I have accepted my own Christmas challenge

The little family and Dominic kick off the Christmas market season

One of the main things I was looking forward to experiencing in Germany are the incredible Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmarkts) that begin at the end of November and run through Christmas. The first of them opened while Kathleen, Andrew, and baby Daniel were here last week and they became a near daily ritual for us. While savoring the smell of chestnuts, admiring the endless rows of lights, and singing along to the (nearly in tune) Christmas carols, I came up with a challenge for myself. I will attempt to go to every Berlin Christmas market this December. (It went something like this: Liz 1: "Liz, these are amazing. You should go to all of these." Liz 2: "Liz, okay." There are nearly 60 - ranging from the large and traditional to the offbeat and funky. I will suck it up and try glühwein, cookies, and fried donuts at each market night after night.

There are a few things that make the traditional markets "traditional." There is always a huge central stall that sells glühwein (hot mulled wine) and other hot drinks.

Schloss Charlottenberg Christmas Market

There are many food stalls - filled with hot foods like bratwurst, belgian waffles, and crepes for now, and delicious treats including roasted nuts, gingerbread, and cookies for later. And no surprise, tons of meat.

I'm not the vegetarian in this marriage

Then the shopping. Jewelry, candles, toys, Christmas decorations, soaps, slippers, socks - some handmade, some not.

Even the traditional markets can have a twist. On Friday I checked out the Rathaus Steglitz market and noticed somewhat of an "animal" theme. On my train ride there, I saw a huge fox-like creature (forgive the city girl, I have a tendency to doubt the accuracy of any animal I name). We were approaching nature. When I entered the market I noticed a life-size nativity scene complete with live sheep and donkeys. As I wandered away from that display I stumbled upon two dogs in a fight. (Bringing your dog to the market, a cafe, on the subway - all normal here.) Then we moved on to the "not alive" category of animal. I saw an entire pig on a spit (this was pre-noon). But the grand finale was a fake mounted deer head that sang Christmas carols - while moving its "mouth" - on the main stall.

I had two markets on my to-do list today (yes, I have charted them out by date and location on a huge city map) and upon exiting my apartment discovered that it was pouring rain. No matter. Fewer people, better opportunity for free samples, clear sightlines to see all the goods. Plus, as I learned this weekend - the Germans have a saying, "there is no bad weather, only bad clothing." Well, I don't have weather-proof clothing yet, but I pressed on. And thank god I did. There was fried dough to be had, and I devoured it.

Someone is always watching you - and they likely have a pretzel

Taking a break from science on a trip to historic Leipzig earlier this fall 

My German class went on a museum field trip last week.  Berlin is full of wonderful museums, and just like living in any major city - you forget to take the time to go see them once you're actually living there.  My teacher picked the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin - a huge compound featuring science exhibits of all kinds.  I don't even get excited about science in English, so I wasn't counting on major excitement in German, but off I went. 

We were instructed to meet at the subway stop nearest the museum at 9:15.  When our teacher said this, I spent the rest of the class wondering if she meant we should meet underground or outside the station.  I was too nervous to ask, though, having flashbacks of the time last month when during a practice dialogue about transportation I stated that tickets are sold underneath the train tracks instead of saying "the floor below".  That was received nearly as well as when I told my classmates this week that we'd eaten Dominic's boss for dinner on Friday.  (We actually just had dinner at his house - far less exciting, but a delightful evening nonetheless.)  So I just figured I'd hope for the best.  Well, each of us seemed to have a different idea of what "meeting at the station" meant.  We had an Albanian underground, an American above, some Yemenese across the street - we had all interpreted it differently.  By the time we all united it was nearly 10:00 and I was ready for a coffee break.  

We entered the museum behind a group that must have included every Berlin school child under both the age of 10 and the 3 foot mark.  Somehow, we fit right in.  We got our group tickets and began exploring the museum right alongside the other "kids", who were only too happy to take advantage of the "hands-on" part of the museum experience.  They were like wild animals unleashed in a sea of science. Pulling on, pushing, grabbing every exhibit - all in the name of science.  I admit, it did make it more fun.  You don't even need to know German to make funny faces at short German kids in the "crazy mirrors" room.  When I wondered at one point if I needed to ask to go to the bathroom, however, I realized I had been surrounded by these kids for a little too long. 

