German Weeds

Spring has more or less sprung in Germany, and a few weeks ago when the weather first started turning nice, I noticed that little purple crocuses, as well as cute little white and yellow flowers, started popping up all over the place. They are so beautiful that at first I thought they were planted, and I didn't understand why someone would plant these little flowers right square in the middle of the yard (they've got to mow at some point, after all!).



However, it turns out that these grow wild here and are more or less considered weeds. NO FAIR! Why don't we get these kinds of weeds in Montana? All we get there are thistle and crappy dandelions that invade the entire yard and spread their nasty seed all over everything. (I feel like I should write some sort of punch line here, but I'll leave that to you, dear reader).



It's funny, because although these weed flowers grow wild, they still manage to have a certain orderliness to them. It's almost like they choose to grow in the most logical places possible. Apparently even flowers follow the social order here that Germans are known for.

What perfect parallelism!

What Not To Wear!

Last weekend I visited my friend Nicole and her parents in Eisenhüttenstadt, my "German family". I see them quite often, and it's really nice knowing that I have a place to come "home" to on the weekends.

Anyway, Nicole and her boyfriend Adrian both needed a new pair of shoes, so we went to the mall.



At one point, Adrian asked me if I knew about New Balance shoes.

I said, "Yeah, I've heard of them, but I don't own a pair."

"Well that's good, because those are Nazi shoes."

"Uh.....what?"

"Yeah, the big 'N' on the side is taken for an abbreviation for 'Nazi', and the shoes are popular in Nazi groups. So don't wear those."



They also told me about "Lonsdale", another clothing brand that is extremely popular within neo-Nazi groups. It started when someone noticed that the shirt could be partially covered so that all that can be seen is "NSDA"... the short form of the no-longer-existant Nazi party's official title (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei). These days, however, people don't even really need to cover up part of it because the message is sent simply via the brand name and the new association that people have with it.





So yeah, don't wear that stuff, like this a-hole:



Remember...no one likes a Nazi confrontation!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only in Germany

Fulbright Conference- Berlin

This week I didn't have to work because of the international Fulbright conference that was happening in Berlin! All Fulbrighters in Europe gathered at the 37-story, five-star hotel named "Park Inn" at Alexanderplatz (directly next to the radio tower; this was the main center of East Berlin during the GDR-era). Those who had to travel had their expenses paid for, and room and board was included. I was even able to stay since I technically live in the state of Brandenburg (although Neuenhagen bei Berlin is still connected to the city). Score!

Of course this meant that my high school friend and fellow Fulbrighter Margie was also there for the week, and we had a ton of fun together!! She flew in on Saturday morning, and I took her out to Potsdam for the day to visit castles and other fun things (Potsdam is the so-called "Versailles of Berlin"...something like a twin-city). We got there in the morning, and walked around the city for basically the entire day. It was my second time there; back in the summer of '06 Nicole and her parents took my mom and I out there one day during our stay. It is so beautiful though...I'm kind of mad at myself for not going out there more often since I'm so close!




Anyway, we went to Sanssouci Palace (Schloss Sanssouci) and the New Palace (Neues Palais), taking tours of both. The weather was absolutely beautiful. There is also a huge park here, a Chinese tea-house, an orangerie, and a massive windmill. Totally gorgeous. Afterwards, we walked to the other side of the city and across the large river to the idyllic woodsy area where Babelsberg Palace (Schloss Babelsberg) is. We got there in the late-afternoon or early evening, so everything had this magical glow to it. There was basically nobody around either, so it was like we were walking around in the woods and just stumbled across this centuries-old, fairy-tale castle. It was wonderful. We were so mesmorized!




The whole week was awesome, and I really felt happy hanging out and catching up with my closest friend. We did so much. Other places we went include: the DDR-Museum (or GDR Museum), Potsdamer Platz, the Film/TV Museum, Charlottenburg Palace, the Memorial for Murdered European Jews, the Museum of German Resistance during WWII, the Victory Column (Siegessäule), the Tierpark (where 7 of us altogether went for a picnic), the Gedächtnis Kirche and Glas Church, White Trash Fast Food (best American restuarant in Berlin!), and countless other small places along the way.



We pretty much had every meal covered by Fulbright at the fancy hotel restaurant. The food was awesome. However, I have to say that the meatballs at the reception after our briefing with Berlin's mayor were my favorite! (Gotta learn how to make those).


Memorial for Murdered Jews of Europe

Fulbright really outdid themselves for this conference. We listened to speeches from American and German ambassadors alike, as well as many other "VIPs". We had great banquets with unlimited food and drinks. One night the Fulbrighters here on music scholarships performed for the rest of us in a gala, and it really made me wish I had double majored in music AND math. They were excellent. One violinist and his pianist-wife even played my Saint-Saëns piece, Introduction and Rondo capricciosso. (And it never gets old, no matter how many times I hear it! Hear Heifetz play it).



