Learning German

Ever since meeting Annette in 1997, I have been trying to become fluent in German. Some years ago I realized that the only way this is likely to happen would be to live in a German-speaking country.  Now that we are here, I am reading German every chance I get, and trying not to shy away from opportunities to speak it.

I did not necessarily expect that our two daughters would be fluent by year’s end.  Rani is taking a German class at her high school, but the rest of her courses are in English. Mamta, however, ended up at the German elementary school around the block from our apartment.  This decision was more stressful for me than for her.  When I went to pick up Mamta after her first day of school, I was worried I might find her in tears.  Not exactly:

Mamta's first day of school

It may not be long before Mamta is more fluent that I.

By the way, the German Shepherd (just “Shepherd,” here) on the stairs in the background arrived at the school solo, picked up a student, and headed home.

I considered taking a language class to bolster my German, but decided instead to see if I could make steady progress on my own.  I recall my friend Darije saying that when he first came to the US from Yugoslavia, he learned a lot of English by watching television.  Back in New Hampshire we don’t own a television, and we try to ensure that our daughters don’t spend too much time in front of a computer.  Our apartment in Berlin came with a large television, and both girls know how to operate the remote (I still struggle with it).  Annette and I are okay with our daughters watching limited amounts of television here — “as long as it’s in German.”  I try to carve out time to join them.

A week ago we decided that when eating dinner together at home, Annette would speak only German to us non-native speakers.  I determined to join her in speaking only German. We figured the girls would speak whatever they liked.  Holding to this decision has proven harder than I would have thought.  It’s not just that Annette forgets; we all do.  Our noble intentions to practice Deutschsprechen at the dinner table are proving no match for the ease with which we communicate in English.

 

Condomaximums

Mamta and I encountered these creatures while walking downtown the other day.

Sex education, Berlin style

Sex education, Berlin style

“What are they supposed to be?” she asked.

“Condoms.”

“What are condoms?”

I breezed through a 30-second lesson on how babies are made, and the role condoms play in sex.  I couldn’t tell from her reaction whether this was new material or a review course for her, but my description did elicit several grimaces.

When I had finished, Mamta thought for a moment.  I could sense the wheels turning.

“Have you ever used a condom?” she asked.

My turn to pause.

“Yes…”

We left it at that.

 

Usedom

Last weekend we headed north to the island of Usedom, on the Baltic sea coast.  Most of the island is part of Germany, but the border with Poland runs through its eastern end. During World War II, the Luftwaffe developed its V2 rockets in Peenemünde, a town at Usedom’s northern tip.

Usedom is one of the sunniest locations in Germany, and it has lovely beaches.  What were once small fishing villages are now primarily resort towns for a broad spectrum of visitors from Germany and abroad.

When we headed up to Usedom on Saturday morning, Rani got her first practice driving in Germany.

0 Rani driving in Allee

Several miles before the northern bridge onto the island, we ran into a monumental traffic jam.   After not moving more than a mile in over an hour, we gave up on our plans for a picnic lunch on Usedom, turned around, and found our way to the quiet hamlet of Lassan.

Lassan houses

Lassan houses

2 Lassan doorway

The town dates back to the 1100’s when it was established as a Slavic fishing settlement. Annette told me that after World War II, relatives of hers ended up in Lassan after being turned back from the border with West Germany.  From the picturesque harbor we followed a path to a lookout tower with lovely views across the bay to Usedom.  The wind was blowing hard — almost too much for the two kites that Stefan had brought.  But the sun was shining, and we had a fine picnic.

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Plattenweg (concrete plank road) from "DDR Zeit"

Plattenweg (concrete plank road) from “DDR Zeit”

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View across the bay to Usedom

View across the bay to Usedom

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Ich bin ein Berliner!

Like most cities, Berlin is subdivided into administrative districts.  In size and character, these Bezirke seem more akin to Paris’s arrondissements than to New York City’s five boroughs.  The current configuration of twelve Bezirke was created in 2001, from the twenty-three that had previously existed.  Each Bezirke has its own mayor and local governing body, which are in turn subject to the city and state government.