There were no English translations for any of the exhibit placards, so we walked around as a small group with our teacher explaining any big words (aka all of the science words) that we didn't understand.  Together we re-learned the basics of optics, refreshed ourselves on how a lava lamp works, put our hands on the glass ball that still - 20 years after the last time we'd all tried it - makes your hair stand up.  The only exhibit that was translated into English was one entitled "Big Brother" that demonstrated how science is used in surveillance.  The subtitle (auf Englisch) was: "...someone is always watching you".

After 3 hours of learning and growing, we headed down to the museum cafeteria to enjoy our picnic lunch.  We were each instructed to bring something to share with the group (which also included an all-male, higher level class).  Even though we were all non-Germans, we ended up with a pretty German "feast" that included:

- Bread and cheese (my contribution)

- Rolls...baked with cheese

- Chunks of cheese

- Bread with soggy tomato sauce

- Chocolate chip cookies (4 kinds)

- Meatballs

- Sausage

As we ate we smiled across the cafeteria at the school kids who were enjoying their own packed lunches - complete with pretzels and Capri Sun.  (It seems kids all over the world can't resist both the challenge and accomplishment of spearing a Capri Sun container.) 

To top off our bread, meat, and cheese celebration, one of the guys from the other class was proud to present us with a thermos of coffee he'd carried around all morning as his contribution to the picnic.  He said the Yemenese are known for having the best coffee in the world, and he wanted to share this with us.  (His proclamation ignited a brief argument from an Italian and Spaniard in the group, but either way, there was coffee to be had - so it quickly faded.) As we lifted our glasses to take our first sips, he added that he himself had never made a cup of coffee before that day - but he had made sure to call his mother that morning in Yemen to learn her method. 

Auf Englisch is Awesome (But Deutsch is Good, Too)

Trading in my German beer for a cosmo with my mom in the US of A.

Hallo! I am back in Berlin after nearly three wonderful weeks in DC and Ohio. I expected to experience some culture shock, and in between visits with family and friends and stuffing my face with my favorite foods, I did.

The most striking thing that I remembered is that I'm not a shy person. I actually enjoy talking to people. I remember now what it's like to speak in complete sentences. Without pauses. Without made-up words. To not answer every question with a tentative "yes?", and nod - smiling - no matter what is said. In fact, I relished the chance to speak (somewhat) intelligently to everyone I encountered. Have a long wait in line? Why not chit chat about the weather! Cashier say goodbye to you? Why not say goodbye back, plus "have a good night!" and "thanks again!" and "sure like your outfit!" I quickly became the queen of small talk, let alone large talk - there were a lot of long catch-up conversations to be had. My German cough followed me to America, but I think this time it was because I just wouldn't shut up. I was loving the "auf Englisch."

I gave myself a day off of language class upon my return and didn't head back until last Friday. It was on my way to class that I remembered why riding the U-Bahn here is so fun. A traveling musician was performing a stirring rendition of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" to a full car of uninterested passengers. (As usual, I'm the one person incapable of hiding my interest by giving any musician, good or bad, my rapt attention - complete with unwavering eye contact and supportive smiles.) As English was not his first language (the word "heaven" was nearly unintelligible) I had to rely on the melody to even figure out what he was singing. (This girl is not one to judge, though - I don't even know the German word for heaven, let alone know how to pronounce it. In fact, it made me like him even more.) At the stop after mine, a group of 12 young children (only 4 or 5 years old) entered the train with their nervous chaperones. Alas, there were no seats, so they stood in a line, holding hands, down the middle of the car (all too short to hold onto anything). When the train began moving, it did so with a dramatic jolt, and the entire row of kinder fell like dominos - perfectly in sync with the most raucous refrain of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" yet. They quickly picked themselves back up with nary a reaction and got ready to exit the train just one stop later. As they exited, a blind man waved his walking stick around to make sure everyone got out of the way for the kinder. He was furiously trying to make sure none of them were left behind. (No actual affiliation with the school group - just being a good samaritan, I suppose.)

