Cultural Assimilation at the Frühlingsfest

I keep saying that I will post at least once a week, but I never seem to keep that promise. Oh well, sometimes life doesn't always goes as planned. Any hoo, I've been making myself comfortable in my new home of Bavaria and finding all sorts of hijinks to keep myself entertained.

This past week, I had the great pleasure of attending a maibaum fest as well as the Frühlingsfest on May Day (for those of you in the US, that is Labor Day for everyone else in the world). 

A maibaum is the german translation for maypole, and yes, there is a party dedicated to its raising on the first day of May. I had no idea to expect, yet happily accepted the invitation to hang out with cool Germans and begin my drinking at 11 in the morning. The square at Hans Mielich Platz was transformed into a beer garden, complete with a dance floor, and people in the neighborhood gathered to drink and dance. 

Even though we were in the heart of Munich, it felt like we were in a small village. You could tell the dances the men and women performed were things they have practiced since childhood. 

And the clothes were beautiful. Richly embroidered suspenders, hand tooled leather belts, and skirt covers in mirrored flowers; the outfits made me swoon. 

  

Not to be outshined, I put my best foot forward and modeled my lovely new dirndl. After an exhaustive search, I found this lovely gem at the second hand store across the street from KVR, the immigration office in Munich. And I only spent a total of 50 euros for the entire outfit, which is a much better deal than the 100 euros most places charge for things that are much lower quality. 

The highlight of the day was the performance by the schuhplattler dancers. The schuhplattler is also called slap dancing and can be best described at Bavaria's answer to the step shows that are popular with Black fraternities. 

I am a total geek and squealed when I saw them take the floor. I've been watching YouTube videos of schuhplattlers for months and was so excited to finally see one in person.

After several dances, many compliments on my outfit, and too much beer, my friend and I made our way towards the Frühlingsfest, which is spring's version of Oktoberfest, and takes place at the same location at Theresienwiese. 

Having never been to the actual Oktoberfest and only managed a bastardized version of it in several countries, I was mildly disappointed when we arrived and saw a giant amusement park. Complete with rides and carnival games, I felt like I was at Coney Island. But never one to give up the chance for a new adventure, my friend and I made our way to to the beer tent and continued our love affair with liter glasses. 

Shortly after grabbing a table, we were quickly joined by a two German guys and then two Finnish ones. The Finns were really cool AND sociable, so I took their picture as evidence to present to my Finnish friend who swears her people have no social skills. 

One of our German neighbors, who was only mildly attractive when he was sober, turned into a royal ass once he was intoxicated. He foolishly tried to pull up my dress while I was dancing, and I screamed, "I'll fucking slit your throat if you touch me again you son of a bitch!" My new Finnish friends made it known that they would happily deal with him should he decide to touch me again. 

So all in all, I had a great time, but after seeing what the festival is in the spring, I think I will be avoiding it in the fall. There are far too many beer halls in the city to choose from than to subject yourself to the commercialism and drunken debauchery that is on display at the Oktoberfest. But if I do decide to go, I already have an outfit picked out. 

Looking for a quiet place

If you're like me, getting work done at your house can be extremely difficult. Sitting in one's bed does not have the same formality as sitting at a desk. Since it doesn't really feel like work, taking a Facebook break every now and then feels totally normal. Until Facebook leads you down a Google hole and before you know it, several hours have passed and you have accomplished less than half of the tasks on your to-do list. So what are your options? 

When I lived in New York, my favorite study places were the Stephen A. Schwarzman building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street or the Science, Industry, and Business Library (SIBL) at Madison Ave and 34th Street. The former was the library with the famous lions and history filled the building. The latter was much more modern, but both places felt like great halls of knowledge. To me, they were like places of worship, and I immediately felt calm and serene when I walked through their doors. 

Reading Room at the Stephen A. Schwarzman building. Photo:bronxbanterblog.com

Lobby and lower level of SIBL. Photo: alspectorarchitecture.com

In Copenhagen, the Black Diamond became my place of respite. Again, the reading room in the old part of the library felt like old knowledge and I could imagine the students before me, huddled over their texts, furiously writing essays. The Black Diamond had an added bonus of a cafe in the atrium which served the best hot chocolate I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. And if you were lucky, you could snag a free glass of wine during performances at the theater on the ground floor. 

But now I am in Germany and it has taken some time to find the right place that can be used as my surrogate office. My first thought was to find a nice library. But that proved more complicated than I originally thought. Most libraries in Munich have closed networks which require a student ID to access. Since I am no longer in school, this was not possible. But a thread on Toytown Germany said that you can get around this by signing up for a library card. I followed their advice and can confirm its accuracy. The only caveats are you need to have a valid residence permit and passport. Also, it does not give you access to all of the libraries and so far, the only one that I have been successful with is the Bavarian State Library (also known as Stabi) on Ludwigstrasse, which is also where I got my library card. I only tried it at two libraries, so your experience may be different. 

