For many years Germany was considered to be a Service Desert, especially amongst the Germans. Customers were inconvenient but had to be accepted to a certain extent. Customer Service was something done by the newest person in the firm, or using a series of general excuses which might pass for anything should there be a problem.

In the last few years this has gradually changed: the Germans have come to see that Service is of vital importance and that relying on exports alone is not going to keep the country going or cut down on unemployment. Exports may well be high, but that doesn’t help someone in a small town who wishes to buy a loaf of bread: they can hardly drive across the border to take advantage of the export status Germany enjoys.

Customer Service and Service, in general, began to change: the customer was suddenly considered someone of vital importance; the person who buys all those things you wish to sell and puts cash in the till which, eventually, appears as your salary and feeds those hungry mouths at home.

Help-lines and Service Centres began to appear, and predominantly in Germany, not farmed out to India or some other foreign land where the cheap labor had to learn the language first, and then command a passable accent to convince their hearers of authenticity. Reliable, friendly and accurate Customer Service brought new customers in and helped to keep the older customers coming back. There was a boom time for Service, and a boom time for the customer too.

For some, though, this appears to have its price. The massive transport company Deutsche Bahn (German Railways), which comprises more than just railways, has begun advertising its services on television again. This usually means one of two things: either the company is going to restructure one or another part of the whole, with massive job losses, or they’re going to put the prices up. A few months ago we had the job losses. This time it must be a price rise.

And indeed it is so. The Deutsche Bahn intends raising its prices before the end of the year. This is hardly unusual, nor is it unexpected. Many public transport firms will be doing exactly the same – on 1 January 2009 – to cover raises in pay as well as the rising cost of fuel. Everyone expects it, although, as with snow in winter, many are surprised when it suddenly happens, when the prices change once again, as they have done every January for many years.

What is perhaps more surprising is one of the prices which have been introduced. The Deutsche Bahn has decided that, in addition to the price of a ticket, the customer should pay a fee of € 2.50 for the privilege of buying that ticket. Now, if you buy your ticket at an agency I can understand why an extra price-tag might be added, but not when you buy it directly from the Deutsche Bahn at one of their own ticket centers operated and manned by their own employees.

The argument from the Deutsche Bahn is that everyone can buy a ticket through the Internet or at one of the ticket machines on practically every train station platform. The argument from those who might be customers is that not everyone has access to the Internet, or wishes to take the chance of ordering through a computer and giving their personal details – bank account details predominantly, credit card less so – when it has so often been seen that such information is not secure and the target of many a thief from Bangkok to Moscow, New York to Sydney. And as for the ticket machines: these, when they are working, are, for many, difficult to operate. With personal service, the customer stands a better chance of getting the right price as well as halfway correct information.

Although, that small mention of the right price is also a bone of contention amongst many. The Deutsche Bahn has many prices for the same route, depending on the time of day, time of year, and through which territory the trains have to travel. Many of the service center personnel do not know their way around the prices and special offers, so how can the inexperienced customer be expected to find the right one on the Internet or whilst standing in the pouring rain in front of an automatic ticket machine which seems to have no interest in working anyway?

Complaints from on high – and I don’t necessarily mean from the government – have caused Deutsche Bahn to change its stance slightly. They have now announced that pensioners who have purchased (note the word ‘purchased’) a specific rebate card no longer have to pay the € 2.50 fee. Disabled people with a disability over fifty percent no longer have to pay the fee (which is an improvement in effect, as the Deutsche Bahn had set the limit at over seventy percent). The changes are, however, not enough.

Having seen how many ticket machines are constantly out of action – admittedly not through the overwhelming fault of the Deutsche Bahn, but thanks to vandalism and the laxity with which contractors fulfill their repair contracts – and how the attendants react on the trains themselves when someone reports a broken machine, I can only suggest that people seek out other sources of transport. I don’t mean turning back to the car, of course, as that would be far too costly for longer journeys. Flying is becoming a viable alternative within Europe – much as it is in Australia or the USA – with many small firms flying to the smaller airports with decent prices. Here, at least, you pay for what you get. With the Deutsche Bahn it is often the luck of the draw, and entering the draw costs more than the possible prize payout at the end.