I described this scene as "a perfect storm of wonderfulness" to my family and they said it's no wonder I have trouble learning a new language. I don't even like to use my native language correctly. This is quite true. Either way, good entertainment for a ten minute ride.

Learning German the Italian Way

Juan, Liz, Antonio, and Abdo living it up in Berlin

Hello from the US of A! While I'm savoring my time here, I thought I'd post a story from my first few weeks of language class in Berlin.

I began taking German the day after we arrived. I had one month in Berlin before we began traveling, so I thought I'd jump right in. There were 3 other students in the class - all guys - 1) Juan - born in Chile, spent the last few years in England, speaks Spanish and English, 30 years old - 2) Abdo - from Yemen, speaks Arabic and no English, 22 years old - 3) Antonio - from Italy, speaks Italian, Spanish, and a little English, 24 years old. (You're wondering how I know everyone's ages - with a limited vocabulary you quickly delve into personal questions like these. Nothing like being asked by someone everyday 1) How old are you? 2) Are you married? 3) What is your phone number? So we asked them all the time.) Our teacher (38 and married) had a crush on Antonio, as did everyone. He said everything with an Italian accent. This, and everything about him, had an intoxicating effect on us. It became a language issue, however, when learning the different gender endings for words in German. Antonio wanted EVERYTHING to be feminine - just throw an "aay!" on the end of it all! Our teacher had to take a break from batting her eyelashes at him to remind him that some words in German simply end in consonants.

After our last German class for the 'semester' (really just the month of August) we went out for a celebration with our teacher. We went to a cafe that served both booze and tea/coffee. I guess I figured 'when in Rome', so I planned to order a beer. I ordered last however, and was losing my confidence after my three classmates and teacher ordered tea and coffee. I still did it, though, and when Antonio heard me order beer, he got very excited and immediately cancelled his coffee order. 'Warsteiner? Ja, gut! Nicht kaffee, Ich möchte ein WARSTEINER!'

During the time at the cafe we only spoke in German, which must have been incredibly entertaining for our neighbors. We were stuck on things like 'What is your favorite food?' for awhile and then attempted to talk about topics like museums using our limited vocab and excessive hand gestures. Antonio asked me many questions about my siblings. He wanted to hear all their names and kept saying that they sounded so 'American'. (He actually laughed out loud with astonished glee when I said my sister's name was Margaret. I didn't mention Americans didn't make that one up.) When I told him Kathleen and Andrew were planning to bring baby Daniel over this year, I remarked that even the baby would need a passport. Antonio smiled and paused for a few seconds, clearly thinking of the right way to say something, and then blurted out in his Italian German: 'Baby has-uh die Tele-tubby passport! Extra pages for coloring!' We both laughed for much longer than necessary. It was just so thrilling to tell our first joke in German together.

I am thankful everyday that those boys were my classmates in my first few weeks of language class. They taught me so much about how to enjoy being back in a classroom. In their wonderful way, they showed that breaks are meant to be extended, cappuccino is better than coffee, and that trying new sentences - however grammatically incorrect - is how you learn a language.

"Who invented teenagers and why" and "Something Wonderful"

"Who invented teenagers and why"

I guess it had to happen sometime. I had just exited the U-Bahn in the neighborhood where I'd soon be meeting my new tandem partner. I was trying to confidently make my way without consulting my map when suddenly I felt my dangly earring smash into my head.
"Was ist das?"
I didn't have time to figure out before I felt the next shots - I was being pelted in the head with large gummy candies by a group of punk teenage boys. One inch round gummy candies.

Thought 1: Why kick a girl when she's down?
Thought 2: Why don't I know how to swear in German?
Thought 3: When all else fails, some words are universal.

So I took a deep breath and stopped walking, faced them (they were unapologetic) and said, "What the hell is wrong with you?" True confession: I was very angry. I believe I "said" (yelled) some other things like "Why aren't you in school? Go to school!" Etc., etc. At this point, getting pelted in the head with candy was not funny to me. Plus - why would you waste candy? What's wrong with these kids? To make things really perfect, when I attempted to regain my composure and walk away - I tripped. Not a small trip - quite a large one, in fact - and all four boys watched with rapt attention, savoring every bit of it. I could still hear them laughing as I paused around the corner to pull myself together. This is when I lost it. I left Dominic a tearful, mumbling message bemoaning the existence of punk teenagers throughout the world.

