Barbers Abroad

    Ach!  Cough! Sputter!  So, let me tell you about my language "train wreck" that happened today.  Now keep in mind that I am still pre-formal language study.  Language school does not start until Sept 10th.  Of course, you will laugh heartily at my story so let's move on to today's antics. 
   First and very importantly the setting....tomorrow is Opening Ceremonies for BFA and students have been arriving this weekend.  Many parents, who are non-German speakers, are in town with their children.  These parents kind of expect us, the Ms living in Germany, to be able to translate for them what is being said by our German counterparts.  Of course, helpful me, decides to take a mom shopping so that she can get dorm supplies for her child.  I'm thinking, "sure I can do this.  How hard can it be? I can identify stuff in store.  Let's go shopping.  I like to shop."  Well today's train wreck may have put a temporary stop to this favorite pastime of mine. 
   On to the story.  So, I am taking this mom shopping and she is wanting to get a SIM card for her son's cell phone and sign up a plan to where he can call them via the cell phone anytime he wants to.  (How hard can that be?  Well...I am about to tell you.)  So, I do my work pre-shopping.  I talk with the dorm supervisor and Hunter and my immediate supervisor, who knows German well and I get all the info I need to "go shopping."  Oh, and I am assured that the people at these stores for cell phones know English and can speak it when the German fails.  (Umm Hum, famous last words)  So, here I go be-bopping into the first store with the visiting mom and I attempt to speak German and ask for a SIM card for the cell phone and a phone plan....DISASTER! TRAIN WRECK!  TOTAL DERAILING!  Um someone doesn't know all the words....I could not remember Handy for cell phone, I didn't know the word for plan, I didn't remember the word for card.....so forth.  Ach, total disaster.  Such outlandish wreckage.  So, where I leave off the mom picks up in English trying to explain what it is we want.  The whole time the sales person is looking bewildered and shaking her head. Uhg.  HELP!  And yet there is no one around to help.  So, we plow on in hopes that the sales lady will understand something.  Finally, the sales lady says, "kein SIMS Kart"  and a light goes on in my darkened mind, "Kein....hey, kein means no....ohhh...no what!"  And as the sales lady is trying to explain to us again and again that she does not sale SIM cards, It finally dawns on me, about 4 repetitions later, that this sales lady is saying that she does not have SIM cards for sale.  So in my very limited German, I thank the lady and tell her again that my Deutsch is nicht sehr gut/not so good, but Thank you for all (because I couldn't say anything else) and I said something to the effect of have a nice day (I think) and left the store.  Of which the dear mom that is with me is looking at me kinda puzzled and I tell her, "The sales lady could not help us she either does not have any SIM cards or doesn't sell them of something like that.  She didn't have what she thought we were looking for and I sure wasn't understanding her so let's go to the next shop.  And she was okay with that and praised me and encouraged me on my German and translating. 
   So we head into store number 2.  I start off with Meine Duetsch is schlect/ my German is bad.  And the mom asks, do you speak English.  The young sales clerk shook her head but attempted since I was struggling so with my German.  So, I do get across with the mom's help that we are looking for a SIM card and cell phone plan.  The sales lady pulls out a flyer with all sorts of plans.  Yikes!  It's all in German of course and so much info.  the sales clerk takes us to a specific page and shows us a plan, BUT you must sign on for a full 2 years.  At this point, the mom asks in English how about a month to month plan because she is not sure if her son will be her for two years.  And the sales clerk looks to me. Gasp and cough!  So, I attempt in my very broken and infantile German to say, " month-by-month-not-all-2-years (I still don't know the word for plan and I stop to count to two to make sure I've got the correct number).  At this broken German, the sales clerk smiles and proceeds to tell me in one big breath (or so if seemed) why not.  I caught about every 5th word.  When the clerk is finished the mom is looking at me and the clerk is looking at me.  I suddenly realize oh, I gotta translate this breath full of words! YIKES!  So, I ever so slowly turn to the mom and start weaving this answer filling in the blank pieces between every 5th word to translate the mouthful that was given us.  I gotta say it sounded pretty good and may have been in the ball park but it was not on base anywhere.  Meanwhile the clerk is nodding her head and agreeing to all I am saying.  I'm thinking are you sure I'm right?  The mom takes it all in as good.  So, then the mom asks a question and I try to translate.  Somehow the clerk understands.  Then the clerk gives another breath full of words and the mom and I just nod and smile. Ack!  One should not do this when they do not understand.  This can be very dangerous.  Eventually we got around to an agreement of some sort....not real sure what but of some sort and it goes something like this.  We were to go to the Bank and get a line of credit/open an account and get an ubersetzung/paper that allows automatic transfers, bring back the phone, phone number or some kind of number and a passport to sign up for whatever plan we just agreed to.  Of that plan all I knew (or thought I knew) was that it was a two year plan which could be terminated with no charge at any time.  We would have to show up around 6:00 to do all this after we got all the bank stuff taken care of.  So, totally exhausted from this communication, which also required much repetition and writing out words, the mom and I left.  After calming down from the language fiasco, we just encountered, I looked at the mom and said, "oh I have a dinner appointment tonight at 5:30 I'll not be able to make it at 6:00."  To which the mom replied, "what an ordeal, I'm not sure I want to sign up for a two year plan.  Are you sure we could cancel with no fee?"  To which I replied, "no, I just think that is what she was saying from the universal sign of "no" that she was giving us."  So, the mom thought about it some and decided to postpone the whole phone thing until later.  I'm thinking good thing because I was making up some of those words to fill in the blank so I'm not sure what you'd really have gotten once the transaction was finished! --Oh, My! 
   So, today, I realized just how dangerous I am with my very limited knowledge of German.  I don't think I'll be signing myself up to take anyone shopping anymore without Hunter along, or Shelley, a friend who knows German!  I must say, as disastrous as the the first part was with the cell phone....the second half of shopping was better.
    Adding to that, I am glad that language school starts next week so that I can become better at this translating stuff for parents when they come into town.  And as bad as the language moment was....I got something out of it.  Some one understood me a little even if she was filling in the blanks between every fifth word like me and making up the rest.  We got some kind of info.....whether it was the right one or not.  Whew!  But upon leaving the store it sure felt like wreckage that was left behind as the German words started coming back to memory and I'm going oh I should have said or It would have been better to have said.  Oh well, people keep assuring me it will get better so we'll see.  And the mom kept praising me and telling me what a good job I did.  So, perhaps it was not that bad after all. 

