Sara (the German assistant who lives on the floor above me) and I left for Hamburg during the early part of the afternoon. I love Sara because, as she is German, she is incredibly disciplined and therefore equally organized. As she explained the carefully calculated details of our trip, I listened intently feeling well taken care of. However, I began to realize that this was more to this a precisely planned layout of our trip. She was looking for something from me. When she said, "Well the weather won’t be as nice as Toulouse. I hope that you don’t mind leaving." I finally got it. She wanted to make sure that I wanted to go. Flattered, I assured her that not only was Germany one of the countries I had been wanting visit since arriving here in France, but that I had a German heritage in my blood, which made me all the more enthusiastic about going. This set the tone for our trip as Sara was excited to introduce me to the country and the culture with which she had been raised.
We arrived in Hamburg around sunset and she was not kidding about the whether. It took me a minute to realize that there were not actually a bunch of needles in my face as I had imagined, but that it was cold.
Having settled into the "Instant Sleep" youth hostel where we would pass the night, we went out on the town. After a "Currywurst", a "Brezel", and an "Astra Bier" I was starting to feel like a German already. Hamburg is the epitome of urban. Some of the student areas have been hit with so much graffiti that they have become tourist attractions in and of themselves. The word "BAMBULE" can be found everywhere. This word is a reminder of the quiet protest against any attempts to clean up these areas. The German youth in these parts enjoy what they call alternative living, which basically means that ten or so people live in a common space and share among themselves like a little community. With freshly washed clothes and without dread locks, Sara and I did not fit in at all. Nevertheless, I met some of Sara’s friends and she showed me around the city a bit before heading to bed.
Monday, February 20
Still in Hamburg, I finally got to see the city during the day. Every building was a different color. This day we went to the more chic part of the city. In looking at the German faces and body types I could definitely see a drastic difference from those of their French counterparts and I felt as though I could begin to see the German in my own face as well.
As I stood there gazing at the people and trying to take in Germany, I realized that for the first time in my life I was in a country where not only did I not speak the language, but knew nothing about it. I was completely dependent upon my German friend for survival. It is quite a humbling experience when you can’t even order a sandwich.
Although Sara speaks English pretty well, we have a habit of speaking French when we are together. Consequently, we were constantly seen as French tourists which for many was quite an anomaly since traveling abroad for the French means leaving Paris and venturing out to one of the neighboring villages.
Sara then took me to an underground tunnel that crosses the Elbe River. From the other side of the River we could see the city skyline. Hamburg is clearly a port town as river boats and fisherman still line either bank of the river creating a bit of a nautical charm.
Later that day we took the train to meet her parents halfway. After meeting her father at the train station, he drove as to Dörpen, Sara’s hometown. It was there that I met Mama. Sara’s Mom is awesome for many reasons but the most important of these is that she cooks. For a poor language assistant a country and a sea away from my own mother’s refrigerator, this was paradise. That night she made a traditional German meal of "Grünkohl" green cabbage and"Pinkelwurst" enormous sausages. Of course with dinner we had a German beer and"Schnops" which put me straight to bed!
Tuesday, February 21
After a German breakfast of Brötchen, various meats stuffed into little squares of bread, Sara and I took the car and headed for Groningen in the Netherlands. Driving through the German countryside and arriving at the boarder of the Netherlands was a bit like being an ant on the surface of a plate. Frankly, it’s flat. The Germans say that it is so flat that you can see today who will be visiting you tomorrow.
However, upon arriving in Groningen I was really impressed by this little town. I am sure that the San Franciscan architecture must be a rip off of the architecture of the Netherlands. The rows of little houses are all smushed together and painted in elaborate colors. We spent the afternoon walking though the outdoor market where fisherman and weavers were all trying to make a sale. Sara made me try the fried halibut which was prepared freshly right before your eyes. The custom is to pick it up by the tail, hold it of your head, and to eat accordingly, and so we did.
After having had enough of the cold we headed back home to have tea… in the German way, of course. Soon, Sara’s Mom came home and whooped up some "Schweinebraten" roasted pork and Knödl. It is funny how much can be said without words. Even though I could only communicate to Sara’s parents through her translation I was overwhelmed by their generosity and hospitality. After Sara’s Mom had made me promise to tell everyone in the US that good people and good food reside in Germany, she got up and left the table. Afraid that she might not be coming back after having laid out an amazing spread, I formed my first German sentence, "Wo ist Mama?" or "Where is Mama". After a good laugh she came back with even more food. Did I fail to mention that we ate well in Germany?
Wednesday, February 22
This day Sara took me to the Northern Sea. Although it was again quite cold, the red and yellow light houses along the coastal edge were a beautiful sight. After walking around for a bit we went to Sara’s Grandmother’s house and Grandma does not play games. Although in her eighties she still runs a pig and goose farm with the help of her son and daughter in law. She was so cute. She had even made ice cream cones in preparation for our arrival. Refusing to believe that I didn’t speak a word of German she spoke to me very slowly. I nodded and smiled so wishing that I could communicate with her as she reminded me of the German version of my own Grandmother. Upon leaving I formed my second German sentence, "Ich liebe Oma" or "I love Grandma". However, the form of love I used is only reserved for the love between couples! Live and learn. After some shocked faces and a good laugh we left Grandma’s and headed home.
Dinner was "Saurekraut" and "Haxen", the hip of a pig. It is a good thing I was leaving the next morning for had I stayed another day I would have either exploded from overeating or left France for good to move in with Sara’s parents!
I must say that I now have a much more developed and positive perspective on German culture than I did before having visited. In the US we are bombarded with images of the Hitler-run Germany and the post-war Germany while in fact I was surprised to find a people very much like my own. Lastly, if ever one has the chance to visit a country with a native, do it!
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