As far as I know, recovery from an attack does not occur without food, so I headed into a charming coffee shop (I had an hour to kill before meeting my new friend) and had a wonderful exchange with the cashier. Although I must mention that after I'd successfully ordered (and received) both food and drink "auf Deutsch", he gave me my total in English - saying "I mean, you don't speak German, right?" "Right." Someone please throw me a bone! (See next paragraph.)

"Something Wonderful"

Finally, the day became wonderful: I met my new tandem partner. The goal of the "tandem" is that we'll split our time between speaking English and German so we both can learn our new languages. Her English is already quite good, but she has lots of little things she wants to work on, and well, you know about my German. Most people meet for one hour their first visit, and after one hour she was asking me what I wanted to order next. This is my kind of attitude! I had written out a list of questions in German and I dare say we actually had a "dialogue". Honestly, it was thrilling. She is a friendly, encouraging partner.

My favorite part of the meeting came when she was talking about her baby son. I'd know she was on maternity leave, and asked when her son was born. When I heard her reply I couldn't believe it - her son was born June 15, the same day as my nephew! What a great coincidence. I will meet him next time we get together and can't wait to watch him grow over the year as a "stand-in" while I'm missing seeing my adorable nephew.

A walk through our neighborhood

The "Harry Potter-esque" school next to our apartment building - site of the bike incident.


Our neighborhood church - this is where I get on the subway every morning.


Beautiful neighborhood architecture.


Our apartment building.


Our neighborhood fountain - practically Dupont Circle, eh?

The answer to "Where are you living now" is not "I'm going to the grocery store"

Our friendly neighborhood pharmacy - just at the end of the block. We are now regulars.

.
My new doctor - the pharmacist was right - her office is literally "behind the flowers"!

After being sick for nearly three weeks (and staying indoors for an entire 3-day weekend), I decided to re-join the living and start doing things this past week. We made dinner for friends three times in seven days, I had a wonderful ladies night of wine and stories with some Boschies, we went to a pseudo-Berlin Oktoberfest, went back to the Philharmonie, and I got my bike fixed from The Bike Incident. After having the cough of a 90-year old lifetime smoker of un-filtered cigarettes for what seemed like forever, I am now "good as new" - and it feels great.

Class was certainly harder when sick, and as usual I am always caught off guard when I'm asked questions I'm not expecting. I was walking out of class my first day after the hermit 3-day weekend and one of the head teachers/administrators caught up with me. As per usual, he began speaking to me in German and I attempted to answer as best I could before having to switch over to English. Considering he works at the language school that is trying to teach me German, not English, he patiently attempted to switch back to German in a gentle way with a chapter ONE question: "Liz, where are you living now?" I have to tell you, I know every German word in this sentence. Literally every one! But somehow my brain convinced me that that would be "too easy" of a question, that he probably was wondering where I was off to now, after class (in fact - we were approaching my turn for the grocery store and I thought he sensed I was getting ready to leave). So I answered how any idiot would: "I am going to the grocery store to buy foodstuffs." And yes, I literally used the German word for "foodstuffs." He kindly corrected me, but the next day my regular teacher asked me the same question, and I wondered if he told her no student at his school could carry around the SECOND German language book without knowing that basic question.

I am leaving for my one visit home of the year in just 8 hours and will be gone for 2 1/2 weeks. My note cards are packed, my camera is charged. I cannot wait to see my family. While I'm bursting with excitement about everything from playing with my nephew to drinking free water in restaurants, I have been thinking about what I'll miss in Germany, too. (Besides Dominic, of course.) A girl can really get used to fresh bread, delicious dairy products, cafes on every corner (that are affordable!), being ignored at restaurants so you can describe every single detail of your day while only paying for a coffee, not worrying about matching - ever (for that matter, not worrying about wearing the same old outfit every day of the week), feeling like you're living the soundtrack to a wonderful indie movie every time a musician boards your subway train....and so much more. I will be posting some stories I sent my family during my first few weeks here while I'm gone to fill you in on those days (pre- our own apartment, pre-internet, etc.) Auf wiedersehen!