assimilation is a funny thing. it comes so slowly, almost without notice. some days i find myself being very...german. this was particularly apparent during my last trip home.
one day, i'm walking along the sidewalk, oblivious of the white line down the middle. the next, i am repeadly dinging my bicycle bell,yelling at politely reminding the group of tourists that this is a bike lane...for bikes...and my bell means get out of the bike lane before i run you over!
one day, i am dreaming of those wonderful people who bag your groceries for you in american grocery stores. the next, i am home for a visit and the grocery bagger looks at me like i have lost my marbles as I quickly grab each item and frantically stuff it into the cloth bag that I brought with me before they can calmly and with a sense of organization pack my items into free plastic bags. i promise i'm not crazy. i just live in germany.
one day, it annoys me that everything is closed on sundays. the next, i am thankful for the peace and quiet, slower pace, and forced break. i love sundays.
one day, i am accidentally mixing up the formal and informal forms of "you" in german, the next, i hear a conversation in english between a bus driver and a passenger and think "well, thats rude. she just said 'you' to him!" oh wait. that was her only option.
one day, i have panic attacks every time i have to pay at a restaurant and figure out a tip simultaneously to paying. the next, the thought of splitting checks, paying with a debit card, and all of the back and forth of paying in america gives me hives.
one day, i think i will never ever ever figure out the metric system. the next, i am telling the girl at king soopers that it would be great if she could slice the cheese in about 1/2 centimeter thick slices. (this is when my dad leaned over to me and said - "we don't use centimeters here" in a not so quiet whisper...) drat. metric really is a lot more practical.
obviously i could go on. its the funniest thing to realize how adaptable we humans are - and to think about all the things i have taken on that are so german. i think my emails have gotten more pointed, less flowery. german. i have definitely become more punctual. german. but you know what? i like it. i'm going native! ~love~
one day, i'm walking along the sidewalk, oblivious of the white line down the middle. the next, i am repeadly dinging my bicycle bell,
one day, i am dreaming of those wonderful people who bag your groceries for you in american grocery stores. the next, i am home for a visit and the grocery bagger looks at me like i have lost my marbles as I quickly grab each item and frantically stuff it into the cloth bag that I brought with me before they can calmly and with a sense of organization pack my items into free plastic bags. i promise i'm not crazy. i just live in germany.
one day, it annoys me that everything is closed on sundays. the next, i am thankful for the peace and quiet, slower pace, and forced break. i love sundays.
one day, i am accidentally mixing up the formal and informal forms of "you" in german, the next, i hear a conversation in english between a bus driver and a passenger and think "well, thats rude. she just said 'you' to him!" oh wait. that was her only option.
one day, i have panic attacks every time i have to pay at a restaurant and figure out a tip simultaneously to paying. the next, the thought of splitting checks, paying with a debit card, and all of the back and forth of paying in america gives me hives.
one day, i think i will never ever ever figure out the metric system. the next, i am telling the girl at king soopers that it would be great if she could slice the cheese in about 1/2 centimeter thick slices. (this is when my dad leaned over to me and said - "we don't use centimeters here" in a not so quiet whisper...) drat. metric really is a lot more practical.
obviously i could go on. its the funniest thing to realize how adaptable we humans are - and to think about all the things i have taken on that are so german. i think my emails have gotten more pointed, less flowery. german. i have definitely become more punctual. german. but you know what? i like it. i'm going native! ~love~
3 comments:
OMG so much truth in one post, where to start! Today I totally duz-ed the landlord of an apartment I was viewing. I could have kicked myself! I also, get really panicked at the grocery store when I have to pack my own stuff, I feel personally responsible for the impatience of everyone in line behind me. And I hate paying tips now. Can't I just round up to the next dollar and be done with it ;)
Thanks for your comment (for real) - as scary as it is, it does feel better knowing that I'm not the only person in the world who's had trouble finding a wg!
@emily i'm serious - i used to talk about all these things as quirky cultural differences, and now i do them all (even duzen and siezen) without even thinking about it! i definitely feel personally responsible for the impatience of everyone behind me too!!
i realized a new one today, too - i totally wear scarves indoors because "es zieht" and of course those drafts will give you a cold. ah germ - it'll get you every time!
LOVE this post.i can relate to you on so many levels being an american in the UK and then when i go back and visit american..
the bagging grocery things..oh so funny..when i first got here i was like uhhh isnt someone supposed to be doing this for me?
THANK YOU for your comment on my blog post about the NHS. thank you for understanding and pointing out my intent..and im glad i can shed some light on a system that so many americans find scary..when its really not.
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