Simon and I have been helping Daniel's brother, Tobias, build his house. Simon keeps giving him shit because his house is almost an exact replica of Petra and Daniel's. In Toby's defense, houses in Germany are pretty much all the same, like any house built after World War II in America.
I like how German houses are made. Instead of using wood, like America, they use cement blocks. I believe it's because the story of the three little pigs scared them into making indestructible homes. There are wooden houses too, Terhalle (A company founded by friend/important person of Rotary, Josef Terhalle) constructs houses out of wood. His company also doesn't make cookie-cutter homes, there's always a tip of my hat to anyone that does that.
Another thing I like about German houses, people put luxury amenities in a normal house that we would only expect to see in Hollywood Mansions. Almost all of the houses, especially newer ones, try to replicate tiny luxury mansions. I salute them for it because I would never give up the heated tile floor in our kitchen. For example, there is a house one my way to German class, that in it's backyard, the owners have a small reflection pool leading to a patio with an outdoor gas fire place. This, and there perfect square rock garden with nine small trees, takes up most of their backyard. Why do they have this in their plain Jane neighborhood? Because they can.
This week I met the man that makes Wessum's wooden shoes. Petra and I went to exchange the shoes for a smaller size. We pull up to this old barn and house hidden behind newer homes in the middle of the neighborhood. I think it is an original building in Wessum. There is a little old man that makes all the wooden shoes all by himself. He is kind of a funny person and has the biggest glasses I have ever seen. His work shop was like stepping back in time. The floor is covered in wood shavings and there are handmade shoes on top of handmade shoes. Enough to cloth at least 500 or so people. It was like what I think life was like in the 1960's.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
"zurück nach Westerland"
It feels good to be back in Germany. Austria was interesting, but it was also cold and covered with snow. The weather this week has stayed in the mid-40's (6-8̊). After the snow storm last February in Chicagoland, this Winter is nice.
The amazing 28€ German class really cost 98€. We need to take a final German exam, speaking, and apparently speaking cost 70€. I still never regret taking the class. I met so many interesting people from around the world. There's a lady all the way from Cuba. I also learned a few things about one of the languages in Algeria.
I realized this week why Petra, Daniel, and I get along so well. They are not the complete opposite from my parents, but they are not far from that. Petra and Daniel are pushers. My Parents are great, but I really needed Petra and Daniel to help me really experience new things. For example, I have tried foods with them, that I would of never at home because my parents aren't very exotic, and I am not going to spend money on something I might not like. The new foods I know I like are duck, rabbit, snail, and liver. They are not very exotic, but they are also not white toast and water.
This week they are pushing me to take dance lessons with them. I don't want to, but I have a feeling Petra has already signed me up. No is not an answer with them, it is "Nein danke, ich möchte nicht."
I found Petra's recipe for one of my new favorite winter holiday foods, Nussecken.
Original Guildo Horn Nussecken
ingredients
For the dough:
300 g flour
100 g sugar
1 packet of vanilla sugar (1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract)
2 eggs
130 g butter
1 teaspoon Backin
For spreading:
7 tablespoons apricot jam
For the topping
200 g sugar
200 g butter
2 packets of vanilla sugar (2 tbsp. Vanilla Extract)
4 tablespoons water
200 g chopped almonds
200 g chopped hazelnuts
150 g melted chocolate
Process all ingredients for the dough to a Knead dough and leave about 1 / 2 hour in the fridge.
Roll out the dough on a baking sheet, brush with apricot jam.
For the topping: put butter, sugar, vanilla sugar and water in asaucepan and bring to a boil, then while stirring the nuts.
Surface to cool slightly and then spread with apricot jamsmeared on the dough.
At 175 C. Bake for about 45 minutes, let cool.
Only cut into squares and then halve these into triangles.
Pour melted chocolate over one corner and let harden.
The amazing 28€ German class really cost 98€. We need to take a final German exam, speaking, and apparently speaking cost 70€. I still never regret taking the class. I met so many interesting people from around the world. There's a lady all the way from Cuba. I also learned a few things about one of the languages in Algeria.
