Eva W.

Bonn, GERMANY


Joined November 15th 2007

Number of Posts:
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I am an Australian girl who's living in Germany at the moment.

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German sense of "fashion"

August 7th 2008 17:04


Why is it that Germans are not known for their great dress sense? Maybe it's because they don't have a great dress sense. Simple, huh?

This, of course, is a generalisation, because in every country you will find people who wear awful clothes. However, there are certain questionable clothing trends that seem far more prevelant in Germany than in other western countries I've been to.

Take the concept of "double denim" for example. Now isn't that something that was cool in the 80s? Would ANY fashion magazine (or even an ordinary clothes shop) promote a single combination of denim pants and jacket these days? No! And yet, you will see thousands of Germans walking around wearing just that -- even though this is one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

What's also amazing about this phenomenon is that here in Germany itself shops and magazines do NOT promote this way of dressing. You can find lots of normal, trendy, up-to-date clothing in the local stores. This implies that there's some weird 80s-time-warp mentality that plagues the population for some unknown reason.

Before you get really scared, the good news is that the "double denim" people are still a minority -- though a slightly bigger minority than you might expect. The majority is at least remotely in sync with current mainstream fashion (well, except for the tendency to wear office-style outfits on weekends and at birthday parties, and except for the daggy sandals-and-socks combo, but I won't get into all that right now... ).

(The stunning image above is courtesy of my friend Cheryl Northey. She takes great delight in photographically documenting atrocious fashion crimes.)
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Secret crushes... German style

May 25th 2008 21:01
A typical Maibaum


Maybe I'm writing this post a bit late, but it's still relevant because the merry month of May hasn't ended yet.

In Germany, May means spring. It also means putting up a "Maibaum" or "May tree", especially if you're a young man.

What is a May tree, you ask?

Without explaining the ENTIRE tradition -- as it has a few different varieties across the different regions -- I will just focus on explaining the one I observed in our part of Germany, i.e. the city of Bonn.

On the 1st of May I noticed that all these small cut-down trees decorated with ribbons had suddenly popped up in front of random houses overnight. What on earth was that?

Apparently, on the last night of April, young men have the chance to show their feelings towards the girls they like. They cut down a smallish tree (usually a birch) and decorate it with colourful crepe-paper ribbons and a heart made of wood or cardboard with the name of the crush written on it. Then they prop the tree up against the house of the desired lady and... ta-da!... the girl should get the message.

A month later, the young bachelor is supposed to take down the tree he put up. At this point, if he's lucky, his crush will invite him out on a date... or give him a case of beer (hey, this IS Germany). Traditionally, he can also receive a cake from the crush's mother and a case of beer (damn, this tree really pays off!) from the father. And I suspect that after all this he'll be high on either love or booze... or both. Either way, it's not a bad deal.

Oh, and this tradition is not ONLY for secret crushes. Apparently, guys can dedicate the tree to their girlfriends -- just to show their feelings in that romantic, environmentally-unfriendly way. Also, during leap years, the situation is reversed and girls can give May trees to guys.

I haven't been living in Germany for very long, and I haven't personally received or given a May tree. Then again, I think giving one would be way better... because I could at least expect one case of beer in return.
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Is this too honest?

March 16th 2008 20:34


Today I wanted to attend a fun-sounding exhibition in Bonn, which was supposed to feature over 300 live reptiles (including freaky things like anacondas) and other scary creatures, such as scorpions and two-headed turtles.

Just before leaving I realised that I had no cash on me, so I walked all the way to town (exercise is always healthy after all) to withdraw some money. It was a grey and wet day, and as I was walking the rain intensified.

When I finally got to town, the ATM decided to make my life difficult. I technically had enough cash on my account to withdraw, but after allowing me to enter my pin and asking how much I wanted, it kept giving me the message that "due to a technical problem, this request cannot be processed. Please see one of our staff". Of course there is no staff present on Sundays, so I tried all the other ATMs in that branch, only to get the same weird message from all of them.

Anyway, with no money for the bus or for the entry fee, I quickly realised that there was nothing for me to do but go back home. It was raining cats and dogs -- not what you'd call a typical "spring shower", but rather a torrential downpour. I waited around for a bit, but it didn't ease, so I decided to just walk back home anyway. The tiny umbrella that I had with me was not really sufficient for such crazy precipitation.

Now, here is where the honesty part comes in. I COULD have just taken the bus home without a ticket to avoid getting wet. The risk of getting caught on a bus without a ticket in Germany is very low. BUT my nagging honest self somehow preferred to walk for 25 minutes in heavy rain instead of "robbing" the bus company of €1.50. I always get an incredible pang of guilt when I don't buy a ticket. This guilt is clearly more unpleasant to me than squelching, wet shoes.

As a result of my honesty, I got home feeling like a little rain cloud myself. Due to the small diameter of my umbrella, I'd had to make compromises such as "either my handbag gets soaked, or my left arm gets soaked". Naturally, it was my left arm that was dripping wet.

Anyway, there was a lot to hang out to dry. And I asked myself if all this was really worth not taking one unpaid bus ride. Am I crazy or am I just good? Or have I spent too long in rule-abiding German society to be capable of doing anything even slightly rebellious?
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Last Saturday (March 1, 2008), a huge low pressure storm system called Emma brought gale-force winds to Germany and Central Europe, causing widespread damage and killing several people. Most notably, it wreaked havoc on the nation's roads and railways, with fallen trees leading to numerous accidents.