On Wednesday evening we had our farewell party at the Alte Kantine, a club in Prenzlauer-Berg (a district of Berlin). At one point this was a church, and then it turned into a brewery. Somewhere along the way it stopped being a brewery and became a club. We had a DJ and everyone was given two drink tokens, which I used for some delicious cold apple juice (go ahead and call me lame, I don't care, lol). Margie and I left early as she had some serious tooth pain, and we had to find something. Luckily there was a pharmacy open 24/7 in the main train station!

I am really thankful for this week. It was a great change-up from my normal routine, got to see some old friends and meet some new ones, and go do some fun stuff that normally gets pushed aside. Also, nothing compares to quality time with someone you love and don't get to see very often! :)



I LOVE BERLIN!

Christmas: Märchen

One of the coolest things about being in Germany during the holidays is that classic fairy-tale movies, called Märchen, play almost every single day on TV. Many of them were made in the DDR*, and a few were even made in some other eastern-block communist countries during the Cold War era, so they've got an added nostalgic element to them. Originally filmed in black-and-white, they have now been restored in technicolor, and the effect is really cool. Think of "The Wizard of Oz".



These Märchen are extremely rich in German culture, particularly since many of these stories are derived form those of the "Brothers Grimm"**. Although they may seem a bit cheesy at times, they definitely appeal to the still-innocent inner child. Fairy tales will always be fascinating to me. They're timeless.




A few of my favorites include Das singende klingende Bäumchen ("The Singing Ringing Tree") from 1957, and Das kalte Herz (The Cold Heart) from 1950. However, I haven't seen one Märchen that I didn't like! They're simply impossible not to love.



Surprisingly enough, someone has put the entire "Bäumchen" film on youtube. Even if you don't speak German, I still recommend watching it (or part of it) just to see how cool and nostalgic it is. Check it out!
Bäumchen

I also found the trailer for "Das kalte Herz." It's only about 3 minutes, and it's definitely worth checking out as well: Herz



*DDR is the German abbreviation for "Deutsche Demokratische Republik" (German Democratic Republic, or GDR in English). For those of you not up on your German history, this was the communist East Germany during the Cold War era, before the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

**The Brothers Grimm were two brothers who collected German folk and fairy tales in the early 1800s to form the very influential and well-known "Grimm Fairy Tales", which include Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, The Frog Prince, Hansel and Gretel, and Sleeping Beauty, among many others.

Christmas: The Food

Continuing my "Christmas series", I'll now move on to everyone's favorite thing about holidays...the food!

As I mentioned in the Thanksgiving post, turkey is not as popular on holidays in Germany as it in the US. Rather, on special occasions, they are more likely to eat duck, rabbit, or ham. I had actually never eaten either duck or rabbit before coming here, and I was pleasantly surprised by both. Once I got past the psychological hindrance of eating "the Easter bunny", that is. After discovering how tender the meat is though, I decided that rabbits get eaten by things all the time anyway, and I might as well claim my share.



The meat is most likely to be served with mashed potatoes, Rotkohl (literally "red cabbage"; this is rarely seen in the US, so imagine a combination of pickled beet redness and taste, and sauerkraut, and you'll have it), a gravy made from the meat, and maybe another vegetable. It's also quite likely that there will be some kind of salad of shredded lettuce, cubed apples, and special musturdy mystery sauce.



On Christmas Eve, we went to Nicole's grandparent's house for dinner. I thought it was funny because they also had sausages and potato salad! Very German! Hehehe ^^.

Of course there is also a lot of candy and sweets. Christmas cookies, or Plätzchen, are always a nice treat.

Christmas: Christmas Markets, Lights, and Pfand

One of the most distinctive things about Christmas in Germany are the Christmas markets that are held anywhere groups of people are found, from the biggest cities to the smallest villages. These markets are basically clusters of little stands that sell everything from Christmas decorations to winter clothing, smoked fish to roasted almonds and chocolate-covered fruit, bratwurst to fried mashed potatoes, and Glühwein to beer-on-tap.



For those of you who have never heard of Glühwein (literally, "glowing wine"), it is more or less a warm, spiced wine that is traditionally consumed during the winter, especially around Christmas. It is very popular, and you can find it everywhere you turn. For children or adults who don't like alcohol, there is an alcohol-free version called Kinderpunsch (childs' punch). It, too, is served warm and can be compared to a spicy cider. I have tried both, and I have to admit that I didn't care for either...but maybe it's an acquired taste.

Some of the items that I liked the most at the Christmas markets were these adorable little "smoking houses"...miniature German-style houses with chimneys, where actual smoke comes out if you place incense inside. They are so cute, and I really wanted to buy one, but unfortunately they were a bit out of my price range (i.e., under 10 euro).



There are also a lot of woodwork decorations. These seem to be quite popular here as well, as I have noticed that quite a few people place wooden arches that hold candles in their windowsills, which look really pretty at night.

Christmas lights aren't as such a huge phenomenon in Germany as they are in the US. It's just an American thing. Perhaps an explanation of this (beyond the difference in cultures) is the higher cost of electricity. Most people either can't afford it, don't believe in wasting so much energy for something like that, or just think it's stupid and unnecessary. However, thanks to the Americanization that's been taking place over the last few decades in Germany there has been a rise in the number of homes with Christmas lights (more on Americanization later).

