For your consideration . . .

Item: I think I'm becoming a German. I've noticed lately that I seem to be picking up the German habit of uttering a rather interrogative "Hmmm" when you're having a conversation and the other person is speaking. It's hard to describe, obviously - it's just sort of a "yeah, I follow you and am considering what you're saying" sound. I find myself doing it even when I'm speaking English to my friends here. Did I do this before? I can't even remember.

Item: I'm never going to be a German. One of the things that suprised me the most when I first came happened when I ordered a cheese sandwich at a bakery near my hostel. I bit into it, and found that the sandwich had tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese . . . and butter. Apparently they put butter on all their sandwiches here, but on a cheese sandwich? I would never have thought to do that. I've discussed this odd combination of dairy products with other Americans here, and we all think it's really weird. I still get cheese sandwiches, but I don't know that I'll ever get used to the butter part.