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Erst Ordnung schaffen - The German Sense of Order
«Erst Ordnung schaffen.»
she proclaimed as she clipped a section my hair to the side and combed the section she was about to cut.
Erst Ordnung schaffen.
First, create order.
"Wow," I thought, "She's absolutely right. I've just moved to Germany, I've only now gotten a haircut appointment, and I'm not even unpacked yet. First I should get everything in order, and so many other elements will fall into place."
At that moment the hairstylist probably had no clue what an impact she would …
Frohes neues Jahr!
Ihnen wünsche ich vom Herzen ein gutes, frohes, gesundes und erfolgreiches Jahr 2021.
From the bottom of my heart I wish you a good, happy, healthy, and successful 2021.
How to Give a German Learner a Seat in "die gute Stube"
The email delivery on this gift is so fast.
Trying to send gifts this year is a challenge. We can be really grateful for all the fantastic people working hard to get our packages to their destinations, that's for sure.
Sometimes sending them is a different story, however. Yesterday I stopped at the Post Office to send off a package and as soon as I approached the door I realized it wasn't the best time. It was 11 a.m. and the line (physically distanced, of course) was all the way to the front …
Save 5% on the Best German Pretzels in the US
Meet the Milwaukee Pretzel Company!
They make pretzels--German pretzels!
They make them here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
You can have them shipped to you!
These are the best pretzels I've eaten outside of Germany.
When you visit one of their stands here in Milwaukee you'll likely have a chance to eat their Obatzda, which is a delicious, Bavarian cheese specialty made with camembert, butter, a splash of beer, onion, and paprika. And yes, their Obatzda is also the best Obatzda I've had o…
Introducing: die gute Stube. A Private Community for German Learners
«Die gute Stube» is an online community for German learners to chat and converse in German with one another.
We practice writing and speaking in German together.
This is the German practice you've been looking for.
In Germany "die gute Stube" is the restaurant that's the soul of the town--the restaurant you take your friends and family to when they visit. This online "gute Stube" goes with you, wherever you are.
Practice your German writing and speaking.
- Writing prompts every Tuesday h…
2 German Lozenges for Your Sore Throat
Plus one immune booster used often in Germany.
Being sick is a drag in any language. Your throat gets scratchy, it hurts, you get all phlegmy...you feel awful, you're tired, and you miss out on work, time with your friends, your family. What a drag.
Now more than ever we've become aware of taking very good care of ourselves when we get sick. Here are a couple of German lozenges you might not have heard of that are excellent to have on hand.
You can order them from the Smallflower.com Apotheca…
Have German Food Delivered to Your Door
One of the hardest parts of shopping for authentic German food is actually your location. If you don't live near a city with a German supermarket or your supermarket doesn't carry international products, it can be difficult to shop for them.
Plus there are no surprises when you shop for it all yourself. Why not enjoy a surprise now and then?
What if you could get a box of authentic German products shipped to your door every month and each month it's a surprise? New products, different items, a…
Nicole reads aloud: "der Kobold in der Mühle" from the Brothers Grimm
A Kobold is a "house spirit," a German folk being who takes care of household tasks and sometimes causes mischief.
Britannica.com has a fantastic description of a Kobold that includes this important information:
"...mischievous household spirit who usually helps with chores...He is temperamental and becomes outraged when he is not properly fed. He sometimes sings to children."
Can you imagine that kind of Hausgeist being your Gute Nacht Geschichte?
Creepy!
There are different interpreta…
5 (Not-So) Last-Minute German Gifts
It's not quite Christmas *yet*, however so many people are planning and buying their Christmas presents early this year that it's really a good idea to start planning for your German Christmas gifts now.
Planning ahead.
That's so German.
Here are 5 gift ideas whether you like to give bath & body products, German food items, or fancy Austrian wine glasses for Christmas.
You can order them all from home and whether you'd like to spend $25 or $250 (or more!), there is something here for you.
5 A2 German Story Books for German Learners
Finding interesting story books for A2 German learning doesn't have to be a chore - here you can read the research I've done for you and simply purchase the books and have them delivered.
Some books are available in digital versions, which does save space, however there are distinct advantages to having a physical book, from less screen time to easily writing notes on the page.
The most important part, however, is having reading material that is at your current level of German (these are all A…