ach, so!

.....Germans have this expression "ach, so!" which sounds exactly like "hasso"...the sound Americans make to imitate Japanese businessmen..... Its completely hilarious because they often bow their heads when using this expression...I don't think they get the reference. Germans have no idea what to do with Asians, or as they call them "Asiatic people"...? Its funny, Berliners these days often pride themselves on being so tolerant....but, coming from Chicago...I look around and think..."well its not that difficult...you are all white catholics..."or at least 80%..and they've pretty much disassociated from the Turks so...anyway, I digress.

hopocalypse nowJune 5, 2012Comment

Eighty percent of success is showing up. or. Life is mostly about having balls.

SO! I woke up at 6am on Tuesday morning and rode my bike through the city to chef's house, rang the doorbell and found out chef intended to leave on Thursday rather than Tuesday. Aha. Power play? Why didn't he call me to let me know? But its okay. we still love chef. and! I understand the dynamic of power play so it made me feel, oddly, at home? Like finally someone was playing a game I knew the rules too. I repeat, we love chef.

Hope LittwinJune 3, 2012Comment

Vienna!

hopocalypse nowMay 28, 2012 Comment

Ich habe Genug

Today went in a completely different direction than I had imagined. I planned on prepping for my trip to Vienna (Kim Kozel, a good friend in Chicago has a friend who has offered to house me and give me tours of Vienna!) When I arrived at the breakfast table I found my hosts and some of their family, visiting from Westphalia. I decided to tag along with their day trip so I could discover a new part of town and soak up more language. I'm a little frustrated at all the English I am speaking, but communication is necessary and I don't have enough basics to really stand on my own in German yet, so little by little I am piecing things together. I have the language skills of, approximately a 3 year old...so I can give commands and greet people and express my feelings like....a cave woman would.