I was kind of uncertain as I stood in the grocery store line, reading the label on the jar in my hand. "Middle-sharp mustard" was listed as the basis of the sandwich spread, and I wondered by just whose standards it was considered "middle" sharp. It turned out to be good, though, and I added another product to my (mental) German-food-experience list. The next-to-last entry was a type of fish--Schillerlocken--which is (says the dictionary) "curled smoked strips of (spiny) dogfish." That was great as well. I got it from a smokehouse with a big fish counter, like the meat counter in a butcher shop. I'd never seen that many types of fish/fish products in one place. There were a variety of different fish "salads" and three types of fish Sülze, which is meat in gelatin (these versions included vegetables and even hard-boiled eggs, as well). I don't think my food tasting will take me quite that far, but they did admittedly look better than the similar products made from pork.
In addition to the food, I got a little taste of German music over the weekend as well. Greifswald held its semi-annual "Musiknacht," a festival involving 11 bands playing in 11 different restaurants in the city center. I went with Carsta and several of her friends. It was a little awkward entering this group of people I didn't know and who were all 15-20 years older than me, but they were nice enough. We discussed which languages are the most important to learn, and I (somehow) got into a conversation with one of them on immigration and his belief that Muslims should be kept out of Germany. That was super interesting. He wanted to make it very clear to me that he was a nationalist, but not a Nazi. "No Nazi," he repeated in English to make sure I understood. So why did he want to keep the Muslims out? "Because it's Germany," he said, "and Islam is not Germany." Maybe not traditionally, I admitted, but why couldn't it be? Besides, the Muslims aren't going to try to convert him; they just want to live here. He didn't exactly have an answer. I asked about Jews. This was a hard one. He said that Jews were maybe OK because they were kind of Christian. Hm. I decided not to broach the subject of Buddhism or any other religion that was "not Germany," though I'd be curious to know what he thought. Most "nationalism" here seems to be targeted at folks from the Middle East.
So back to the Musik: we only ended up going to three different bars, which was kind of disappointing to me, basically because I wanted to hear the "we're not just a CCR cover band" band that was on the program. Supposedly this event happens again in April, so when I go again I'll break out on my own. The first place we went was the best. It was a trio: one on piano, one singer, and one playing violin/unidentifiable horn/percussion. They played some boogie (that's what they called it, at least), as well as German Schläger from the 1950s-60s, and lots of requests from the audience. The musicians were great. The pianist was amazing--and apparently kind of famous in this area for his improvisational skills. I don't think this particular group is on YouTube, but so you can get an idea of SOME of what they did, I'll attach a couple of links of audience favorites. The audience was a big part of what made the experience enjoyable. The highlight of the day was the song "Those Were the Days," which the singer sang in Russian, then English, then German. And then the pianist tried to do it in French. Anyway, the crowd was SUPER into it. Clapping like crazy with the refrain, singing along, a couple even dancing. With the Russian music I felt like I was in the DDR or something. It was great.
Speaking of DDR things, I found a used book/record store the other day. There were sections for all kinds of genres, including "DDR science fiction," "DDR comic books," "DDR mysteries," and for records, "DDR Schläger." It was really interesting to me that these were separate sections: it seems to imply that the works are somehow innately different from what came before and after because they were written under a divided Germany. Maybe I'll get around to reading some DDR Sci-Fi and report back later.
Oh, for anyone who was worried about my broken bike: it's now all better! Fixed by the Berufs Bildungs Werk (trainees) for the reasonable cost of 5,22 Euros.
I've given lots of lessons this week so far. Today was immigration to/immigrants in America, "She's leaving home" by the Beatles, "One world (not three)" by Sting, and inviting people/giving compliments/asking for something to be repeated. Yesterday included an extension of "dating in America," and tomorrow I'll have the 7th graders make an itinerary for my hypothetical trip to London. The teaching itself is going pretty well. I'm trying to learn names so I can call on people easily and not just take those who raise their hands. They expect that, I think, and often have a decent answer, even if they didn't volunteer to share it. In a class that I visited for the first time yesterday, the students already knew my name, as the previous TA had told them I was coming. That really surprised me. Generally, the students haven't made any references to the girl who came before. Anyway, it was nice to be a celebrity from the get-go, since I was teaching a lesson to them without having "observed" their class first.