Yesterday, Annette and I had an appointment at the Bürgeramt (“citizens department”) for Charlottenburg/Wilmersdorf, the Bezirk in which our neighborhood is located.  The Bürgeramt is in a large, non-descript building near the busy Fehrbelliner Platz.  We had previously been in the building last summer to inquire about public school options for our daughters.  Yesterday’s visit was to obtain official permission to reside in Berlin.  We had to bring a handful of documents, including passports, our marriage certificate, birth certificates for our daughters, and our apartment lease.  Our application was processed by an impassive woman who had clearly been doing this for years.  It was only when she was finally stamping Annette’s German passport that she cracked a smile and said “Jetzt sind Sie Berliner.”  Now you are Berliners.  Berlin stamp

 

Strandbad Wannsee

When I first visited Berlin in 1998, the differences between what had been East and West Berlin were fading, but still visible.  These days, one has to consult a guidebook to find the former borders of the divided city.  As I travel about Berlin, I sometimes find myself wondering whether a particular area was controlled by the Soviet Union or the West during the Cold War.

Our first weekend here, Annette declared that we were going to the Wannsee.  This didn’t mean much to me, but I know from experience to trust that tone of hers.  To get to the lake, Annette and I biked through the Grunewald, a huge park near our apartment.  Our daughters went by car with Annette’s sister and her family.

The Strandbad -- bathing beach

The Strandbad — bathing beach

Heading out to the water slide

Heading out to the water slide

The Wannsee Strandband is apparently one of the longest inland beaches in Europe.  It is also a popular spot for nude sunbathing (“FKK,” or “Frei Korper Kultur”), but that end of the beach was discretely screened off from our area.  I have spent enough time in northern Germany that the Strandkorb, those overgrown baskets that provide

shelter from sun and wind, no longer look comical to me.  In fact, although (or perhaps because) I am not a huge fan of beach-going, I have become a fan of the Strandkorbs.

I asked my brother-in-law Stefan if he knew whether the Wannsee had been in West Berlin or under Soviet control.

Enjoying the sun (1)

Enjoying the sun (1)

“Most of the lake was in West Berlin,” he told me,  “but the border actually ran through the western end of the lake.  In fact, during the Cold War, the Soviet Union and Western governments exchanged spies on the Glienicke Bridge, because that was a place where they could easily have direct contact.”

Enjoying the sun (2)

Enjoying the sun (2)

Neuer See in Tiergarten

1 cafe am neuesee_croppedThe Tiergarten, sometimes referred to as Berlin’s “green lung,” is a large park in the heart of the city.  At 210 hectares, it is about two-thirds the size of New York’s Central Park.

The Brandenburg Gate stands at the east end of the park, and the city’s zoo is 3 Jacob, Ellie and Mamta (Large)at the west end. The winding north edge of the park is defined by the River Spree, and to the southeast is Potsdamer Platz.  The park is laced with waterways, including a small lake called the Neuer See that is roughly the shape of a five-armed octopus.

2 AK dirigent (Large)Last Sunday we biked over to Cafe am Neuensee for brunch.  Turns out that one can rent rowboats there — “Ruderboote.”  The boats weren’t much for rowing, but in the inimitable words of the character Rat from The Wind in the Willows, “There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as 4 Volle Kraft ahead (Large)simply messing about in boats.”

 

Biking in Berlin

Annette and I love biking in cities.  Our daughters do not, yet, but often we talk them into it.

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Sunday morning outing by bike

Berlin is the most bike-friendly city I have experienced.  The city’s transportation infrastructure encourages biking.  The plentiful bike lanes are usually located between the streets and the sidewalks.

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The bike lanes have their own traffic signals.  Bikers here generally obey the traffic signals. This is hard for me to do, but I am trying.  It helps that the car drivers seem to be quite respectful of bikers.

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Bike traffic lights for both directions

Bike traffic lights for turning left and turning right

 

Two reds mean you really, really have to stop.

Two reds mean you really, really have to stop.

I love biking in Berlin

I love biking in Berlin!