A State of Babel

 ABOVE: A view of one of the main pedestrian bridges crossing the Main River with Marienburg Castle sitting on the hill behind the vineyard

BELOW: One of the more impressive looking churches of the over 200 that can be found in Würzburg

It is amazing how the inability to express yourself through speech effects everything you do. It takes a toll on your confidence, energy level, and, maybe most noticeably, what you end up doing. This is something that I have learned well during these past couple weeks in Germany. I have just now become comfortable with asking for directions in German and maybe the small things such as ordering or asking where the bathroom is. However, before now, there were many cafés or snack stops that I would pass by because I thought I would have to talk too much, or didn't feel like I had the energy to battle the language barrier via charades and other visual games. I am realizing that, contrary to what most people have told me, it is not at all common for people I meet on the street to switch to English when I start speaking or ask a question. Instead, they launch a Deutsch phrase back at me so fast that my brain shorts for a second while attempting to process. I have decided to take this lack of switching to English not as a cruel joke with myself as the punch line but instead as a compliment to my German, maybe my accent is decent enough to mislead them into thinking I can carry on a half decent conversation? 

These past couple weeks have been spent running to and from every government agency in Karlstadt and Würzburg in the most inefficient way possible. I don't know if it is the language barrier or what, but it seems as though it is not possible to go to a single place and receive all the necessary information to complete the task that I am attempting, I have been on a wild goose chase to find the goose to chase. However, I can now proudly state that I am officially registered with Universität Würzburg (the most difficult of the tasks so far), I have a functioning German bank account, I am a registered temporary citizen of Karlstadt, and I have a working pre-paid handy (mobile phone). I am still working on getting my student residency permit, something  which my university international tutor happily informed me that was for Americans basically a 'formality', and that I should have no problem, they just 'want some papers to say that they have looked into your case'...I did not suggest this to the intimidating woman at the government office though. 

Unitersität Bibliothek (Library)

Mensa (Cafeteria)

View from campus: Marrienburg Castle on far hill, vineyard by the train track  on far hill

The intensive course has been very interesting so far, and I believe that it definitely has helped and I have learned a bit so far. I tested into A2 level, which is basically level two. We have about 4 weeks of intensive German courses and then we take another test which determines whether we have passed on to the next level or not. I am realizing that I need to start really cracking down on the studying in order to do well on this final exam and be able to possibly get credit with UNM. My class just received a new instructor and I am still up in the air on which of the two I think is better. The last one, Frau Zeeb, was very strict and not very patient at all, which definitely obstructed learning, as many people were scared to ask questions. She did, however, go through the book much more quickly and cover material at a faster rate, which can be a good thing. The new professor is much more patient and makes sure to call on everyone in the class and make sure that everyone understands and gets their chance to speak, something I think might set her above Frau Zeeb, even though this sometimes comes at the cost of speed. The new professor (or Lehrerin), named Frau Karmin, also focuses more on grammar, which I enjoy because you can easily fill in the vocabulary later. All in all, I have two weeks down about, two weeks to go, and a lot to learn before the final exam! I will have to include a photo of the Sprachenzentrum in one of the next posts. The course is definitely intense, with lessons from 9-1 every day and only one 20 minute break during that time. I will be ready for a two week break before the actual university classes when the time comes!

Well, it's bedtime here, but I will leave you with an entertaining story that came about today. I always take public transportation to school, in Germany it is amazingly good. So, this consists of a 20 minute train ride into Würzburg, followed by a 30 minute bus trip to campus. Anyway, today on my way back down to the train station on the bus I got on and sat in a cluster of 3 seats (two regular sized and one slightly larger facing them) on one side of the bus, with two of them facing the other one. I was also conscious of the fact that there was a sign designating my cluster as the seats reserved for anyone who boarded and was elderly or had a cane. I made it a few stops without anyone fitting these descriptions. However, at the fourth stop I saw a lady waiting with a cane (it turns out I had also ridden with her on the bus ride up to campus that morning). I immediately became alert and my mind raced as to whether I should try to find a new seat. My pride won and told me that this was fine and that there were 2 other seats, there could only be so many eldery, caned riders out there. The woman boarded and sat in the seat next to me on my left. I realized that I was in the seat by the window that had the handle, she might not have the best of balance and might need something to hold on to. I asked her if she wanted to switch. She didn't speak English. I tried in German. Failed. I gestured towards the handle. She nodded and so I moved across to the seat a couple of feet away facing the ones we were in. She said "Oh! Nein..." and commanded that I come back and sit next to her. I did. Then she proceeded to explain how she had so many bags and a purse and that maybe SHE should sit over there (all in German which I somewhat understood but was not capable of responding to at all, very one sided conversation). So she did. Mid-relocation though the bus accelerated nicely around a turn and I was forced to catch her as she tipped over a little. Finally, she was safe on the other seat. Then two stops later I spotted another elderly woman. No cane though, does this mean I still yield to her? The bus actually came to a halt a little past the bus stop and the elderly lady jogged up to it at a remarkably smooth and quick fashion, putting to rest my question of bus etiquette, this woman could obviously fend for herself. I looked at my elderly female friend now located in the seat opposite me. We exchanged a look of knowing, we both knew where this lady was going to sit. Sure enough, as the second elderly woman came in she smiled at me and said something about a young man, possibly old ladies, and sitting before plopping down beside me. I responded with a safe, though most likely completely inappropriate "Ja.", smiled, and then the three of us completed our occupation of the elderly/cane zone of bus number 10 in silence. 

A sign with remarkable detail on the lawn of Marrienburg Castle