After about a month of putting it off for fear of disturbing people, I practiced my violin in my dorm for the first time last week (hopefully no former music teachers are reading this!). The feedback from my hall-mates was positive. I felt like I was being loud despite the mute, but I was informed that it was quiet and very nice, and that I should play more often. And now I have a reason to! Since the semester just started here, the university orchestra's first rehearsal was last Thursday. I went and was welcomed wholeheartedly, so I'll be playing some Tchaikovsky (always good!), above-average Mozart, and Elgar's Enigma Variations this semester. And even going to Bremen (5-6 hours away by train) to perform. I'm happy!
Also in my spare time, I'm learning the art of Scottish Country Dance! I enrolled in a class through the university, but it's open to all members of the community. It's fun, and I figure it's a good way to meet people. The kind of people who do this sort of thing are usually friendly. Downside is that it's not as much of a workout as I'd hoped...the Irish dancing I did over interterm was much better in that respect. I'll have to figure out another way to slim down to the average size of a person in what is still supposedly the "fattest" country in Europe. (Man...unglaublich.)
--------------------------
Some songs! Even if you don't understand German, you should listen anyway. It's about the style!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YEXemN9tZY&feature=related (Translation: I don't want chocolate; I'd rather have a man)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9PO5NQtPZ4 (First in Russian, then in English)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HrtQGWtSzQ (Translation, from Bavarian to German to English: "Don't you have a man for me?" Then she goes through her list of required characteristics and looks at a bunch of pictures of possible suitors but doesn't find anyone to suit her.)
Dienstag, 20. Oktober 2009
Samstag, 10. Oktober 2009
Doch ein Ossi
Ever wonder why Germans use the progressive tenses more frequently than seems natural?* Apparently, it's because they're taught to. Maybe not in the footnoted example, but certainly in some cases where it may be technically correct but sounds strange to a native speaker. This came to my attention when one of the classes did a worksheet about Laurel and Hardy. They were supposed to fill in the blanks in the text with the correct form of a given verb. In general, I agreed with the answer key, but there were a couple of questionable sentences. For example: "Over the years, many critics have been analyzing the skits of Laurel and Hardy to find the secret to their success." And "Since the 1920s, L&H fans have watched the films again and again and have been laughing every time." I would say "have analyzed" in the first case. The second one is just awkward, but I think you could just say simply "laugh" and it'd work. Definitely not "have been laughing." Auf keinen Fall! Technically, however, it may be right. This puts me in even greater doubt of the inherent grammatical prowess I used to think I had. English professors have caught me breaking rules I had no idea existed, and I'm finding that there's still plenty that falls through the grammar error-catching cracks.
Yesterday was Friday, and thus my non-weekend day off. I spent the early afternoon on a bike ride in the area to the northwest of Greifswald. I set out in the direction of Stralsund (36 km, 22 miles away), but didn't have any idea how far I could reasonbly expect to make it. I was planning on taking all day for the trip, but had gotten a call from Carsta (my mentor-teacher) the day before, inviting me to a guitar concert that evening. Just as well (or better), as it turned out, because three hours of bike riding was really enough for me. The land here is clearly no waffle, but is still certainly more hilly than a pancake. In any case, the way to Stralsund is a steady uphill grade, and most of the roads I was riding on approached the waffle category (cobblestone, or otherwise beschädigt). My three hours of riding didn't get me to Stralsund, but GoogleMaps tells me the distance I went was probably even greater, what with the getting lost and intentional detours and all. Whether it was the terrible roads or just general exertion/exhaustion, my bike gave out on me on the way home. Some sort of peddle-tension cable snapped, so now the peddles just spin. Fortunately, this happened within a half-hour walk of my house and not when I was 10 miles away from Greifswald! Next week, I'll see about getting it fixed. Carsta's husband works at a shop that employs handicapped people to do repair work very cheaply. I think you just pay the cost of materials. Sounds kind of like exploitation when I write it that way, but I guess the workers are probably getting something out of the deal. ? We'll hope so.
The guitar concert in the evening was really great. It took place in this fairly small venue where they apparently have all kinds of "cultural" events/performances. The write-up I saw about the concert showed this Spanish-looking, Spanish-named, dark haired, muscular guy sitting on some rocks and playing guitar while looking out over the ocean. Exotic, intense, and poetic. As it turned out, he was from the German state of Sachsen,** was really funny and seemed really friendly, and was actually named "Jörg." He played acoustic guitar, but used an electronic looping machine to play over himself. The style was kinda folky, sometimes Spanishy, moderately jazzy, bordering on rocky, and really hard to describe. And sometimes included didgeridoo! He had a couple awesome pieces that he "made" by looping guitar chords/melodies, didgeridoo, and rainstick, and then playing overtop of it on the guitar. So unique. I think that's part of what really made the concert great for me. Aside from the fact that he was super-talented technique-wise, he was obviously doing something completely his own. His sense of humor/stage presence complemented that and made for a very enjoyable atmosphere. "Stimmung!" he scream-whispered into the atmosphere a couple times. Stimmung, indeed.***
It's time to check my laundry, which I think has finally made it through a wash cycle (after a few hours and me setting the dial forward a couple times). I don't understand what the deal with it is (definitely broken), but it's free and eventually gets things clean, so I certainly can't complain!