I realized this week why Petra, Daniel, and I get along so well. They are not the complete opposite from my parents, but they are not far from that. Petra and Daniel are pushers. My Parents are great, but I really needed Petra and Daniel to help me really experience new things. For example, I have tried foods with them, that I would of never at home because my parents aren't very exotic, and I am not going to spend money on something I might not like. The new foods I know I like are duck, rabbit, snail, and liver. They are not very exotic, but they are also not white toast and water.
This week they are pushing me to take dance lessons with them. I don't want to, but I have a feeling Petra has already signed me up. No is not an answer with them, it is "Nein danke, ich möchte nicht."
I found Petra's recipe for one of my new favorite winter holiday foods, Nussecken.
Original Guildo Horn Nussecken
ingredients
For the dough:
300 g flour
100 g sugar
1 packet of vanilla sugar (1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract)
2 eggs
130 g butter
1 teaspoon Backin
For spreading:
7 tablespoons apricot jam
For the topping
200 g sugar
200 g butter
2 packets of vanilla sugar (2 tbsp. Vanilla Extract)
4 tablespoons water
200 g chopped almonds
200 g chopped hazelnuts
150 g melted chocolate
Process all ingredients for the dough to a Knead dough and leave about 1 / 2 hour in the fridge.
Roll out the dough on a baking sheet, brush with apricot jam.
For the topping: put butter, sugar, vanilla sugar and water in asaucepan and bring to a boil, then while stirring the nuts.
Surface to cool slightly and then spread with apricot jamsmeared on the dough.
At 175 C. Bake for about 45 minutes, let cool.
Only cut into squares and then halve these into triangles.
Pour melted chocolate over one corner and let harden.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Östereich
Well this whole blog every week for a year is ruined. It’s not ending, I just missed last week. I am surprised I made it till christmas, 4 months. I was in Austria last week, and I believe that is a good excuse for not having a blog last week. Austria is a place everyone needs to visit once in their life. Something about the Alps and the Austrian’s form of German that make it a special place. We were in Zillertal, Austria, a place I would like to go back to. Our vacation house was in Stumm (Hochzillertal), the middle of the valley. Stumm is a nice small village, but Wessum is better.
Frau, I know now why you love Herr Schmidt’s accent so much. When austrian people speak Hoch-Deutsch (Normal German), their german sounds like how you would expect a stereotypical German to talk.
Last week was a ski vacation with my host family, and my host dad’s brother’s family. Eleven people in a basement apartment of a vacation house is enough for me. The lady who owned the house was pretty funny. On the fourth day there, the power went out. She comes down stair with her hair in curlers mid coloring with her hairstylist to bring us candles. That turned into drinking shots with them. I am pretty sure everyday, at some point, we talked with her. She reminded me of my neighbor Joan because we always ended up talking for an hour or so.
I skied once in 2009 for one day. The red slope was enough to convince me I needed ski school. Blue Slopes in the Alps are what a red would be in the midwest. The first day, Sunday, Daniel and Petra were awesome and helped me with my skiing.
My Ski school class was good. I was 8 years older than the rest of the kids and played babysitter for the week. By the end of the first day, I had the hang of skiing so my teacher made me stay in the back of the group and help the kids when they fell, because he was in the front leading us. I am proud to say I went down one of the toughest black slopes twice and didn’t fall once.
I love skiing and was so excited for Friday because on Friday we were going to ski down the entire mountain. Thursday afternoon when I was taking a final round with the family, I noticed that every other lift was being taking down. Friday was suppose to be a bad blizzard. There was a blizzard Wednesday and Thursday on the top of the mountain, so why would Friday be different. Well on Friday, every run was closed. The gondolas wouldn’t even take you up to the top of the mountain. We ended up making a ramp in the back yard and jumping off that.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
My School Burned Down
Something happened this week, and the school were I go for German Class caught fire. It was something with the garbage cans and my teacher. It is still standing, and I still have to go to german class and that sucks.
