Oh the Difference a Day Makes (Well 6 days, but who's counting?)

I’ve been keeping a mental list of my first impressions of Berlin since I arrived last Saturday. Here are a few of my thoughts:

-The weather is beautiful. I’ve had partly sunny skies and temps in the 70s and 80s all week.

-All my concerns about what I should wear in Berlin were for nought. Berliners wear everything under the sun: punk 80s gear, fanny packs, stirrup pants, tight jeans, jorts (jean shorts for the uninformed), open-toed shoes (which John swore up and down didn’t exist here), etc. Now none of that is to say I regret my pre-departure purchases.

-Strange pieces of Americana have made it to Deutschland. I’ve seen quite a number of Sponge Bobs. In the grocery store I found Uncle Ben’s rice. The box looked the same. Preparation, totally different.

-Stores are not (as everyone said) similar to American stores. They are either more specialized (i.e. The American football equipment store) or they are weirdly unspecialized (i.e. Tchibo - a coffee shop/clothing & housewears store/the place we got my cell phone).

-The German language is a disaster.

Now that I’ve been here forever (it feels like it) and am immeasurably wiser about all things Berlin, I have a few second impressions:

-It does rain. I’m sitting in front of a window looking at the after-effects of a major thunderstorm. And it does drop below the 70s. Tomorrow it’s supposed to be in the 60s.

-The majority of young Berliners wear what my mother would call trashy clothing. I think it’s just the 80s making a comeback. John is convinced they never stopped wearing some of this. (Dad, you’ll be pleased to know your safari vest is regular streetwear for the middle-age men of Berlin.)

-If they aren’t bringing Americana with them they are meddling with language to make it look American. McPaper - local office supplies. McFit - local gym

-Okay, so German isn’t a complete waste. Having rocked Unit 1 in my lesson book I’m ready to master this lawless language. (John would like to note the irony in the use of the word lawless. He can think whatever the hell he wants about this ridiculous tongue.)

Overall my estimation of Berlin daily grows. There really is more to see and do than I’ll ever cover and for the most part, the people are pleasant. I start language classes Monday and the apartment prospects are looking up. All may yet be well...