-------------
*For example: "At my job, I am cleaning the mirrors, taking out the trash, and often using the present progressive."
**The blog entry title for today relates to this. The concert started about 15 minutes late, which is quite something in this land of punctuality, and Carsta commented to me that this must mean the musician is a "Wessi" (West German). Apparently, East Germans (Ossis) always start on time. When she found out he came from Sachsen, she had to admit that he "was too" from the East.
***Can incidentally mean either "mood"/"atmosphere" or "tuning."
-------------
Sunday afternoon update! Here are a few guitarist-related links for Sarah H. and anyone else who's interested. They're all quite different, so don't give up if you don't like one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvTf7LHtO_U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDy13Y8_glE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oddiOIbt9io&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_iF3Pwmj_Q&feature=related
Yesterday was Friday, and thus my non-weekend day off. I spent the early afternoon on a bike ride in the area to the northwest of Greifswald. I set out in the direction of Stralsund (36 km, 22 miles away), but didn't have any idea how far I could reasonbly expect to make it. I was planning on taking all day for the trip, but had gotten a call from Carsta (my mentor-teacher) the day before, inviting me to a guitar concert that evening. Just as well (or better), as it turned out, because three hours of bike riding was really enough for me. The land here is clearly no waffle, but is still certainly more hilly than a pancake. In any case, the way to Stralsund is a steady uphill grade, and most of the roads I was riding on approached the waffle category (cobblestone, or otherwise beschädigt). My three hours of riding didn't get me to Stralsund, but GoogleMaps tells me the distance I went was probably even greater, what with the getting lost and intentional detours and all. Whether it was the terrible roads or just general exertion/exhaustion, my bike gave out on me on the way home. Some sort of peddle-tension cable snapped, so now the peddles just spin. Fortunately, this happened within a half-hour walk of my house and not when I was 10 miles away from Greifswald! Next week, I'll see about getting it fixed. Carsta's husband works at a shop that employs handicapped people to do repair work very cheaply. I think you just pay the cost of materials. Sounds kind of like exploitation when I write it that way, but I guess the workers are probably getting something out of the deal. ? We'll hope so.
The guitar concert in the evening was really great. It took place in this fairly small venue where they apparently have all kinds of "cultural" events/performances. The write-up I saw about the concert showed this Spanish-looking, Spanish-named, dark haired, muscular guy sitting on some rocks and playing guitar while looking out over the ocean. Exotic, intense, and poetic. As it turned out, he was from the German state of Sachsen,** was really funny and seemed really friendly, and was actually named "Jörg." He played acoustic guitar, but used an electronic looping machine to play over himself. The style was kinda folky, sometimes Spanishy, moderately jazzy, bordering on rocky, and really hard to describe. And sometimes included didgeridoo! He had a couple awesome pieces that he "made" by looping guitar chords/melodies, didgeridoo, and rainstick, and then playing overtop of it on the guitar. So unique. I think that's part of what really made the concert great for me. Aside from the fact that he was super-talented technique-wise, he was obviously doing something completely his own. His sense of humor/stage presence complemented that and made for a very enjoyable atmosphere. "Stimmung!" he scream-whispered into the atmosphere a couple times. Stimmung, indeed.***
It's time to check my laundry, which I think has finally made it through a wash cycle (after a few hours and me setting the dial forward a couple times). I don't understand what the deal with it is (definitely broken), but it's free and eventually gets things clean, so I certainly can't complain!
-------------
*For example: "At my job, I am cleaning the mirrors, taking out the trash, and often using the present progressive."
**The blog entry title for today relates to this. The concert started about 15 minutes late, which is quite something in this land of punctuality, and Carsta commented to me that this must mean the musician is a "Wessi" (West German). Apparently, East Germans (Ossis) always start on time. When she found out he came from Sachsen, she had to admit that he "was too" from the East.
