Saturday, November 5, 2011

In which we peer into the ahead.

Things I wish German-speakers would not say to me after several minutes of smooth introductory conversation:

"Sooo, where you from?"
"The United States."
1. "Oh yeah, I hear that now."
2. "Ahhh, I thought as much."
3. "Various renditions of 1 & 2."

What does that mean? I know it's not meant to insult my language capabilities in any way, but still.
That being said, salsa dancing is such fun!

Other recent discoveries:
a.) My favorite cafe has what might just be the best homemade hot chocolate in the city -- a beautifully dangerous concoction.
b.) Germany does have an autumnal-looking season! I didn't remember being too impressed last time around, but there was one afternoon at the Uni last week when I was walking through a row of flaming yellow trees with the leaves blustering brightly against the dark, damp bark, and I felt the essence of fall in my bones and filled my lungs with the scent of promised freshness and the melancholy absence of woodsmoke, and was content. Those leaves are almost all down now-- just in time for the skeletal frames of Christmas markets to go up. It's dark dark dark by 5pm. Good things are ahead.

Theater things are putting on a great show. Class is fun and continually over-filled with fun, theater-loving students-- in fact, there are so many students that our bodies spill onto the windowsills and floor of the decently-sized classroom. My research currently has me in the depths of Hamburg's political history in 1945-46. It's dark dark dark in there. And fascinating. To go even farther back and forward in time, I'll once again be thespianing with the University Players, this time rocking the comic relief as Hamlet's Rosencrantz turned modern-ish female. My Guildenstern is a wonderful, vertically-challenged English woman. We set each other off far too easily, which basically means that rehearsal consists of us trying to remember to breathe through recurring oxygen-sucking bouts of hilarity. Good times are ahead.

The translation job starts on Monday. I've been living in fear for the last week that I'll forget to go. That won't happen, at least not now that I've written it here. ...Right? This is roundabout where my job takes place:




The photography class I was signed up to take ended up being cancelled, which is somewhat of a disappointment, but more of a relief with all the ways I've started stretching myself recently. I was hoping to make some friends in that group, but luckily I've been making other friends elsewhere in the meantime, German and otherwise. I was fortunate enough to share the experience of the Bach Mass in b minor in one of Hamburg's grandest churches with one of them last weekend. Hopefully good friendships are ahead. Hope hope hope.

I start paying back my college loans on Monday. OH, BOY! Now I need to start thinking about my future after next summer. Every time I take my brain there, it gets distracted. Aeeeiijhjghjhk.

Distraction! A Saturday in the Schanze:


 This one made me LOL. Fo' realz:




Distraction! Other photos:


 



Aaand lastly, I was hit with an unexpected bout of homesickness a couple days ago. My usual remedy for this is peppermint tea and the purchase and consumption of exotic fruits. This time I sat down with peppermint tea and did some semi-spontaneous cheap ticket purchasing to exotic places. Switzerland, Denmark, Estonia. All ahead.

3 comments:

  1. Margaret, can we be in Germany at Christmastime at the same time at some point? Because I really really really want to experience German Christmas things because I have this romanticized idea that it is the perfect Christmas for me.

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  2. Oh right, I know that comment didn't really have much to do with your post, but you mentioned the Christmas market at one point and I found myself awash in a sea of Christmassy longing.

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  3. Yes yes yes Denmark!! And Estonia! Most excellent choices. Switzerland too, to be sure, but I can't personally vouch for that one. When are you going? I started to list all thing things you should do if in Copenhagen, but then I realized I was rambling on a bit out of nostalgia. Let me know if you'd like some ideas though! I could come up with some for Tallinn, too, if that's where you're headed in Estonia.
    Much love!

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