This week, Albert finally said he thinks I am fluent. A compliment from this kid, is like if someone came up with the cure for cancer. I have a goal tho, Petra and I came up with it. Once her parents can understand my German I am officially fluent. Petra's Parents speak plott or blott(don't really know) German and it really means, they speak with a little hollandish. Good thing no one speaks it anymore because regular German is better.
Petra surprised me this week, she can actually speak english. She always acted like she couldn't. She still can't understand me tho, and that's good.
I learned what worst enemy in German was this week, worst friend. I learned that from the Simpsons. I found that to be true statement. People in Germany are so nice. if you have a worst enemy, then it's really your problem because you are not trying hard enough at your friendship. I have not met someone here, that I hated. The people here are simply awesome.
Finally, Christmas...
Christmas here was perfect. I could not of asked for a better Christmas. I am finally a member of the family. Petra and Daniel gave me Wooden Clogs. It has to be one of the greatest gifts ever. I think I will wear them to the airport. Petra's parents gave me a photo book of German and Daniel's parents gave me a german cookbook. My host uncle Thomas got the Steve Job's bio in German and I got it in English. I want to see who can finish it first. I haven't started so probably him.
People in Germany celebrate on Christmas eve. We celebrated with both sets grandparents and a sauerbraten. Then on Sunday it was breakfast with the six of us, coffee by Daniel's family, and finally dinner by Petra's. The second Christmas day (Monday), is Stephanus. Stephanus is a day of drinking. Usually brought on by the family. It is also the name day for Steffan and Steffen, but only old people celebrate that.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
I Wanna be a Fire Fighter When I Grow Up!
It's funny how everything in life happens for a reason. This week Yeli's host dad picked us up from school for our Rotary meeting. He was telling us how he had to stop by the fire station in Ahaus to drop off a computer because he is a volunteer fire chief. One way or another, my extensive knowledge of firefighting allowed me to be able to b.s. a whole conversation. Yeli even went along with it, and know we are going to go through firefighting training. I am kind of excited because the course he was talking about sounds pretty cool.
Then my Rotary Councillor was telling us about how her husband has a model of the I.C.E. railroad. Guess who else had knowledge in the world of H.O. scale railroads, this kid. I am just now realizing all the "pointless things" Jack Hadfield has taught me over the years are really paying off. I think this is the third blog in a row, that I have mentioned you. Thanks old man.
Got my ski equipment for Austria this week! I have this weird feeling about Petra paying for everything. This week she paid for my equipment and my german class. Don't get my wrong, I love it, but I feel like I should be helping out somehow. Anyway, I am excited for Austria. I am going to miss New Years with my friends and that kind of makes me sad, but Austria should make it better.
I am starting to become a local, and that's a nice feeling. The lady at the bakery knows how I like my coffee every saturday morning, black. The lady from the deli across the street from my school tells me how my German is getting better. In fact, Yeli and I were mistaken for Hollanders last week. That is better than being mistaken for that American and that other exchange kid.
Last Sunday, when Yeli and I were killing time before the bus home left Muenster, we were walking around the Christmas Mart. Yeli wanted to look for a jacket, but didn't realize it was a Sunday in Germany. An old man (45-50) came up to me and asked me how to get to the Christmas Mart. It was pretty cool because he actually thought I was German or at least not a visitor. I could actually give him directions with street names and building as check points, and he understood me.
Then my Rotary Councillor was telling us about how her husband has a model of the I.C.E. railroad. Guess who else had knowledge in the world of H.O. scale railroads, this kid. I am just now realizing all the "pointless things" Jack Hadfield has taught me over the years are really paying off. I think this is the third blog in a row, that I have mentioned you. Thanks old man.
Got my ski equipment for Austria this week! I have this weird feeling about Petra paying for everything. This week she paid for my equipment and my german class. Don't get my wrong, I love it, but I feel like I should be helping out somehow. Anyway, I am excited for Austria. I am going to miss New Years with my friends and that kind of makes me sad, but Austria should make it better.