   Hope you had a good laugh!

Since you cannot get a good Tex-Mex Salsa her in Germany, a friend and I decided to make homemade salsa.  It was an all day endeavor.  We made approximately 2.5 gallons.  I must say for our first batch of salsa we did a pretty good job.  So, we started with approximately 60 tomatoes, threw in a bunch of bell peppers...red, green, and yellow....added salt, pepper, vinegar, and tomato paste....approximately 4 tubes....and then cooked it for what seemed like forever.


  Here Gail and I are chopping the tomatoes.  Notice we forgot to take the skin off first....oops.  We remembered after chopping about 12 of our 60 + tomatoes.  Besides the skin just curled up and was easy to pick out of the salsa after cooking.

   As I was describing the place we lived, this question was asked.  So, as I've walked through town, I've taken pictures so that you can determine for yourself whether or not I live in a Disney movie.  After taking pictures of our quaint small village, I have begun to think that yes, we do live in a Disney movie.  But, you can decide for yourself.  Before looking at our town, think back to the Disney movie Beauty and Beast.  Recall the village scenes.  If you are having trouble recalling the scenes, look it up on the web or better yet re-watch the movie. 

 Now comes the comparison.  Below are pictures of our small town of Kandern. 

     
  
The bakery.  They have a great
variety of breads.  My favorite is
pretzel bread. 

Covered Bridge:  One could sit in
this area all day and read, people watch,
listen to the river, and relax.  It is a lovely
place. 

  So, we went into Loerrach to get our car registered with new title and tags.  Once we were finished, I agreed to drive once we were outside of town.  A major accomplishment I must say seeing as how it is a stick shift.  So,when we were outside of town Hunter turns the driving over to me.  I drove about 10 kilometers (6 miles) which included driving into Kandern and to Lidle (grocery store).  Which meant I had to park the car correctly into a parking spot.  I did it.  I am making progress even if it is slow. 
  Now to back track a bit and talk about the car tags.  So, we went to the courthouse to register he car and they sent us across the street to get our tags.  Once across the street, we had to wait for our tags to be made.  They literally made the car tags (front and back) while we waited.  I wish I'd had my camera!  They took a sheet of metal, set up the numbers and letters, pressed it into the metal, then sent the tag through another piece of machinery to color the letters and numbers black.  All that for a customized tag.  In the states it would take about 2 weeks to get the tags.  My customized tag is       Lo ok 416.  Lo stands for Loerrach.  I wanted my plates to spell something so I went for "look."  416 is my birthday.  Hopefully, with that combination, I will be able to find my gray car in the gray mass of cars already out there.  That and I should be able to remember my tag number/letters. 
  Anyways, on the way home we saw a male German cyclist out on the road.  Nothing to write home about.....but..... that.....he was only wearing a white speedo. Our European counterparts and their ways....what can I say?  It is all about being cool in this hot weather we are experiencing. At least he was wearing something.  Several years back we had friends who saw a German hiker in their town with nothing on!  Summer has arrived here in Kandern.  Temps this week have been up in the 90s.  With no air conditioning one deals with the heat the best they can...even if it means biking in your speedo. 

