It feels like I had been here already for far longer than three days. There's been something new every day, so the conception of time changes too.
Today I went to the University with J for lunch. There's no cafe or diner at the institute, so the people who work here need to go someplace else to eat or alternatively bring their own lunch. I of course can use my own little kitchen.
One needs to take the U-Bahn to the university, but it was still closer than I remembered. We went there to eat once or twice also that time when I was here for the summer course - in 2003 if I remember correctly. It was good to have a Finnish-speaking guide, because each and every university cafe is different and it always takes awhile to figure out their policies.
I also met one of the researchers here, who obviously didn't think much of my German. He switched into English after just one sentence. He seemed really nice though and introduced himself only by his first name, which is something that I really appreciated. Means that one can "duzen" and doesn't need to use the polite You.
I realise it's a German habit and correct and polite and all that, but it seems somehow so hierarchical. I tend to cringe when people in Finnish use the polite you, too. Some sales people do that. Especially if one is wearing something bit more formal. I guess that is one of the reasons why I don't like it actually. If I go to a store wearing jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt, I don't get the polite you. Do the same in high heels and a blazer, and they pretty much always address you formally. There is something fishy about that.
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