September 29, 2005
First Coffee in Deutschland
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http://www.vimeo.com/clip=10713
:::: (written last night 11pm, German time.) :::
Wow, I am tired and overwhelmed, in a great way.
The flight was easy - just a bit over 6hrs. on LTU - a german airline. Christina and I were the only two americans on the flight. Everyone and everything was German, right off. The food was actually great, the movie not-so-much (the screen was like being on a Bonanza bus).
We arrived in Düsseldorf at 7:15am (like 1am NYC time), rented a car and got on the Audobon. Everything seems clean and green here, and just, well, german. I didn't know what that meant before, but I think I am already starting to have a big idea. Sharp lines. Greenery. Bikes. Good bread. Strange light art in weird places.
We are living in Krefeld, a city of 200,000 outside of Düsseldorf. My work is in Kempen, a small town about 20 minutes away. Tomorrow morning we go into work there for the first time.
Our apartments here are great. we live in a little cul-de-sac village of adorable houses with big long windows and peaked roofs. lots of greenery and right next to a big farm, which our coworker and friend sandra lives. Outside of my terrace (yes i have a terrace!) there is green, green, green. also, quiet. I can see a tire swing and a cat playing in the grass. Outside of my large window off the kitchen I see a homemade beach volleyball court (which our landlords apparently host big neighborhood games at), green, some houses, and a cemetery. Christina and I have separate apartments in a large house called Orange Cottage, which a couple owns and lives in the downstairs. We don't meet them till tomorrow but sandra says they are great. It is only a few months old and we are the first ones to live in these apts. They are perfect and adorable. They gave us wine, champagne, chocolates, coffee, shampoo, towels, qtips, french press, electric kettle, etc. Anything you could think to want, they have supplied. I have a loft in my apt with a cute staircase up... I wish someone was coming to visit, I have more than enough room! The apt. is far nicer than my Chinatown place. Lots of tasteful ikea and clean beige's with touches of orange everywhere - thus Orange Cottage.
We met Sandra and Rudolf at their place around the corner at 7:15am and had espresso out back of their kitchen, a cute open yellow room which leads to a large farm pasture with a beautiful magnolia tree and a windmill. no kidding. Sandra showed us to our apts. and gave us a tiny tour of our little neighborhood before having to leave for work. Christina and I went to my first German grocery store. Everything is clean and european and i love it. Little things make me happy, like German lip balm. (I can't believe I was born American really). Tired, we went home and took naps after much needed long showers. We only slept a few hours (so as not to have horrid jet lag in Berlin this weekend) and then got up and headed into town. We walked through the city center of Krefeld, which seems like a big outdoor shopping mall and went into some pharmacies and weird German stores and looked at boots, which i am in the market for (but want to get in barcelona). We had lunch at a decent fastfood seafood place, North Sea. My fish sandwich was 1,75 euro. ha! Then we sat in an outdoor cafe and I had my first german coffee experience, which was very pleasant. Germans were all around us and having lively conversations. I just loved sitting and watching the fashions and the people and letting it all sink in... I am in germany. I feel retarded that I don't speak german. It is hard. You feel stupid. Christina makes me try and speak German instead of asking if they speak English, which is ridiculous and you just have to keep a big smile on your face and be able to laugh at yourself. It's truly embarrassing and humbling.
The air is very fresh. The weather is damp and cold and I wish I packed a warmer scarf. Purchase #1 i hope. I love scarves anyway. I always looked at the German exchange students scarves in my high school with envy. Germans know how to wear scarves. Although overall I find their fashion pretty reserved and a bit sporty.
So we came home and had an hour to relax before going over Sandra and Rudolf's to a delightful dinner (from which I just returned). Sandra whipped up the most amazing fish. I think it was Cod wrapped around Salmon in a yogurt cream sauce with wild rice. Pinot grigio. Sparkling water (which everyone drinks here), afterwards, icecream.
They had two other german friends over, Claudia and Klaus. There was a mish mash of German and English the whole evening. It was really an excellent first night. Sandra and Claudia have convinced Christina and I (the puritan americans) to go to the Mediterranean spa in Cologne. it's coed and everyone is naked. It has about 10 different saunas and a pool. We looked at the website and it looks gorgeous. It should be... interesting, or at least make a good story! We also looked up gyms for Christina and I to work out at and shared some stories and plans for Munich in two weekends.
Then double cheek kisses goodbye and a short brisk walk home through a very quiet neighborhood (me peeking in the windows) to my bed and this writing. My eyes are half mast. I must sleep. I have to wake at 7:30 for my first day of work in Germany... !!! I am looking forward to it. Everyone is so nice.
So far, so good. I like this foreign city (it feels like a tiny town after NYC). I am so far away from Chinatown!