***Can incidentally mean either "mood"/"atmosphere" or "tuning."
-------------
Sunday afternoon update! Here are a few guitarist-related links for Sarah H. and anyone else who's interested. They're all quite different, so don't give up if you don't like one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvTf7LHtO_U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDy13Y8_glE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oddiOIbt9io&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_iF3Pwmj_Q&feature=related
Montag, 5. Oktober 2009
Thanksgiving comes around early here
Sometimes disappointed plans can be a good thing. I went to bed on Friday night all excited about a long bike ride I had planned for the next day. I knew I was probably being a little overly hopeful as it's been off-and-on rainy here recently. Sure enough, I awoke Saturday morning to gray, clouds, and drizzle. Checked the weekend weather forecast: Sunday was supposed to be nice(r). OK. That could work. Grad school apps Saturday, bike ride Sunday. As it turned out, the drizzle stopped by afternoon. Realizing it was "German Reunification Day," I walked into the city where there was a market, extra-long shopping hours, and a ton of people. The vendors sold standard farmer's market fare--fresh produce, homemade jellies, and crafts--in addition to a seemingly inordinate amount of sausage. And flowers! More than you could imagine; unless you've been to Germany, and then maybe you can. I bought some apples from a couple nice ladies for a Euro a kilo (really cheap!) that happened to be just about the best apples I've ever had. Firm and crisp and juicy and pleasantly sour. I should have got another 2 or 3 kilos. There were a ton of people out for the festivities, and almost all of the downtown shops were open, despite the fact that it was a Saturday and a holiday. The atmosphere in the town was just great, and I had a good time: a few street musicians, early fall weather, good-tempered people speaking German and I'm content.
After I got back to my dorm, I got a call from the civics teacher at my school, inviting me to go with his family to the "Erntedankfest" (thanksgiving) service at a church the next day. I agreed, of course, moderately disappointed that my bike ride was going to be yet again delayed. As it turned out, Sunday was approximately the windiest day ever, and riding a bike over long distances would have been terrible. I rode for about a half-hour that morning, which was quite enough for me. The church service, unlike most in small-town East Germany, was well-attended. Thanksgiving in Germany is strictly a church celebration--no big feasts or football games or even much recognition. The church was in a farming area outside of Greifswald, so people brought with them home-grown produce, as well as store-bought bread and flowers and potatoes. They piled everything up on a table in front of the altar and the preacher talked about being thankful for what we have...and some other kind of tangential topics. The service was interesting for me, because it seemed more relaxed than other German "evangelische" (protestant) services I've been to (admittedly, not that many). The pastor exuded energy and even succeeded in getting the congregation to sing and clap along with his guitar-playing and the kids' singing.* After the service, everyone went to a nearby building for coffee and cake. Yum. Germans are cake-baking experts. And the coffee wasn't bad either.
The teacher (named Jürgen, incidentally) took a long detour home to show me around the agricultural area and the beach opposite downtown Greifswald. The wind, as already mentioned, was super strong, so the water was dotted with white caps, and the brush and pine trees leading up to the beach were all blowing toward the water. Jürgen told me all about the farms in the area and talked about differences between the DDR time and post-reunification. From what I gather, Greifswald was in pretty bad shape under communism. I've seen pictures of dilapidated buildings and rubble and poorly-maintained streets. After the wall fell, the upkeep was much better. Building materials were no longer luxury goods. However, in some cases, reunification had the opposite effect. Many large farm houses now stand empty and run-down because of the large number of people who left once the border opened. I was surprised to find that this exit-trend still continues. Of 27 students who went to a recent 10-year reunion at the high school, he said, only two were still living in the east.
The ex-East effect is also visible in the churches. Certainly, it's a Germany-wide trend that church attendance is shrinking, but since it was so strongly discouraged by the Soviets, it's extra-unpopular here. Jürgen said that when he goes to church, there are maybe 4 or 5 people at the service. I think a big part of this issues is that Germany has SO MANY churches! They were built when everybody used to go; now no ones goes, but the buildings/congregations still exist still have a pastor preaching there. I'd think a little consolidation might be in order. Then again, I wouldn't support tearing them down, and I don't know how else they're going to be maintained.
So, in sum: good weekend. I really can not get over how in love with this place I am. I'm struck like 3 or 4 times a day by how beautiful it is, both from a natural and an architectural perspective. ** Also, the atmosphere's just great. Like at that market on Saturday, or with any of the genuinely friendly people I've met here. Plus, it's the East! From a curious-about-everything historian's perspective, I got pretty lucky!
