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another way to get to Leipzig just before the Meet-Up and had to post it. It’s from the website of the Study Abroad Program at Texas A&M University.
How to Avoid Looking Like a US Tourist
Compare your outward appearance and behaviors to those of people who live in the country you visit. The more you blend in, the less chance there is for you to look like a tourist. Some simple ways to spot a US citizen in a crowd overseas include the following.
1. Some clothing choices signal one as being a US citizen.
* Wearing baseball or trucker caps
* Wearing US brand name clothing with the names (ie. Nike, Gap, Abercrombie, Patriotic, Texas A&M, etc.) easily readable
* Wearing white socks with shoes instead of dark socks
* Dressing informally instead of more formally, (ie. wearing sneakers, t-shirts, jeans, or shorts instead of slacks or skirts with shirts or blouses)
* Wearing inappropriate outfits in public spaces such as churches, theaters, and restaurants. Such outfits include, but are not limited to, shorts and halter or tube tops. Remember also that jeans are not universally accepted as appropriate in all social situations. It is best to consider taking more pairs of trousers or slacks in lieu of jeans.
* Wearing colored clothing that is not typical to the culture you are visiting. For example, in some countries solid or dark colors are more prominent than bright colors or prints.
* Wearing shirts tucked in or left hanging out, depending on the country you are visiting. Sometimes this differs for men and women in the same country.
* Women using head scarves in some religious establishments. It would be wise to research this in advance and be prepared to take something with you if you plan to visit religious places.
* In some countries, NOT wearing something could signal that you are a tourist. For example, in some countries, hats or scarves are worn by the majority, or, in winter, most people might wear neck scarves. Be alert to simple, inexpensive ways that you could blend in.
2. A number of food related habits signal that someone might be from the US.
* Avoid walking down the street while eating food.
* Requesting, at a restaurant, typical US condiments like catsup, salt, pepper, etc. It is best to use the typical condiments in your host country, but if you cannot eat without some condiment, take small packets with you to use rather than insisting that the restaurant supply you with it.
* Don’t insist on drinking “Coke” with every meal.
* Try to manage without requesting ice in your drinks.
* Remember that often “bottled water” will be carbonated. Before the waiter brings it and opens it, be sure to request water that is “natural” instead of “with gas”, if that is what you prefer.
* Avoid visiting US chain restaurants for every meal.
* Use local table manners instead of US ones. For example, in Europe, a fork and knife are used differently than in the US. In some Southeast Asian nations chopsticks might be more appropriate.
* Don’t insist on ordering meals in a typical US fashion. For example, in some countries, a salad is the last item served, not the first. In others, people don’t eat what we in the US think of as a “salad”.
3. Be conscious of your behavior in public places. Here are some examples that could signal you are a US citizen:
* Avoid making eye contact, smiling, greeting, and engaging in conversation with strangers.
* Refrain from carrying US newspapers or books in plain view.
* Be careful about folding and unfolding city maps in public spaces. Move out of the way to consult maps. It is best to plan your routes in advance of leaving your hotel and have the maps pre-folded so they may be easily accessed and read.
* Refrain from loud talking, large arm and hand movements, and boisterous behavior. Adults in most cultures are more reserved and use lower voices in public places (i.e., train stations, shopping centers, public streets, etc.).
* If you must use a dictionary to translate a sign or menu, be discrete. For example, copy down the words of the sign and move aside to a less public place to work out the translation.
* Avoid showing other people what you have purchased by pulling items out of shopping bags in public places such as streets, busses, etc.
* Don’t discuss the local people, their customs, clothing, or habits in public. While many US citizens are not bilingual, many people in other countries speak English and will understand what you are saying.
* Be conscious of the amount of space you occupy; most cultures are used to using less than US citizens. For example, try not to occupy more space than locals at a restaurant counter, in a waiting area in the train station, in the bus, etc.
* Avoid chewing gum in public places.
* Place purses or bags securely in your lap instead of on the table at a restaurant or hanging it on the back of a chair.
I ventured into the office last Thursday afternoon to ask one of the secretaries something and saw that she was talking to a customer, so I knew that I had to wait til she finished. A couple seconds into my wait, I glanced at the customer.