US Naturalization Test / US Citizenship Test 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Immigrants who want to become U.S. citizens need to take and pass the American Naturalization Test. If they become American citizens, they have to go through the Citizenship Interview experience to acquire the right to vote and enhance the possibility that family members who live in other countries may come to and live in America. As American citizens, they qualify for federal jobs and they will be able to show their loyalty to the United States.

To become U.S. citizens, immigrants must pass the U.S. Naturalization Test which includes 100 questions about U.S. history and government. This civics test must be taken orally and is administered by USCIS Officers who will ask applicants to answer generally 10 out of 100 civics questions.

Of these ten questions of the naturalization test, applicants will have to answer at least 6 questions correctly. Applicants need to be aware that some answers are subject to change due to elections or political appointments. Studying for the naturalization tests requires applicants to ensure that they are aware of and learn current answers to the questions at hand.

USCIS Officers are not allowed to accept any incorrect answers, so it is imperative that applicants learn all subject matter related to the U.S. government and history extensively. Not only will that help them pass the test, but they will also be better aware of the way the nation is governed and the processes that led to our modern-day society.

On the American Naturalization Test, there are answers that may change due to new appointments in the US Government or because of elections, for example. When you’re studying for the test, be sure you know what’s been going on recently so you’ll come up with current answers. Please keep in mind that USCIS Officers are not accepting any incorrect answers.

For many people, becoming a U.S. citizen and the process of naturalization are among the most important milestones in their lives. To support individuals who want to become U.S. citizens, USCIS has created a number of very useful educational resources. Check out the USCIS website to find a host of information about eligibility requirements, application procedures, and helpful study materials that will put you on the right track. On the USCIS website, there’s also a lot of information regarding citizenship responsibilities and rights and where you can find information sessions (usually free of charge) in your region.

The source is the Citizenship Resource Center- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

It’s rather easy to annoy a German guy if you really want to. Of course, I assume that all my readers are peaceful people who only want to live in harmony with their fellow men. But everybody knows this situation: You’re talking to somebody and after a while, you notice that your conversational partner is a dork who gives you a really hard time. So you just try to be polite and say Thank You in German…

At this point, you decide to pay him back and annoy him a little bit. If he’s German, the odds are rather high that you succeed. There’s this guy, Rene (34), who is from Jena, Germany. He came to America some 9 years ago. You would know he’s a computer guy, but then again, you’ll find out soon enough.

He makes a living with software development and software testing. In English! He’s the guy that’s trying the software before your car has it or before you can even buy it at Best Buy. He makes sure it works before you can use it. Some years ago, he started to work for this testing company. This is what I learned from him. Here are my (so actually his) eight ultimate ways to tease a German:

1. 1. If you’re at the bar, order “One beer, please. But not that cold, if possible!” After you got your beer, stir it violently and say that you couldn’t endure carbonated drinks at all. Well, they know you’re German when…
   2. Try to focus your conversation on German music and ask casually: ”Hey, what about the ‘Eurovision Song Contest’? Is it true that Germany normally gets no points from its neighbor countries?”
   3. Ask: ”Is it true that the number of pets is rising while fewer children are being born in Germany each year?”
   4. Proclaim that you’re in favor of a general speed limit of 100 km/h on German highways to improve road safety and spare the environment.
   5. Sticking to the car topic, you should bitch about people who use to wash their cars by hand every Saturday.
   6. Talking about sports, proclaim that soccer is a primitive game for primitive people. (This also works perfectly with Italians, French, and of course Britons.)
   7. Assure that you met the smartest Germans at El Arenal’s “Ballermann 6” (maybe it’s all about a German’s idea of Germans).
   8. Say that it’s ok for you that German top managers make more money in one month than most people in five years since it’s really a tough job to dismiss so many employees each day.

   If you make it through point eight without a fist in your face, your vis-à-vis is either deaf or no real German. If you like, you might carry out a test, but you will have to bear the consequences…

   Ban On The World’s Biggest Butt

   Germans seem to be passionate about public toilets (no wonder with all that food that they’re eating today from American origin…). Some time ago I already posted about a ‘loo deluxe‘, and now such a facility has made it into the news again. It started with a fancy idea and ended with a debacle.

   Plochingen is a small city in southwest Germany. Eugen Beck is Plochingen’s mayor and seems to love individual solutions. One day Eugen Beck decided to build a new public toilet. – But none of these boring and unimposing buildings one can find everywhere. No! It had to be something special. So he decided to engage the French cartoonist Tomi Ungerer and commissioned a design for a fancy toilet building.

