful for the people in my life. They mean more to mean than anything in the world.
I love you all!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Jerk
The other day, on the bus on the way to Europark, a mall in Salzburg, I was sitting next to a man who appeared to be in his late 60s. When an older woman, about 80 years old, got on the bus, the man asked another man (who looked like he was in his mid-30s) if he could get up so that the older woman could sit down, he freaked out. He told the older man that he should get up if he wanted her to have a place to sit. The 35-year-old then continued to insult the man. He told him to shut his mouth, that he could lick his ass, and then gave him the finger as he got off the bus. (meanwhile the woman found a seat elsewhere). Was that really necessary? Just get up and let the woman sit in your damn seat. She needs it more than you do. That's the Christmas spirit for you. Thank goodness most of the people I encounter here are willing to give up their seat to those who need it.
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