Language Barriers

We finally figured out why the German we're learning from the books isn't translating out in public.  We live in southern Germany, and they have what the locals call "farmer-speak."  In other words, "hick."  We have been studying high-German, which is a very proper way of speaking, and they just don't talk that way.  I guess it's similar to the southern U.S. where we have our own way.

The proper thing to say might be something like, "In a few moments, I will venture to the store for sustenance."  What we REALLY say is, "I'm fixin' to go get some grub."  So, I don't feel so bad about my inability to communicate effectively.  

On the way to Cochem Castle we stopped to go to the restroom.  We had learned, "Wo ist Bad" for "where is the bathroom," but when Joe walked in and said that, the guy behind the counter said, in very broken English, "I no speak English."  I said, "We're speaking German!!!" (I said that in German, of course.)  By this point he noticed us all dancing and said, "Oh, Toilette," pronounced "toilet-ah" in Germany.  We all nodded profusely and, after paying our $, were issued the keys to the bathrooms.  By the way, you know how everyone thinks they're speaking Spanish when they say, "Bathroom-o" or "car-o," or whatnot?  Well, in Germany, everything ends with "uh."  Well, nearly everything.  

We got the rest of our furniture delivered Monday.  The coffee table was damaged, and the sofa's L shape was on the wrong side.  Their return policy states, "Customer must bring back damaged/wrong merchandise to store for credit or exchange."  Did I mention that we had to have the stuff delivered because we drive a Passat and a BMW 5 series?  (Both small cars.)  We took the coffee table back but decided to go ahead and keep the couch.  It's not damaged, but our family room doesn't function quite like we'd like it to.  I guess you could say that it's just not "Fung-Shwey."  I have NO IDEA how to spell that but it sure is fun to say.  Don't bother correcting me.  I'll just misspell it again later.

Speaking of spelling, we started school yesterday.  My book shelf got delivered on Monday and I put it together myself, thank you, and completely organized it.  The house is officially DONE now.  I have been completely unpacked since the 4th day after getting our things, but didn't have places to put the things until various furniture deliveries made it our way.  The family room is GREAT.  We all curled up on our couch last night and watched "Enchanted," which made me laugh pretty hard several times.  I'd recommend that one for anyone.  

I still have to get stair covers for my slippery stairs, but right now we have to go pick up our Daddy.  We're going to a movie "Iron Man" with a friend that we knew back in Korea.  It's amazing how small the world is.  This guy is slightly older than us (mid-40s if I had to guess) and we have something unique in common.  We both have surviving DLI marriages.  Remember I told you that the divorce rate for people getting married at the Defense Language Institute (more commonly referred to as the Defense Love Institute in the military) is a 95% divorce rate?  Well, he and his wife, who married at DLI, have been married for 23 years.  We now know 4 couples who've made it past the 10 year mark.  That's pretty cool.  We're coming up on our 13th and if it weren't for these old children running around I'd wonder where the time went.  As it is, I know EXACTLY where the time went.  Here comes one now.....