Here's a picture of the U-Bahn (subway) station:
I'm not sure why I took it but it does segue me into something I wanted to talk about. Maybe you remember back a few posts when I was talking about the U-Bahn and it's "honor system". Maybe not. I remembered today that the crime of not having a ticket and using public transportation is called "Schwarzfahren" and one who does that is a "Schwarzfahrer". Back in German class we watched a neat little short film about it; I think it was just called "Schwarzfahrer". It's on Youtube, check it out below. As you'll see the title is a play on words in German; the word "schwarz" in German means black.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQXcv1k9OM&feature=related
I appreciated that clip a lot, both then and now. It's neat to see how some of the little cultural things we did back in German class actually have helped me understand what's going on around me now.
Today has otherwise been fairly uneventful. It snowed all day long and it was really cold and windy outside. I hope I don't get sick.
The one other thing I did today was register my address with the government; it's a citizen's duty you know. Apparently they do it in the U.S. too, except they lump it in with getting your driver's license. In Germany there is no address on your driver's license.
I had been told that the whole address process involves a lot of waiting, but that was not the case at all. I think it took me all of 10 minutes to do everything. My bank account was the same way. Everyone told me I might have trouble but it all came together really nicely.
I wish a German bank account was as cool as a Swiss bank account. I only have a German one.
That's all for now.
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