It's been a while but now I'm back! I could sense the frustration out there among all of you with your Google Readers set to notify you of my next posting.
A lot has happened in the >6 months since I last wrote anything on this. I guess the biggest deal in terms of global paradigm shifts is that the USA finally did something right. It was a good time to be in Berlin during those days following the election, they really love Obama here and I could feel like I was a part of all that (I voted absentee).
I also got some new glasses.
I went back home for the holidays, stopped off on the east coast for a few days and then LA for a couple weeks. While back in the states I experienced some of the expected (reverse) culture shock. I couldn't find an address in New York since I forgot about that even and odd on the opposite sides of the road thing. When I overheard English being spoken on public transportation (they have that in NY) my first instinct was always that these were some American tourists and I wonder what they're doing here?
I took a bus down from NYC to DC and on the way down overheard a conversation that particularly brought me home though. I'm not saying that Americans are necessarily any less educated than the Europeans but they do say some funny things. Sitting next to me was a couple (A and B) and they were talking about the weather, since it was kind of cold:
A: So how do they measure the wind chill factor anyway?
(this is a good question actually, I also wanted to know)
B: Yeah good question. But I mean, how do they even measure *temperature*?
(um, I think I know this one)
A: I don't know. Well, I know how they measure *Fahrenheit* temperature, but not sure how they measure Celsius.
(eh?)
B: Whatever, no one uses Celsius. It's only for dorky scientists like you.
3 comments:
Since you complained about lack of feedback, here it is!
I do not understand what you all (meaning you and Kaie) are saying about street numbers in Berlin. We have the system with odd on one side, even on the other side. We just do not use it exclusively and sometimes have numbers running on one side and then down on the other.
And I fear that with your German getting better you will hear more and more stupid conversations on the subway here, too. Yours was particularly good, though.
yeah, don't make fun of Americans either!
So, how do you measure celsius? I'm sure someone in Europe knows.... maybe in Sweden
Welcome back, superman! We've missed you so.
You should come to Denmark, I'm finding (already) they're good to make fun of as well.
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