Something cool about buying warm drinks at Christmas markets is that they serve it to you in actual ceramic mugs. Here's how it's different than anything in the US: There is a "Pfand" system, which gives you two options...either you may take the mug home with you as a souvenir, or return it to the stand and receive half of the cost of the drink back. I don't think it is unique to Christmas markets though, as I have seen this before at outdoor beer gardens (like at the Ritterfest I went to with Julia in Bavaria last summer).

Christmas Time: Advent and Nikolaus

Continuing with my belated holiday theme, I will now go on with the most magical time of year, Christmas!

Christmas (Weihnachten) in Germany is something truly special that I'm happy I had the chance to experience. The season here is based on Advent, which is the time spent in preparation for and anticipation of the nativity of Jesus, or Christmas Day. Advent is measured in two ways. First, by use of the Advent calendar, in which every day has a special door to be opened as that day comes, often hiding a piece of candy or small gift to be enjoyed on that particular day. Next, Advent is also followed using 4 candles, representing the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas. Four Sundays before Christmas, the first candle is lit. On the next Sunday, a second candle is lit, and so on.


Example of an Advent calendar.

Santa Claus takes a slightly different form in Germany. Here, it is "Sankt Nikolaus" (Saint Nicholas) who plays the role of the generous old jolly fat man. Nikolaus comes not once, but TWICE during the Christmas season. First, he comes on Sankt Nikolaus Tag (Saint Nicholas Day), which is celebrated on December 6th. On the night of the 5th, children put their shoes in front of their door, and during the night Nikolaus comes and fills them with candy if they were good in the last year...otherwise they just get a small tree branch (not coal like in the US).


Advent candles.

For some children, this is also a fearful thing, as Nikolaus is often accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht (a servant equipped with 8 deer legs), who would threaten to beat the children if they misbehaved. In Switzerland, he even takes the children, puts them in sacks, and either drags them into the forest or throws them in the river to drown them. (These legends can be quite gory....something tells me that this would not go over as well in the US...too bad! lol.)

Of course, Nikolaus also comes on Christmas Eve to bring toys for good little boys and girls.

During this time, chocolate Nikolaus men are also sold. My neighbor put one at my door for me to find on my way out to work the next day. It was really sweet. I couldn't eat any of them because they are so cute...and they are still all sitting on my windowsill today, March 10th. Hahaha.


My collection of chocolate Nikolaus men.

More to come!

Pamela

So, I really miss my sweet friend Pamela Raggl from home! She's a fabulous lady, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again when I get back. Unfortunately her plans to visit me in Berlin fell through, but that's ok...she's here in my heart!

Pamela, you're a smart, strong, courageous, beautiful person who is very loved!! Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. You deserve the very best! :) See you this summer! <3

Thanksgiving in Germany (all together now: "You are so behind!!!!")

Ok, so as you have probably noticed, I am incredibly behind with my blog. I apologize to those of you who enjoy reading it and have been waiting patiently for a new post.

So, I have to go all the way back to November, because I never wrote anything about Thanksgiving. Well, as you probably know, Thanksgiving is only really celebrated by Americans (and Canadians in October!). There is a similar holiday in Germany called "Dankfest", but it's not as widely celebrated im comparison with Thanksgiving in the US.

I went to a special Fulbright Thanksgiving celebration in Berlin-Kreuzberg for our regional chapter. A chef from Louisiana who emigrated to Germany runs a bar/restaurant there, and he kindly offered to roast a big turkey to help us celebrate. That was really generous of him, because actual turkey seems to be rather difficult to find here, or at least the type of turkey that us Americans are used to eating.

The rest of the meal was pot-luck style, and I made a potato salad. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, but no one else seemed to care, because it was completely gone at the end of the meal.

As I was walking through the dimly-lit streets of Kreuzberg with my potato salad trying to find the "New Orleans Haus", a woman came up behind me, tapped me on the shoulder, and scared the living hell out of me. "Are you goin' to the Fulbright Thanksgivin' thang?" she asked, with a strong southern twang. Relieved that it was simply another American going to the party and not a drugged-up prostitute looking for trouble, I said yes, and introduced myself.

We had a great time together the entire evening, and as it turned out, the southern woman was in fact German. Huh?

Well, she spent 2 years in Atlanta, GA and managed to pick up that accent really well. Talk about fascinating! I will never be able to perfect my German that well, no matter how hard I try. (Curse you, American school system, for starting foreign languages so late...)

The meal was a patchwork attempt at the traditional American Thanksgiving feast. People tried as best they could, but certain things just aren't available in Germany. For example, since Campbell's soup is an American product, as well as French's French Fried Onions, no one was able to make Green Bean Cassarole. American-style pies also don't exist in Germany, so unfortunately we didn't have pumpkin pie (my favorite!). All in all though, the food was still good and the spirit of Thanksgiving was there.

And that's something to be thankful for. (Awwww!)