Quick back story: I have been chipping away and this momentus task of learning German for the past five years. I don’t think you need to learn a language when you go on vacation somewhere, but I am living here so it’s only fair that I learn the language. I am happily doing so.
We have this neighbour who in general is a very prickly old man, but who I came to think of as a friend over the last two years. He HATES foreigners, but for some reason he has made an effort to chat to me every day even if it’s just about the weather. When I was booked off sick, he checked in with me regularly to see how I was holding up, and he’s just been a nice guy to me throughout.
Then, he started niggling at Andy to only speak German to me, and that he hears us speak English in our own garden and home and he thinks we shouldn’t. I told Andy that I need a safe space where I know all the words to express myself, and he met me in English which is neither of our mothertongues anyway. I said I’m not taking suggestions about which language I should love in at this time. What’s next?! Does he also have an opinion on how many sugars I should have in my coffee, or how many times a week I’m allowed to have sex? Pffft… boundaries, right?!
He (neighbour) never said anything directly to me though, until fairly recently. Then he came out swinging on the same theme again, red faced and outraged even. I told him calmly but firmly that he’s entitled to his opinion, but this is my home and NOT my school, and there I do what I want. He said I should let go of my shit backwards English and other African languages (Afrikaans) because I am German now. 🤣🙄🤬😱 Exsqueeze me? I said, no actually… I’m not. I live in Germany, but I will always be South African, and I am not ashamed of who I am or where I come from. You can take a horse to the beach and even teach it to swim, but it will NEVER be a seahorse.
He then shouted at me that I will not pass my B1 exam, because I am too stupid. He doesn’t even think I could pass one made for a kindergarten child. *Insert twitchy eye from my side* My dude…we’ve had this entire argument in fucking German and I was wiping the floor with him without even raising my voice or resorting to name calling and insults like he was. Not a friend after all.
Anyhoo, he’s been hiding in his house for the past 4 months. Every time he sees us he runs inside and hides. Either he’s very embarrassed by his own behaviour or he’s just terrified of the “Scheiß Ausländer” living next door? Not my problem really, I still greet him when I see him, but I am not interested in talking to him, not even about the weather.
So…as a little side motivation when I was busy studying for my exam, I had my eye on these two shirts in the horse theme. 🤣
I got 92% 🥳 and this is the one I eventually bought.
I love living here, even with all the chaos and trauma I went through last year, and honestly I find the majority of the people here really friendly and easy to get along with. But those few and far in between that try and make me feel like I crawled out of cheese and need to apologise for my very existence can F.R.O. quite frankly.
I’m not here to invade your country, subvert your culture or abuse your social system. I’m here to provide my child with safety and opportunities (not handouts) and to be a productive member of society while we make our new home here. I am definitely not here as your international boxing bag for when you’re having a kak day. I don’t owe you shit, I work for what I have.
And on that cheery note I’m going to end off this post, because recapping it again just gets me so worked up all over, and I am actually done with it. 🤣
So whatever… *gallops off in a different direction*
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