Sunday, May 27, 2007

I miss my friend...

...my dearest friend Esther. She's one of the few people I can really talk with, who knows pretty much everything, and who actually understands things. I think it's because we're both kind of quirky and complicated, have a similar way of thinking and over-analyzing, and have a practically identical communication style.

We met washing our hands in the dorm bathroom our freshman year of college and were both excited to find another girl who's interested in computer science.

But she's in Mexico for the next week or so, and I'm, well, here in Deutschland. *sniff sniff*

On a different note (this is for my Dear German Readers), I finally updated the Church Blog.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Language Observation and Rabbit Trails

Sometimes when I throw in English words into a conversation, people don't understand me. Even when I repeat myself, they sometimes have trouble. Unless I repeat myself with a British accent. Or a German accent.

Why is that?

I know they learn British English in the schools here... but is my English really that difficult to understand?

It's always humorous when people "correct" my English. There are standard English words and phrases that Germans use, which they all mispronounce (but when everyone mispronounces it, it eventually becomes "correct", right?). And when I pronounce something "correctly," they'll sometimes make fun of me and tell me my pronunciation is off, just because it's different (albeit correct) than what they're used to.

Em...

But that's ok - I actually find it rather amusing.

That's all for the Language Realm today...

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

You know you're a nerd when...

- you're excited to finally learn what Macros are (think: Microsoft Access and Excel), and how to program them.

- the fact that you can apply concepts from your high school logic course to your current job makes you giddy.

- you almost get in a car wreck on the Autobahn while listening to the Brandenberg Concerto and imaginging/pretending/day-dreaming that you're the conductor.

- you find you have a strange attraction to scrawny Marketing/Advertising guys with wire-rimmed glasses and hair-that-your-mother-might-find-too-long, who look like they stepped out of the 70's.

Not that I've experienced any of these things, of course...

Monday, May 14, 2007

Interesting News Article...

US 'terror alert' for Germany

A US media report suggests that US and German officials fear a terror attack against American targets in Germany is in the advanced planning stages.

The report surfaced on ABC News, but US intelligence officials told the BBC they were unaware of any new threat in the last few days.

However, a warning for US citizens to stay vigilant was issued by the US state department two weeks ago.

"Any specificity of target or timing is simply not there," the BBC was told.

Source: BBC News



Hmm. Maybe the non-stop drama, criticism, and frustration does have an end. Though I doubt Neukirchen will be a hot target for terrorists.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Crazy Brits

So... they say "tummy button" instead of "belly button."

And they don't go to the "bathroom", but to the "loo."

And if they don't like something, it's "rubbish."

*tee hee*

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Mary vs. Frau Barber vs. Mary-san*

The Art of Direct Address is becoming more complex by the minute! At my former job, it could be complicated at times (think: formal vs. informal "you")... but at my new job, I not only have to deal with German norms and language quirks, but also Japanese norms and idiosyncrasies. I've discovered that there's actually no consistency... it all depends on a myriad of factors including, but not limited to:

- your status (employee, manager, directer, etc.),

- your country (Germany, Holland, England, Japan, etc.),

- your language and its particular norms,

- your familiarity with the addressee,

- the distance you'd like to maintain with the addressee,

- your personal preferences.


Here are some generalizations:

- on the "European Level", everyone generally speaks English and calls eachother by their first name,

- on the "German Level", everyone generally speaks German and says "Mr.", "Ms." or "Mrs." and uses the formal "you,"

- the "Management", including German managers, are generally on a first-name and informal "you" basis with one another.

- the Japanese generally call you by your first name, with the suffix "-san" attached.


The question, of course, is how one ought to apply this conglomeration of rules practically and correctly. Hmm.

The majority of my co-workers call me either "Mary" or "Frau Barber." Certain co-workers avoid speaking directly to me and avoid using "you" at all, as they're not sure whether to use the formal or informal version.** My German boss calls me "Frau Barber." My Japanese boss calls me "Mary-san."

Welcome to the International Business World.


*Sorry if this is boring for you guys... this topic fascinates me for some reason. :)

**That's one thing that's interesting about German - you can carry on a lengthy conversation without even saying "you"... you can replace "you" with "one" or "man." Ah, the delicate art of language.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Ah, life...

Ok, it's Honest Time...

This past week or so has been hard not only for me, but for quite a few people on this side of the world. So much has taken place; lives have been changed; tears have been shed... but, like anything, it's part of life and the only way out is through.

The funeral and surrounding events have brought me to certain realizations both about myself and about life in general. I seriously think it's time to pull the Thinking Shirt out of the closet...

So, that's what's going on lately: lots of thinking, and practically no productive activity.

It's not always easy living alone* and in a foreign** country.



*though I'm rarely alone... and if anything, I need more time just for myself. Gotta love the introversion.

**even though I've been here over a year, there are still many cultural aspects and rules that I'm unaware of, as well as an ever-crumbling language barrier.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Befiehl du deine Wege*

Befiehl du deine Wege und was dein Herze kränkt,
der aller treusten Pflege des, der den Himmel lenkt.
Der Wolken, Luft und Winden gibt Wege, Lauf und Bahn,
der wird auch Wege finden, da dein Fuß gehen kann.

Auf, auf, gib deinem Schmerze und Sorgen gute Nacht!
Lass fahren, was das Herze betrübt und traurig macht.
Bist du doch nicht Regente, der alles führen soll:
Gott sitzt im Regimente und führet alles wohl.

Wohl dir, du Kind der Treue, du hast und trägst davon
mit Ruhm und Dankgeschreie den Sieg und Ehrenkron.
Gott gibt dir selbst die Palmen in deine rechte Hand,
und du singst Freudenpsalmen dem, der dein Leid gewandt.

Mach End, O Herr, mach Ende mit aller unsrer Not;
stärk unsre Füß und Hände und lass bis in den Tod
uns allzeit deiner Pflege und Treu empfohlen sein,
so gehen unsre Wege gewiss zum Himmel ein.


- Paul Gerhardt


This is a favourite German Hymn of mine... it's about the dynamic interaction between you and God: God directing you on this Road That Is Life, and you trusting Him despite trials and frustrations. This is continual process until you one day pass from this life here on earth into eternity...

...how do you want to look back on your life? Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to look back and say that you truly followed God? That you trusted Him, even when times were hard? That you made the right decisions? That you had a purpose? That your life was meaningful? That you lived for others? That you were content?

Eternity has already started (does it even have a beginning?)... so start living accordingly today.


*sorry, but I'm not in a Translating Mood ;)