I am starting to become a local, and that's a nice feeling. The lady at the bakery knows how I like my coffee every saturday morning, black. The lady from the deli across the street from my school tells me how my German is getting better. In fact, Yeli and I were mistaken for Hollanders last week. That is better than being mistaken for that American and that other exchange kid.
Last Sunday, when Yeli and I were killing time before the bus home left Muenster, we were walking around the Christmas Mart. Yeli wanted to look for a jacket, but didn't realize it was a Sunday in Germany. An old man (45-50) came up to me and asked me how to get to the Christmas Mart. It was pretty cool because he actually thought I was German or at least not a visitor. I could actually give him directions with street names and building as check points, and he understood me.
Monday, December 12, 2011
American's Have Ugly Accents
This week I had a Rotary weekend. Thanks to that weekend, I have my a stronger American accent from speaking English too much. I love Chicago, and I will tell you it is the greatest city in the world, but we have one of the ugliest "A" and "O" sounds. I was in a bar the other day and I was talking with one of my friends coworkers and we were talking about hockey, I said hockey how I would in English, and he didn't even realize what I was saying.
Petra and I have been betting lately. I have learned I have a gambling problem. Thanks to Albert for actually showering and not talking to his girlfriend on the phone, I have lost my house. Good thing the deed is in the US. I also owe her, I think 2 or 3, gelatoes.
That was my St. Niklas and Rupert.
So like I said, Rotary was last weekend, and that is why this is late. Rotary was fun, but I missed being in Wessum/Ahaus with everyone else. On friday, we went to The Christmas Market in Muenster. It was pretty cool. I like being in Muenster but they need more things to do, it's kind of a boring city. On Saturday, we went to the planetarium for a half hour (our educational portion.) We sat threw how the world evolved video. Like everyone else, I slept. The Muenster Zoo is on the same grounds so we went there. The Zoo was cool. They even had an exhibit for house rats. It has been a year and a half (mybe two) since I have been ice skating, and I haven't lost any of my skills. It was kind of cool trying to teach other people who have never skated to skate. To get back at us (people from North American that can skate), Rotex took us to a Salsa bar later in the night.
Random thoughts:
Simon came home on Thursday. It is nice to finally have someone around my age. He was on a short exchange to France. Simon is pretty cool, and I feel like we are going to get along fine. There is one thing tho, he's Windows but his desktop is an Apple logo.
Today I was in an Audi today with crank windows and one of those beaded sit covers. I miss when owning an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes meant something classy and not affordability. It wasn't even base model like an A3 or an A1. It was an A4, which is a base sedan, but it had touch screen navi and bluetooth.
Petra and I have been betting lately. I have learned I have a gambling problem. Thanks to Albert for actually showering and not talking to his girlfriend on the phone, I have lost my house. Good thing the deed is in the US. I also owe her, I think 2 or 3, gelatoes.
St. Niklas was Tuesday. We all went to Petra's sister's house to celebrate. In Germany, St. Niklas goes around your city on the night of December 5th, and you pay for the bag of chocolate and he comes to your house and delivers it with Rupert. Rupert is a guy dressed in all black, including black face, and goes to scare the bad children. My host family is pretty funny. I think Petra or her sister paid, but I am not sure, anyway, I received a bag from St. Niklas and it was full of chocolate and peanuts, nothing wrong with that. After St. Niklas you are suppose to eat a bread shaped like little men, it was delicious. The Gluehwein was also delicious. I guess I wasn't drinking mine fast enough because my host aunt started talking about how she doesn't like it when it gets cold, and kept asking me if I liked it. I shot gunned the glass and got some more to prove it to her that I liked it.