      I had time to remember my childhood, as I was learning how to cook, when the smoke detector often told me when my meal was done...or in some cases overly done.  And remembering those times I set off the Barber's smoke detector while staying with them this past year.   In all that traipsing down memory lane, I thought this blog would be of interest to those who know me best.  This past weekend while the great celebration was taking place.  (Remember from the previous post....the fire department was right next door in ALL its glory.)  Within my first two weeks of being here, I really wasn't trying to get their attention!

    So what is the story?  I was cooking french fries and fish.  I had them both in the oven cooking.  The fish for 40 min and the fries for 20.  They were almost done.  I just had minutes left.  You could smell the Delicious aroma as they cooked.  The fireman's festival was in full swing next door with all sorts of noises wafting in through our windows.  As I go to check on the lunch, I notice steam rising from the oven...you know the crack where the door closes.  I check on my meal and it is NOT burning.  It is just good hot steam rising from the oven.  When suddenly there is this horrendously LOUD siren going off.  Ach!!!  Did I really just set off the smoke detector?  I frantically look around the room to see if I could see the source and don't.  I don't see a smoke detector anywhere in the room.  Then I look outside to see if the mass start to stare or come towards the apartment complex.  No, not yet.  Then finally this horrendous noise starts to die off.  And then suddenly starts up again!  Ach!  That cannot possibly be me!  No one is looking my direction.  I've already taken the meal out of the oven and turned it off.  When I suddenly realize that it is not a smoke alarm sounding, but the fire engines next door sounding!   Let me tell you, it could wake the dead of 1,000 years.  (oh so glad I was not calling the attention of so many German firefighters) 

   Keep in mind we live on one side of town.  We get a phone call shortly there after from a friend who called to say, "Hey, keep the noise down!  Your party is way too loud!"  :)  They heard the siren on the other side as if it were next to them.  If Hunter had been on the ball, he could have respond with, "No, it's just the dinner bell."  :) 

     Just glad it wasn't the smoke detector.....speaking of the smoke detector, I do need to locate it in the house....not through cooking either.  

  This past weekend we had the opportunity to join in and enjoy the celebration of the Kandern fire department.  The celebration went on into the wee hours of the morning (2 am).  Celebrations lasted all day long for three straight days.  We would wake up to light sounds of festivities around 6 am and not go to sleep until after 2 am.  Good thing these types of celebrations only come by every blue moon.  The first night was kinda hard to go to sleep especially with all the LOUD music playing.  Sunday night the music was much softer.  Monday evening the music was fine, but the clean up afterwards was loud until 2 am.  Then Tuesday morning they were up at 6 am finishing the clean up.  Of course what took 3 days to set up has taken about 12 hours to tear down.  The fire department has been busy this last week!  

   


   While there was great musical entertainment and good food being served, there was also a showing of firemen skills on the old timey horse drawn maned pump fire engines.  This was fascinating to watch as the firemen pumped for all they were worth for the time allotted.  Of course, I have no idea who won...seeing as how everything was in German.  :)   But here are some pictures we took of the antique fire engines. 

   



   All in all it was an enjoyable three days.  I did enjoy the music immensely and will miss the midday music.  I will not miss the late night entertainment though. 

     Our entrance to the complex is the old large wooden door with the smaller door inset.  That is so cool to open.  When we moved our luggage to the apartment, we got to open the large doors to get the car inside.  Parking is along the road there.  That is not our car by the door.  Our car is parked further up the road.  We have a silver Ford Focus. 




     The courtyard is a nice place to hang out.  Supposedly we will get to meet our neighbors in this area.  We haven't yet.  We have met the workers at AGAPE.  They have half of the lower floors of the complex as their workspace.  They are an English speaking organization that does work in this area.  The workers like to eat lunch out in the courtyard.  We have yet to meet our German neighbors.  Our front porch is such a great place to hang out.  We've already had several meals out on the porch. 


             view from the wooden doors                                                                      
         

     Welcome and come on into our home.  As you enter, you will find yourself in the entryway/foyer.  There is a chair available for you to take off your shoes if you like.  You may place them on the shoe rack there to the right of the door.  If you need to stop by the bathroom, you will find it there to the left. 




               Living Room                                                                    

       





     Of course, you will want to look out the wall of windows to see the view.  Since it is the weekend, you will see the train sitting on the tracks ready for its weekend run.  You might even notice that it is the same train on the blog header.  Also, as you are looking, you may notice how close the glass recycle is and comment on the tinkling sound of breaking glass as people in the community recycle their glass.  I'll point out that the train station is also a bus station.  I'll tell you that when we start language school, I'll most likely be riding the bus.  It is nice to have the bus stop so close to home.  :)