A Constant Translation

I promised some cultural peculiarities so they are as follows: (and just so you know, you can click on the photos or other images for a larger view).
*Germans write notes on Grid paper. Not just lined, but full out grids for everything from their Math Classes (which grids makes sense) to History or Languages.

*Everyone has a 1st grader's pencil bag, a necessity to hold all one's writing utensils.

*CANS of pop= non-existent. I found one place that sells american goodies and the cans have a recycle value of 25 cents= 4 x beer bottle OR =2 liter of soda

*Germans knock on the tables at the end of every lecture. It's a sign of respect and thanks for the professor, meanwhile a terrible hypocracy as they spent the full 1 1/2 hours of the lecture gabbing to one another without concern for the speaker.

*SO many German jobs exist not to increase efficiency, but to create jobs. That in itself explains the maze that is our library. I won't begin to explain because it deserves its own essay.

*Every German follows the law. There are a million opportunities to steal something, but nothing is ever stolen. A friend and I both had instances of losing something valuable in the city, and we both received it back in full without a single thing touched or missing. (I lost studienbuch and she lost wallet-every penny in place)
PLUS, if the street is dead and empty and a German stands at a crosswalk, they do NOT walk until the little sign says it's legal to walk.


Look to the diagram to the left to see how it is trying to translate some hand-writing. It's bad enough translating the words, but first figuring out what word is on the paper is a challenge in itself.

And now for wrap-up: I hadn't mentioned earlier, but I was accepted as a Carlson School Ambassador!

And in about 4 hours I leave for my trip up to Sweden, Denmark, and Northern Germany. So I apologize in advance, but I'll be quite out of touch until June 4th, the date of my return. I will have internet access at cafe's and will use it, but will use it sparingly.

I hope you all have a fantastic Pfingstpause (It's the holiday we're celebrating here--I, and none of my friends, understand why or what it is, but we know we get a week off of school)

Later Days,
Rick