[ Click here to read more ]
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A piece of Japan

March 6th 2008 15:29
The Japanese district of Düsseldorf


I took a little trip to Düsseldorf this week -- a relatively large German city on the Rhine river. I went there with the intention of exploring the "Japanese area", since Düsseldorf has the third-largest Japanese community in Europe after London and Paris. Many Japanese companies and banks have their branches there.

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What is your favourite airline?

March 2nd 2008 18:24


Mine's NOT Lufthansa, that's for sure.

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Can you judge a guy by his apartment?

January 21st 2008 13:32


In Germany, there is this one reality show that I really like to watch. I can't remember what it's called, but its main aim is to find a nice date for some single girl (a different one in each episode).
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You call THIS a bus stop?

January 15th 2008 13:49
A Sydney bus stop


I am back home in Sydney at the moment, enjoying the glorious summer weather. I go to the beach with my friends a lot, and each time I'm happily floating in the blue waters of the Pacific, I actively appreciate what an incredibly pleasant sensation it is compared to walking around on a frosty, grey day.
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What do you miss about Australia?

December 20th 2007 17:23


After spending five months in Germany, I am heading back to summery Sydney this weekend to enjoy Christmas with my family and to go on yet another fun-filled holiday to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.
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Vegetarians -- do not read this!

December 17th 2007 13:12
Warning: if you think eating baby animals is evil, you will be appalled by this story.

I went to an unusual dinner party on Friday night. It was supposed to be a birthday treat for a girl we are friends with. The thing that made this dinner unusual was that it had a special theme: a medieval feast.

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Recent Comments

Now now, Kylie... Don't be so harsh. Think how much she must struggle to show all those emotions she is desperate to show under that half-frozen mask. Let's not take easy facial movement for granted.

Comment by Eva W.
on Secret crushes... German style

May 28th 2008 10:22
Roni, I love your analysis!

Comment by Eva W.
on Secret crushes... German style

May 27th 2008 09:55
Amy -- Yes, Bonn is a nice-looking city, although I sometimes wish it was a bit bigger. There's not too much in the way of nightlife here...

postmoderncritic -- Yeah, some weird gut feeling tells me that cutting down young trees is not the most eco-friendly thing out there.

Michaeli -- I also can't imagine Aussie guys playing around with hearts and crepe paper. Then again, German guys are not exactly famous for being romantic either, which is why traditions like this are a good thing for encouraging romantic acts. We also have Valentine's Day, so it's not so bad.

Cibbuano -- Cake? The beer, I say... the beer!!

Priyanka -- I see yet another person would choose the cake over the beer. I'm starting to feel like a strange minority here... haha.

What's Your Story -- Yes, it is pretty cute, isn't it??

Comment by Eva W.
on Religion is Killing God

April 24th 2008 09:00
So beautifully written, Raven. I fully understand the way you feel.

Grand, beautiful things such as nature (and also music) have always inspired the believer in me, more than anything else.

Comment by Eva W.
on Who Is Your Celebrity Crush?

April 2nd 2008 12:48
Hugh Grant! Although now he's getting old and wrinkly... But he was simply irresistible to me in his slightly younger days.

Those large blue eyes, posh-in-a-cute-way English accent and awkward sense of humour (at least that of his romantic comedy characters) did it for me everytime!

I liked him the most in Notting Hill. Ahhh...

Comment by Eva W.
on Excess Baggage On-board: should they pay for it?

March 28th 2008 16:09
Actually, the rule about the 7kg carry-on luggage doesn't have much to do with the weight per se, but with the possibility of people getting hurt in case of an accidentally opened overhead compartment.

They somehow figured out that 7kg is the maximum safe weight to fall on a person's head from that height.

As for check-in luggage, yeah, lighter people SO should be allowed more! I only weigh 51kg myself!! (Then again, maybe that's exactly why I have always got away with my overweight luggage on previous trips. )

Thank you, o servant of the Goddess! Thank you for making me realise that I'm a heathen. I wish to live in accordance with the One Truth, so I am very grateful that you showed me the way.

Like a radiant angel in the night, you put me on a straight and narrow path to salvation. Cosmic blessings be upon you.

Comment by Eva W.
on Want to be Paris' new best friend?

March 26th 2008 12:01
Ooh... Pick me! Pick me!

I could teach her how to have fun for under $10 a day. She would die of shock.

Comment by Eva W.
on Excess Baggage On-board: should they pay for it?

March 25th 2008 10:26
No fines, please!

I admit I am one of those annoying individuals who always travels with excess carry-on baggage (I think my all-time record is 5 pieces).

And yes, I always get away with it. And with my overweight check-in luggage too. Lucky me.

For all those who despise the likes of me, please consider one important point:

There is a big difference between just going away for a one-week holiday and going away for a few months. As I usually go away for a few months, I need much more stuff than people who are just going on a short trip.

The last time I flew, my suitcase was 4kg overweight and I had 3 pieces of carry-on luggage. The check-in man didn't comment though. No fines either, of course. Ahh... another good trip!

Comment by Eva W.
on Oh no! The Perm is back!

March 25th 2008 10:04
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!