Winning, wondering, Wieck weekend, Wahl

Erfolg! You are now aquainted with the proud holder of a bank account at the Sparkasse Vorpommern in Greifswald, Germany! I'm super-excited about this because, well, it means I can get paid, and because I didn't think I'd be able to say that for at least another two weeks. I didn't whip up any cream puffs, but I did go down to the foreign registration office with my teacher to see what the deal was and if they could hurry up this whole background check thing. The ensuing conversation was pretty ridiculous. My teacher kept asking them why I couldn't get my residence permit immediately as TAs have for the past 10 years, and they kept giving vague answers like, "The rules change." (Which rules? When?) And then they brought in Sept. 11! Um...that was 8 years ago. If the rules were going to change because of that, I think they would have done so before now. Anyway, the workers said they'd hurry (even showed us the papers stamped "eilt"), but there wasn't really anything else we could do. Getting impatient to get forms turned into Fulbright, the German ministry that pays me, and my landlady, I decided to try to open a bank account despite my lack of a permit. First, I went to the Deutsche Bank. There I was rejected. Dang. So I decided to try the Sparkasse, and it worked! (Anyone planning on living in Germany in the future, take note.) So that means that 95% of my bureaucratic business is done, and I'm happy to let the foreigners' office background-check me to their hearts' content.

Speaking of backgroud-checks (of sorts), my classroom observing has taken me into some younger classes (6, 7, and 8) and brought me out of the observation role into that of interogee. With the 6th graders, the first 45 minutes of the lesson were a free-for-all, ask-the-real-life-American-anything-you-can-think of session. And they took full advantage of it. I was asked everything from my favorite animal/book/movie/soccer team to my thoughts on Germany to my familiarity with Michael Jordan/David Beckham/Green Day/several sites in California (a few couldn't quite get the Kansas/California difference straight in their minds).* And they were eager to tell me all kinds of stuff about themselves, too. Someone would ask me my favorite song, so I'd ask them theirs, and then eight more hands would shoot up to give their answer. Pretty adorable, I must say.

When I got to Greifswald, I was informed that I had a bike waiting for me, but not which one or where it was. Today I picked it out of the dozens stashed near my dorm, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities for Greifswald-discovery. Don't know how long it's been since I've ridden a bike, but (until today) I'm confident I could accurately say "years." The bike is actually in pretty decent shape, is most likely younger than I am, and seems to have decent brakes, tire alignment, etc. And it has a basket on the back and peddle-powered light on the front, which are not only very practical, but also very German! So I rode on my very German, new-old bike--right pant leg rolled up and everything--down to the water and a section of town called "Wieck." Wieck is on the "Dänische Wiek," "Wiek" apparently being a small bay in various northern dialects. There it was gorgeous. The weather was just on the warm side of mild with a cool breeze off the bay. I stopped at one of the many fish-selling stands to get a sandwich.** I was seriously considering trying eel, but I chickened out when the people ahead of me ordered a whole one to go. Looked just like a paralyzed snake (complete with face). Major psychological block. Don't despair for my sense of adventure yet, though. I've got another 9 1/2 months to work up the courage, and I promise to try it before I go home.

As I ate my faceless fish, I walked along this natural wall/dam lining the bay. To the right was the water, to the left were white houses with bright, blooming flower gardens and laundry blowing in the breeze. There was a distant church bell, and someone calling to his neighbor, and sounds of seagulls from the water. Other than that, still. Because of that, peaceful. When I was in Heidelberg, I never had any desire to live there, even though it's supposed to be so romantic and pretty. Here, though. I think I could live in Greifswald.

Don't get too worried yet if you're afraid you'll never see me again. I think the same thing every time I go to Colorado. Or Lawrence.

Riding back from Wieck, I saw for the first time a whole bunch of posters for the NPD. There's an election coming up here soon, so I've been seeing SPD and CDU*** posters everywhere. It's been really interesting looking at how the different parties advertise. The SPD poster campaign consists of signs with position statements starting with "because" (for example, "Because good work should be rewarded"), then "for that reason, SPD." (Sounds better in German.) The CDU posters mostly just contain the slogans "We have the power" or "Power in crisis," with a picture of German chancellor Angela Merkel. "We have good ideas!" the SPD seems to say. "But we're in charge," retorts Angela, piercing twinkle in her eye. Or so it seems when the posters appear side-by-side.

But the NPD posters. Those I hadn't seen until today. The NPD are the "nationalists" (by their terms), "neo-Nazis" by other people's. The posters claim that theirs is the party to fight joblessness and the break-down of society. They emphasize work for Germans first (or, more directly, that foreigners should go home). I heard from other students at the Fulbright orientation that Meck-Pomm and the East in general housed much of the residual-Nazi sentiment in Germany. I guess we'll see. From what I can tell, it's a very small group of people who make quite a bit of noise.

****

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*They also seem not to realize that "kennen" is not an English word. "Kenn you the Chicago Bulls?" Zum Beispiel.

**I've decided to make a fish-exception to my vegetarianism, for the sake of omega-3 fatty acids and trying regional specialties. Maybe I shouldn't. Overfishing, it seems, is something of a problem.

***The two main German parties. SPD = left, CDU = right (but the German "right," which is still kind of left).

**** "We have the power"--"Because good and free education is a right"--"Have a good trip home!" As a side note, I think the SPD position on education is fascinating. Good and free education a right? Man. For someone coming off a $30,000/yr. education, it seems unbelievable. That's really how a lot of people see it, though. Most German universities do not charge tuition (it's only quite recently that some have started to). And those that do? 500 Euros a semester. Petty cash compared to anything in the U.S.