I dunno what to do with these crazy Germans...

Discussion in 'Hippies' started by pianoperson60, Apr 1, 2007.

  1. pianoperson60

    pianoperson60 Senior Member

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    By crazy Germans Im referring to my host family.
    (in case ya didnt know, Im on an exchange trip in Berlin germany for a year, Im 8 months into the trip, I only have 3 more months left here.)

    Heres a short, slightly (ha) negative description of my host family:
    -they eat almost nothing. (Ive lost weight since getting here, and I was already a really skinny guy)
    -my host sister hates me, for reasons I will never know, I always am friendly and say hello to her when I walk into the room and ask her how things are going and she either says NOTHING, and ignores me, or gives a one word answer.
    -my host sister also got pissed at me because I didnt vacuum her room every week, as if I was supposed to just know that I was supposed to vacuum her room for her (shes 18).
    -host sister found my hair in the drain of the shower, and put it on a plate, which she sat on my desk, with a note next to it: "CLEAN UP YOUR HAIR!"
    -my host parents are just plain socially awkward/incapable
    -theres no WALLS in the apartment Im living in with them. which means NO privacy.
    -Im not allowed to listen to my music when anyones home, because they dont like anything besides classical, and theres no walls so they can here it all over hte house, no matter how quiet i make my music. Im also not allowed to play "un-classical" music on the piano when my host motehr is home, because it "Drives her nuts."
    -my host parents gave me an old cell phone of theirs that wasnt being used since they knew I didnt have a cell phone. unfortunately, I lost it after an accident in the city (long story....) and now they are telling me I have to give them 100 euros for the piece of plastic. but I dont have that money! thats why I didnt have a cell phone in the first place, I coudlnt afford it! and they never said that I would have to pay them back if I lost it, or that they were "selling" it to me. if I knew that I was financially responsible for it (as in having to pay for it if i lost it) then I wouldnt have taken it in the first place!

    gaaaaaaaaaar. I mean,I should be thankful that they are letting me live with them and giving me a bed, I try to be thankful for that, and they also dont give me a curfew at night and are letting me travel alone to amsterdam for spring break, but still......

    Oh the frustrations of an exchange trip.

    I talked to my mommy about the 100 euros for the cell phone, and she FLIPPED and said there was no way I was paying them for a cell phone they didnt use.

    Oh well, it happens, weiste? (you know?)
     
  2. sitareric

    sitareric Banned

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    I dont know man, sometimes germans are harsh and stubborn like that i find.
     
  3. pianoperson60

    pianoperson60 Senior Member

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    yeah, I just try not to focus on all that shit I listed, I am lucky to just be having this experience in general, the exchange trip I mean. Ive gotten the chance to travel a shitload here without having to pay very much and Im living in Berlin which is the most amazing city ever and Ive learned a complete new language that I didnt know a year ago. And all the amazing frineds Ive made here, and the "scene" in Berlin, theres so many hippy/indies concerts all the time, and more and more lately I feel like Im in the 60s here, from the hippy vans i see all over, and just thte really friendly people in general, its great here...
    Im blabbling.
    haha
    but yaeh, Im lucky to be here, I just gotta stfu about my host family.
     
  4. Loveminx

    Loveminx Sports Racer

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    wow theyre crazy, but at least you're not stuck there forever and stuck inside...

    man thats pretty harsh though...my condolences...

    *hugs* :)
     
  5. Freewheelin Franklin

    Freewheelin Franklin Hip Forums Supporter HipForums Supporter

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    If they start talking about invading Poland, I'd look for another place to stay.
     
  6. madlizard

    madlizard Senior Member

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    When I visited Germany, I noticed that many of the Germans weren't very nice people.

    I know that sounds rather harsh, and I don't mean it to be, but I am an almost obsessive people watcher and I recieved frequent dirty looks from Germans. It seemed like I just plain wasn't very liked there. I would've killed to meet a kind German person. Among my social problems and uncomfortable feeling I got being in Germany, I had bouts of.. well, insanity.. and started making myself believe people I love back home were dead. I'm not sure why I was thinking myself to tears.. it's quite rare that I do that. The human mind is so powerful. But, yeah, my point is that it was bad.

