Category: Adapting

On Old and New Challenges

~ erinhenkels ~ Leave a comment

In my 40th year, I really only have two big goals: read 40 books and run 40 miles.

After having reached my Goodreads challenge last year of 30 books, I decided I could easily do more this year. I fully anticipate reading more than 40, but we’ll just set it there and see how the year goes. With the discovery of Libby and new library cards from our trip back to the States over Christmas, I am set. So many books–so much pressure to complete them before you lose them. I’ve already read 5 books so far this year. In fact, I had to stop reviewing as I’m plowing through books but have very little free time that isn’t full of teaching and training. But some notable mentions from the past several months include: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (very descriptive, rich, and inventive), The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates (beautiful magical realistic take on the Underground Railroad), and Bone Gap by Laura Ruby (the best YA I’ve read in a long time). These are really the standouts, though I did read a lot of excellent literature this past fall and winter.

The other goal is a bit harder. I signed up for the Zugspitze Ultratrail, 64k. And it’s been such a busy and stressful last two months I was not able to put in the necessary foundation training. So now I’m fully base training and trying not to blow up–I’m very injury prone! I just don’t know how this is going to happen. But I’m reading the coach Roaches The Happy Runner to try to make peace with the situation and practice self-acceptance in my process. But I’m getting niggles at only 20 mile training weeks. What am I thinking??!! Why did I think this was such a good idea, coming off a full year of injury??!! I know better than this but I just adore the ZUT and I might not get another chance in coming years. And I’m getting old. And there are so many other good reasons, right?

Gemütlichkeit

~ erinhenkels ~ 4 Comments

While I’m pretty terrible at learning languages (a major disadvantage and embarrassment), I still love learning interesting words or phrases or local slang that reveal some gem about a culture. For example, in Ecuador, the Spanish is excellently pronounced and paced, so it’s a great place for people to go to learn Spanish. But, in their slang, they also incorporate many Quechua words when the sound of the word fits the meaning better than the Spanish word. Like, “chuchaqui” (choo-chak-ee)–it means hungover. When you say it out loud, isn’t it so much more apt than “resaca?” I love this.

Back to German: because English is originally Germanic, we have a lot of overlap in vocabulary and some constructions. But there are also German words for which there is no direct English translation. We can explain the meaning of the word, but we don’t have one word that means the same. This brings me to my personal favorite:

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Gemütlichkeit. It’s a word you sing a lot during festivals. You hear this maybe every half hour at Oktoberfest. The song goes, “ein prosit, ein prosit, Gemütlichkeit…” and this is repeated again before you then cheers three times. It means, a toast, a toast, this feeling of warmth, camaraderie and acceptance, here at this table in this cozy place–all of us, all together, where we belong. Isn’t that beautiful? Doesn’t it give you warm fuzzies?

It’s a word that I’ve needed for those times when we’ve been outside skiing and we go into a mountain hütte. There’s a fire on, and people are gathered around wood tables. The light is beautiful and the food is delicious and satisfying. Everyone is smiling, and there is no where else in the world you’d rather be.

In German, I think there is a word for this feeling because this very particular feeling and experience is highly valued. It is a priority to share a drink regularly with your friends in a cozy place and to bask in that warmth. At least this seems to be so in the South of Germany where we live. It seems a part of mountain culture here, which extends through Austria and into Northern Italy: Tyrolean. I think many mountain cultures all around the world share this particular value. It was true in Japan though expressed and felt a little differently, and it is true in Colorado. Through this word, I learn a little more about myself. It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I love the mountains. But it’s not just the natural beauty and the activities that draw me there. It’s also the Gemütlichkeit.

 

A Schnapps for a Compliment

~ erinhenkels ~ 1 Comment

One of the best things about living in Germany is the small traditions and insights I’ve gained into the culture–especially around holidays. It helps to have a close friend who is German and from the area. This was a struggle to cultivate in South Korea.

Last night was our staff holiday party and around the table, people were sharing funny holiday traditions from his and her home country. My friend told me that in Germany, or at least in the Schwabish region, a tradition, of course, is to visit friends and neighbors in their homes. But what you need to know, in case a German visits you for the holidays, is that if a visitor compliments your Christmas tree, you are required to give that person Schnapps. She claims this is how her parents churchy friends could get away with getting knockdown drunk at Christmas. As if they needed a way. But I think it’s cute. Better stock the liquor cabinet.

Welcome

~ erinhenkels ~ Leave a comment

Here we are–out there. Beyond.

Beyond because this life has become more than a let’s-try-it-and-see. That we change so much, so drastically, so often, has become the normal. We adapt to adapting. Here, 12 years and 4 countries into living and teaching overseas, I am at a point and age where I feel different. I can look back and identify when, where and how I changed. I can pinpoint the pieces of each culture that I have integrated into myself. I know why I hang dearly on to those parts of myself that were originally my identity. There is nothing to fear in change and I welcome it.

So part of this is the adapting and changing. Part of this is the things I do and the places I go. Part of this is what drives my life and motivation outside of work.

It’s the books I read. It’s the mountains I run and ski. It’s a new journey into vegetarianism and trying to care about fuelling.

It’s a little bit of everything.