I love to cook. I love to eat. And I love to grocery shop. It's weird, I know. Most people dread that day every week where they have to battle crowds, organize coupons and create lists. Not me! Call me crazy. Call my OCD. Call me anything you'd like (I'll most likely respond), but I love grocery shopping. There's something about looking through cookbooks to create a menu for the week, organizing my list by aisle (thanks, Mary Henderson) and sorting coupons to get the best deals. It's soothing to me...I might even call it a hobby.
That's all fine and dandy in the U.S. where everything is written in English. But, it proves to be a little more complicated here in Germany. Here's why:
1) The grocery stores here are tiny, which when I think about it makes sense because so are the fridges. My fridge is only slightly larger than the one in my college dorm. That's ok, though, the grocery store is literally half a block away from my flat. So more time for my hobby, right? The only challenge is getting a cart down the tiny aisle with about 400 folks.
2) It takes me twice as long to figure out what the hell I'm looking at. I have to rely entirely on pictures or compare items trying to find a single word that resembles an English word. I'm not complaining here. It's a learning experience, and I'm definitely learning! And, this method totally works...I only ended up with 3 mystery items back at my apartment. Of course, when I went to put lotion on and it ended up being soap, that was a bit sticky.
3) There are no "baggers" in the check out lanes. My first experience trying to load the conveyor belt, pay and fill my bags all within mere seconds was nothing short of comical. I was still struggling as the two people behind me in line were leaving the store. I just ended up shoving things into my bag. This will take time and perhaps some practice drills at my apartment. Ha! The thought of that makes me laugh. Can you imagine Millie with a little stop watch. OK...enough of that.
4) Things taste a little bit different here. I was telling my friend, Heather, that the Vidalia onions just didn't taste the same. Well, no kidding, Katie. These are German onions (or at least European onions). They are not grown in Idaho or Ohio...or wherever onions come from in the U.S. Of course they will taste different. This will just take a little getting used to. I am also going to need to spend a small fortune to build up my spice collection again. Salt and pepper are great, but they only go far.
As I was typing this, my colleague just came in and gave me a tip for a great fresh market just a short walk away from my apartment. Maybe that's more my speed right now. Only time will tell...
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Austria! It's like traveling to Indiana from Chicago
OK, I agree, Austria is NOTHING like Indiana. BUT, what is so cool is that you can travel to Salzburg in just 2 hours...it's like going to South Bend. OK, enough with the comparison, right?
So, my parents were here this past week to get me settled into my new home. Unfortunately, my flat wasn't quite ready for me to move in, so instead we went to Austria for the day. Sounds so simple right..."oh, we just jetted off to Austria for the afternoon." But it really is! Seriously, Katie, get over it...yes, Europe is easy to get around...we get it!
OK, so here are some pictures from our adventures. I'll post all of them on my Facebook page, but here are some of my favorites.
This picture is cool for two reasons. 1) I have never seen a statue of a unicorn. And for all you who know me well, I often reference unicorns. 2) These are the steps that the Von Trapp family sang "Doe a deer..." in the movie The Sound of Music. More on that later...
So...yeah, I have no idea what this photo is...what it means...what the hell...BUT, it totally caught my whole family and our tour guide, Craig (super awesome Brit), off guard. He actually stopped what he was saying about Mozart to turn all of our attention to this poster.
The main street in the old town was absolutely beautiful. While the shops have changed to more trendy and popular brands as opposed to mom and pops, the signs still have to follow the old tradition. Really beautiful and quaint. You'll see another view just below.
All you smarty pants out there know that Salzburg is Mozart's home town. Here's his house...that's all I've got on that.
Doesn't this look like a nice way to spend an afternoon. Pretty much perfection for me.
Salzburg is the "City of Music," and this guy proves it. A harpist street musician. That totally beats the woman who plays the finger cymbals at the red line station in Chicago. In all seriousness, the musicians in Salzburg have to pay the city 14 Euros a day to perform...it's a tough life for a musician even in the "City of Music."
Atop Salzburg's surrounding mountain tops is the fortress built to protect the city. No, it's not a castle. A castle is often found within the town, surrounded by a moat. A fortress sits atop the city. You all are more than welcome to use that as a conversation starter at your next cocktail party.
OK, as promised...more on The Sound of Music. So, the movie, which is actually based on a true story, was filmed in Salzburg. So as you can imagine, the town is a little obsessed. There is even a tour where you sing all the songs in the location in which they were filmed. If anyone has ever heard my mom or dad sing...they would know immediately that we did not do that tour. Sorry mom and dad. We did, however, visit Julie Andrews in one of the shops. So, what's interesting is how real Julie looks and how little time anyone spent making the kids look realistic. One of the kids was wearing Berkinstocks. I'm not lying. Also, check out the youngest child (far right). Yikes!
So, that's a little view into our trip to Salzburg. This is probably the longest blog ever because of all the pictures, but hopefully you enjoyed it. Until next time..."So long, farewell..." Sorry, couldn't help it.