And he looked at me and smiled.
My face lit up in astonishment and I said, ‘Vk !’, to which he replied, ‘Hi J!’.
The secretary said, ‘You know him? That’s great then maybe you can help me find a class for him.’ [she meant assess his level]. ‘No problem,’ I replied, ‘How have you been, Vk?’ and the conversation started.
He told me that he had spent his uni breaks in Australia and South Africa and I noticed that his spoken English had improved a lot. The secretary asked me which class I thought would be good for him, so I selfishly decided to see if he’d fit into class S again (it’s still going). I excused us and took him into the teachers’ room and had him read a few complex texts and summarise them to see if his reading comprehension was as good as his speaking (with some students it’s not). It was. So, I asked him if he wanted to return to his old group, and the smile that appeared on his face and the look of hope for the familiar in his blue eyes answered my question.
As we were walking back to the office to inform the secretary, he asked me if any of the students from yesteryear were still in the class and I confirmed that all three had continued since he left and a few more had joined.
He’ll be starting class again this evening, and I’ve arranged for him to meet me in the office instead of the classroom so I can walk up with him and surprise the students that will remember him.
It’s great when former students return.
Pointing out the obvious, the Meet-Up began when the first of us met up which, despite the fact that the Meet-Up was in Dresden, happened at the Leipzig Hauptbahnhof (main train station).
Adam and I met at track 8 inside the almost deserted train station, exchanged cordialities and headed outside to wait for our transportation. Due to the train strike, train service was almost non-existent so we took B up on her offer to pick us up and her chauffeured Skoda arrived just past 10h.
After exchanging greetings, Jim (Mr B) whisked us off to the Autobahn towards Dresden, about 95 km away. The time flew by due to the fact that we were engrossed in conversation. The topics? Anything that came to mind.
As we were winging our way down the Autobahn, I noticed that that region we were going through was quite different than mine – instead of a mountainous one, it was a region of rolling hills – many of which had a light dusting of snow on them. Due to roadworks, the trip appeared to take us a bit longer than it should have (I don’t know how long it should take by car), but we didn’t care. We were too busy talking and laughing.
Probably the funniest thing from the drive was discussing the different voices they Eurotrippens have had for their SatNav (apparently different voices can be downloaded for it). They once had an Ozzy Osborne voice that said things like ‘Turn f****** right’.
After arriving in Dresden, the Eurotrippens treated Adam and me to lunch at a funky Greek restaurant. It was perfect (as were all the places B and Jim had selected for us) – great design, both exterior and interior and a bright Mediterranean atmosphere inside. This was my first experience eating at a restaurant in Dresden and I found it to be less expensive than in my area (for soup, salad and a main course).
From there, we were taken to our hotel to check in and then left to our own devices while the Eurotrippens attended a school function for their younger daughter for St Martin’s Day. Being the independent types, that was no problem for us. Adam had work to do, so I dropped my bag off in my room and ventured out. For once, I hadn’t brought any work with me – not even for the train ride.
We were both given small maps when we checked in, so I used that as my guide. I walked down the street, crossed the bridge and then continued along for about thirty minutes until I arrived at my destination: The VW Glaeserne Manufaktur (The Transparent Factory).
Why there? Why not! I had wanted to see something that wasn’t one of the usual sights because I knew we’d be seeing the major ones the following day, and I like cars, so it seemed like a good idea.
When the building came into view, it was quite striking. Very modern and architecturally interesting. I wasn’t disappointed the closer I got – the view of it just kept getting better and better.
Upon entering the lobby, you come to a desk where people speak German to you. Being a language teacher, I like to find out if people in other parts of the country speak English or not, so I greeted them in English – and they responded back in quite good English. They told me that there were tours every hour and the next was 15h, but there was a problem. It was only in German – so I switched to German and assured them that it wouldn’t be a problem. They took me over to the cashier (who also spoke English well), I paid the €4 fee (which includes a €2 credit for the gift shop) and then set off to explore the lobby area to see what it had to offer.
