My best attempt to fit in...
Just when I think that I start to really understand what it is to be German and really feel in tune with the rhythm of German culture, the country seems to throw a massive curveball at me. My initial understanding of German culture was that the people are very reserved, like organization, everything is done in a timely fashion with little chit-chat, and they are very serious about recycling and garbage.
However, I happen to be staying in just the right place in Germany to experience something called Karneval (Carnival) and Fastnacht. This is a tradition that began in the 16th century and is celebrated mostly in the Catholic areas of the Rheinland (the regions bordering the Rhine River). Karneval is known as the 5th season and begins on November 11 and ends on Ash Wednesday in February. Don’t get ahead of me though. I don’t want you to think that Germans party in the Rheinland from November 11 through February. The partying begins on February 11 at 11:11am with large parades/parties in Dusseldorf, Köln, and Mainz (as well as many other cities, those are just the biggest). The purpose of Karneval is to shake off the winter blues and cheer all the moody people up.
The trains going in the direction of Köln were full of people dressed in costumes. Trying to be as thrifty as possible, most exchange students could only afford to share face paint. I think that if it wasn’t for the face paint we would have been far too uncomfortable to partake in the events of Karneval. Every direction in which you look the people were wearing costumes, partying in the street with marching bands, drinking Glühwein (hot wine) and beer, as well as eating sausages and döner (donair). It was really strange to see such a stereotypically reserved bunch of people partying so hard at 11:11am on a Thursday.
Unfortunately, the TV crew goes to interview an exchange student who doesn’t speak German
For the first time I actually saw garbage on the ground in Germany. There was tons of it! But before we caught the last train home there were already snowplough like machines and a few other mechanical contraptions cleaning up the day’s debris. Unlike home, even when you are out in Germany they recycle. The garbage cans actually have different slots for different types of garbage. But in the spirit of the party I guess everyone decides that putting things in the garbage is no longer important, never mind recycle. I was really shocked by this.
One of an endless amount of streets full with people
Unfortunately, I was only able to take part in the first day of Karneval. The remaining six days I spent either in class or studying for a final exam. Though, it was still very comical when I would be going to school and a car full of, literally, “clowns” would drive by. Or when walking home at night, which typically in Oestrich-Winkel you would see nothing, you run into a group of older-middle-aged people all dressed in costume laughing and singing with drinks in their hands.
This was yet another great experience and reason to love being on exchange.