In other news: found out today that I have money in and access to my new bank account! That's a very good thing. I feel like I'm spending a lot, and now maybe I'll finally stop mentally converting all the Euro prices into dollars!
---------------------
*Reminded me a lot of Tedd, for anyone to whom that means something.
**Learned that much of the architecture here is called "Backsteingotisch" (red-brick gothic). No wonder I like it--combines a good architectural style with one of my favorite building materials!
After I got back to my dorm, I got a call from the civics teacher at my school, inviting me to go with his family to the "Erntedankfest" (thanksgiving) service at a church the next day. I agreed, of course, moderately disappointed that my bike ride was going to be yet again delayed. As it turned out, Sunday was approximately the windiest day ever, and riding a bike over long distances would have been terrible. I rode for about a half-hour that morning, which was quite enough for me. The church service, unlike most in small-town East Germany, was well-attended. Thanksgiving in Germany is strictly a church celebration--no big feasts or football games or even much recognition. The church was in a farming area outside of Greifswald, so people brought with them home-grown produce, as well as store-bought bread and flowers and potatoes. They piled everything up on a table in front of the altar and the preacher talked about being thankful for what we have...and some other kind of tangential topics. The service was interesting for me, because it seemed more relaxed than other German "evangelische" (protestant) services I've been to (admittedly, not that many). The pastor exuded energy and even succeeded in getting the congregation to sing and clap along with his guitar-playing and the kids' singing.* After the service, everyone went to a nearby building for coffee and cake. Yum. Germans are cake-baking experts. And the coffee wasn't bad either.
The teacher (named Jürgen, incidentally) took a long detour home to show me around the agricultural area and the beach opposite downtown Greifswald. The wind, as already mentioned, was super strong, so the water was dotted with white caps, and the brush and pine trees leading up to the beach were all blowing toward the water. Jürgen told me all about the farms in the area and talked about differences between the DDR time and post-reunification. From what I gather, Greifswald was in pretty bad shape under communism. I've seen pictures of dilapidated buildings and rubble and poorly-maintained streets. After the wall fell, the upkeep was much better. Building materials were no longer luxury goods. However, in some cases, reunification had the opposite effect. Many large farm houses now stand empty and run-down because of the large number of people who left once the border opened. I was surprised to find that this exit-trend still continues. Of 27 students who went to a recent 10-year reunion at the high school, he said, only two were still living in the east.
The ex-East effect is also visible in the churches. Certainly, it's a Germany-wide trend that church attendance is shrinking, but since it was so strongly discouraged by the Soviets, it's extra-unpopular here. Jürgen said that when he goes to church, there are maybe 4 or 5 people at the service. I think a big part of this issues is that Germany has SO MANY churches! They were built when everybody used to go; now no ones goes, but the buildings/congregations still exist still have a pastor preaching there. I'd think a little consolidation might be in order. Then again, I wouldn't support tearing them down, and I don't know how else they're going to be maintained.
So, in sum: good weekend. I really can not get over how in love with this place I am. I'm struck like 3 or 4 times a day by how beautiful it is, both from a natural and an architectural perspective. ** Also, the atmosphere's just great. Like at that market on Saturday, or with any of the genuinely friendly people I've met here. Plus, it's the East! From a curious-about-everything historian's perspective, I got pretty lucky!
In other news: found out today that I have money in and access to my new bank account! That's a very good thing. I feel like I'm spending a lot, and now maybe I'll finally stop mentally converting all the Euro prices into dollars!
---------------------
*Reminded me a lot of Tedd, for anyone to whom that means something.
**Learned that much of the architecture here is called "Backsteingotisch" (red-brick gothic). No wonder I like it--combines a good architectural style with one of my favorite building materials!
Donnerstag, 1. Oktober 2009
A Foreign Minority
So I believe I wrote in an earlier post (in an accomplishment-enduced mood of generosity), that the foreign registration office could "background-check me to their hearts' content." I am now officially revoking that statement. It's been nearly 3 weeks since they told me I'd get my permit in 1-2, and this whole thing is just getting ridiculous. I go to the office to see if this folder from Heidelberg has arrived. They tell me "no, call again tomorrow." So I call. No folder. "Check back in a day or two." So I do. No folder. "It's got to get here soon; call back." No folder. The lady said today she'd send an e-mail to Heidelberg. Even if that miraculously induces some action among the workers down south, the file still has to travel here and be reviewed and whatnot. All this wouldn't matter, except that I wanted to enroll in the university this semester (got my paperwork submitted and everything), but I have to show the school a visa to prove I can study here by tomorrow, which clearly isn't going to happen. I kind of wish I had the temperament (and vocabulary) to get mad at these people. Since I don't, I'm taking the angsty-teenager route and writing about it on my blog. Oh gosh. I apologize.
