Honorary German

I have a friend who likes to send me things he finds on the internet related to Germany. He has even sent me photos of signs or products in German that he came across in the US. He knows I don't live in Germany anymore but it seems to be a hard habit to break and I really don't mind because as the latest link to come my way phrases it, I do feel like an honorary German. I mean I spent 5 years in 2 cities in 3 apartments living and working in 'Schland so I hope I can carry that title with pride. They won't offer me citizenship but that's a whole differnt issue, I do have a bank account and paid into social services so someday, if the conditions are right, they will offer me a pension of sorts so there's that. Anyway, as a bit of a see you later to my adopted country, I wanted to share the last link that came my way. Writen by a Brit as far as I can tell, these 20 tips to becoming a German are quite accurate, moreso than anything else I have read claiming of a similar topic. Don't forget to go to part 2. As a side note, I don't support hipsters but I do appriciate a good blog post.

I believe one thing is misisng from his list so I would add #21 Vacation is Sacred. One thing I am taking away from German is the importance of using your vacation days and the ability to appriciate that a vacation should not be less than 2 weeks. Although I will never lose the instant frustration that comes with finding out the person you need to answer your phone call/email is on vacation for the next 3 weeks with no one to handle his or her correspondence in this time.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I live in Germany. I work at a German University. I want to take a German course. There are German courses offered at the University. I am not allowed to take them. Today was thebreaking point. For a week, I had been waiting to hear back from the woman in charge of courses. She called me back today, I was optimistic based on our last conversation. She told me she looked into it and since I am not an exchange student, I will be unable to take a course. The best (scharciasm is necessary) part, the decision was made by the various departments because doctoral canidates do not need German. While this is true to a point, I have to attend staff meetings in German, my students mostly speak German and the majority of hte administrative staff at the University speaks only German, but it is not necessary for my job and thus I can't have a course. Seriously? I got so frustrated when, after a year of searching for a course, I hit this wall I just cried, in. my. office. - talk about professional. **Update: I have a German course. I had a meeting with my boss this afternoon and expressed my frustrations (in a much calmer way than above). She called the business school and now I have a German course. I have no idea about the level, all I know is it meets 3 hours per week and they will let me in. She told me to try it out and I am more than happy to do so. Yay German!