My sister Claire has a degree in German literature, a German best friend, and a job at a German bank (based in New York). Naturally, she can’t stand the place. Now she’s been tricked into a three-month work project in Frankfurt. This morning, day two, she sent the following mail:
- ‘Trying to be positive
- They have fresh blood orange juice in the canteen
- They make veggie and rice wok stuff every day
- It’s really cheap
- My apartment is nice
- And has two beds (hint)
- And a gym/sauna, so I might get a headstart on the inevitable exercise addiction which will overtake me in my mid-20s. Not like I’ll have anything else to do. And then I can stop lying about being “bloated”
- Germans sound amusingly silly speaking English. And I’ve got over my paranoia about sounding stupid when I speak German by not speaking German at all.
- Deutschland Uber Alles has a great tune. Can’t get it out of my head. “Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles, uber alles in der Welt.” See also: the national anthem sung to the tune of the annoying song performed by Jennifer Grey’s onscreen sister in Dirty Dancing “Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit“. Very catchy. My brain is on a loop
- I have learned a valuable lesson. It is ill-advised to travel business class on Aer Lingus. The bloody Irish air hostesses are the only ones who resent you for it. They are bad people. Maybe they’re just sulking because they have to wear crappy green instead of the gorgeous uniforms Air Japan stewardesses wear. Can’t wait for tonight’s flight
- I’m not in Limerick
I promise that if they ever let me back to New York, I’ll fill all my days doing wild and crazy things.
—C.’
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