A Quick and Reflective Post
3. September, 3. October, 3. November, 3. December, 3. January, 3. February, and now 11 days more. Five months, 11 days. A long time.
I cannot really remember what I was expecting. Some things, but definitely not others. Sauerkraut and rolls, I guess. The forests and the Hain. Certainly not Merkl, but maybe Fischer. Certainly not the Thai food at Pelikan, but definitely the beer at Klosterbräu.
I have surprised myself quite a bit. But my real point (if there is a point) is that other people have surprised me more. Approaching six months, I am learning quite a bit about my neighbors and their own German-ness. Their hopes, desires, and anxieties are somehow old, universal, and yet new to me because of the context. I hope that I will get the opportunity to get to know them better.
That is, of course, the one regret I have so far: I have not made a big enough effort to integrate myself completely at the German table. In the last almost-five-and-a-half months I have acquired the tools to interact more sincerely with my acquaintances. Now is the time to put those skills into action. I finally feel comfortable to be convincingly conversive on a range of topics, to be creative, or to be funny.
Hopefully, when my neighbors come back, I can keep it up.
I cannot really remember what I was expecting. Some things, but definitely not others. Sauerkraut and rolls, I guess. The forests and the Hain. Certainly not Merkl, but maybe Fischer. Certainly not the Thai food at Pelikan, but definitely the beer at Klosterbräu.
I have surprised myself quite a bit. But my real point (if there is a point) is that other people have surprised me more. Approaching six months, I am learning quite a bit about my neighbors and their own German-ness. Their hopes, desires, and anxieties are somehow old, universal, and yet new to me because of the context. I hope that I will get the opportunity to get to know them better.
That is, of course, the one regret I have so far: I have not made a big enough effort to integrate myself completely at the German table. In the last almost-five-and-a-half months I have acquired the tools to interact more sincerely with my acquaintances. Now is the time to put those skills into action. I finally feel comfortable to be convincingly conversive on a range of topics, to be creative, or to be funny.
Hopefully, when my neighbors come back, I can keep it up.
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