On the brighter side of bureaucracy, I'm finally figuring out the complicated processes surrounding German banking and the absolutely-not-made-clear stipulations of the German train system's "BahnCard25." If you're ever considering buying one of these things, talk to me first! The website does not tell you the whole story. One thing I'm quickly finding out is that the easiest way to good answers is to just go and talk to people face-to-face. If you're lucky, they'll think your accent's cute and take off whatever coat of steely reservation they put on when they became a office worker.
Relatedly: I like watching people's faces when I speak to them for the first time. You can almost always tell just when they detect you're a foreigner. It's something of a twitch toward a smile which quickly disappears as they realize you are going to ask them a question and they better pay attention so they can do their job.
I found out the other day, while browsing around on the German census bureau-like website,* that Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has nearly the lowest percentage of foreigners of any state in Germany (2.4%). A couple states were just a few tenths-of-a-percent lower, but most were considerably higher; the national average was 8.8%. What was super-interesting was the huge discrepancy between former West German states and East German ones. My calculator's broken, so I'm not gonna figure up exact averages, but we're talking like 10% foreign population vs. 2%.
Also interesting (to me, maybe not to anyone else): average age at first marriage. In the U.S., 27.7 for men, 26 for women. In Germany: 33 men, 30 women. A solid 4-5 years higher in Germany. And considerably higher than in some American states. I think it was Utah that married off the average woman at age 21.9.
Did my last week of "observation" at school this week, so I guess tomorrow we'll try to draft a regular schedule. I've gotten to see classes at pretty much all levels now, and even gotten a taste of classroom discipline. Some 9th grade boys got in trouble for smoking tea. A girl attacked a bathroom door. Each student in an entire 10th grade class failed their assignment to speak for one minute on a particular topic. Oh, high school.
Speaking of school-related things, my new (temporary) favorite German word is "eingeschult." (Past particple of "einschulen." Related words: "das Einschulen," "die Einschulung.") Definition: um....the passive, past-tense way to express that someone started school. We don't have that in English. Not that there's any reason you need it.
------------------
*www.destatis.de, if you're interested. The site's in English.
On the brighter side of bureaucracy, I'm finally figuring out the complicated processes surrounding German banking and the absolutely-not-made-clear stipulations of the German train system's "BahnCard25." If you're ever considering buying one of these things, talk to me first! The website does not tell you the whole story. One thing I'm quickly finding out is that the easiest way to good answers is to just go and talk to people face-to-face. If you're lucky, they'll think your accent's cute and take off whatever coat of steely reservation they put on when they became a office worker.
Relatedly: I like watching people's faces when I speak to them for the first time. You can almost always tell just when they detect you're a foreigner. It's something of a twitch toward a smile which quickly disappears as they realize you are going to ask them a question and they better pay attention so they can do their job.
I found out the other day, while browsing around on the German census bureau-like website,* that Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has nearly the lowest percentage of foreigners of any state in Germany (2.4%). A couple states were just a few tenths-of-a-percent lower, but most were considerably higher; the national average was 8.8%. What was super-interesting was the huge discrepancy between former West German states and East German ones. My calculator's broken, so I'm not gonna figure up exact averages, but we're talking like 10% foreign population vs. 2%.
Also interesting (to me, maybe not to anyone else): average age at first marriage. In the U.S., 27.7 for men, 26 for women. In Germany: 33 men, 30 women. A solid 4-5 years higher in Germany. And considerably higher than in some American states. I think it was Utah that married off the average woman at age 21.9.
Did my last week of "observation" at school this week, so I guess tomorrow we'll try to draft a regular schedule. I've gotten to see classes at pretty much all levels now, and even gotten a taste of classroom discipline. Some 9th grade boys got in trouble for smoking tea. A girl attacked a bathroom door. Each student in an entire 10th grade class failed their assignment to speak for one minute on a particular topic. Oh, high school.
Speaking of school-related things, my new (temporary) favorite German word is "eingeschult." (Past particple of "einschulen." Related words: "das Einschulen," "die Einschulung.") Definition: um....the passive, past-tense way to express that someone started school. We don't have that in English. Not that there's any reason you need it.
------------------
*www.destatis.de, if you're interested. The site's in English.
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