Author: Anna K.
Date: 05.03.2019
After more than five months of travelling together, we all know each other very well and as a result of living on very small space together, there are some rituals that we share. Without their existence, life on board would be more boring than it is with them. During the last months, especially Kai created some running gags everybody has to smile about. Of course they are in our normal board language German, and some of them I am going to present to you now.
The “Alex”
I am sure you all know these pictures in our gallery on the website where some students stretch the index finger of their right hand in the direction of the camera and the thumb in a 90° angle to the right. That is the so-called „Alex“, inspired by the German musician Alexander Marcus. Our Geography teacher Kai brought some music on board and he loves the “Alex”-move. During the time we spent together in Cuba with him and Mirte, Kai took a minimum of five pictures of us in front of each bigger tourist attraction: Three normal ones where we just smiled into the camera, and two where we all did the „Alex“.
The “Leise-Puschel”
One thing which makes me smile every morning is some decoration, the so-called „Leise-Puschel“. Actually Paul, our Maths teacher, decorates the hallway between our cabins every evening with some Chinese decoration, which should remind us to be considerate to everybody who already went to bed to get some extra sleep. I really think it helps to remember not to talk or walk too loudly. Due to the fact Paul hangs this ”Leise-Puschel” every evening, for me it is a ritual that I will really miss at home.
The ö-language
“Hölö, wö göt ös dör?”
That is what the ö-language sounds like. You have never heard of this very easy way of communicating? Let me explain it to you. During the first part of our journey (from Kiel to Tenerife), Kai introduced the so called ö-language in watch three. Actually it is very easy to speak, but much harder to understand because you just have to change every vowel with an „ö“. The really funny thing about the ö-language is that most of us are actually really used to this way of speaking, so we sometimes even say some words „wrong” when we call our parents.
„Gibt’s Nachschlag“ – is there any food left?
For some people on board the “normal“ size portion of lunch is absolutely enough or even too much, and I really do think that you do not need more. However, especially some of the boys on board need so much food to get full and happy that a normal portion is way too small. Of course our provision masters Mirte and Jule know that some of us need more food than others, so we already prepare more food for lunch than an average portion for everybody.
So, during lunch some people come to the galley and ask for more, and especially for those who spent their whole day in the galley the question ”Gibt’s Nachschlag” (is there any food left?) is one of the biggest compliments possible.
I hope I was able to present you in four examples what a special kind of humor came up in the last few months and I am sure that we all will miss it at home.