This first dawned on me the other day when I bought paper towels. I know it is a small thing to buy paper towels, but it had a deeper meaning. I bought paper towels because I needed to clean things, I needed napkins, and I needed to kill bugs. If I was vacationing in Berlin or touring Germany, I wouldn't buy paper towels. It signifies a more permanent stay in Berlin and means that I'm doing things that are a little more long-term. Napkins mean I'm cooking means (in the most primitive sense in these case). And cleaning means that I'm invested in the condition of my quarters for more than a week.
Additionally, I did laundry over the weekend. Not much, but still, I did laundry. This was the first time I've done laundry outside of the country. I've done laundry in Murray and Danville, KY and Tuscaloosa, AL. That's all. Those are also the places that I've lived. Now add Berlin, Germany to the list. I've never done these sorts of things outside the country before.
I don't really know what I think about all of this so far. About actually living in another country. I do think that there is so much more to process than I can understand in eight weeks. Especially in Berlin. Berlin is so much more cosmopolitan than any other city that I've ever lived in (or perhaps will ever live in). There are so many different facets to understand and explore, that I feel like I haven't even begun to scratch the surface. I got some good cultural exposure by visiting the jazz club, and I've seen a good deal of the city, but I still don't think I'm anywhere to experiencing what Berlin really is. That might be something that's too far removed from me because I'm not from Germany and not a Berliner.
Since I'm still experiencing things, seeing Berlin, and processing Germany, I don't know how completely I can reflect on what it is to live outside the country. There certainly are differences, on the whole. I'm not convinced that I've got the German equivalent of tipping one's waiter/tress down. I think there is still a sense of overload and overwhelmingness (a word?). The realization that I'm living in another country has fully set in, brought on by completely normal, everyday actions of grocery shopping and laundry washing. And while these every day actions can help me realize such an obvious fact, I think that realization will be one of my most difficult to examine personally. What is it like to live in a different country? How is it different?
These questions might be better answered when I can look back on it all and understand it as a whole, or perhaps as a process. You can be sure that this discussion will continue.
But geez. I'm in Berlin. Whoa...
Deutsches Wort des Tages:
die Realisierung -- realization
No comments:
Post a Comment