House shoes, Insurance and Wurst...

I know that I have posted things like this before; How you know you are becoming a German, German rules, and ways to best make it in Germany, but after making it to my "sophomore year" I think I better understand these funny little links.

This one is spot on and one of the funniest that I have seen yet!

http://venturevillage.eu/how-to-be-german-part-1#

Take #1 for example~ "Put on your house shoes"

House shoes you might say? Really?

Yep, house shoes, and they mean it!

I am taking a German cooking class and on the list of items to bring to class right after apron, was...house shoes! Apparently you need to take your house shoes with you, so that you can take your outside shoes off when you go into some one's house and put on your house shoes! I won't even start about bath shoes...that is a whole other blog!

Now, for #2 "Eat a long breakfast"

And they mean crazy long breakfast!!!

Americans tend to eat breakfast in about 10-15 minutes, and often like in my case; in the bathroom while I am blow drying my hair...it's called multitasking!

When we first moved here, my hubby told me that he would be going into the office later in the mornings and coming home later at night. "That's just what they do here", and he meant it. Germans spend their breakfast enjoying time with their families, their bread and their cheese!

#3 "Planning, Preparation and Process"

As I planned for writing this blog~yep I have lived here over a year now, so I plan~I pondered, what do I plan for now that I live in Germany. My answer? EVERYTHING! We have a running joke in my house, that the highlight of my week is "planning the weekly menu." Planning the key to living here! You plan your menu around which produce is "fresh", you plan your weekend around getting all things done on Saturday as you CAN NOT do outside work on Sunday~it's the law~and like it says, you plan your vacations a year out! Yep, we are almost booked out until next fall, and I really wish I would have known about the whole Majorca thing!

#4 "Get Some Insurance"

My dog has insurance! Yes, you read that correctly! My dog has insurance in case he escapes, runs off into traffic and causes a car accident...which for those of you who know my dog will understand that this could very easily happen! He has a policy and the insurance is paid yearly, just like ours. From what I have heard, you can even get insurance for your bike?

#5 "Dress Seriously"

In America, we lived in California. The common uniform was shorts and flip flops. When we moved to Germany, my kids common uniform was...shorts and flip flops. The German's did not like this! Flip flops are bath/pool shoes. You wear them after the bath or at the pool, and no where else! We stuck out like a sore thumb, the locals thought we were crazy! You should see the looks that I get when I wear them into a store, especially when it's a cool 60 degrees!

Then there was the time that I ran with my running group without a scarf wrapped tightly around my neck. A lady in my group was quick to inform me that I would have pneumonia by the end of my run. The German people put a lot of "planning, preparation and process" into their dress!

You can't argue with #6 "Speak German"

This is one that I have embraced this year! I am begrudgingly learning this horrifically difficult language and it is making my life easier. And like the link said, learn your der, dei, das from the beginning!

#7 "Get Some More Qualifications"

Okay, this one is just crazy! I have never in my life meet so many people with a Dr. in front of their name. I think my gardener as well as the cab driver is even called Dr.

#8 "Obey the Red Man"

Again, I now do this. I "obey the red man" as does my family. We were in Barcelona, there were no cars for miles and 1000 other people crossing the street, but there we sat, not moving...simply waiting for that little red man to tell us to walk! We live in Germany, we follow the rules. If the "red man" says don't walk, I am sorry, we just don't walk!

#9 "Drink Apfelsaftschorle"

I don't really know what to say about this one? My ten year old drinks it along with most German adults, but I simply can't do "fizzy" apple juice!

And lastly #10 "Eat German Food"

I really don't want to offend anyone here, so I will tread lightly. I am not a fan of German food. There, I said it! I have a really hard time with the whole "wurst" thing. Maybe I like my processed meat with a bit more filler, and not so processed? And when the wurst is a pale white wurst, well...nope, just can't do it!

The one thing I have managed to enjoy is the pommes mit mayo! Now that I can swallow.

So it looks as if I am half way to being German...wonder what happens if I stay until my Senior year?