On December 6th, I will have been in Germany for 3 months already, however, it feels like so much longer! I have heard from a lot of people that the first few months are like the 'honeymoon period' where everything is exciting and brand new and you're up for anything with no reservations. But after those few months have passed and your brain begins to grasp the fact that this isn't just a vacation, they've told me it's as if your loyalties are starting to feel like they are being forced to choose between your homeland and the country you're currently living in. I've been told that I will either get to a point where I think everything in America is stupid and remain very harsh and critical, or I will have a new found sense of patriotism that I never knew I had in me. Well, here's the verdict--I love Germany. And I love America. America is my home, and I can't help but feel a wave of pride when I see American colors or the American flag on TV for some kind of event, and sometimes if I think on it too long I even find myself longing to return already. But Germany is another world from the one I grew up in. I have fallen in love with all of the Backereis, Marienplatz, die U-Bahns (even though it ate my H&M bag), hearing German everywhere, being able to practice my German, the Munich church family, the fact that it's SO NORMAL to take the entire day to study in a cute cafe with your kaffee dabei. No the service may not be that friendly, and the Germans may not be super patient with your attempts to speak their language....but then (like today) you eventually always run into a random German that hears you speaking your native language, and instead of getting huffy, they smile, ask in German what you're speaking, and say how wonderful it is to be able to hear languages from other parts of the world.
So, to those people who have told me I would feel the need to choose, this is how I choose to respond: It doesn't matter where I go, travel to, where I live in the future, or what language I speak--America is my home. It will always be home, and although it's not perfect by any means, I can't help but smile at the large influence it has had on Germany and in every part of the world. It may not be the best influence at times, but with our media alone it has infiltrated into every part of the German society, in big and small ways. It makes me smile because if I look hard enough there is always a piece of home with me. Germany is great--it has it's pros and cons just like every other place, and I appreciate what it has to offer to the world. And although the language is beyond frustrating at times, the moments I have where I finally say something right after having struggled with it for days, or I'm able to just answer without have to take 5 minutes to think about it, or someone shows the slightly bit of patience with my struggling attempts....makes it all worth it. When I can speak to someone in their native language and make them smile, or get to know them, how the live, what they think, and the vocabulary they use on a day to day basis..that also makes it all worth it.
Recently I've been trying to study the Bible out in German (and naturally in Englisch). Sometimes I get so frustrated because so many of the words used in the German Bible are words similar to words I already know in German...but they're kind of fancified, just like in the Englisch Bible, which can sometimes make it feel very impersonal. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that that's what makes the Bible special. Language and vocabulary are a part of what makes someone or something who they are. It would be boring if we all used the same vocabulary, and many people have always admired those with an extensive and colorful vocabulary, or with people who can speak many languages. Understanding a language is not just learning a new broad range of vocabulary taht sounds different from your own--it's learning about an entirely different culture, way of life, way of thinking, history, und so weiter. So for those of you thinking of trying to learn a foreign language, my advice is to not just learn it in the land where it doesn't really exist. Go to where it was created, and where it was first started. Experience it. Dare to see something out of what you're used to and comfortable with. The ways it challenges you to grow, be outside of yourself, possibly change yourself, and respect the people in a culture you can't erfassen is invaluable. Of course, this is looking at the situation with a reasonable perspective. It's a roller coaster of emotions, and if you gauge your experiences only on how you feel, then you'll never be able to fully appreciate the beauty of learning from another country.
Some things about Germans I've learned that never fail to catch my attention:
1) They blow their nose really, really loud. When I lived with my second host family I always heard it and just assumed it was a personal thing. But no, it never fails. When a German blows their nose, it sounds like a blow horn.
2) They take their animals everywhere! In America, we can't do this. But you will see dogs on the U-Bahns, in restaurants, in the stores, and other extremely random locations. I am always surprised and impressed by how well-behaved the dogs are here. They are never running wild, and half the time they aren't even on a leash.
3) When it's cold out, they put their babies in what looks like sleeping bags in their Kinderwagens. The baby is all bundled in the warmest clothes possible, then slid into sleeping bags and cacooned in the warmth of the schlafsack. Ich finde es ganz süß.
4) They have bike paths! It's almost as if it's more normal to ride your bike to worth as it is to drive a car. Bike paths are everywhere and bikes have the right of way more than people. If you get in the way of one of these bike paths, they will kling their bell at you and run you over. And honestly, they probably won't feel bad about it.
5) The Euro looks like monopoly money. Part of me thinks it's just a pretty piece of colorful paper every time I see it. It's weird not understanding the weight and worth of a currency when using it. And also very, very dangerous.
6) Neon is a color that has yet to infiltrate this country. Germans mostly wear very dark colors, with red being the exception. I have hardly seen ANY bright colors here other than red. And I'm not even sure if red really counts as a bright color like neon.
7) If you don't shop at H&M, you might as well leave the country.
8) Gebrannte Mandeln, Lebkuchen, Gummibärchen, die Schokolade, und Brot may be some of the best things this country has to offer as far as food goes.
9) They don't have yummy things like Lucky charms, Oreos (or at least in the variety that we offer), sweet potatoes, pumpkin filling, premade pie crust, or the variety of sweets we have. Seriously, I find it impressive how much time Amerika has put into making an ungodly large variety of sweets.
10) For fairy tales, we have Disney. They have Brothers Grimm. And we wonder why our children are jacked up with ideas of happily ever after.
11) It's much harder to make friends with Germans than it is at home. They're not as friendly to you when they first meet you like Americans are, but they are also much more loyal as far as friendships and following through on what they say they're going to do.
Here are some pictures of JYM Thanksgiving, Krater Thanksgiving, and various events since I last wrote:
Thanksgiving was really encouraging, and although I of course miss being home at times, I'm so grateful to have spent it hear with new friends and family.
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