hells_half_acre: (On the Fence)
[personal profile] hells_half_acre
My good friends have come for a visit and now have left again. They are currently on a world trip - traveling east from Germany to Newfoundland. I was but a brief resting point while they switched modes of transport to suit the new (more expensive) continent. (Up until now, they have done the trip by motorcycle, but they've switched to a van for North America, due to how expensive both motorcycles and accommodation are.)

If any of you are curious, my friends have a website: http://unleashyouradventure.com/

Here are some things I have learned from their visit:

1. It's nice to have optimists around - unabashed optimists who believe that anything is achievable as long as you think outside the box. "I'm sorry, Alix, but we have fixed your life" the German said to me on their 4th day here, after ordering me to switch contracting companies and move to Berlin by the fall. (It's not going to happen due to many reasons, but the fact remains that it technically is possible.) I laughed, "Don't apologize. I obviously need the help."

2. Everything sounds better in German (or when spoken with a Newfoundland accent).

Even the German speaking to the whiny dog sounded better than when I said the exact same thing in English. "Hör mal auf, Mango, das Leben ist nicht so schlimm." (Cut it out, Mango, life is not that bad.)

3. The best house-guests are fellow computer-geek introverts...or maybe just my friends, because I didn't not have to cook a single meal while they were here, nor wash dishes, nor buy groceries. The German even taught me how to make a very delicious potato dish. That all being said, I feel like I've gained 5 pounds.

4. The easiest way to not sleep in every single morning is to have a dog that you must walk (or house-guests that must walk their dog.)

5. If you plan a day's activity around the idea that you need to wear out a dog - you will inevitably end up wearing out yourself as well.

Date: 2012-03-28 04:43 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vail-kagami.livejournal.com
Everything sounds better in German? Das ist mir neu!

But I can leave my comments in German from now on... :P

Sounds like you had a great time. That's one long trip your friends are making there!

Date: 2012-03-28 04:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
You CAN leave your comments in German. My German is EXTREMELY rusty, so I'll probably respond in English to save myself embarrassment...but I really love German. :)

My friends have been travelling since last summer! They're planning to be in Newfoundland in June...so it'll be about a year total for the trip.

My best friend and I once figured out that English is the best for singing, German is the best for poetry, and French is the best for saying romantic things (if it's France-French) or swearing (if it's Canadian-French.) :P

Date: 2012-03-28 04:25 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (Default)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
I think Spanish is the best for songs. Or Brazillian Portuguese. English is OK, but Spanish is just lovely.

English is the best for swearing if you have a Scottish or Irish accent. :P

Date: 2012-03-28 06:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
I think at the time we came up with that, my friend was living on the same floor as a bunch of Spaniards who would wake him up at 8am every morning blasting Shakira...so, uh, I don't think Spanish was his favourite language just then. :P

We also used to play the fun game of matching up European languages with their Middle-Earth counterparts. ;)

Date: 2012-03-28 06:49 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (Default)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
Aaah I see. My firend who studies Spanish has directed me to many lovely Spanish songs so I guess I've got a better view of Spanish music.

Oh now you are going to have to share. :P

Date: 2012-03-28 06:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
Haha, I'm trying to remember! This was all almost 10 years ago. You might have to give me a day so that I can see if I can get in touch with my friend over Skype. He's bound to remember.

I think we had the Dwarves speaking German...the Elves may have been Gaelic (or possible French - or possibly that was an argument between us.) "Common"/Humans spoke English, of course, because that was our mutual language so it made sense. And man...I cannot remember the rest. :P
Edited Date: 2012-03-28 06:54 pm (UTC)

Date: 2012-03-28 07:03 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (lord of the rings)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
Eh I'm not that fussed, though it would be interesting!

Elvish is based on... Welsh (Sindarin) and I think Finnish (Quenya), so Gaelic/Irish isn't so far off! And then the Rohan language (Rohirric?) has an Old English base, ewhich makes the songs awesome. I have no idea about Dwarvish, but I think German is a good parallel!

Date: 2012-03-28 07:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
Ooo, Finnish..I should have thought of that one. But yeah, we went with languages that we knew (or had friends who spoke). :P

Date: 2012-03-28 07:15 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (lord of the rings)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
Eh. I base this knowledge on (too many, according to my sister) viewings of the extras on the extended version of the films.

Which I now want to watch, now I've mentioned them. Dammit.

Date: 2012-03-28 07:34 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (Default)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
No apologies necessary! I don't have.... 12 hours+ to spare anyway. :P

Date: 2012-03-28 07:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] borgmama1of5.livejournal.com
I have been listening to 'learn German' cds while driving for the last few weeks in preparation for my trip. Maybe I can use your friend's phrase and substitute the baby's name for the dog's name when she cries...

Date: 2012-03-28 06:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
Haha, you could!

I hope you have a great trip. I'm a little jealous. :)

Date: 2012-03-28 09:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] juppschmitz.livejournal.com
Everything sounds better in German

Not Sam'n'Dean they don't!!

LOL

Date: 2012-03-28 06:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
LOL good point! I stand corrected. ;)

Date: 2012-03-28 04:25 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (regina)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
Point five is why I want us to get a dog again. Plus I just miss having pets. :P

Date: 2012-03-28 06:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
Yeah, I can definitely see why having a dog would lead to a more active/healthy lifestyle (if you were a good dog owner). I'm not really a pet-person anymore, but it was fun to have someone else's dog around for a bit.

Date: 2012-03-28 06:47 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (Default)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
Aww but pets are lovely! You have a cat for keeping your lap warm and a dog for making sure you get out enough. :P I miss my cat and dog. They were put down within a month of each other before we moved and then dad messed up his Achillies tendon so we can't get another dog until it's healed. Which sucks.

Date: 2012-03-28 06:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
Yeah...I'm a little psychologically broken when it comes to pets, plus I'm allergic to mostly anything with fur. But it's a moot point, because I'm not allowed pets in my apartment anyway...I do cat-sit for my friend occasionally, so that's fun! I get to pretend I have two cats for a week or two. :)

I hope your dad's tendom heals up soon so that you can get another dog!

Date: 2012-03-28 06:59 pm (UTC)
franztastisch: (Default)
From: [personal profile] franztastisch
Well thats a valid argument against having pets. I'd hate it if I was allergic. I like cats too much. :P But pretend ownership is something! All the fun with none of the hassle. Or minimum hassle at least. :P

Thanks. :)

Date: 2012-03-29 12:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] khek.livejournal.com
About #2...my sister would disagree! She's currently in Switzerland with her husband of two years, desperately trying to learn enough German to get by...

(She's always hated learning languages though, mostly, I think, because she's a perfectionist and can't stand the thought of having an accent or getting her tenses wrong.)

Sounds like a fun visit though. And your friends' dog is adorable!

Date: 2012-03-29 12:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hells-half-acre.livejournal.com
Well, Swiss-German is another matter altogether :P

I sympathize with your sister though - I'm also a perfectionist and it's really hard to get over the self-consciousness of knowing that you are speaking a language a)with a huge accent that you can't get rid of, and b)incorrectly. It helps though, to think of all the people you know who speak English with an accent, or slightly incorrectly, and how you never give a damn about it. ;)

Profile

hells_half_acre: (Default)
hells_half_acre

January 2023

S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
1516171819 2021
22232425262728
293031    

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 6th, 2025 10:23 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios