GERMANY
So today will almost certainly be the last entry I type in Neuerburg, quite possibly in Germany this year. The school year officially finishes today and everyone's getting kicked out in an hour. My liver and kidneys are bracing themselves for the umpteenth time this last fortnight because a mobile beer stand has just opened up outside the door and this will invariably mean more heartfelt goodbye drinks.
Last night there was yet another party to celebrate the end of the year. All it takes is a few beers and some strawberry vodka to realise that Empire State of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys is even more great than ever.
This particular party started out great, everyone was having a good time and people were slowly pouring in, some of them from different schools but that was fine; this was all pretty cool. But then some Americans turned up, presumably from the airbase in Bitburg, and it turned into a fucking frat party. They were actually doing chest-bumps.
A group of them began talking to me, and they found it mind blowing that I was an english native speaker. I was this close, this close, to altering my opinion of them, until one of them asked in that nice American drawl "So where are you from in Australia?".
I said "Umm, actually I'm English mate. They're fairly different accents."
And he said "Oh. But not born and raised, right?"
I said "Actually yes. Do you know Leeds, near Manchester?"
"Ummm .." he ponders, ".. that's London, right?"
I tell him no, not really.
"Huh," he says "I'd have honestly thought Sydney. Or maybe New Zealand".
I loved the addition at the end of "Or maybe New Zealand". Just as a backup. Yes, probably Sydney. But also possibly somewhere within a 2000 mile radius.
I think a large part of me died last night during that conversation. And at the end, in perhaps the best question of the night, my friend Marcel shouted "What are you even still doing in this country?"
I still don't quite believe or understand the reply from some fucking Jarhead, which was "Hey, we just killed Osama. Bad guys can be where you least expect them, yeah?"
There are no words.
BUT, yes, this is the last school day and in 2 days I fly home. If I'm honest, I don't think I'm really ready to go back to it just yet, and if the option came around to stay here another year as opposed to a last year in university, I know which one I'd pick. It's got to the point now, right before leaving, where I know pretty much everyone and my German is actually coming together without thought in conversation.
Man, I've been here a long time. As if pregnancy lasts this long.
This is how German should be learnt. I sat for 2 years in lectures listening to how grammar works and imitation speaking practise and essentially learnt jack-all. I've been here 9 months and now I feel I could live here. I dunno if this is just premature nostalgia kicking in, but like I said above, I'd much rather be here doing something I'm interested in and enjoy rather than pursue what seems a rather fruitless degree path.
I basically want to earn something beyond a piece of paper with my name on it, which I feel I've done this year.
Man, I will miss everyone here.
There is a hell of a lot more that happened on this trip that I had wanted to mention, but they'll probably be better in person. If I remember them, I'll regale you.
Year Abroad Advice No. # - It's not for any of the reasons they tell you it will be. But it is one of the best years of your life.
If you've been following, thanks for reading :) normal account back in use come next week:
www.where-the-mild-things-are.blogspot.com
So today will almost certainly be the last entry I type in Neuerburg, quite possibly in Germany this year. The school year officially finishes today and everyone's getting kicked out in an hour. My liver and kidneys are bracing themselves for the umpteenth time this last fortnight because a mobile beer stand has just opened up outside the door and this will invariably mean more heartfelt goodbye drinks.
Last night there was yet another party to celebrate the end of the year. All it takes is a few beers and some strawberry vodka to realise that Empire State of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys is even more great than ever.
This particular party started out great, everyone was having a good time and people were slowly pouring in, some of them from different schools but that was fine; this was all pretty cool. But then some Americans turned up, presumably from the airbase in Bitburg, and it turned into a fucking frat party. They were actually doing chest-bumps.
A group of them began talking to me, and they found it mind blowing that I was an english native speaker. I was this close, this close, to altering my opinion of them, until one of them asked in that nice American drawl "So where are you from in Australia?".
I said "Umm, actually I'm English mate. They're fairly different accents."
And he said "Oh. But not born and raised, right?"
I said "Actually yes. Do you know Leeds, near Manchester?"
"Ummm .." he ponders, ".. that's London, right?"
I tell him no, not really.
"Huh," he says "I'd have honestly thought Sydney. Or maybe New Zealand".
I loved the addition at the end of "Or maybe New Zealand". Just as a backup. Yes, probably Sydney. But also possibly somewhere within a 2000 mile radius.
I think a large part of me died last night during that conversation. And at the end, in perhaps the best question of the night, my friend Marcel shouted "What are you even still doing in this country?"
I still don't quite believe or understand the reply from some fucking Jarhead, which was "Hey, we just killed Osama. Bad guys can be where you least expect them, yeah?"
There are no words.
BUT, yes, this is the last school day and in 2 days I fly home. If I'm honest, I don't think I'm really ready to go back to it just yet, and if the option came around to stay here another year as opposed to a last year in university, I know which one I'd pick. It's got to the point now, right before leaving, where I know pretty much everyone and my German is actually coming together without thought in conversation.
Man, I've been here a long time. As if pregnancy lasts this long.
This is how German should be learnt. I sat for 2 years in lectures listening to how grammar works and imitation speaking practise and essentially learnt jack-all. I've been here 9 months and now I feel I could live here. I dunno if this is just premature nostalgia kicking in, but like I said above, I'd much rather be here doing something I'm interested in and enjoy rather than pursue what seems a rather fruitless degree path.
I basically want to earn something beyond a piece of paper with my name on it, which I feel I've done this year.
Man, I will miss everyone here.
There is a hell of a lot more that happened on this trip that I had wanted to mention, but they'll probably be better in person. If I remember them, I'll regale you.
Year Abroad Advice No. # - It's not for any of the reasons they tell you it will be. But it is one of the best years of your life.
If you've been following, thanks for reading :) normal account back in use come next week:
www.where-the-mild-things-are.blogspot.com
