So. . . . . after much demand from my cousin, I guess I still need to keep blogging. I do apologize (LAURIE) we are just never home long enough for me to actually type more than a three sentence email. This kid of ours keeps me hoppin'.
Anyway....................................Continuing on from my last blog about "Culture Shock" we have since then started to learn German. After about 6 months of feeling like we stuck out like a sore thumb here in this foreign land we started feeling comfortable enough to shop on the economy. Mind you only being here 6 months we still did not know a lick of German. Going shopping in the German stores is always an adventure. You know how when you go to look for a new car and you dread seeing the salesman head in your direction because you really just wanted to look. Well, when you are in a foreign country and try to go shopping in places where you can't really ask questions or communicate with sales people. It seems to attract sales people even more when you have this dumb founded look on your face trying to figure out what a product is for or what it costs. So when these very polite people approach you all that you can think of at the time is " Can I please just hide in a hole now?" When this person starts talking you have no idea what they have just said to you and don't know how to respond. Daaaaaa! We got very good at using the expression "Nine Deutsch" or "Sprechen sie English, Bitte?" Which means " No German" and " Can you speak English, please?" Something interesting we found out is that all Germans have to take English in school. So most Germans can speak some English or enough that they can make out what we are saying. We are very fortunate of that, I don't think that some of the Americans over here get that. The German people are very considerate of the fact that all of us Military people are over here and DON'T speak their language. Kaylin and I have been trying to learn enough German to have small talk or at least go shopping and not feel intimidated by not knowing how to communicate with them. They actually appreciate you a lot more when you try to speak their language but sometimes they just revert to English because we completely enilate theirs.
So for a quick lesson in German (Deutsch). . . . . .
Good Morning ---------- Guten Morgen
Good Afternoon -------- Guten Tag
Good Evening ---------- Guten Abend
Good Bye -------------- Auf Wiedersehen
Til' later --------------- bis bald
Good Bye ------------ Chews!
How are you? --------- Wie gehts
Very good! ------------ Sehr gut!
Thank You! ----------- Danke Shane
Ich Liebe Disch! Windi
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2 comments:
I love it! don't wanna be ya though. It's amazing how much of the world speaks english. Tell Kaylin I'm sorry to hear about her hand. That's stinks.
I applaud you and Kaylin for learing the language of the land you are living in. Sure wish people here would attempt that. It is wonderful though that around the military bases the people are taught english to help bridge the communication gap. Sounds like things are going well over there. Keep in touch. I think Jess and I are going to go to Grandma's on Saturday to go through a box of stuff that your mom had kept. Pictures, obits, news articles. It should be fun.
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