    That above paragraph sounds like me just complaining.. I was meaning to give you a quick "your not the only one" kind of post.. heh, sorry about that, dear. It just seemed as if I wasn't around anyone kind and that was extremely difficult for me to deal with. Frustrating as fuck. So, yes, you aren't the only one. :)

    Aw man, and the beer and sausages.. jesus christ!! It's everywhere, huh?

    I had a hard time getting along with people there, but I found it was the complete opposite in France. I don't speak French but even with the language barrier, I found the people to be quite friendly toward me.

    It is quite possibly just the particular areas I visited.

    But, yes, my condolences. I don't know if I could stand to be around such stubborn people for a long period of time! How long are you there for? Well, to look on the bright side.. visiting Germany in an exchange program is such an amazing experience! A fantastic way to travel! Hopefully things will get better for you.. :) You have a great attitude about the situation and I totally respect that. I hope you can find the great aspects of it.

    Ayeee, and a bit off topic, but did anyone else who visited Germany think they could bond with the Germans who dressed alternatively? Well, the hot topic kids in Germany are nazis. I found that out the hard way, haha.
     
  7. Dehnus

    Dehnus Member

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    It isn't germans really (since they differ per region in culture). It sounds more that these ppl are just stuck up jerks who just got you in for the money. The hair I could semi understand (not that she would make much of a fuss about it though). But the Vacuuming? Come on why make a fuss about it. You know it could be that she has the hots for you, you know not saying anything and all hehe (joking ;)).

    And yes if been to germany on multiple ocasions. Some are jerks plain and simple but some are very warm ppl. Ussually I found those in North till south german farm communities.

    Just try calming down and sit your time out there. If you really can't take it contact a person from your school or whoever aranged the exchange for help in this matter, or even your parents. It is wrong to be treated bad on an exchange trip and I think there are rules for this and if you do make it till the end try to talk to the persons aranging the adres. It seems like it is just a bad adres and should be removed from the Database.
     
  8. lace_and_feet

    lace_and_feet Super Member

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    Sounds like an interesting experience. :)

    About the girl and not in defense of her or anything--but I'm betting she wasn't too hot on the idea of her family being a host family in the first place. She probably just feels like her privacy has been invaded...teenage girls can get really weird about that kind of stuff sometimes. Anyway, don't take it personally and enjoy your last couple months there to the fullest. It sounds like an amazing experience. :)
     
  9. neponiatka

    neponiatka Senior Member

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    oh man
    poor thing ya are!
    they really seem to be all nuts!
    ridiculous and sad at the same time!:)

    try to spend time outdoors as much as possible
     
  10. pianoperson60

    pianoperson60 Senior Member

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    yeah I go out alot.
    nah, and when I said "crazy GermanS" I didnt mean Germans in general. I really like German people, I like their sense of humour and all. and all the kids at my hijgh school here are extremely extremely friendly.
    Its just frustrating with the host fmaily sometimes. I think the host family is the hardest part of hte exhcange trip, harder than dealing with homesickness and making new friends and learning hte language and feeling lonely. Because theyre just ALWAYS there.
    oh well. :)
     
  11. Asmodean

    Asmodean Slo motion rider

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    Yeah, such people shouldn't be a host family, if they're so critical on other's peoples habits and preferences etc. They're probably doing it for the money or something. Every country has his weirdo's, you just have bad luck ending up with a few for a whole year...
     
  12. BraveSirRubin

    BraveSirRubin Members

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    Oh man... you should have seen some exchange students we had in Honduras...

    Spoiled rich European girls living in complete slums and having to eat rice and beans all day every day... Your exchange trip sounds like heaven compared to them :D
     
  13. Dehnus

    Dehnus Member

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    The difference is those families are trying to be nice to thier guests. They try thier best to feed them and keep them happy even with the limited amount of resources they have. You then put up with a whole lot more because you know they are just doing there best as circumstances allow them too.

