Willkommen to Deutschland: First step past first impressions

And so begins my quest for experiencing other cultures, in other words, living in foreign places and cities. Sure I've lived in Belgium and Switzerland, however those are both countries with dual national languages, one of which being French. Not to mention the fact that half of my ancestors are from Belgium. So living there was more like the first step on the path to cultural awakening. I mean, after all, they are both Western countries, highly developed, very international (as they both hold headquarters of major international organisations), and very tourist/business friendly (which translates to English and English speakers everywhere).

Sure I've also visited many other non-English or French countries, including Germany a handful of times, but as anyone who has ever 'lived' abroad for a period of time will tell you, actually living there is a very different experience. When you visit the city, it's like you're meeting someone for the first time. You get to know what they look like, how they speak, what they do, and how interesting they are. The first conversation is usually all the basics and pleasantries, a surface introduction to that person. You can usually gage by that conversation whether you want to pursue the friendship or not, but you are most certainly not friends yet, you just met! Visiting a city is like that. You get the tourist or surface introduction. The architecture, the language, the monuments, the history, and the sights. If you really dive into exploring, you might even get an idea of the feel and the rhythm of the city, and the nightlife. However, as with that initial conversation, it is all surface discoveries. You've gotten to know the surface and/or the skeleton, but you haven't even begun to get to know what is inside. To do so, you must truly experience the city, and really get to know the person. A common mistake with friendships and relationships is when one assumes that they know the other very well, until they decide to live together. Only then do they truly get to know the other person and their habits, often to unwanted results. A city is the same. Only after you have lived there, experienced all the routine errands and 'habits' of the city, and gotten to know its habitants and their lives, can you even begin to truly understand its culture.

I absolutely cannot believe that it is already February 7th. This means that I have just over 3 weeks in Germany. And today, my first full day, is being spent just focusing on being awake and present. I think the only way I made it through the past 2 days was by sheer will power and determination. Today, something as simple as lifting my head off the pillow and getting out of bed (even if only to go to the couch), was quite the feat. Jet lag and adjusting to time zones is a bitch. I haven't even begun to look at or move my suitcases. By which, one would assume that I have not yet begun to explore or experience Germany yet, right? Wrong. If you open your eyes and pay attention, culture is all around us. Indeed it is shaping our every move and decision. For example, my German experience actually started on the German train I caught in Brussels that would bring me to Köln, then to Hanover. Even the way the commandant (can't think of the English word, ticket guy), moved about on the train was different. The way he spoke to passengers was quite different than in Belgium. The passengers themselves looked differently, acted differently, and dressed differently. At the train station in Köln, people sitting at cafés in spoke to each other differently. Their mannerisms were more rigid and formal looking than the very informal French café banter. The stores and restaurants in the train station were obviously quite different too. The Currywurst chain restaurant was the first one to catch my eye. Back on the train, even drinking became different, more German, as the man next to me drank a very large and dark bottle of German beer while reading an incredibly thick book on philosophy. The entire experience by this point was already akin to a "I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" moment.

Today, as I sit here in Julija's cute little (and I do mean little) flat, listening to the deafeningly loud (but very good) music coming from her neighbour's place that sounds as if I am playing it myself from Julija's stereo, at first glance it all seems very normal. I mean a flat is a flat right? Then as you look closer you see hints of Germany, signs of a Russian, markers of a very international person. I believe the German in this case might be reserved to the music, food, and the view from her balcony of the inside square of her block. For breakfast for example, I had the very German and delicious bread with raspberry jam and cheese (I couldn't even begin to tell you what kind, all I understood was 'mild'), followed by Darjeeling tea. The Russian in her flat is much more evident. Everything from her organization style (stuff everything in to a pretty box so as to look organized on the surface), to her ornaments and decorations, to the large bottle of vodka sitting under the TV are all clues to her Russian (or rather Latvian) descent. The international I believe is the most prominent. Clues are everywhere from her Italian espresso maker and Italian noodles in the kitchen, to Dutch clogs under the TV, to the 4 different countries/languages of Cosmo hanging above the couch, to the vast array of books on her imposing bookshelf, counting at least 5 different languages.

The real fun will start tomorrow however, as it will be the first direct and challenging experience outside (tonight with Julija will not count as she will be there to translate and it will be completely focused on talking and catching up) as I venture forth in to the city, attempt not to get too lost, perhaps visit Vera in the hospital, buy more contacts, and buy a sim card for my phone. I'm hoping that I will be able to get by on my extremely limited German with my two key phrases, 'spechen Sie English oder Französisch?' (Do you speak English or French?), and 'Ich spreche kein Deutsch' (I don't speak German). Haha, we shall see..