So like I said, Rotary was last weekend, and that is why this is late. Rotary was fun, but I missed being in Wessum/Ahaus with everyone else. On friday, we went to The Christmas Market in Muenster. It was pretty cool. I like being in Muenster but they need more things to do, it's kind of a boring city. On Saturday, we went to the planetarium for a half hour (our educational portion.) We sat threw how the world evolved video. Like everyone else, I slept. The Muenster Zoo is on the same grounds so we went there. The Zoo was cool. They even had an exhibit for house rats. It has been a year and a half (mybe two) since I have been ice skating, and I haven't lost any of my skills. It was kind of cool trying to teach other people who have never skated to skate. To get back at us (people from North American that can skate), Rotex took us to a Salsa bar later in the night.
Random thoughts:
Simon came home on Thursday. It is nice to finally have someone around my age. He was on a short exchange to France. Simon is pretty cool, and I feel like we are going to get along fine. There is one thing tho, he's Windows but his desktop is an Apple logo.
Today I was in an Audi today with crank windows and one of those beaded sit covers. I miss when owning an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes meant something classy and not affordability. It wasn't even base model like an A3 or an A1. It was an A4, which is a base sedan, but it had touch screen navi and bluetooth.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Out Germaned a German
This is for Jack Hadfield: I am going to Munich May 18ish. Now you don't have to worry that I will miss it.
For everyone else: I finally found out when I will make it to Munich. I started talking about all the touristy things I wanted to see. Turns out I know more about Munich than my host parents. It's not a surprise because they don't spend a lot of time in Southern Germany, nor will they because only Simon and I are going. Hope I didn't just ruin a surprise. Frau you should consider your job complete. I am kind of excited to go because I learned about Munich for at least two months in school, and I can't wait to actually be able to see it. I doubt that Glockenspiel really exists.
I am starting to feel the Holiday Spirit, or maybe it's that I am feeling the Holiday Cookie Spirit. I have found my new favorite holiday food, and that is "Nussecke." That translates to "Nut Edge (or Corner)." It is a shortbread cookie crust bar with a hazelnut, caramel filling. These bars are then sliced into triangles, and you put melted dark chocolate on one corner.
I don't know if my host family is religious or not because Sunday is my day to sleep in, and I sleep to 11 or 12. They say some kind of prayer before eating, but it is said so fast that I haven't tried to learn it. They have four sets of advents candles, and weird writing over the door (anyone know what 20+C÷M means?), but so does everyone else here. For a continent that is more secular than the US, Germany has some strong christian roots.
I made a huge mistake this week. In Art class we had to take a block of plaster/clay and make it in a figure. In one hour, I was able to chisel away a statue that wasn't bad; the rest of the class was only 1/4 of the way done or not even started. Now I have the art teacher always watching me because I can make art, and I can also form free standing figures without a problem either. I was hoping it would be an easy class, where I can talk with my friends instead of listening to a powerpoint about naked men statues, but nope, I have to answer ever one of his questions and translate information into english to make sure I was paying attention.
This week I noticed my sunglasses were covered in a healthy layer of dust. It kind of made me sad because no one here wears sunglasses, and I am never in a car long enough to leave them there. Which is a crazy thought because I turned the fridge in my mom's car into my sunglass holder, for the one pair I actually wore and the others that I let collect dust (That scares me in retrospect because I am turning into a hoarder.) It's also crazy because I am pretty sure the sun is brighter in Europe. Yeli thinks so too, and I think it has something to do with us being closer to the north pole. If anyone could find a study about this, that would be great.
It could also be that there is less smog here. Chicago is not a smoggy city and neither are the suburbs, but you can't really see the stars. Sure you see stars in Chicagoland, but it is nothing compared to the amount of stars you can see here. It is the coolest thing to look up at 4 a.m. as you are biking home and see all the stars in the sky.
I made my first "Worst Enemy for Three/Four Months" this week. Yeli moved Saturday to Ottenstein to go live with an other Rotary family. I live in Wessum and there are three cities we "don't" like, Ottenstein, Graes (Grass), and Alstätte (Alstätte isn't that big of a hatred but I still count it.) For her going away present, I gave Yeli a half eaten Kit Kat bar; she loved it. European Kit Kats taste different by the way.