   Well, the result of Ungerer’s efforts was really unorthodox: It was a square-cut building with a huge pink dome, shaped like butt cheeks. Above the entrance, there was a big writing that said: “Übung Macht den Meister” (Practice makes perfect as it does also with learning German). Speaking German is just plain “Funvergnügen” as they say at Rufus King, an International Wisconsin Public High School in Milwaukee.

   The first who complained about the suggestion was Plochingen’s Muslims. The pink butt (that was to be illuminated at night) reminded them of a mosque’s dome. Ungerer’s second suggestion, a cloud-shaped building with a ‘butt roof’, had to be rejected due to the building’s intended location – vis-à-vis a church.

   Well, they say that everything is bigger in America and there are many typical German influences here, but the Germans also know about size and big…the planning is still going on…

Every country has its specific characteristics. Here are ten unmistakable signs that you’re actually in Germany: (Just in case you’re not sure.)

1. If you see a long queue of spotlessly clean cars in front of a washing bay, you are in Germany.
2. If you turn on the TV set and see commercials like from the sixties, you are in Germany.
3. If a traffic jam arises on the autobahn just because an accident happened on the opposite lane and people are slowing down in order to gape, you are in Germany.
4. If you build a house for you and your family and you’re indebted for the rest of your life afterward, you are in Germany.
5. If you miss a train because it left at a different time at a different platform without the change having been announced, you are in Germany.
6. If you hear people complaining about the weather, regardless of whether it’s warm, cold, windy, rainy or dry, you are in Germany.
7. If you cross a street although the pedestrian light shows red and you’re cursed at by other pedestrians, you are in Germany.
8. If people permanently complain about how little money they have but buy an expensive BMW and go on holiday three times a year just the same, you are in Germany.
9. If you ask some children on the street what’s the capital of Romania and receive only a pondering silence as an answer, you are in Germany.
10. If you ask some adults on the street how the German voting system works and receive only a pondering silence as an answer, you are in Germany.
11. If somebody creates a list of German characteristics, you are in Germany…

Wow! If you wonder if there are more than two genders in Germany I have to let you down. Even in technically sophisticated Germany they still only have two of them. (Even though there are some people who seem to be something in-between…) And I can also calm you down concerning the marriage “for that purpose”: Even in the ultraconservative parts of Germany, nobody ties the knot only to go camping…

Wanted in Germany, the Bear

Normally, it should be good news: A wild bear was observed in the south of Germany near the border to Austria. It made its way from Italy towards Germany and is now the main topic of all newspapers and magazines. The animal lovers are happy and call it a “historic event”.

Maybe some of you are astonished why the simple appearance of a bear is such startling news, but you should know that the last observation of a wild bear in Germany has been noticed more than 130 years ago.

But not everybody is happy about this animal. The bear seems to be used to live in a close neighborhood to human beings and is not very timid. It already killed two sheep and demolished a chicken shed. The afflicted farmers are upset and call for the government to take measures.
Scientist analyzed the behavior of the bear and found that it’s not what they would call “normal” but “problematic”. So they created a new expression: “The Problematical Bear”.

It sounds funny, doesn’t it? But at least for the bear itself, it’s not funny at all, because now professional hunters are on its trail and try to shoot it. At the moment it seems like the animal has got a good chance to escape because the hunters are not experienced in bear hunting.

Well, I will follow the news and give you an update if anything interesting should happen…

Ha, that’s funny! As you might remember, my children had some problems concerning the correct spelling of the German word “Spießer” and I’m still confused about it since the latest German Language spelling reform.

Today, I discovered the website of Hyde Flippo, a retired language teacher who now runs a very successful blog. In this blog, he continues teaching German and so it has become a very fruitful source for our children and other people who are interested in the German language.

Well, one of his latest articles deals with the “double-s words” (remember my Spießer example). Ok, I think they’ll have it now…

Chillen

This post is again about “Popular Anglicisms“. You can find more posts about the subject on this website. In this sort of posts, I’m going to talk about some common Anglicisms and describe their meaning in the German use of language. Anglicisms have become widely spread in our daily life, but sometimes it’s rather strange how they’re used.