So, my parents were here this past week to get me settled into my new home. Unfortunately, my flat wasn't quite ready for me to move in, so instead we went to Austria for the day. Sounds so simple right..."oh, we just jetted off to Austria for the afternoon." But it really is! Seriously, Katie, get over it...yes, Europe is easy to get around...we get it!
OK, so here are some pictures from our adventures. I'll post all of them on my Facebook page, but here are some of my favorites.
This picture is cool for two reasons. 1) I have never seen a statue of a unicorn. And for all you who know me well, I often reference unicorns. 2) These are the steps that the Von Trapp family sang "Doe a deer..." in the movie The Sound of Music. More on that later...
So...yeah, I have no idea what this photo is...what it means...what the hell...BUT, it totally caught my whole family and our tour guide, Craig (super awesome Brit), off guard. He actually stopped what he was saying about Mozart to turn all of our attention to this poster.
I hope Maria and Nino don't mind, but this is pretty cool. There's a bridge over the river that connects New Salzburg to Old Salzburg. Lovers from all over the world come to this bridge to proclaim their love and commitment. They engrave (or in this case marker) a padlock to the fence and then throw the key over together. Sweet, huh? There were a few combination locks on the bridge, which I thought was pretty funny. Not quite there on the commitment, huh?
The main street in the old town was absolutely beautiful. While the shops have changed to more trendy and popular brands as opposed to mom and pops, the signs still have to follow the old tradition. Really beautiful and quaint. You'll see another view just below.
As I mentioned before, our tour guide was super awesome. So super awesome that he introduced us to a super secret sausage shop. OK, wasn't secret, but it was possibly the best sausage I've ever eaten in my life. Thank you, Craig.
All you smarty pants out there know that Salzburg is Mozart's home town. Here's his house...that's all I've got on that.
Doesn't this look like a nice way to spend an afternoon. Pretty much perfection for me.
Salzburg is the "City of Music," and this guy proves it. A harpist street musician. That totally beats the woman who plays the finger cymbals at the red line station in Chicago. In all seriousness, the musicians in Salzburg have to pay the city 14 Euros a day to perform...it's a tough life for a musician even in the "City of Music."
Atop Salzburg's surrounding mountain tops is the fortress built to protect the city. No, it's not a castle. A castle is often found within the town, surrounded by a moat. A fortress sits atop the city. You all are more than welcome to use that as a conversation starter at your next cocktail party.
OK, as promised...more on The Sound of Music. So, the movie, which is actually based on a true story, was filmed in Salzburg. So as you can imagine, the town is a little obsessed. There is even a tour where you sing all the songs in the location in which they were filmed. If anyone has ever heard my mom or dad sing...they would know immediately that we did not do that tour. Sorry mom and dad. We did, however, visit Julie Andrews in one of the shops. So, what's interesting is how real Julie looks and how little time anyone spent making the kids look realistic. One of the kids was wearing Berkinstocks. I'm not lying. Also, check out the youngest child (far right). Yikes!
So, that's a little view into our trip to Salzburg. This is probably the longest blog ever because of all the pictures, but hopefully you enjoyed it. Until next time..."So long, farewell..." Sorry, couldn't help it.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Peaches and coconuts...a nice fruit salad
Just a couple of days ago I moved to Germany. Yep...packed up and moved for two years. Why the heck not, right? That's what I told myself anyway. But in reality, I guess I hadn't exactly prepared myself for all the change. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. One moment this is the best possible thing I've ever done in my life, the next it's the worst. I think it's just going to take me some time to settle in and get my bearings. In the meantime, I've already learned a lot about Germany...and some of the weird things here. (Yes, I know I'm not supposed to call the customs in my new home "weird," but really is there any better word?)
First of all, let me give you the background on the title of my blog. Before I left for Germany I did take a crash course in cultural sensitivity training. And when I say crash course, I am dead serious. The trainer came to my apartment the first day at 9 a.m. and left at 6:30 p.m. I got two potty breaks...yeah, serious. Anyway, after I finished rocking myself in the fetal position from the overwhelming amount of information I had just received, I really started thinking about this concept of Peaches and Coconuts she had talked about.
Essentially, Americans are like peaches (soft and fuzzy, we can be sliced in many ways--much like the many different types of friendships we have) and Germans are like coconuts (hard on the outside and soft in the middle and "unsliceable"--meaning they have one core group of friends and then many acquaintances). Peaches, by nature, try to really get in there quickly and develop a friendship. But coconuts, typically, are hesitant to create a friendship that fast. So what happens when a peach encounters a brand new, shiny coconut...the result is often a bruised peach. Now, I'm not saying anything negative about the Germans. In fact, most of them know this analogy and agree with it. Germans just take their friendships very seriously. Americans have about a million "best friends." We toss the word around pretty easily. Nope, not saying anything negative about Americans either...I am the epitome of a peach. So, why does this concept intrigue me so much? Well, it's a pretty interesting look into a culture. Friendships and relationships are the bedrock of a society. So, of course, I am now a peach in a coconut tree trying to figure it all out.
If you want to learn more, check out this paper on the Peaches/Coconuts topic.
