to_the_host_family_in_kassel epitome of incomprehensibility I have to write a letter (in German) to help match me with one of the participating host families. These are the things_you're_not_supposed_to_say, things I don't have the words to say, things that are irrelevant to the task at hand. ... I want my own bathroom because I'm irrationally slow washing my hair, because I daydream and dawdle. I don't want to annoy strangers with this, but I also don't want their annoyance to annoy me. I don’t like being reminded that I'm slow. I picked this language because the beginner Spanish class was full. Or maybe I wanted to learn a language that carried less family expectation. I don’t want to learn a language just because my mother wants me to. I don’t want to have too many shared experiences with her when she doesn’t understand me. Mind you, I plan to learn Spanish later. Unless I die in a plane crash before I get to you, in which case I’ve named my boyfriend in England as my literary_executor. What will he execute? Hopefully not the plane – I’m not vengeful. It’s just that “und so weiter” reminds me of Jurgen, and I’m still trying to get over the fact that he dumped me – or rather, never thought of me as a romantic option in the first place. This was twelve years ago. I fall in love with people and they run off to Europe. David has no excuse; he isn’t even from England. His great-great-greats? Irish. Who’s David? Boyfriend. Partner, to be fancy, and perhaps to assume more bragging rights. If I feel threatened, I will let you know he has a fellowship and post-doc post at Oxford, as if prestige is sexually transmitted. I don’t want to move to England. I’m most comfortable being in a place where I’m a language minority. It feels weird if everyone around me speaks English. If I wanted that, I’d choose somewhere Canadian; I don’t believe countries are as important as people say they are, but staying in this one means less paperwork. You didn’t ask? That’s fine. I’m better at doing things if I’m not supposed to do them. I’m doing a linguistics degree to avoid writing a novel. But I won’t get wildly drunk here or download music illegally. The agreement was very clear about that. Especially the music thing. I can wash dishes, but I’m crossing my fingers you already have a dishwasher. 230224 ... epitome of incomprehensibility ...I don't know if they actually expect us to help with chores. David said, Why would they? and I went Why not? but I don't know. The prompt was "Please send me a one-page self-introduction (i.e., description of who you are, your hobbies, interests, maybe your family and where you are all from, where and why you are learning German, what you are most looking forward to in Germany, how you normally help around the home, etc.) in German." Why am I saying "prompt"? This isn't a creative writing class. I have to be clear and straightforward (and y'all know how good I am at that). So far, I've only got notes like Ich heiβe Kirsten [lastname] und ich komme aus Montreal. -Meine Mütter war in Montreal geboren und mein Vater in Etats-Unis (but Germishly) ...because it seems if I don't know a German word I'll just replace it with the French one. Or just randomly switch to French. I did that in the class presentation before last and that was mildly embarrassing. 230228 ... e_o_i United States = Vereinigte Staaten I didn't even know that. 230228 ... e_o_i United States = Vereinigte Staaten I didn't even know that. 230228 ... e_o_i ...hey, double post, hello. I am finally finished the thing!! I don't know why it caused so much stress. And obviously it makes sense that "United States" would be translated literally in various languages. I just didn't know what the German for those two words was. 230301 ... epitome of incomprehensibility Thank you for finally having WiFi (the youth hostel where we did orientation hardly had any). Sorry for French coming out of my mouth when I attempt German. Oder - je m'excuse. Thank you for reminding me of the TA room with Live_Laugh_Love on the wall. Sometimes you need some kitch, naja? 230506 ... e_o_i Why do I have my long_name? Long day? I still have papers to mark. Anyway, they're not in Kassel proper but the suburb of Vellmar, pronounced Felma-ishly. 230506 ... e_o_i edits It's spelled kitsch. With a capital K if in Deutsch. 230507 what's it to you? who go blather from