Another thing you should be aware of if you decide to come to Stabi is the place has one main reading room which gets packed. I came once on a Saturday afternoon and there were no seats available, at all. It was so crowded that students actually took to sitting and working on the stairs. My second attempt was successful, but at 10:30 on a Friday, there were only a few chairs to choose from. So come early or stay at home. 

The alternative to libraries would be a coffee shop. But, unlike many cities, WiFi is not a given and I have found far too many coffee shops without internet. Even more disturbing is the Coffee Fellows near Hauptbahnhof which actually charges for internet! If I can correctly recall the prices, I believe it was 10 euros for two hours and 20 euros for 4. WTF? Granted, if you buy food, the price of your items will be applied to the fee and I think it also granted you access to the multi-function machine. But still, 10 euros?

Luckily, I live in a cool part of town and discovered the place that has satisfied my needs, Trachtenvogl. The atmosphere is cool, the seating comfy, and the staff laid back. I can order a coffee for less than three euro, and stay there as long as I want, without any hassle or dirty looks from the waitstaff. And their music selection is on point, ranging from folk, rock, funk, and chill hip-hop. 

Look at all the Macs!

Trachtenvogl can also get crowded later in the evening and on the weekend. But many of the tables are large enough to share and can accommodate a big group or several small ones. 

If you're in the Munich area and have discovered the perfect work location, I'd love to hear about it. I'm always on the lookout for new spots and I'm pretty sure the people at Trachtenvogl will soon tire of me. At least I hope not. 

Tis better to give than to recieve

When I was about 6, my favorite outfit was a pair of yellow corduroy stirrups and a pink and yellow striped sweater. I would have worn it everyday if my mother let me and even when it was obvious that I had outgrown the pants (they rose way past my ankles and I used two pairs of slouched socks to cover my exposed legs) I would not give them up. Fed up with her daughter wearing highwaters, my mother informed me that my beloved pants would be going to the daughter of a good family friend. 

And I threw such a fit. How could she, didn't she know that those garments were a part of me? That they and I were one? Once I calmed down enough to listen to reason, she said that the clothes were only meant to be with me temporarily and it was now time for me to say good-bye. As the head of a Christian household, she asked "how can you expect to receive blessings when your hands are closed and unwilling to bless others?" Ouch. So it was with a very heavy and reluctant heart that I said good-bye to my fabric friends and gave them to a girl that I knew wouldn't love them as much as I did. Little bitch.

Now that I have a few more years under my belt, it has become much easier to say good-bye to things in closet. My mother's words still ring in my ears and I am more than happy to pass on the blessings that I have received. I often set aside items that I think will look good on my friends and surprise them with gifts when they visit. Interestingly enough, my wardrobe improves whenever I get rid of things and pass them on. I guess the act of reduction allows the remaining items to stand out more. There have been countless times where I totally forgot about an item until I cleaned out my closet/ suitcase/ drawer and it magically appeared. 

Additionally, I have been the fortunate recipient of my friends' purges. Much of my current wardrobe comes from my best friend whom I love dearly. She always has a garbage bag full of clothes at her house, waiting to be donated to the local charity. When she picked me up from the airport during a trip home and informed me that such a bag was in the trunk of her car, I literally stripped in the middle of the street and gleefully ravaged it. 

Above is just a few of the items I've been really fortunate to get from my friends. Unbeknownst to my girls, their items came when I needed them most and could hardly afford food much less new gloves or warm sweaters. And being on the receiving end of such love pushes me to be even more generous. I've given away leather jackets, boots, designers shoes, and even electronics, all in the name of paying it forward. 

So if you're looking to purge your closets and help out a few strangers, there are a number of options. The most obvious one is a charity shop. I however, use them as a last resort as I would like my clothes to be free to those who need them most. Instead, when I am in Copenhagen, I use the clothing drop in Christiania. Located a few steps away from Moonfisher, people can take and leave whatever they like. Another option is Facebook. There are numerous groups dedicated to facilitating free exchanges between people living in the same area. This one is for Copenhagen while this one is for people living in Munich. To find similar ones in your area, just do a search for "free your stuff" plus your city. Craigslist is always an option, but if the items you're looking to unload are from your home country and hard to find in you present location, I suggest an expat board like Toy Town Germany.  

Remember, the goal is the help others out while also unburdening yourself of unnecessary items. So be nice and refrain from donating garbage. If the pants, shirt, or coat is beyond repair, throw it away. Follow the golden rule of donation; give onto others as you would like others to give onto you. 

The broke guide to Roskilde: Part 1

Photo: Denmark.dk

It's almost June and the days of Roskilde will soon be upon us. Here, I will present a strategy for reducing the cost of an eight day holiday filled with debauchery and booze. 

The first step is the acquisition of a free ticket. The price of a festival pass is 1910kr + a delivery fee. So scoring a volunteer pass is the obvious way to save almost 2000kr. I stumbed upon this Facebook group which currently lists volunteer opportunities for tower guards for this year's festival. 

