Work has really slowed down. They are more or less slowly beginning to think about planning the next festival, and there really isn't a ton of stuff for me to work on. Yesterday I calculated the number of tickets that we had officially issued for all of our concerts for intellectual property fees. They charge per seat occupied at a given performance, and if you charge admission, you have to pay the fee. For some reason this didn't apply to the theater performances at the festival or to a performance such as the Spanische Hofreitschule. In total, there were around 12,000 tickets that we sold for musical performances alone. With the Spanische Hofreitschule and the few theater performances we have, that number is easily in the range of 20,000 tickets. It's kind of incredible how the number of tickets and admissions fees add up in the end. Needless to say, I have never seen so much money on a bank account statement before now...
On that note, I am having strange experiences everyday now language-wise. The weirdest thing is that sometimes somebody will say a word, and I will have absolutely no idea what this word is in English, but I understand what it is referring to in English. What reminded me of this in my last paragraph was going to the bank yesterday to get the Auszüge. As I was walking there, I realized I had no idea how I would translate Auszug into English, but I knew what I was going to get at the bank, regardless.
Pons.com says it means 'statement.' Whenever I think of this word, however, I will always think back to going to Sparkasse, putting the bank card in the machine, and then having a few dozen papers magically print out with all of the festival's transactions in black and white. Another note on banking - wire transfer is incredibly common here, dare I say more common than having a checkbook. This surprised me because I know that wire transfers are something that many US banks and credit unions will charge for. It's interesting how one method or idea becomes the dominant mode of doing business and then all of the infrastructure gets built up around it...checks in the US and wire transfers in Germany.
Back to work I go. I have to investigate the prices of shipping some things home at the post office today because I know that my suitcase will probably be too heavy otherwise. At 1:00 pm today, my last weekend in Saarbrücken officially begins! (We only work till 1 on Fridays)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Harry Potter Success (SPOILERS)
Seeing Harry Potter tonight (all the way to the end) was as sweet as one of those chocolate frogs that leaps about the Hogwarts Express, but in some way also as bitter as that every flavor jelly bean that "tastes like bogeys." -- And not just in the sense that Harry, Ron and Hermoine had the inevitable end to their story, with all of the flashy, special effects that Hollywood could possibly contribute. That much was actually incredibly satisfying, from the inclusion of Harry's revealing dive into Snape's memory, to the ultimate showdown with You-Know-Who, and to that epilogue that JK Rowling included in a kind of motherly way to reassure us that, really, our heroes DID live happily ever after. Indeed, it is a fairy tale ending, but a well-deserved fairy tale ending, occurring after hundreds of pages (or countless film minutes) of beloved characters dying one after the other.
In some sense, I feel as if I have grown up being a part of that fairy tale. When the first movie came out in 2001, I was eleven years old, and I read the book as a way of giving myself permission to see the movie. Both Harry Potter and actor Daniel Radcliffe were right around my age then, too. I remember reading the fifth book a few years later, as soon as it came out: JK Rowling had taken her sweet time writing it, and it was particularly long and depressing. The end of that fourth book - and everything that comes after - is a kind of grand confrontation between these kid wizards and the big, bad world. I'm not sure why, but I didn't read the sixth and seventh novels until after my first year of college. Actually, I'm glad I waited; I felt as if I could better appreciate the complex story and downright amazing ideas that give us a warm, meaningful way to think about life, despite all of its dark corners.
Now, here I am, writing directly after seeing Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley and Hermoine Grainger, all grown up, happy and with children. As ridiculous as it may sound, it was incredibly jolting to see Harry hugging his son and Hermoine exercising her motherly know-how with her own daughter. I felt - dare I say it? - old. Of course I am still very young, but it is strange to think that after next year, my friends and I will have our college degrees, and we will head off to do who-knows-what thereafter. Yes, we have grown up with these characters, in the sense that they have been in our lives for a long time and that people my age are at least somewhat chronologically in sync. Luckily we probably won't have to confront anybody quite as evil or as powerful as Voldemort.
The final realisation of Rowling's work in film is a kind of release, a letting go. It was a reminder, gently - albeit dazzlingly - saying, "You're not a kid anymore." Harry's final installment begs us to have the courage to make difficult choices that aren't necessarily personally convenient or popular. And, perhaps best of all, it gives us the permission to keep on imagining and striving for what could be...