Inside, there’s a big dome (called the Ball) in which one can find video info on all of the different models that VW currently offers and has offered. There are different video terminals where one can watch current and non-current videos of VW commercials, and I did. Quite a few of them – especially the Bug ones.
The plant can’t actually be visited for the tour , so you stand in front of the glass windows while a guide tells you what is going on. It’s nothing like the Audi plant where you get to walk around the cars as they’re being made. However, I did learn that that is the only plant in the world where the Phaeton is made. They started off with one shift, added a second one shortly after that and are back to one now (due to slow sales is my guess, but that wasn’t actually said). I also learned that they have cargo trams that run on the city’s regular tram rails to bring some parts to them (they work in cooperation with the local transportation carrier). Other than that, the tour itself was unremarkable so I left it early and returned to the Ball to watch more commercials. VW has quite interesting commercials and this one was, by far, my favorite:
The fact that it’s a VW in the commercial is irrelevant. It would have been a brilliant commercial no matter what kind of cabrio had been used.
After daylight had left us (’sunset’ can only be used when you actually see the sun), I left. I had waited for darkness to happen because I wanted to attempt to take photos of the building (my night photography usually sucks) and then strolled off to wherever. I saw a church that was lit up and decided to attempt to make my way over to it – which turned out to be quite easy to do.
One thing I had noticed about Dresden on my stroll to the factory was that there were lots of blocks of flats , like in Poland. Apparently, the Soviets needed to find a way to house the people after the bombing, so they hastily erected blocks of flats. That made it quite easy to get around as I knew that there would be walkways between them (like in Poland).
The stroll took me to St Petersburgstr and I found the church I had been seeking. After a quick tour of it, I strolled around the area again and it struck me as a nightlife area because of the number of restaurants and bars. It was windy and getting colder, so I started the walk back to the hotel. I ended up passing some of the famous churches in the city and also some of the major squares. I crossed over a different bridge and ended up on Hauptstrasse, an obviously planned pedestrian street that had a park-like feel. A walkway on the sides near the shops an also one in the middle, with grassy bits between them and also light bars that provided relief from the dark German winters.
I ended up at Albertplatz, the meeting place for Saturday and decided to do a bit of exploring. I found the hotel that I’d be moving to the next day. I also found the ice cream parlor that we were due to meet at that day as well as the Dresden-Neustadt train station – where I was to meet another blogger on Saturday.
Quite cold and in need of a rest, I headed back to the hotel, watched a bit of Eurosport and kicked back for a while.
Just before the meeting time, I ran out to the bank for a quick withdrawal and returned back and saw Adam waiting for me. We took seats in the lobby and were quickly joined by Ian, then the Eurotrippens shortly after them, Michele and her boyfriend M.
Hungry, we set off to find dinner. While we were walking, we did what people attending Meet-Ups do, we got to know each other better. When you read blogs, you get to people, but it’s nothing like meeting them in person. When you meet them, it’s different. Sure, all the people I met that weekend were like they were on their blogs, but in person they were all even better. One of the most memorable things from that evening is a conversation M and I had while on the way to the restaurant. He told me that he’s well aware that there are cultural differences between him and Michelle and tries to be sensitive to them, even though he may not understand some of them. I haven’t been involved in a relationship since moving to Germany, but hope to find someone with a similar view if I ever am.
B and Jim guided us along their section of the city until we came to a choice – Italian or Czech food. After confirming that none of us were vegetarians, we headed to the Czech place.
The evening was spent talking, laughing and sharing expat experiences. A small sampling of the topics covered:
• Happy End;
• shower dusch;
• towel snapping;
• blunders putting different liquids in cars;
• urinals that light up after you start doing your business;
• It’s a diesel! It’s a diesel! It’s a diesel!
We departed at 22h15 because B had to get home for her Mommy Curfew (she and Jim had promised to be home to tuck their youngest in), some of us went dancing and the rest of us walked back to the hotel and called it a night.
All in all, a splendid day.
Some day I would like to return to the US for Thanksgiving. Watch parades, stuff myself silly with delicious food, watch American football (and I don’t even like it),take an unplanned nap, etc.
However, it probably will never happen.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Americans – especially the ones that are doing the above.
and see a German colleague eating lunch.
