German diplomacy

One of those fears we, as parents, have, is that Dani will grow up to be a soldier or a priest. “Soldier, for which country, little man?”, we would tell him, “Priest, for what religion?”. Of course the answer is irrelevant, since Dani will, when the time comes, surprise us with something we still don’t have in mind and it will be far more annoying for us. That’s what kids do.

The most immediate worry is that he will turn out “too German”. At this point in time he already loves Knödel and Pretzels, and I suspect it will soon be Apfelsäure and Currywursts. When he is angry he shows a kind of Spanish temperament, but I have the feeling it is a matter of time he looks into our eyes and simply says “NEIN”. And that will break his father’s heart. And mine.

It is one of those things I will never get used to in Germany. To say “not” when I mean “not” is no doubt efficient and honest, but when one asks “is there any free German teacher for the summer?”, “Do you have change of fifty?” and “here it is my CV, do you think there would be suitable opportunities for me in your company?” the expected answer would be “I will try to think about someone” “maybe in the bar nearby” and, after throwing the CV in the pile for recycling “We will contact you”. But that “NEIN” alone demoralize and depress me. Worse, when it comes out of the mouth of a two meters tall blond German makes me think of Nazi jokes. And Nazi jokes are wrong, really wrong here. So wrong that in German lessons we go over a whole chapter of History without mention “that thing” even once.

And I think that’s ok. Otherwise the class would turn into an Internet forum, and honestly, we are good without knowing who from our mates would be happy to defend some unusual point of view. But dear German friends, if you can obviously be diplomatic sometimes, why not try and be diplomatic a bit more often. Maybe add an “aber” to that “nein” sometimes?... or better not. I can already see it: "do you think there are some opportunities for me in your company?" "NEIN, but maybe in the McDonalds nearby".