In some sense, I feel as if I have grown up being a part of that fairy tale. When the first movie came out in 2001, I was eleven years old, and I read the book as a way of giving myself permission to see the movie. Both Harry Potter and actor Daniel Radcliffe were right around my age then, too. I remember reading the fifth book a few years later, as soon as it came out: JK Rowling had taken her sweet time writing it, and it was particularly long and depressing. The end of that fourth book - and everything that comes after - is a kind of grand confrontation between these kid wizards and the big, bad world. I'm not sure why, but I didn't read the sixth and seventh novels until after my first year of college. Actually, I'm glad I waited; I felt as if I could better appreciate the complex story and downright amazing ideas that give us a warm, meaningful way to think about life, despite all of its dark corners.
Now, here I am, writing directly after seeing Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley and Hermoine Grainger, all grown up, happy and with children. As ridiculous as it may sound, it was incredibly jolting to see Harry hugging his son and Hermoine exercising her motherly know-how with her own daughter. I felt - dare I say it? - old. Of course I am still very young, but it is strange to think that after next year, my friends and I will have our college degrees, and we will head off to do who-knows-what thereafter. Yes, we have grown up with these characters, in the sense that they have been in our lives for a long time and that people my age are at least somewhat chronologically in sync. Luckily we probably won't have to confront anybody quite as evil or as powerful as Voldemort.
The final realisation of Rowling's work in film is a kind of release, a letting go. It was a reminder, gently - albeit dazzlingly - saying, "You're not a kid anymore." Harry's final installment begs us to have the courage to make difficult choices that aren't necessarily personally convenient or popular. And, perhaps best of all, it gives us the permission to keep on imagining and striving for what could be...
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Harry Potter FAIL
Well, I just saw Harry Potter. Half of it. First of all, they were 25 minutes late starting the stupid movie. And then halfway through, they decided to take an intermission. Well...30 minutes after the intermission started, we were kindly asked to take our money back and go home for the night. At least I got a refund. It is still quite disappointing. 8:30 pm tomorrow, I'll be back there. Or earlier. I have to coordinate with some friends who are coming this weekend to see whether they saw it in English or German and then pick the same for tomorrow so we can do the opposite this weekend. I think that's a good idea.
Another thought I just had...does Skype/GoogleVideo/iChat remind anyone else of that part of Fahrenheit 451 where Guy Montag's wife is talking to all the people in her TV room, and they're just rambling about absolutely nothing? It's really the horrifying image that I always associate with social media now... Just a thought.
Pictures from the Pfalz are coming! I promise.
Another thought I just had...does Skype/GoogleVideo/iChat remind anyone else of that part of Fahrenheit 451 where Guy Montag's wife is talking to all the people in her TV room, and they're just rambling about absolutely nothing? It's really the horrifying image that I always associate with social media now... Just a thought.
Pictures from the Pfalz are coming! I promise.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Another great weekend...
I feel as if I am really settled in here in Saarbrücken. I could be happy staying here longer than the end of this month, when I'll go home. It's incredible that I will be going home that soon! Where has the time gone?
Yesterday we had the Vereinigung Wiener Staatsopernballett to more or less close the performance season of the festival. They did a selection of several short (10-minute) pieces, alternating between solo, duo, and corps du ballet, with crowd favorites and more daring works in between. I actually didn't care for the first two numbers; but thereafter I thought everything was spectacular. They danced to Strauss's An der schönen blauen Donau at the end - everyone came out clad in a tux or evening gown; but instead of waltz dancing, the troupe performed a beautifully choreographed ballet number. And then for the bows and applause at the end, everyone clapped in unison to the Radetzky-Marsch - it was like being at the New Year's Concert in Vienna! (except we were in Saarbrücken watching a ballet with piped-in music)
Our actual last performance an Austrian Jazz musician in a few weeks who will be performing in a radio studio. I am really looking forward to that! We had a cellist coming in between now and then, but he hurt his shoulder - it was my job to call everybody who bought tickets to share the bad news. I feel as if I am either the bringer of good news (reduced tickets) or very bad news (concerts canceled or changed to a new program). It's definitely a good workout to handle the often extreme reactions of outspoken Germans on the phone.
