Beheaded Germans, Tequila, and a Pervert

Yesterday (Friday) was the last day of "intensive" German and Monday we begin regular classes. I am extremely excited, especially that the city itself is the subject of most of the classes. I was telling my Dad today on the phone, I had this notion that Berlin was comparable to Paris or London or any other large European city, but it really is it's own little thing. Firstly, it was discovered much later than either Paris or London, and Germany until Frederick the Great was sort of backwater. Their military was revered and powerful thanks to Frederick the Great's father, Fredrick I, but as far as culture Berlin wasn't anywhere near the "great" cities of Europe until after Frederick the Great frenchified it (he was a francophile and his contributions to making Berlin a cultural center are why he is known as "great"). So firstly Berlin is a newer European city. Secondly, after WWII it was COMPLETELY decimated, as was most of Europe. But because Berlin was divided, when factories and corporate head quarters and everything else was rebuilt in the West, it wasn't rebuilt where it had been in Berlin (logically, West Berlin was surrounded by the GDR, no country wants its economic heart surrounded by the enemy), it was rebuilt farther west in places like Hamburg or Stuttgart, or Frankfurt. So Berlin never achieved the level it was at before the war in terms of industry. Also, since it was isolated from the rest of the West by the GDR, not many people wanted to live in West Berlin after the wall was built, so it was cheap. And because it was cheap it became a sin city and a haven for artists and Bohemians. So, while obviously today Berlin is united, the wall fell recently enough that Berlin still maintains its Bohemian feeling. And it's still cheap. So all kinds of artists from all over the world who can't afford to live in Paris or Manhattan or London or Rome come to Berlin. It gives the city this weird eclectic feeling and it still has sort of a reputation as a sin city. But it's this fascinating city that serves as a centimetre ground point between a typical Eastern city and a typical Western city. So the classes examining that I think will be so fascinating and obviously since I devoted a lot of this blog to conveying the information I think it's pretty interesting.

As for "class" yesterday...not so interesting. We had a German theatre workshop, which I stupidly thought would be about German theatre; Wagner, Cabarets, etc. Noooo. It was basically us acting out emotions when the lady yelled them in German (which would have helped me learn them if I didn't know them already, but since I've taken 3 years of German I know what "happy" and "sad" are in the language), and we had to put on a skit. My group actually was really clever, this German girl is on a date with an American, and he says, "Ich habe ein gift fur dich" which he thinks means, I have a gift for you, but "gift" is poison in German, the word for gift is geschenk. So the girl freaks out and calls the police. It was super clever and the German teachers loved it, but the students didn't know enough German to get the joke until we explained it. Which was lame, because it was very witty.

After theatre workshop the whole group had lunch at a Pizza restaurant to celebrate our first two weeks in Berlin. I finally feel like the group is clicking and everyone knows and likes each other. I had a really fun time and German pizza is delicious. It's super crispy and the toppings are crazy; prosciutto and arugula, tuna and vegetables, salmon and creme fraische. It's bizarre.

I went home after the Pizza luncheon to prepare for the pub crawl that was taking place later that night, and on the way home this guy stopped me and started speaking Italian to me. Three or Four people have said I look Italian as opposed to American, which is bizarre because I'm pasty and not swarthy at all. But this is the second time I've been mistaken for an Italian. It's so weird. Speaking of heritage, my German teacher said when I told him I was Hungarian and German in origin, he said, "Wow! What a perfect combination. Discipline with Fire." Which I think I might use. Because I think it is apt.

I definitely used a little of my fire on the pub crawl. Andrew was joking that I should be a party promoter because within 5 minutes I had our bookish student leader taking tequila shots with me and everyone on the dance floor. And I say "I" because I was chiefly responsible for all this. Everyone let loose and had a really good time I think, I definitely did. Although we were at this sort of bohemian club and everyone there was indy and artsy which is great, but the girls I was with were like, "Oh man I love this European chicness" and I look and see granny shawls and chicks with bedhead and unibrows and think, "wait, what?!" And they're like, "I wish I could look cool like that." You can. It's called homeless. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Earlier in class too we were looking at pictures of Sienna Miller, who looked like hot shit on a platter with a bun on top of her head that was fizzy and greasy, and one girl said, "I love her bun." and I thought she was kidding... and then everyone jumped in and agreed. WHAT?! They go on..."she looks like she just rolled out of bed and didn't try but still looks flawless." I agree, if you delete the last part of the sentence. What is wrong with people?!

Unfortunately the good time I had at the bar was somewhat tainted on the train ride home when a man saw fit to FONDLE himself while staring at me and making obscene gestures. He was across the aisle just playing with himself and I was so embarrassed and grossed out. It was fine and I ended up moving away from him, but UGH! It was so disgusting and he kept licking his lips at me. Yeah that's the way to get a date.

Today I went shopping at Zara and got two dresses, one of which I'll probably wear tonight when I go to a club with everyone. Pam's host brother is a promoter so he got us on "the list". Sounds swanky.