The German term “chillen” is a rather new Anglicism that is solely used by young people. It has become popular by the emerging chill out style in techno music, starting in the mid-1990s. The meaning of chillen corresponds to the American slang term “to chill” in terms of “to relax” or “to calm down” and is used in similar contexts. (By the way: Chillen sometimes also hits a sour note, because in certain circles it’s generally associated with smoking weed.)

By and by derived terms emerged, like the adjective “chillig” or “abchillen” (a modern version of the original “chillen“. The prefix “ab-” is often used to make an activity appearing “cool”. More examples are “ablachen” or “abfeiern“. “Lachen” (to laugh) and “feiern” (to party) are normal verbs, but not cool enough for some people. You don’t have to understand this, for me, it’s out of all reason as well…) These expressions have become common outside the techno scene as well as catch-all terms for ‘activities’ that are associated with passive recreation. In the end, chillen is nothing more than hanging around, but it sounds more trendy…

Germans don’t dress like Germans

This is one of the key sentences in one of the “Survival Guides for Germany” that is sold in the United States these days. These books should help the average American soccer tourist to survive in the unknown German jungle.

To prevent deep disillusionments the traveler learns that 99% of the Germans never wear the traditional Bavarian costume, that cars are sacred and shouldn’t be touched without the owner’s permission and that it’s not recommended to talk too affirmatively about Donald Trump…

Are these guides really necessary or are they just entertainment? For me, as a German American, it sounds really funny. A lot of Germans are experienced in international contacts and know well that foreigners may have a different mentality and culture. And most of them are tolerant enough to cope with these differences. So, if you’re going to visit Germany: Keep it with Douglas Adams and don’t panic!

They came up in the late 1990s, at the same time as the deep-seated low-rise pants and belly-bearing tops. Because of that style trend, they were visible to everybody. We’re talking about the V- or T-shaped tattoos on the back, just above the bottom, which were initially called ‘lower back tattoos’. We can see them still a lot in America but in Germany, the name is, oh so beautiful, Arschgeweih (ass antlers).

On the one hand, this unflattering name goes back to the usual form of the tattoo. On the other hand, however, it is supposed to belittle the carriers of such a tattoo who are often stamped as sluts or slovens. The German comedian Michael Mittermeier, who is said to have invented the term Arschgeweih, sometimes even uses the expressions Schlampenstempel(sloven hallmark) und Landehilfe (landing aid) during his stage shows…

The liquor manufacturer ‘Jägermeister’ reversed the trend and picked ‘Miss Arschgeweih’ on a nationwide annual tour through German pubs and clubs since 2004.

Nonetheless, the Arschgeweih has slid down the popularity scale very fast. Who still asks for such a tattoo nowadays is regarded as hopelessly outstanding. Many carriers find their youthful folly downright embarrassing in the meantime. Fortunately, the fashion of the low-rise pants and belly-bearing tops is fairly over…

Popular Anglicisms: Handy

The German term „Handy“ is no classical Anglicism because there’s no such noun in English. Nevertheless, the Germans adopted this term, meaning a cell or mobile phone. The term “Handy” is short, easy to remember and – yes handy, like the object itself. Therefore, the word creation wasn’t so bad. But I don’t like it anyway. Do you?

Maybe my rejection originates from the time when cell phones were rather new in the market and many people regarded them as status symbols. So the first people who used them in public were, apart from businessmen who really needed them, people who wanted to be in vogue at any price. And many of them were. I think you know this kind of folks, being as noisy and annoying as their cell phones’ ring tones.

Well, I still remember one special scene in a café as I was on a holiday trip in Germany some years back: I was sitting there with some friends, when a group of girls, perhaps 15 or 16 years old, entered the café, sat down at the table next to us and immediately started yattering. The most annoying chatterbox of them was called Mandy (a typical German name…). – A flashy, rouged, acoustic plague with bleached hair and polished fingernails.

In her mouth, she had chewing gum, so big that she couldn’t shut it. (But unfortunately, it didn’t prevent her from talking.) In any case, Mandy had a Handy. (Uh, that rhymes!) Of course, she had one, and of course, she wasn’t cagey about it.

This damned cell phone was in focus of the girls’ yattering all the time. (We didn’t have to eavesdrop on them, for they were loud enough.) I can’t remember how often the phone rang, but its piercing ringtone is still spooking in my ears.

