It’s no secret that Germans love their cars. Buying a new car in Germany is significantly different, however, than it is in the U.S. In the U.S., cars are manufactured and sent to a car dealer, where they sit on vast lots waiting to be purchased. A buyer goes to the lot, does a little [...]
Posts under ‘Germanophile’
Two Years in Germany
Two years ago today, The Mann and I touched down in a Lufthansa plane at the Frankfurt airport, and my life in Germany began. I can hardly believe I’ve been here for two years. In some ways, it feels like I just got here, yet at the same time I’m amazed at how far I’ve [...]
An Autumn Trek through the Vineyards
A few weeks ago on a sunny, warm, autumn weekend, we decided to hike along a portion of the Rheinsteig trail in Martinsthal, above Eltville. As we were in the Rheingau wine region, the landscape was naturally draped in vineyards. One of which our friend decided to hike through. Straight up the hillside. A steep [...]
Underground Fashion in the DDR
One late night last weekend, we were flipping channels when we randomly came across a documentary about the 1980s underground fashion culture in the former DDR (East Germany). The film is called Ein Traum in Erdbeerfolie (A Dream in Strawberry Foil) or Comrade Couture in English. I’m not very interested in fashion, and God knows [...]
Decorating with Dead People
The hulking beast that is the Cologne Cathedral (Dom) clearly dominates the Cologne skyline and hogs up all the attention in this town, and for good reason. But what many people may not realize is that Cologne is also renown for its 12 Romanesque churches hidden prettily in the Altstadt (old town). These churches, roughly [...]
Balancing Out
I’ve been in Germany for 20 months now, and lately I’ve been pondering that my life in Germany seems to be balancing out, especially now that I am working here. I’m definitely no longer in that honeymoon/vacation phase. Now Germany just feels like a place where I live and work. It’s the normalcy of it [...]
The Meaning of Freedom
When I was growing up as the all-American child, I thought America was the best, and most free, country in the world. We are taught to think this way. The land of liberty, right? As I’ve journeyed through my 30s, however, my ideas on what freedom means began to change. I started traveling internationally. I [...]
Seligenstädter Geleit
During the past few weeks in Seligenstadt, outside of Frankfurt, there was a very special festival that takes place every four years. It’s called the Geleit, which means escort in German, and no, it’s not that kind of escort. During the Middle Ages, merchants would circle up with their wagons and horses and women, and [...]
Struwwelpeter, Frightening Children Since 1845
Struwwelpeter is a German institution. It’s a children’s book written in 1845 that basically terrorizes children into good behavior. It teaches children morals through delightful stories such as: Struwwelpeter (literally, “Shaggy Peter”), a boy who would not comb his hair or trim his nails. A little girl who plays with matches and consequently lights herself [...]
Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr!
Have a “good slide” into the new year! I wish everyone all the best for the year ahead! I know for me personally 2010 was a really good year of rest and of exploring this life in Germany. I’m looking forward to what is ahead for me next as I begin my next steps in [...]
I'm a Europhile living with my German boyfriend ("The Mann") and splitting my time between Cologne and the Frankfurt area, Germany.