Update: Since writing this article, it has come to my attention that the Facebook group listed above asks for a 1000kr deposit. That is bullshit. I, nor any of my friends have ever paid for the opportunity of working for free and you shouldn't either. Sure, they say the money will be returned and I suspect they are employing a "paid" system to reduce the number of people that only collect their volunteer bracelet, but never work their shifts. However, 1000kr is not a small amount of money and the amount of time it will take for that money to be returned is unknown. You are free to make the choice that you think is best for you. But I would not pay to work one of the worst positions available at Roskilde, especially since this is the first time I've heard of any position requiring a substantial monetary investment.   

But the website for The Ranch is much more rewarding as they are currently recruiting workers to work the food stall. But don't procrastinate as there are only 5 days left to sign up with them.

Roskilde is one of the largest festivals in Northern Europe and it is predominately run by volunteers. This means there are hundreds of positions to fill, ranging from campsite security to ticket seller. I was lucky enough to work at one of the bars and can say it is the best position to have, especially if you enjoy meeting new people. There are numerous cost saving benefits each job comes with and you should weigh them when presented with several volunteer opportunities. 

Most positions will allow access to the worker's area. Here, volunteers can enjoy a free cup of coffee, phone charging, and storage. But the best part are the free "hot" showers. They're only hot if you go early in the morning when most are sleeping off hangovers. But they're free so no one complains. There's also free messages, but after two years of attempts, I have never had one and cannot confirm their existence. 

Some positions will also include meal vouchers and drink tickets. These are usually given to those working in bars or food stalls (this is why they are best jobs). The meal vouchers are limited to a few options, but they are all pretty tasty. To get the greatest value, save them for the higher-priced places like burger joints and the Roskilde staple, Thai Lanna.

As the festival gets closer and businesses scramble to find find workers, more and more advertisements for volunteers will pop up. Pay attention to message boards around university campuses if you're still looking for a job. Another strategy is contacting the businesses directly and ask if they are in need of additional help. Visit the official festival page to see which business will have a presence there and then email them. Yes this is forward and a bit aggressive, but should pay off. Most of the best positions are advertised through word-of-mouth. So this is the only way you'll find out about them if key players are not a part of your network.

In the next part, I'll discuss the things you should do before and during the festival to save some kroner, including meal plans, travel tickets, and supplies. Happy Roskilde!

Christiania: More than just a stoner's paradise

www.christiania.info

Everyone knows that Christiania is the place to go when you're in search of an herbal high. It is impossible to miss the chunks of dark brown hash on the tables lining Pusher Street. Unfortunately, the highly visible cannabis market often blinds non-smokers to the cool and free activities the larger hippie community offers. 

This weekend will be the 40th anniversary of Loppen, a music venue featuring popular rock, punk, and hip hop bands from all over the world. In addition to free music from popular Danish artists (some of whom are remarkably talented), low priced treats will be available including homemade hotdogs, pickles, and pulled pork sandwiches. The info page also lists cake which I assume will be free since it is a birthday party

Not to be outdone by Loppen, Nemoland will also be hosting a number of free concerts starting this Sunday. The series will kick off with a performance by two artists I want to be my new Bff's, Linkoban and Lucy Love. 

Chinese born and Danish bred, Linkoban is pure awesome sauce. Her style can be best described as dub-pop, the lovely child of dubstep and pop. Her first big hit, Like This, is a never-fail crowd pleaser and brings everyone to their feet. I love her.

As we can see, Linkoban is awesome. And we have the equally fantastic Lucy Love to thank for introducing the world to her protege. 

Lucy Love is more grime than pop, and her courage and willingness to experiment with music as well as appearance makes her a wonderful live performer.  

You can check out the full schedule here. Another performance I highly recommend is WhoMadeWho. The drummer alone, Tomas Barfod, is enough to make me drop everything and run to Christiania. He is walking sex. But he and the rest of the band are more than just (really tasty) eye candy. One of my friends described their performances as parties and he was totally right. The group actually have fun with their fans and their infectious energy simply cannot be beat. 

I had the immense pleasure of seeing this performance live at Roskilde and there aren't enough words in my vast vocabulary to describe how wonderful they are. 

So there you have it, several delicious reasons to venture to the wilderness that is Christiania, even if you don't smoke or drink. And these are just a few treats of many. The community also contains several restaurants, including two affordable vegetarian places and one rather upscale establishment. There's also a free sauna (edit: since this was written, the sauna has been closed to non-residents), movie theater, and I believe a planetarium (but don't quote me on the last one). 

The hippies founded Christiania with the belief that it should be open to everyone. And forty-one years later, their dream is still going strong. To those on a limited budget, this place was made for you.

Free Opera Experience

 ©  Det Kongelige Teater

Today, guests can enjoy a free concert starting at 5:30, when Tenor Johnny van Hal sings Britten's The Holy Sonnets of John Donne in the foyer of the Opera House. 

The performance is part of a series of free cultural events hosted by the Royal Theater. Ranging from practice performances of the Royal Ballet to relaxed snippets of popular operas, The Royal Theater hosts a number of events which make the arts more accessible.

While today's event does not require registration, some do. For more information about this and future performances, check out the web page,  Det er gratis!