I want to also say a thank you to Alex Portugal, Andrew Knox, and The Antioch Rotary club, that's a lot of "A's". If it wasn't for your awesome time management skills, I would be living in Ottenstein. This week Yeli asked our rotarian how they decide which kids goes to which families. He pretty much said, "Hunter was the first student we received, and the Marpert's had an open room so we figured he could stay there for a year. When we got Yeli's papers, we said,"oh shit what are we going to do?!" Then we just asked around the club to see who has any open rooms. I want to say thank you because If Yeli was the first kid, my life would be a whole different story. Thank you, you guys are awesome.
For everyone else: I finally found out when I will make it to Munich. I started talking about all the touristy things I wanted to see. Turns out I know more about Munich than my host parents. It's not a surprise because they don't spend a lot of time in Southern Germany, nor will they because only Simon and I are going. Hope I didn't just ruin a surprise. Frau you should consider your job complete. I am kind of excited to go because I learned about Munich for at least two months in school, and I can't wait to actually be able to see it. I doubt that Glockenspiel really exists.
I am starting to feel the Holiday Spirit, or maybe it's that I am feeling the Holiday Cookie Spirit. I have found my new favorite holiday food, and that is "Nussecke." That translates to "Nut Edge (or Corner)." It is a shortbread cookie crust bar with a hazelnut, caramel filling. These bars are then sliced into triangles, and you put melted dark chocolate on one corner.
I don't know if my host family is religious or not because Sunday is my day to sleep in, and I sleep to 11 or 12. They say some kind of prayer before eating, but it is said so fast that I haven't tried to learn it. They have four sets of advents candles, and weird writing over the door (anyone know what 20+C÷M means?), but so does everyone else here. For a continent that is more secular than the US, Germany has some strong christian roots.
I made a huge mistake this week. In Art class we had to take a block of plaster/clay and make it in a figure. In one hour, I was able to chisel away a statue that wasn't bad; the rest of the class was only 1/4 of the way done or not even started. Now I have the art teacher always watching me because I can make art, and I can also form free standing figures without a problem either. I was hoping it would be an easy class, where I can talk with my friends instead of listening to a powerpoint about naked men statues, but nope, I have to answer ever one of his questions and translate information into english to make sure I was paying attention.
This week I noticed my sunglasses were covered in a healthy layer of dust. It kind of made me sad because no one here wears sunglasses, and I am never in a car long enough to leave them there. Which is a crazy thought because I turned the fridge in my mom's car into my sunglass holder, for the one pair I actually wore and the others that I let collect dust (That scares me in retrospect because I am turning into a hoarder.) It's also crazy because I am pretty sure the sun is brighter in Europe. Yeli thinks so too, and I think it has something to do with us being closer to the north pole. If anyone could find a study about this, that would be great.
It could also be that there is less smog here. Chicago is not a smoggy city and neither are the suburbs, but you can't really see the stars. Sure you see stars in Chicagoland, but it is nothing compared to the amount of stars you can see here. It is the coolest thing to look up at 4 a.m. as you are biking home and see all the stars in the sky.
I made my first "Worst Enemy for Three/Four Months" this week. Yeli moved Saturday to Ottenstein to go live with an other Rotary family. I live in Wessum and there are three cities we "don't" like, Ottenstein, Graes (Grass), and Alstätte (Alstätte isn't that big of a hatred but I still count it.) For her going away present, I gave Yeli a half eaten Kit Kat bar; she loved it. European Kit Kats taste different by the way.
I want to also say a thank you to Alex Portugal, Andrew Knox, and The Antioch Rotary club, that's a lot of "A's". If it wasn't for your awesome time management skills, I would be living in Ottenstein. This week Yeli asked our rotarian how they decide which kids goes to which families. He pretty much said, "Hunter was the first student we received, and the Marpert's had an open room so we figured he could stay there for a year. When we got Yeli's papers, we said,"oh shit what are we going to do?!" Then we just asked around the club to see who has any open rooms. I want to say thank you because If Yeli was the first kid, my life would be a whole different story. Thank you, you guys are awesome.
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