OK, enough of the deep stuff, right? Here are a few funny things that I've experienced so far.
1) I've paid 1 Euro 20 cents to use the bathroom. There are machines and turnstyles and everything in some public restrooms. This is brilliant! America, take note. It could be a solution to some of our debt issues...and it keeps the bathrooms really nice and clean. Although, my dad hates this concept and actually got chased by a lady for not paying. Oh, dad...
2) You are not allowed to smile on government IDs. My relocation consultant, Alexandra (who is super awesome!), told me to bring a biometric (passport) photo for my work permit. So, I got one in the U.S. at Walgreens and brought it along in my super flexy folder. When I got to the town hall to register for my permit, I handed the woman my photo and she scanned it into the machine. Super...great, no problem, right? Wrong. Apparently, you are not allowed to smile in German IDs. The machine actually kicked my photo back. I had to go to the photobooth down the hall and take a horrendous photo of myself. I'll let you be the judge, but I think I'll stick to smiling in all future photos. My boss told me he never wanted to see that photo ever again. I thought that was a bit harsh :)
3) Carnivale = Halloween + Kids Incorporated. We arrived just before Carnivale started here. It's essentially a big party (similar to Mardi Gras or Carnivale in Rio). So, my parents and I enjoyed the festivities throughout Marienplatz on Monday. All-in-all it was just like any street festival I had ever been to...fun, friendly, drinking, music. People were dressed up in all kinds of costumes, which was fun to see. The one thing that mesmerized me was these college-age kids who were dancing on stage to popular music. I'm not talking about freestyle dancing, but actual simple routines, ala Kids Incorporated. Why does this mesmerize me so...I have no idea, but I can't stop thinking about it.
Well, I suppose something new will distract very soon, and I'll be sure to post it right here. Until then, keep in touch!!!
First of all, let me give you the background on the title of my blog. Before I left for Germany I did take a crash course in cultural sensitivity training. And when I say crash course, I am dead serious. The trainer came to my apartment the first day at 9 a.m. and left at 6:30 p.m. I got two potty breaks...yeah, serious. Anyway, after I finished rocking myself in the fetal position from the overwhelming amount of information I had just received, I really started thinking about this concept of Peaches and Coconuts she had talked about.
Essentially, Americans are like peaches (soft and fuzzy, we can be sliced in many ways--much like the many different types of friendships we have) and Germans are like coconuts (hard on the outside and soft in the middle and "unsliceable"--meaning they have one core group of friends and then many acquaintances). Peaches, by nature, try to really get in there quickly and develop a friendship. But coconuts, typically, are hesitant to create a friendship that fast. So what happens when a peach encounters a brand new, shiny coconut...the result is often a bruised peach. Now, I'm not saying anything negative about the Germans. In fact, most of them know this analogy and agree with it. Germans just take their friendships very seriously. Americans have about a million "best friends." We toss the word around pretty easily. Nope, not saying anything negative about Americans either...I am the epitome of a peach. So, why does this concept intrigue me so much? Well, it's a pretty interesting look into a culture. Friendships and relationships are the bedrock of a society. So, of course, I am now a peach in a coconut tree trying to figure it all out.
If you want to learn more, check out this paper on the Peaches/Coconuts topic.
OK, enough of the deep stuff, right? Here are a few funny things that I've experienced so far.
1) I've paid 1 Euro 20 cents to use the bathroom. There are machines and turnstyles and everything in some public restrooms. This is brilliant! America, take note. It could be a solution to some of our debt issues...and it keeps the bathrooms really nice and clean. Although, my dad hates this concept and actually got chased by a lady for not paying. Oh, dad...
2) You are not allowed to smile on government IDs. My relocation consultant, Alexandra (who is super awesome!), told me to bring a biometric (passport) photo for my work permit. So, I got one in the U.S. at Walgreens and brought it along in my super flexy folder. When I got to the town hall to register for my permit, I handed the woman my photo and she scanned it into the machine. Super...great, no problem, right? Wrong. Apparently, you are not allowed to smile in German IDs. The machine actually kicked my photo back. I had to go to the photobooth down the hall and take a horrendous photo of myself. I'll let you be the judge, but I think I'll stick to smiling in all future photos. My boss told me he never wanted to see that photo ever again. I thought that was a bit harsh :)
3) Carnivale = Halloween + Kids Incorporated. We arrived just before Carnivale started here. It's essentially a big party (similar to Mardi Gras or Carnivale in Rio). So, my parents and I enjoyed the festivities throughout Marienplatz on Monday. All-in-all it was just like any street festival I had ever been to...fun, friendly, drinking, music. People were dressed up in all kinds of costumes, which was fun to see. The one thing that mesmerized me was these college-age kids who were dancing on stage to popular music. I'm not talking about freestyle dancing, but actual simple routines, ala Kids Incorporated. Why does this mesmerize me so...I have no idea, but I can't stop thinking about it.
Well, I suppose something new will distract very soon, and I'll be sure to post it right here. Until then, keep in touch!!!
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