I had to go to London to have my first big birthday party, I had to go to Canada to have my first Staatsfeiertags celebration. A couple of days I wrote an e-mail to the president of that German club and told her about the 26 of October. So she sent e-mails to the club members suggesting they could wear red and white. I was really surprised when I turned up - some had indeed clothes of that colours, some attached the words Austria and Oesterreich to it or had painted flags on their cheeks. And that was it pretty much - I mean, we didn't go as far as singing the anthem or folk songs or whatever. It was just right the way it was. A good time. Austria day. Actually I think we could celebrate differently in Austria. I mean what's the point of the day? We don't have to work, public buildings are flagged, and most museums offer free entrance. That's it? Well I guess in Vienna you also have the military parade and could visit parliament. But still. I mean, don't get me wrong I don't want some nationalistic falderal and it's not about Austria is the best country in the world blabla. But wouldn't it be a good opportunity to deal with our country, heritage and history, to be happy about positive aspects and reflect about negative aspects? Anyway.

Here are two pictures. The girl below is the president of the German club, Bari, and wears a jersey of the Italian city of that name (which I think is very funny). But as you might be able to see - as a special gesture of celebration she yesterday put a sticker over the "B" and added "ust" and "a" to turn her into A-UST-RI-A. The only colourwise matching clothes I had was my England jacket, which similarly was quickly transformed into an Austria jersey (at least the front). On the back someone attached a sheet of paper saying: "Vorsichtig! Ich bin aus Oesterreich" - I guess it was meant as a warning that the big "England" letters are misleading..

..ohne das Fruehstuecksgeschirr vor der Arbeit abzuwaschen. Uiui, schoen langsam wird es zur Gewohnheit. Aber zusaetzlich zu den Zeitgruenden gab's heute auch noch ein praktisches Problem. Mein lieber Mittbewohner, dessen Geschirr schon seit dem Einzug die rechte Abwasch blockiert, hat sich nun auch auf die linke ausgedehnt. Grrr! Ich bin ja aufgrund meiner eigenen Unordentlichkeit sehr tolerant, aber das ist jetzt zu viel des Guten Schlechten. Zumindest eine Abwasch sollte doch benuetzbar sein..

26 October! I hope the Austrians among you are celebrating the Staatsfeiertag properly?

I will. As a welcome coincident on Thursdays both the university's Scandinavian and the German club always meet in the campus pub Powerplant (for some reason on separate tables both recognisable by the flags of the various nations). For the first weeks I always mingled with the Scandinavians, because I know a couple of people from the Faculty club and furthermore I didn't really feel the urge to hang out with Germans. But two weeks ago I thought I should just say "Hi" - and it turned out that apart from two students from Munich all are actually Canadians studying German and conversations are predominantly in English.

As I've already pointed out earlier I don't like to be surrounded by too much German language when being abroad, I' generally prefer having always non-German speakers around as well so we're forced to speak English. But of course it is nice to talk to Austrian colleagues from time to time without thinking about how to express things. But the point is - they're Austrians, so I just talk the way I'd talk at home. Naturally. Mother tongue.

But frankly speaking, one thing I really detest is talking German German abroad. German German, or standard german or written german or whatever. Hochdeutsch. I'd say I'm a native writer but not a native speaker. Talking Hochdeutsch for me is something in between talking Austrian and English; it's my language and it isn't my language. Of course the vocabulary and grammar is there. Yet, it also takes some effort. It's nothing that comes natural. I have to think about pronunciation and to some extent about sentence structure and vocabulary. Actually it was very funny when I joined the German club for the first time. They were talking Hochdeutsch with me and I was so not used to talking Hochdeutsch that in the beginning I unconsciously switched back to English a couple of times.

I guess my main objection is the way I feel about it. Speaking Hochdeutsch is predominantly formal, it's a role, but it's not me. It just isn't the right thing. If I meet Germans I'd usually adjust my language a little bit - actually I should analyse one time what exactly I change - I guess I talk a bit slower, omit the expressions which might be too far away from written German and therefore cause misunderstandings - but I don't see the point of talking German as I write it. I mean I'm not talking some incomprehensible weird mountain village dialect, it's mainly about pronunciation. Why should I say "Mir geht es gut. Und dir?" instead of "Mia gehts guad, und dia?" just because it's easier for German Germans? If I meet English speaking people I have to get used to their accent, be it American, English or Canadian. It's not one standard English. Likewise I expect Germans - who want to hang out with me - to get used to my language (but of course that won't work that easily with Canadian German students).

Just two weeks ago in Faculty club I was introduced to a visiting teacher and it was pointed out she's from Germany so we could talk German.
I joked: "Well I'm Austrian, so I can only try to speak German." Someone asked: "But you speak German in Austria?"
That teacher answered: "Well. Sort of."
I replied with a smile: "Yeah, sort of. It's a bit like with Spanish and French."
Her smile was rather chilly.

For a long time I found it quite offending when Germans told me dismissively that we Austrians don't speak proper German. Now I'm fine with that. It's true. I don't speak German German - and I like it. After all I'm not German but Austrian. I like the sound and melody of our language. I like the varieties of our dialects. It's home. In my opinion Austrians should develop a healthy degree of confidence about our language. The Swiss have TV and radio programmes, even political discussions, in Schweizerdeutsch - why don't we have the same? Is it really necessary that all radio and TV programmes have to be in Hochdeutsch? Why is spoken Austrian considered uneducated or informal? We're Austrians. That's the way we talk, that's what we are. Amen.

Now I'm going to have my Staatsfeiertagsbier!

No, not for me - although I feel a bit like every other day it's Christmas or at least an advent calendar, when Sylwia and especially Erzi bring stuff for my new place. Plates, cuttlery, a pillow..

No, today - exactly 2 months minus half a day early - it's my first Christmas Prestent to YOU, and it's up to you to decide whether it's AAAWESOME or whether it SSSUCKS. (It's a pity have to be registered in order to take part in twoday.net polls, otherwise I'd have immediately started one. Hehe!) Anyway here it is:

Joachim is coming home for Christmas!

I've just booked the flight:
Arrival in Munich: Monday, 12 December at 4pm.
Departure from Munich: Thursday, 28 December at 6:30am

I intend to spend the first couple of days (about a week) in Innsbruck (Fette, fette Paaattteee!!!) and then go gome. I'm sooo much looking forward to seeing some (most, I hope) of you! (Isn't it a joy to give a present to someone and feel it's a present for oneself as well? That's the true spirit of Christmas..)

Alright, I have to go now - from now on I'll need all my time for going shopping and trying to find fancy Christmas presents (preferably for less money than this one)..

Today is already the second day in a row I didn't manage to wash my breakfast dishes in the morning. One week and one day I did a perfect job - but now? Well I had the choice between being untidy or being late and I prefer the former (the choice of getting up ten minutes earlier is discarded as unrealistic ;-) - but as in London I at least hid the dishes in my kitchen cupboard. Schein und Sein, or so.. ;-) - Not that there is any danger my flatmate would mind. Oh my, I should show you some pictures of his fridge shelves or kitchen compartments or the sink or above all of his room if he should ever leave his door open long enough. Especially the latter is simply amazing. I mean I'm not uncreative in making a mess - but this is just beyond my scope..

(As you may have noticed, there isn't anything interesting going on these days.)