    This german family is just trying to cut corners and other thigns to save as much as posible and just being nasty in the process.
     
  14. pianoperson60

    pianoperson60 Senior Member

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    ^yeah, thats more of what I meant.

    My complaint is my host family and how theyre treating me, not how theyre feeding me. I mean yeah, honestly, eating bread everyday for every meal does get annoying, I think anyone would prefer to eat something else than just bread. But my main complaint is the unwelcome vibes I get from them, and the 100 euros theyre making me pay them for the lost cell phone (who knows if it even cost that much in the first place). My host sister is just a cold bitch, I understand that siblings fight, and that when you live with someone for a long time, you get on eachothers nerves, but shes been like she is from the beginning.

    And the no walls thing. That just sucks. You cant do anything you personally want to do without everyone else watching, and it creates this constant feeling that I haveta be sitting and chatting with them the whole time. But I like to have my own time in my own space away from other people to chill and relax. I mean, beforehand the idea of no walls sounded fine, I thought "Ah, Im a really open person and friendly, it should be no problem." But it has nothing to do with how open or friendly I am really, it has to do with the simple fact that I, like everyone else I think, need privacy sometimes. But, like I said, the overall situation I have here in Berlin is great, I just get frustrated witht the host family sometiems, and gotta vent in threads such as this. :)

    Rubin, I guess your task in these forums is to try and make everyone else seem unreasonable and below you, so that in the process, you feel better bout yourself and wiser. Good job. (and for your infomration, Im not a rich spoiled guy, I didnt get on this exchange trip through money from my parents, I got a meritbased scholarship, and also had my own job saving up the money. My parnets cant afford to pay for such things. Which is perfeclty okay, but I feel like ya got this vibe that Im sailing off my parents money which isnt true at all.)
     
  15. BraveSirRubin

    BraveSirRubin Members

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    You know Dylan...you're blind.

    All I have ever tried to do was give you advice, good advice too... ask around...

    But you reject it with such negaticity.

    Did I call you spoiled? Did I call you rich? No! I called the girls in Honduras that... I was trying to give you a scenario to compare yours to... and believe me... the families of the girls staying there made their life a living hell, they weren't even allowed out of the house.

    Be happy with whatcha got, bitching does not make you a good hippie, and isn't that what you're trying to be? An optimal hippie?
     
  16. pianoperson60

    pianoperson60 Senior Member

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    Dude, Ive acknowledged that I have it good, I know I do, but that doesnt mean I cant complain about whats got me annoyed at the moment. Sometimes venting helps...

    And, for the 349509th time, I am happy with what I got. Doesnt mean I have things in my life though that I dont like.

    And no, Im not trying to be anything. Im not trying to be a "good hippie".

    Its a give in that things could always be worse. But does that mean I should tell my friend whose mother just died "Stop crying, be happy with what you got! I know someone whos entire family is dead, so you have it good compared to them!"

    Of course not. Its called being understanding.

    I dont got a problem with you personally, but I find it annoying when you have this (seemingly) condescending tone in reply to anything I say.

    I dont know man...sounds like its time for us to give eachother a hug and smoke a bowl together or somethin'. haha
     
  17. BraveSirRubin

    BraveSirRubin Members

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    Alright, but you're providing the ganja, I'm out. :)
     
  18. pianoperson60

    pianoperson60 Senior Member

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  19. midgardsun

    midgardsun Senior Member

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    Eieiei
    Now next week they`ll search all english speaking hippies at the Zoll between Germany and Holland...and they got your face so watch out.
     
  20. lunarflowermaiden

    lunarflowermaiden Senior Member

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    That sounds a bit annoying to deal with. There are people like that everywhere, though, not just in Germany. The host sister sounds very stuck up. I am not quite sure how long I would be able to deal with that particular family, but I would love to be taken in by a friendly German family :). You are lucky you get to have this experience. I hope everything gets better for you, and venting is completely understandable.
     

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