Drank the Kool Aid

Hey there.

Tonight was the Inlingua "Kick-Start 2009 Bowling Party" (official name, btw) which was my first real "work party" and I must admit, I loved it.

I am so happy with my job. I mean, I don't think it is something that I want to do for the. rest. of. my. life. or anything, but I have really flexible hours, cool, weird international coworkers (of which only the American men are better bowlers than me. Booya, Germans), a good amount of job satisfaction and, well, I'm paid pretty well. So, I guess I'm pretty lucky.

One of my coworkers invited me to go with her and her husband to Brussels with them on a road trip, and I weirdly think I am going to take her up on it. It would only be a weekend, so I think that even if it was awkward it wouldn't be too long, but the chances of it being awesome are pretty high, I think. They lived there a few years ago so they know the ropes, have some friends, and speak a little flemish, as well. And I really feel like that's the most awesome way to see a place: with someone who can share it with you as a home.

Anyway, I guess the real reason for this post is the fact that another coworker, who applied last week for a different (and much larger) masters program here in Freiburg last week, got her official acceptance letter today. Which is so awesome. But I am waiting for word on mine (which is a bit of a bitch, because Tulane is impossible to get in touch with and I don't even know if they have sent my transcript yet. I talked to the head of the program about it and he said that wasn't too big of a deal, as long as he would get it soon. but that was a week ago, when I assumed it was coming "any day now") Like always, the waiting around (and checking my emails and mail box obsessively and having crazy dreams about a pseudo-hazing process leading to an acceptance letter) has made me anxious, and I have been sort of worried about a "back-up plan."

I do really like Germany. But if I am not going to study here, I don't know that I really want to stay here. I mean I could, and I suppose I would be perfectly happy, but I guess I want to have the feeling like I am still moving forward with something. But, it is an option, and an ok one at that, to sign a full time one year contract with Inlingua and just work work work work (and be taxed taxed taxed taxed by the German government) but like I said, that seems a little stagnant.

I could capitalize on the fact that I am a certified ESL teacher and go anywhere in the world as soon as my rent contract is over in the end of March. This sounds like the cool, spontaneous, exciting back up plan, but is probably a lot less "planned" than the word "plan" involves.

There are a few other Master Programs I am interested in, so I will certainly look into that, as well. Maybe I will study International Studies in Vienna? or wait a year, and do Public Diplomacy at USC? Though somehow those programs both seem much tougher than the one I am applying to now, so maybe that's wishful thinking.

Better safe than sorry, I suppose.

Hokey Pokey

oh. hey.

I think my excusing my horrifically bad blogging skills at the beginning of every other post is getting a bit passe... almost. Sorry.

It's been a little bit over a month. And, well let's see.

I finished teaching my Arbeitsamt (unemployment office) course which was a bit sad. I really loved my students, and I had fun every morning, and I had something to do every day. Man, that was so nice. On our last day we had a party and drank a lot of sekt (sparkling wine) and played Werewolves. which, oh my god, is the best game ever. More on that some other time. Since then, I think all involved parties have been bored, which means we have maintained contact and my inbox stays full.

That day I also got my first "hey world, I'm Cheryl and I'm pretty much a grown-up now" paycheck. Unfortunately, my spending, or, well, saving skills aren't nearly mature as I wish they were. But that doesn't matter. At least until April, when I will hopefully be moving in to an apartment, so I should be saving up for a deposit and finders fee and furniture and and and... 

so, after that it was pretty much Christmas time, which is so perplexing in Germany. let's see if I can express this properly: 

Advent starts on the third Sunday before Christmas, which in 2008 was on November 30th. This is called the first Advent, and pretty much kicks off all of the baking/crafting/unhealthy eating that carries on through the new year. There are also all of the Christmas markets, which encourage you to drink too much Glühwein (mulled wine) and eat Gingerbread and buy trinkets. 

Point is, it is a very lovely, festive time that leads up to Christmas. I drank copious amounts of tea, pretty much exclusively baked and crafted in my free time, and watched a lot of Christmas movies.

But then Christmas came. And Christmas here is a three day celebration, and here's where I think Germans do it wrong. Don't get me wrong, it was fine. But, after 25 days of Christmas cheer it was December 24th, which, I was lead to believe, is the day that Germans celebrate as Christmas. So, as we went to Mark's friends' house for coffee and cake, I said Merry Christmas, and I swear to you, you would think I was praising Satan or something. They all said "oh no no, not yet" so I asked when, and NOBODY KNEW. Some said Christmas started at dinnertime, others said after you go to church, others said when it was dark. And I know it sounds silly, but it confused me.   

Mark's family is pretty religious, but decided not to go to church on the 24th, instead opting for first thing in the morning on the 25th. But on the 24th, in between dinner and presents, there was the "let's make Cheryl feel awkward by singing about how much we love Jesus" hour, which included putting all of the figures into the Nativity scene (I was the Ox and Mary) while reciting a poem. I decided that Christmas started when the Jesus baby (as portrayed by Mark's little sister, Anna) was put in the manger. But really, I think it is so much better that Christmas starts when you wake up on the 25th. It is just so much easier to judge.

Anyway, then Christmas went on for three days. THREE DAYS. and it certainly isn't bad. But considering that you have already been gorging since November 30th, and that you open the presents pretty much first thing after Christmas "officially" starts, what is the point of the next three days? We ate. a lot. and were lazy. and played about 8 or 9 games of werewolves a day. But somehow it was a bit of overkill, and to me felt nothing like Christmas.

The highlight of my 28-day-long Christmas was maybe my class Christmas party, or the boys from my floor going into the forest to get a Christmas tree, or baking and crafting every weekend. I made the most awesome gingerbread in the world, which I will be reprising soon.

Which I guess leads me to this: I did in fact get a bit homesick through this whole process. It made me think about how important traditions and family are, regardless of how weird they are (Chinese Christmas 2005, including Shark Fin soup, tea ceremony and costumes, or going to the horse races, or sitting at a kid table with oversized football players probably doesn't mean "Christmas" to anyone but me, but it was exactly those sort of things that I missed this year) But, at the same time, this little girl is growing up, and at some point you have to make your own traditions, right? So, I think this was the first year or a probably long and sometimes painful process.

But I think one is in the making: I am flying home next week for two weeks (it is so much cheaper to fly in January than in December) and, because I didn't have enough money to send my gifts home, I am bringing them with me! I asked my mom to leave up some decorations and stock up on Egg Nog, and we are going to celebrate Christmas together in January. If togetherness and tradition (and loving Jesus?) is really what it's all about, it doesn't really matter that it's a month late, right?

I'm excited to see everyone.