Do you want to know what annoyed me the most? Well, it might sound odd, but it was the way Mandy pronounced the word “Handy”. She stressed on the “a” and said something like “Haaaaaaaaaandy”, elongated like her chewing gum, in ten-second intervals.

And her voice! Oh God, I didn’t mention her voice yet! It was like, well, like fingernails scratching the blackboard, like a blunt buzz saw hitting a nail in the wood, like a poorly oiled junk press. In short: It was frightful.

Another Popular anglicism: Wellness

Probably, “wellness” is actually the most misused English term in the German language. I was surprised during my trip to Germany about how the Germans were using the word. Originally meaning “a healthy balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being” (Wikipedia), it’s used as a description for everything that’s supposed to be somehow conducive to health or well-being these days.

Especially the advertising industry in Germany (that’s an expert in crippling language) uses the term in an inflationary way. Everything can be a wellness item: Mineral water, strawberry jam, dietary supplements, beer, bath-salts, socks, magnetic mattresses, copper bracelets, music, books – literally everything. In Germany, they’re surrounded by so much wellness that it’s a mystery to me why they still feel so bad sometimes.

Wellness is extremely popular in tourism as well. A lot of hotels and even small guesthouses provide “wellness weekends” or “special wellness offers”. Of course, a wellness weekend is rather expensive. Nowadays, if there’s a pool or a sauna, it’s called a “Wellness Oasis” or something like that.

Searching for “Wellness” on Google, I got more than 6 million hits – only in German. It’s a great hype and a good chance to make money. But I think the trend won’t expire soon since there are still unimagined possibilities for creative and enterprising minds.

What about a “wellness dentist” or “wellness loo”? I wonder why there’s still no “Wellness-Verein” in Germany; it would be typical German. They’ll be so overwhelmed by wellness that they can’t stand it.

I’m cocksure that one day they’ll get fed up with all this wellness stuff. Then they’ll jump at everything unhealthy and things that make them feel bad. And you may rest assured that this trend will exactly be up their alley…

Take a look at what I came across the other day. It’s about what a German would say to anyone having the idea of wanting to emigrate to Germany, and the first thing they’d have to be able to speak would, of course, be “How Are You” in German.

Do you think the Germans have particular character traits? If so what do you think they are?

Germans are engineers. That’s what we are known for—great inventions, efficiency, order, and cleanness. Most of them still exist, but we are losing our capabilities slowly.

The education system is not very efficient and there are no or only a few incentives to be creative and innovative. Of course, we are still producing a lot of patents, but when I see the young Germans of today…

What do you like about Germany?

I like that we care about resource usage and environmental impact. I like our bakeries and butchers, I like German supermarkets, not because of their open hours or friendliness, but because of their variety of good food.

I like our Cafes where you can sit outside in the summer and enjoy your cup of coffee. I like the German infrastructure. I like our newspapers and public television (but it is getting worse).

We build real houses, sometimes too expensive, but mostly solid and energy-efficient. German cars are great, and I am not talking about the expensive ones…

And what do you not like?

Well, we have a way too serious attitude towards everything. Our humor is questionable and you need permission for everything. (Personal note: I understand this point but I have to be honest – there are so many things that we’ve picked up since we’ve been living in America!)

We are making way too many compromises in terms of new rights, laws, or foreign politics. We cannot make it right for anybody, but we try and this leads to overcomplicated laws and overall frustration about politics.

I do not like that we lost our national pride and I am not talking about nationalism here. We should be proud to be German and be proud of our education system like the Americans are of theirs.

We should be sorry for the things we have done in the past to the world but this is history. It should never happen again of course, but this requires also, that we feel and act as an accepted nation.

Do you think that Germany and German society are correctly portrayed abroad or are there still prejudices and distorted views towards us?

As soon as I mention “I am German” the first reactions typically are: Beer, Munich, Cars, Autobahn. While beer, cars, and autobahn are fine for me, because it stands for German engineering, I feel insulted by the thought “Munich equals Germany”.

Some people really think we wear Lederhosen and eat Schnitzels all day long (though there’s nothing wrong with eating Schnitzels as we recently did at our Charlotte New Year Celebration – personal note!).

Germans are mostly considered humorless and grouchy… well, I think that’s true. We just complain about anything and feel somehow like Atlas, who carried the entire world on his shoulders.