Today I went over to the house of some folks who help out with the Musikfestspiele. They are older and have a daughter who was an exchange student in the US back in the 1990s. She is coming next weekend, though we talked on the phone after I ate a delicious dinner of risotto, veal picatta, salad, and this delicious cherry-mango cake. These people are really great - they invited me to go with them to their hometown in Rheinland-Pfalz this week, in order for me to experience Germany outside of Saarbrücken. I have actually been in Rheinland-Pfalz in the past; I think it is one of the most beautiful regions in Germany, particularly the vineyards that tower over the Rhein. Hopefully I'll have some beautiful pictures to share with all of you.
Yesterday we had the Vereinigung Wiener Staatsopernballett to more or less close the performance season of the festival. They did a selection of several short (10-minute) pieces, alternating between solo, duo, and corps du ballet, with crowd favorites and more daring works in between. I actually didn't care for the first two numbers; but thereafter I thought everything was spectacular. They danced to Strauss's An der schönen blauen Donau at the end - everyone came out clad in a tux or evening gown; but instead of waltz dancing, the troupe performed a beautifully choreographed ballet number. And then for the bows and applause at the end, everyone clapped in unison to the Radetzky-Marsch - it was like being at the New Year's Concert in Vienna! (except we were in Saarbrücken watching a ballet with piped-in music)
Our actual last performance an Austrian Jazz musician in a few weeks who will be performing in a radio studio. I am really looking forward to that! We had a cellist coming in between now and then, but he hurt his shoulder - it was my job to call everybody who bought tickets to share the bad news. I feel as if I am either the bringer of good news (reduced tickets) or very bad news (concerts canceled or changed to a new program). It's definitely a good workout to handle the often extreme reactions of outspoken Germans on the phone.
Today I went over to the house of some folks who help out with the Musikfestspiele. They are older and have a daughter who was an exchange student in the US back in the 1990s. She is coming next weekend, though we talked on the phone after I ate a delicious dinner of risotto, veal picatta, salad, and this delicious cherry-mango cake. These people are really great - they invited me to go with them to their hometown in Rheinland-Pfalz this week, in order for me to experience Germany outside of Saarbrücken. I have actually been in Rheinland-Pfalz in the past; I think it is one of the most beautiful regions in Germany, particularly the vineyards that tower over the Rhein. Hopefully I'll have some beautiful pictures to share with all of you.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Die Spanische Hofreitschule
If you're not familiar, check out their website - http://www.srs.at/en/
The horses are gorgeous, their skills are great, but I happen to be allergic to horses. Now usually it's only an issue with my eyes swelling up, but if I take an antihistamine pill and use eyedrops, it's not an issue. Well imagine my surprise after watching 25 minutes of the Spanische Hofreitschule when I started coughing and wheezing. It was not fun! I immediately left, and now I'm back in Saarbrücken.
Anyway, it's pretty cool that the Spanische Hofreitschule is in Saarland. They are touring to only four cities in Europe - Brussels, London, Paris, and St. Wendel. The population of St. Wendel is probably less than one of Paris's arrondissements, but the Spanische Hofreitschule is performing there anyway. I think it is a big treat for Saarland, and I'm really happy that the three shows have been more or less sold out - about 2000 people per show! Also, with the number of people who have been calling on the telephone for tickets over the past few days, it has become a lot easier to understand folks on the telephone. I've even started to understand names without needing them to be spelled letter-by-letter -- that's a big deal for me! For some reason, I'm noticing I'm having trouble understanding men a lot more than women on the telephone...maybe it's because their voices are lower and so things sound a bit slurred together. I'm not sure.
But I can't wait to see what another month of being here does for my German skills!...even if the Spanische Hofreitschule almost killed me. Okay, that's clearly an exaggeration.
Bis später...
The horses are gorgeous, their skills are great, but I happen to be allergic to horses. Now usually it's only an issue with my eyes swelling up, but if I take an antihistamine pill and use eyedrops, it's not an issue. Well imagine my surprise after watching 25 minutes of the Spanische Hofreitschule when I started coughing and wheezing. It was not fun! I immediately left, and now I'm back in Saarbrücken.
