I need to start looking meaner. Or less German, or something.
People have always tended to ask me for directions. Back home in Chicago, particularly when I was staying with my mother in the Loop, I'd get stopped at least once a week by someone looking for the Sears Tower or their hotel or what have you. And that's fine; I've been in situations where I've been lost and needed to ask for directions, so I don't have a problem with helping other people out. I've even approached people who were standing on a street corner, looking confused, with a map flapping in the breeze, and asked if I could help them.
But the last few days have just been ridiculous. In the last day and a half, I've been approached by an entire list of people wanting various things. Here are the questions, in order of appearance (my answers are in parentheses):
1. Would I like to subscribe to one of the Berlin daily newspapers? (No, thanks.)
2. Is there good shopping in this area? (Yes, in that big glass building, or if you go down the street a few blocks.)
3. Did I know where a remaining piece of the Wall was? (I'm not sure, but I think it's down this street to the right.)
4. Is this the train to get to Wannsee? (Sorry, I don't know).
5. Did I know if there was a copy shop nearby? (Sorry, no.)
6. Can we get to Friedrichstrasse with this train? (Yes, but you have to change trains at the Ostbahnhof.)
7. Can you get to Potsdam with a regular city ticket? (Yes.)
8. Where is the hostel reception desk? (Just down these stairs.)
Questions 2 and 8 were in English; the rest were in German, and asked by Germans. I think people must simply look at me and say to themselves, "Ah! here's a nice young lady who looks like she knows her way around." It's funny to see the look on the Germans's faces when they hear my accent and realize that I'm not really the person to be asking. I'm glad that I look enough like I fit in here that people don't automatically think I'm a tourist. At the same time, I kind of wish they'd ask someone else, at least until I get to know the city (and German) better myself first.
But the last few days have just been ridiculous. In the last day and a half, I've been approached by an entire list of people wanting various things. Here are the questions, in order of appearance (my answers are in parentheses):
1. Would I like to subscribe to one of the Berlin daily newspapers? (No, thanks.)
2. Is there good shopping in this area? (Yes, in that big glass building, or if you go down the street a few blocks.)
3. Did I know where a remaining piece of the Wall was? (I'm not sure, but I think it's down this street to the right.)
4. Is this the train to get to Wannsee? (Sorry, I don't know).
5. Did I know if there was a copy shop nearby? (Sorry, no.)
6. Can we get to Friedrichstrasse with this train? (Yes, but you have to change trains at the Ostbahnhof.)
7. Can you get to Potsdam with a regular city ticket? (Yes.)
8. Where is the hostel reception desk? (Just down these stairs.)
Questions 2 and 8 were in English; the rest were in German, and asked by Germans. I think people must simply look at me and say to themselves, "Ah! here's a nice young lady who looks like she knows her way around." It's funny to see the look on the Germans's faces when they hear my accent and realize that I'm not really the person to be asking. I'm glad that I look enough like I fit in here that people don't automatically think I'm a tourist. At the same time, I kind of wish they'd ask someone else, at least until I get to know the city (and German) better myself first.
2 Comments:
<3
ps you do look mean. real real mean.
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