I have never had any problems with German history, e.g. both world wars. Of course, this is often a topic of talks and discussions with friends or people I have met, but nobody every expressed hate or antipathy. What they do tell me is that they’re maybe not that fond of typical American Food like Roast Turkey (personal note: that’s really hard for me to understand! Besides schnitzels, Roast Turkey is among my American favorites!)

If you knew a foreigner who plans to come to Germany in order to live and work here – what word of advice would you offer him?

That’s a difficult question.

1. Do not be irritated by the German impoliteness.
2. Take the train and walk through the cities.
3. Learn some German, because a lot of people do not speak Englisch or at least not very well.
4. Make friends. German friendship is hard to earn but will last a lifetime.

Your blog deals with different aspects of German life as well. Please tell us a little about it.

I like to comment on typical German attributes, such as missing politeness, arrogance, and the egoistic view on other car drivers and pedestrians. Of course, I also write about typos in newspapers and on web pages, give my opinion about German politics and so on.
What I see is what you get.

My personal note: Well. I’m telling you: German is so much easier than you may think! Speaking German is real “FUNVERGNÜGEN”. Just think of the number of German words that we use when we’re ordering food! The language we use, American English, is so FULL of original German words!

Are you, for example, working abroad with a multinational corporation? Well, chances are that you’re the coworker everybody dislikes. You are the bloody German who’s finished all of the tasks in no time at all and leaves your boss in a desperate state while trying to find new work for you. Well, the first thing you’ll have to learn is German for NO.

Seriously, you’ve really tried to work less efficiently, more slowly, and deliver less-quality work…but you’ve got that typical German efficiency; it’s something you just can’t help; it’s in the genes you were born with. But there’s more to being a typical German. Let’s take a look at some “typical” German traits.

You know you’re German when…

• Your CV is not just a summary of your work experience but rather a book depicting everything about your personal life, including details about your children, your political interests, the names and professions of your parents, and everything else you have done in your life.
• Tzping on non-German kezboards is verz difficult.

Continue reading German for NO – they know you’re German when…

On all German fairs throughout the year you can find booths where they sell gingerbread hearts in all variations and for all occasions. They have found their way to America via Say it with Heart founded by Katrin Battaglia. What exactly is Say it with Heart?

Say it with Heart features custom decorated cookies, traditional German gingerbread hearts (Lebkuchenherzen), Springerle and other seasonal treats. They make wonderful gifts, favors and add that special touch to any party. Everything you discover here is as yummy to eat as it is beautiful to look at.

Traditional German gingerbread hearts have been given as gifts for many years. They can be found at fairs and festivals all over Germany, and of course the Oktoberfest. Gingerbread hearts can either be eaten or kept as a keep-sake for countless years making them the perfect gift for any occasion.

The owner and creator, Katrin Battaglia, was born and raised in a small town in Southern Germany and now resides in Eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and son. The passion for creating whimsical and delicious gingerbread hearts was sparked eight years ago when she made them as favors for her own wedding.

Say it with Heart is growing every day! Katrin has recently added an infinite variety of decorated sugar cookies that show off her artistic talents and international delights reflecting her German background as well as her husband’s Italian and Swiss traditions.

All traditional German gingerbread hearts are made from scratch and are hand decorated with the highest attention to detail. Whether you are shopping for a wedding, baby shower, birthday, holiday, or Oktoberfest party, you will find it here at Say it with Heart.

There is no idea that cannot be turned into a reality. For custom creations and further information please contact the owner and she will be happy to give you a personalized consultation.

KinderCone School Tradition

KinderCone is the first American company that brings a German school tradition to the USA: the Kinder cone or in German “Schultuete”, filled with goodies.

KinderCone is the first American company that brings a German school tradition to the USA: the Kinder cone or in German “Schultuete”. What is in the KinderCone? The large colorful cone is filled with high-quality school supplies and educational gifts for school-age children.

The first day of school can be a bittersweet moment in a child’s life, but in Germany and Austria, it is marked by a day of celebration and appreciation. On that day, families present their first grader with a colorfully decorated cone made of sturdy paper. Inside the cone (Schultüte in German) the child finds little gifts, treats, and school supplies.

The traditional giving of the “Schultüte”, the school cone, expresses a family’s appreciation for this big step in every child’s life and is an iconic symbol that celebrates that special day.
 KinderCone is expanding on this idea and now offers KinderCones for all grades in various editions, e.g. an artist edition that includes brilliant watercolors, paintbrushes, and a little drawing journal.

KinderCone’s guiding principle is about inspiring young children to look forward to school and to enjoy learning by celebrating the first day of school. Vivian Lie founded KinderCone in 2008. Born and raised in Munich, Germany, she now lives in Chicago with her husband and four young daughters.

Schaller and Weber, New York

Schaller and Weber in New York is a genuine German butcher that had opened the doors of its original location on 86th Street to all of New York City in 1937.

At that time, it was customary for butchers to specialize in one thing and one thing only. Schaller & Weber specialized in pork products. They only use the finest cuts, including Canadian and Berkshire pork,  natural, hand-blended spices and seasoning,  natural hardwood to smoke their meats, and none of the Schaller & Weber products contain fillers, artificial colors, artificial flavors or trans fats. Eventually, they also evolved into a German specialty store, offering a wide array of products, from meats to chocolates.

The Founders Ferdinand Weber and Tony Schaller made every product by hand in the store. They continued to manufacture all of their products on-premises until 1960.

In 1964, the store doubled its size. To this day, it still stands. As does the more than 75-year-old tradition of giving every child a sample of our award-winning Bologna. After all, they’re the hardest ones to please.

New Year’s Eve is an exciting time for my family and to tell you the truth, here in America, the excitement has only grown since we’ve lived here, year after year. In fact, this year marked our twentieth year here! As a family, it seems like moving to this great new country has made our family ties stronger and this year, we loved the Wiener Schnitzel, Happy New Year, and Charlotte time so much!

This year, we generally have gotten through the post-Christmas rush and are looking forward to the upcoming year. After eating a light brunch we all sit lazily around and tell stories until mid to late evening, and then pack up for a festive night in the city of Charlotte. We’ve done this now for quite some years and I must admit, it couldn’t be better.

I will always set my home security alarm, pack the kids and a few relatives up in the van, and off we go. We usually will park somewhere close to the Panther Stadium and walk up to Tryon Street, where thousands of people gather annually on New Year’s Eve to bring in the New Year.

We usually will have a nice, relaxing meal at our favorite local “Schnitzel Haus”, have a beer (or two) and then hit the street to countdown the final seconds to the new year. It’s usually quite cool so most of us bundle up, but we always have a blast watching the roadside performers and meeting up with loads of old friends, and sometimes making new ones along the way.

As the time winds down and we’ve worked our way around the schnitzels (which we really prefer over the typical American food), the evening is usually capped off with the wonderful fireworks display the city of Charlotte puts on. The kids adore fireworks. We then will go to one of the local shops and get some hot chocolate and maybe some cookies as the American food tradition seems to require and make our way back home.

Home means our favorite hotel where we’ve stayed for quite a few years and where we feel welcome. We have been doing this for years, and I can remember going to the fireworks back in Germany when I was a child myself. We’ll be there for a couple of nights and then hit the road to make it back home again on Wednesday. So here we go, we’ll have fun and all of us wish you all the best in 2019!

The Dumbest Sign You’ll Ever See

I guess having the speed limit change from say, 6 AM to 9 AM and from 2 PM to 5 PM is just too difficult. Instead, motorists have to read very carefully to see whether they should be driving at 25mph or 45mph. Which is, of course, totally insane.

One thing I get from reading the blog that showed this is that the craziest government of all is local government. With police militarization, crazy local governments are given surplus military equipment so that they can be crazy and well-armed at the same time (not to say that it’s any better in Germany, I guess). But the real burdensome regulations out there tend to be at the local level.

This is really the limit! Is this America? This has nothing to do with the influence some great Germans had on American Culture and efficiency. Just think of this speed limit sign as just a symbol of that onerous stupidity.

Living in America – At What Age Should You Stop Dreaming?

I use it to make the point that the ability and desire to dream has nothing to do with age. Down deep inside, everyone has a dream. Most are attainable, also for Americans wishing to learn the German Language properly. History has proven that. Part of this dreaming dynamic has to do with our daily personality or attitude. Expecting the best for yourself and your loved ones is a powerful step in the right direction. Keyword: Expecting.

How many times have you heard someone start a sentence with, “Well, with my luck…” Regardless of what has (or hasn’t) happened to them in the past, they are unconsciously telling themselves that they do not deserve better. The opposite is true. What will you tell yourself today? And, what’s the BEST that can happen?