White Trash Fast Food

For those of you who think I'm clever...I'm not. This is what the bar we went to last night (Saturday) was called. And it was AWESOME. But, firstly, I started my day off bright and early at 2 pm. The cats were looking at me accusingly as I slept and I figured it was probably time to be productive. So, I took a shower and then ventured by train to Friedrichstrase to go shopping for some delicious food. Ok, so the store right by my house, Netto, is a huge piece of shit compared to Edeka, which is pratically gourmet. Netto is like the 7/11 of Germany groceries. But Edeka is like exactly what you'd hope a European market to be. I tried to supplement my choices with some weird stuff, like I got bananas and chicken breast but also, ham flavored cheese. So we'll see. Certainly I see why the Jews and the Germans have had issues, ham flavored cheese couldn't be ANY less kosher unless it was wrapped in a lobster tail.

But so I got home, had a little wine and cooked myself dinner. I hadn't seen my host mother most of the day but she walked in while I was skyping with Jeanie, taking a break from cooking and chopping things. She was actually very impressed at my cooking ability, she said I'm the first American who has stayed with her who has made "real food". I was pretty impressed and felt very European with my chicken, tomatoes, artichokes, wine and balsamic vinegar stir fry and then I added green beans to make it "square". I asked her to join me but she had just eaten, but she sat with me and had wine and we got to talk a little bit which I really enjoyed. She likes fifties what she calls "r & b" but it's like bands like the Oysters and Elvis and Franki Valli. Which I like too. So she put on one of her records (she has a collection of maybe 500 vinyls) and we chatted and I knew most of the songs. After I ate I went to get online and figure what was happening with the rest of the group, and this is like at 8 on a Saturday night, she started cleaning. I was really confused. I offered to help and she said no, but this women literally cleaned the apartment from top to bottom on Saturday night. WHAT? I guess it's true what they say about the Germans... Oh, and weirdly they also like "fresh air" every morning. Which entails opening EVERY window to "air out" the apartment. It's often below zero. This doesn't matter...air must be fresh. It's like, Jesus Christ, you guys invented the Mercedes but you can't figure out that freezing air in the morning is an unpleasant way to wake up?

But the Highlight of the day was definitely White Trash Fast Food. I got there at 10:30 when we were supposed to meet but everybody else got lost, lamely. So I was there alone waiting and within 5 minutes, two creepy men had come up to me. WHY WHY WHY?! I am a creeper magnet EVERYWHERE I go. This one Australian guy asked where I was from and I told him Ohio, and he said, "that's where the most beautiful girls come from." Oh shucks. Do I look like a dolt? I know you've never heard of Ohio and I am pretty but you're old and weird, so go away. Looooooove, Annie. Oh and he also wanted to tell me about his kids. Again, pass. But luckily Andriana and Quinn got there within 5 more minutes so I was rescued. Albeit later than I would have preferred.

Within the next hour everyone started coming, and it was so much fun. We all clicked and chatted and there wasn't weirdness like there had been so I was really excited. Everyone was getting along and dancing and the energy was great. They played almost all American music but the best stuff we have. They played "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones, "Are You Gonna Be my Girl" by Jet, "Kids" by MGMT, "A-Punk" by Vampire Weekend, "Bruises" by Chairlift, all the stuff I have on my ipod and love. It was great. I was so excited. It's like what I wish the clubs at home played but they're playing P.Diddy and Britney Instead. Although last night, Saturday, at the Soda club...they played Britney. But that club was more like a typical club, and white trash fast food was dirty and gritty and much better in general. But in clubs like the Soda club, when they play American songs the Germans know every word. Which is weird, because they speak no other English. But I saw Germans in the subway singing every word to "Bad Romance" flawlessly. That's one thing Americans can say for themselves, best music in the world.

But back to White Trash Fast Food, another fun thing about it was that there were naked women dancing on stage. Well not totally naked, but in mesh body suits and you could see their nipples and their thongs. Which to me, was a very real distraction. But I guess in Deutschland nudity is not such a big deal. But it was crazy it was like a basement club...but then there are stripper type girls like at the trendiest nightclub. Totally bizarre.

So I left around 3 am and headed back to my house mothers. And I woke up this morning at 1pm, which is a little embarrassing but I'm chalking it up to the time difference....as my former host father would say. "Jet lag? Yeah Jet lag from the discos..." which you know, fair enough. But my host mother and her bf were here eating breakfast too at that time, so we sat down together and chatted and I really like both of them and I am feeling less and less like a stranger in someone else's house. All in all, it's been a great start.