Montag, September 12, 2005
Have you heard the one...
about the American girl, the Australian girl, the Polish girl, and the Latvian girl...?
The Australian girl taught the other three to knit, this past Sunday in a townhouse in Ahlem (a suburb of Hannover... just like where I live but on the other side of town)
My friend Tara had Agata, Marta, and me over this Sunday for a knitting lesson. She is actually soooo sweet that she bought me needles and yarn when I told her that I wanted to learn to knit. She said it was a 'Welcome to Hannover' present. Now, I need to find Vegemite for her... A 'Pretend You Are Still in Sunny Australia while Hannover Sinks to the Bowels of Winter' present :) We had Australian Biscuits (they actually have this special name that I can never remember... they are cookies people made for the Australian soldiers during WWII, no eggs or milk is used), Latvian Cookies (they tase like carrot cake), and Pierogies. Alas, I didn't know it was a Potluck so I couldn't bring any McDonald's :) (or, food from the 'American Embassy' as Germans call it). Seriously, what would have been a good American food to bring? PBJ?
It was sooo random though. Sitting in Tara's room, learning how to knit, having this conversation with girls from 3 different countries. It was really cool, too. Marta, the Latvian girl, told me that my laugh reminds her of America because it is so 'pure.' I thought that was kind of a cool compliment. Knitting is awesome, too. I didn't want to put my knitting down, but had to when we all went to church together.
OK, I am *not* kidding. The other day I was in the VMarkt buying chicken, peppers, and pineapple to make lunch (we had 'shish kabobs'--how cute am I?). Anyway, there was this women holding up the WHOLE FREAKING LINE because she had purchased half the store. You could tell the rest of us had biked to the store... We all had our little baskets or bags. I think the woman behind me had the second-most items... about 5 things. Everyone is waiting and making eye contact with each other. Rolling our eyes like, 'Can you believe this woman?' I knew she was American because not only did she food-shop like an American, but she did not say ONE WORD to anyone. Of course, I am not Little Miss Conversation, but I say 'danke' (thanks) and 'tschuess' (bye) with the rest of them. So, I see this woman at church. Sure enough, she is American and after I said I thought we lived in the same town because I recognize her from the foodstore, she invited me over for dinner. Ok, that was sweet... but the next comment enraged me. I asked her if she knew German and she says, 'Oh no, I try to avoid it.'
Are you freaking kidding me????? You are going to move to another country--I think she has been here for 3 years--and not learn the language. I was appalled. As the other Americans gathered up their children for post-Church McDonalds (not kidding!!!!!) I said a silent thank-you for living with a German family. I am not trying to say that I don't like America... I love my country... but I think that people should adopt the customs of the country they are living in. As an American, I would be mad if a German family came to the US and didn't learn English...
Ina and I had this great talk today about aspects of America that scare her. She thinks that the way we all say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the national anthem before everything is very similar to Germany in the Thirties. I had never thought of it that way, but how eye-opening! The right leader can take nationalism and warp it into murder. I am going into Ina's English class on Wed to talk about Freedom and what it is like to be an American... I can't wait to hear the kids' questions :)
Finally, although I know this sounds like a pornstar, you may now refer to me as Professor Debby. Well, not quite yet because I still have to get all my working papers in order and figure out the schedule, but I went to meet with a prof from the Uni of Hannover today, and they have openings for adjuncts!! I would be teaching 'Academic Research and Writing'--which will require ALL my skills from the WM Writing Center. I hope it works out!! This would let me save some dinero to travel with my cousin at the end of my au pair year!!!!!!
That is it for now :) Happy Monday.
The Australian girl taught the other three to knit, this past Sunday in a townhouse in Ahlem (a suburb of Hannover... just like where I live but on the other side of town)
My friend Tara had Agata, Marta, and me over this Sunday for a knitting lesson. She is actually soooo sweet that she bought me needles and yarn when I told her that I wanted to learn to knit. She said it was a 'Welcome to Hannover' present. Now, I need to find Vegemite for her... A 'Pretend You Are Still in Sunny Australia while Hannover Sinks to the Bowels of Winter' present :) We had Australian Biscuits (they actually have this special name that I can never remember... they are cookies people made for the Australian soldiers during WWII, no eggs or milk is used), Latvian Cookies (they tase like carrot cake), and Pierogies. Alas, I didn't know it was a Potluck so I couldn't bring any McDonald's :) (or, food from the 'American Embassy' as Germans call it). Seriously, what would have been a good American food to bring? PBJ?
It was sooo random though. Sitting in Tara's room, learning how to knit, having this conversation with girls from 3 different countries. It was really cool, too. Marta, the Latvian girl, told me that my laugh reminds her of America because it is so 'pure.' I thought that was kind of a cool compliment. Knitting is awesome, too. I didn't want to put my knitting down, but had to when we all went to church together.
OK, I am *not* kidding. The other day I was in the VMarkt buying chicken, peppers, and pineapple to make lunch (we had 'shish kabobs'--how cute am I?). Anyway, there was this women holding up the WHOLE FREAKING LINE because she had purchased half the store. You could tell the rest of us had biked to the store... We all had our little baskets or bags. I think the woman behind me had the second-most items... about 5 things. Everyone is waiting and making eye contact with each other. Rolling our eyes like, 'Can you believe this woman?' I knew she was American because not only did she food-shop like an American, but she did not say ONE WORD to anyone. Of course, I am not Little Miss Conversation, but I say 'danke' (thanks) and 'tschuess' (bye) with the rest of them. So, I see this woman at church. Sure enough, she is American and after I said I thought we lived in the same town because I recognize her from the foodstore, she invited me over for dinner. Ok, that was sweet... but the next comment enraged me. I asked her if she knew German and she says, 'Oh no, I try to avoid it.'
Are you freaking kidding me????? You are going to move to another country--I think she has been here for 3 years--and not learn the language. I was appalled. As the other Americans gathered up their children for post-Church McDonalds (not kidding!!!!!) I said a silent thank-you for living with a German family. I am not trying to say that I don't like America... I love my country... but I think that people should adopt the customs of the country they are living in. As an American, I would be mad if a German family came to the US and didn't learn English...
Ina and I had this great talk today about aspects of America that scare her. She thinks that the way we all say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the national anthem before everything is very similar to Germany in the Thirties. I had never thought of it that way, but how eye-opening! The right leader can take nationalism and warp it into murder. I am going into Ina's English class on Wed to talk about Freedom and what it is like to be an American... I can't wait to hear the kids' questions :)
Finally, although I know this sounds like a pornstar, you may now refer to me as Professor Debby. Well, not quite yet because I still have to get all my working papers in order and figure out the schedule, but I went to meet with a prof from the Uni of Hannover today, and they have openings for adjuncts!! I would be teaching 'Academic Research and Writing'--which will require ALL my skills from the WM Writing Center. I hope it works out!! This would let me save some dinero to travel with my cousin at the end of my au pair year!!!!!!
That is it for now :) Happy Monday.
# posted by Heather @ 8:48 PM 
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Haha, I think you almost prove my point Em :) As an American, I get sooo soooo mad when people come to the US and don't learn English. I know lots of Americans feel the same way that we do... That's why I can't believe Americans would have the nerve to do that in another country. It is so hypocritical. I don't know... :)
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