J: ‘Hi, K, what are you eating? [in English]
K: ‘Ants’
J: What?!’
I stand speechless there (for once) with my mouth open and eyes wide open and about to burst out of my head in shock.
K: ‘By the look on your face that’s not the right word.’
J: ‘Perhaps not?’ [still unsure of what he was eating]
K: ‘What is ‘Ente’ in English?’
J: ‘Oh! [chuckles] ‘duck’.’
He had gone to the Chinese place near the school and had got take away.
I leave for Thailand!
HOORAY!!!!
Before then, I have to:
- Work my normal schedule;
- Attend a Thanksgiving party (more on that soon);
- Make and give 3 written exams;
- Attend two different Stammtisch in my town (finally);
- Give oral exams the next three Saturdays and two Thursdays;
- Work 15 Dec (the next Saturday I have off will be when I get to Thailand);
- Go out twice with the Meetin Cologne group;
- Attend my company Christmas party;
- Visit Christmas markets (my town and Bonn);
- Attend another Leverkusen football game (9 Dec);
- Have dinner and drinks with Manuel (7 Dec);
- Attend the theater in Frankfurt (25 Nov);
- Do a write-up on the Meet-Up;
- Pack;
- Probably some other things I’ve forgotten.
Needless to say, I’ll be busy.
‘Autowahl’.
Let me explain by giving you details of a conversation.
J [just after hanging up the phone]: ‘Js, what does ‘Autowahl’ mean?’
Js: ‘Your choice of cars.’
J: ‘What?”
Js: ‘It means ‘your choice of cars.’
*J gives Js a perplexed look*
J: ‘What on earth does that have to do with..’
[Js interrupts after noticing I had just hung up the phone]
Js: ‘It also means ’speed dial.’
J: ‘Really?’
Js: ‘Yes.’
J: ‘You’re kidding.’
Js: ‘No.’
J: ‘There’s a word in German that means both ‘your choice of cars’ and ’speed dial’?
Js [chuckling]: ‘Yes.’
J: ‘That is sooo cool!’
where it snowed off and on all afternoon. I haven’t seen a lot of the city, though.
I only had four hours of sleep last night. I got up at 4h30, left my town at 5h47, arrived in Berlin (the only way I could get to Leipzig during the strike) at 11h17 (9 minutes late – aka ‘on time’ for DB), left there at 11h57 (5 minutes late) and arrived in Leipzig at 13h02. I took the tram to my hotel and checked in at 13h30. Then, I headed back towards the center to do a bit of sightseeing and the snow started. The entire place turned white in about 5 minutes (most of it has since melted). So, I headed back to my hotel for a rest where, being the intrepid traveller I am, I promptly fell asleep on the comfy sofa in my room – waking up at 17h – after it was dark and many of the sights had/were about to close.
So, I figured I’d just stroll for a while and spend the evening relaxing, and then see the sights tomorrow morning and afternoon before heading off to Dresden. However, damn near all of the trains departing from the Leipzig HBF have been cancelled!
Rats!
Here’s a map of the local trains running during the strike in the entire country (no ICE/IC trains are running between Leipzig and Dresden during the strike):
So, I’ve sent up smoke signals in a southeasterly direction.
**** update 16 Nov 9h21 ****
Good news, smoke signals received. The cavalry is on its way.
with a 28 hour stop in Leipzig along the way (it was supposed to be longer – thanks, Deutsche Bahn). I expect there to be chaos on the rails on day one of the train strike (which is why I’ve reserved seats for once), but assume I’ll make it.
If you have any last minute questions about the Meet-Up, please contact Eurotrippen.
See some of you soon.
nor is it going to be due to the Deutsche Bahn strike.
It has already reduced the size of attendees on Friday evening, but dinner and drinks are still going to happen that evening too.
I’m probably the worst affected by this since I’m travelling the farthest, but I’m going to be there (somehow).
**** Update 14 Nov 12:27 ****
The emergency DB schedule (PDF file) can be found here. I have downloaded it, so if you are unable to access it email me and I will send it to you. Please keep in mind that I am working today, so it might take a while for me to get back to you.