Anyway, it's pretty cool that the Spanische Hofreitschule is in Saarland. They are touring to only four cities in Europe - Brussels, London, Paris, and St. Wendel. The population of St. Wendel is probably less than one of Paris's arrondissements, but the Spanische Hofreitschule is performing there anyway. I think it is a big treat for Saarland, and I'm really happy that the three shows have been more or less sold out - about 2000 people per show! Also, with the number of people who have been calling on the telephone for tickets over the past few days, it has become a lot easier to understand folks on the telephone. I've even started to understand names without needing them to be spelled letter-by-letter -- that's a big deal for me! For some reason, I'm noticing I'm having trouble understanding men a lot more than women on the telephone...maybe it's because their voices are lower and so things sound a bit slurred together. I'm not sure.
But I can't wait to see what another month of being here does for my German skills!...even if the Spanische Hofreitschule almost killed me. Okay, that's clearly an exaggeration.
Bis später...
Sunday, June 26, 2011
5 random thoughts and experiences over the last few days...
It's a holiday, but of course McDonald's is still open.
There's a bee's nest outside my window! No wonder that I killed 3 of them in 10 minutes when I had my window open the other day...
"Take an umbrella so it doesn't rain." Seriously, though...
Learning about power and privilege dynamics at universities in the UK from some students at Exeter who finished their law degrees at Uni-Saarland this past week.
"Scheiße! Ich habe den Bürgermeister geduzt!" (Oh crap... I used the "informal you" with the mayor!)
...the last one's not as bad as it sounds - he laughed as soon as I told him I was an American. And in my defense, I had just finished helping another customer on the phone in French!
There's a bee's nest outside my window! No wonder that I killed 3 of them in 10 minutes when I had my window open the other day...
"Take an umbrella so it doesn't rain." Seriously, though...
Learning about power and privilege dynamics at universities in the UK from some students at Exeter who finished their law degrees at Uni-Saarland this past week.
"Scheiße! Ich habe den Bürgermeister geduzt!" (Oh crap... I used the "informal you" with the mayor!)
...the last one's not as bad as it sounds - he laughed as soon as I told him I was an American. And in my defense, I had just finished helping another customer on the phone in French!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
My accent has migrated East...
...to France! I mean my accent in German. Yesterday I was asked twice on the phone whether I was French, and then someone came into the office and asked me the same thing. I'm not sure whether I should take this as a compliment because the reputation for French folks learning foreign languages in Germany is not very good. Then again, the American reputation can't be any better! At least my accent is more "European" ? I don't know what to think...
I also learned some fun new words! "pennen" is a familiar form of "to sleep" ... so I have determined (perhaps incorrectly) that when people say "Ich gehe pennen" they mean "I'm gonna hi the sack" or "I'm turning in." Also, a very specifically Saarlandischer word: "der Dauerschreiber" meaning "pen." But the usual word in German is "der Kugelschreiber"
I saw a performance of the Wiener Burgtheater this evening. It was weird because I knew the acting was quite good even though I really couldn't understand a lot of the Austrian accents. But I still understood a lot of what they were trying to communicate from what they were doing body-language-wise. Apparently some of the actors are quite well-known in the German speaking world from TV and whatnot. Afterward I went out for a beer with the coworker and friends with whom I spent the holiday a few weeks ago. One of the friends gave me his card in case I "run into any trouble." It was really kind of him. I am constantly overwhelmed by the kindness of people that I meet; it makes it quite difficult for me to be cynical, and it only adds to my idealism for what we can accomplish as one big, happy world! With that, it's quite late, we have a performance every night this week, so I'm off to bed. Gute Nacht!
I also learned some fun new words! "pennen" is a familiar form of "to sleep" ... so I have determined (perhaps incorrectly) that when people say "Ich gehe pennen" they mean "I'm gonna hi the sack" or "I'm turning in." Also, a very specifically Saarlandischer word: "der Dauerschreiber" meaning "pen." But the usual word in German is "der Kugelschreiber"
I saw a performance of the Wiener Burgtheater this evening. It was weird because I knew the acting was quite good even though I really couldn't understand a lot of the Austrian accents. But I still understood a lot of what they were trying to communicate from what they were doing body-language-wise. Apparently some of the actors are quite well-known in the German speaking world from TV and whatnot. Afterward I went out for a beer with the coworker and friends with whom I spent the holiday a few weeks ago. One of the friends gave me his card in case I "run into any trouble." It was really kind of him. I am constantly overwhelmed by the kindness of people that I meet; it makes it quite difficult for me to be cynical, and it only adds to my idealism for what we can accomplish as one big, happy world! With that, it's quite late, we have a performance every night this week, so I'm off to bed. Gute Nacht!
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