Tag: abroad

briefly on my panic attack; focus more on this German medical bill

Published on by Greta Brombeere1 Comment

I had a panic attack last month at our weekly Monday morning meeting. sure I have a lot of responsibilities as managing the training agency, but honestly nothing was overwhelming me in my life at that time.

It started with me being forgetful, leaving my wallet at home. then the dizziness set in. I felt my tongue to be swollen, and then I couldn’t even form sentences during the meeting. it got so bad that I became worried- which we all know, makes it worse. My heart started to race, and I was secretly looking up the symptoms of a stroke on my laptop.

I closed the laptop, and announced to the team (in an incoherent sentence) that I had to go to the hospital. My assistant (German native) took me to the ER in a taxi.

All that happened was I had a panic attack. not a stroke (lol).

 

okay..funny but not funny. but funny now.

 

Fast-forward a month to today when I opened my mailbox to find a letter from the hospital.

 

Now I am not early exorbitant amounts of money as an englishtrainer slash agency manager. we’re small. so of course I was less than excited, and even started pre-planning how I was going to have to go to the bank to apply for a loan.

 

how American of me.

 

BECAUSE THIS BILL IS ONLY FOR 10 FKIN EUROS.

 

ten bucks!

 

I went to the er, got sedated, checked by a professional, left after a few hours, AND IT ONLY COST TEN BUCKS.

 

so clearly I am amazedhappyenthralledoverjoyedconfusedinquizzativebutdontreallycarecauseitsonlyTENBUCKS…

 

awesome Germany. two thumbs up.

thanks for anyone not having to worry about getting worried.

 

(but also I pay about 40 percent of my monthly salary to the state so, I thank myself too). #curtsy

pizza as an appetiser vs as a meal

Published on by Greta BrombeereLeave a comment

pizza is apparently a first course in Italy.

pizza is eaten whole by one person in Germany.

 

In America, we would split a pizza between two or three.

 

American pizza, first off, is an abomination. let’s be real.

 

it can however also the best guilty pleasure.

 

But the American pizza dough is incredibly thick. If the bottom of pizza for the US is like a slice of bread, the pizza in the EU could be considered a soft cracker.

 

when you get here, you’ll understand.

 

I am one for the cracker

Tiroler-Adler cheese

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Tiroler-Adler cheese

this one fucking REEAKS. but the French gave me the advice when I was in Nice in 2016, with a table full of foreign-to-me cheeses- “the stinkier the tastier.”

I have lived my life this way ever since.

I went to the grocery store to pick up cheese for my very picky mother visiting from America. And I went to TOWN looking for new cheeses.

One stood out as the stinkiest. I could smell it through the package. honestly my hands stink as soon as I pick it up. and continue to smell until I wash my hands.

Check this website here (then translate) to see what kind of cheese Tiroler-Adler is.

it is potent. fully loaded.

so of course you can only take so much at one time.

I got creative today making my canned chicken noodle soup for 90 cents from Lidl. And just like ramen, I like to spice it up. you can’t just keep eating the same taste- gotta make it your own!

well I don’t know how you like your canned chicken noodle soup, but I have some staples:

  1. fresh cracked pepper
  2. herbs de Provence.

DELICIOUS. can’t have it with out those two. Then I will either leave it with those two or build from there.

well one day I decided to try out parmesan melted on top. because… parmesan.

goes with everything.

so I thought.

Sadly, the parmesan just doesn’t really add to the soup. it kind of honestly retracts from it.

I was also surprised!

but a girl loves melted cheese.

 

so when I looked into my fridge and smelled the whiff of the Tiroler-Adler as soon as I pulled back the fridge door, I thought to my self, lets get rid of this thing.

I ADDED IT. AND IT IS THE BEST THING TO ADD TO MY SOUP. it pairs so perfectly with the semi-flavorless canned soup, and makes it taste homemade. the flavors are completely elevated.

 

Now I would say that it is staple number three, but I don’t think I will constantly have this cheese in my fridge. But! I will definitely remember this evening when I make my own chicken noodle soup.

 

please comment below and let me know how you spice up your canned goods! I would love to hear from you.

can we talk about the bacon I had to eat in SA?

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The bacon in South Africa is NOT THE SAME as bacon in America or Germany.

in order of goodness it goes:

  1. america
  2. germany
  3. anywhere else
  4. South Africa

Okay you would think that German bacon would be legit because their main traditional meat resource is pig. But American bacon is cut just right. in Germany, I find the bacon too thin. but okay honestly the taste is better. it tastes real.

 

BUT SOUTH AFRICAN BACON IS WEIRD. The cut seems to me to be different. its extraordinarily thick in comparison to the bacon I know elsewhere. and it seems kind of close to a center cut bacon..

 

have you ever had center cut bacon? you know what I mean?

 

it’s just not the same.

 

end of rant

The difference of water in Germany

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I just received a text message from a massive group chain on WhatsApp. I’m talking about 30 people. They are a part of a company, and I am their English teacher. It is nice that they include me in this group- but talk about FOMO! They are at a Christmas part in Hamburg right now, and I just get to sit and watch from Munich.

 

Many texts have come in throughout the day and just a moment ago, this guy asked for someone to pick up water at the grocery store. The response was:

Still/Medium/Classic?

In Germany, people are so picky about their water. Which brands you buy is one of them, but mainly it’s about the level of the bubbles in the bottle.

 

Still: flat water

Classic: bubbled water

Medium: lightly bubbled water

 

I used to think this was excessive. But there is a major difference in the water. And in fact, I drink way less sodas now since I have moved here and became obsessed with Sparkling water. For me though- Classic is far too many bubbles. Medium for me please!

 

The answer in the end was:

2x Still 2x Medium