American in Berlin

Blast from the Past

I have also been keeping a paper journal this year (where I write the more juicy and more mundane details of my year that I don’t want the entire blogosphere to read;-)) I figure I will stash the journal under my bed when I get home and get a good laugh out of it when I read it in a few years. While doing a bit of spring-cleaning in the apt this evening, I came across the first volume of the journal and enjoyed reading the first couple of entries. On August 30, I wrote a small list of observations that offer some fun comparisons and contrasts to my thoughts now, 9 months later.

Then: “I’m relearning how to make a duvet burrito.”
Now: the duvet burrito still looks pretty, but I find a duvet accordion at the end of the bed easier to make and gives easier access at night.

Then: “Merkel’s campaign photos are better than Schroeder’s. Schroeder’s eyes look creepy and he needs botox on his forehead.”
Now: maybe that is why Merkel won;-)

Then: “There are too many smoke and BO smells.”
Now: not much has changed

Then: “I was actually asked by 2 Germans for directions today—must have been my European bowling shoes.”
Now: Those people might still be walking around lost in Bonn based on the directions I gave them. My German is better now, maybe I should go back and find them!

Then: “People look at me funny when I wear my sunglasses on my head.”
Now: It seems that Germans and Americans have a different belief on the appropriateness of staring at strangers. The stares I was observing in August might have just been normal German stares and not related to my sunglasses. A friend of mine actually relishes getting into “stare-downs” with Germans that stare at her first on the U-bahn. (Remember having stare-downs with friends in elementary school! Fun times!)

Then: “I haven’t seen anyone jet skiing on the Rhine river.”
Now: I haven’t seen anyone jet skiing on the Spree river either. Is jet skiing popular in Germany? Hmmm…

Then: “Sport stores do sell golf clubs in Germany.”
Now: I got a great deal on a driver at the end of last season! But I refuse to pay to get a German golfing license!!

posted by Erin @ 3:16 PM