Swallow the Toad
From Britain to Germany
Published on 14. April 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
198 pages
978-1-78963-433-4 (ISBN)
Description
Swallow the Toad is a light and fast read which will amuse all those who know a little about the German mindset.
In her eleven years living and working in Germany, Abigail takes us on a journey to a place full of chaos, confusion and contradictions and discovers the deep chasm that exists between the stereotypical view of Germany and the reality.
At a time when Europe is wondering about the origins and features of the struggling German economy which has once again labelled this nation as the "sick man of Europe", these pages offer a kind of psychological and sociological insight arising from personal and day-to-day experiences.
Anyone planning to move to the "country of sausages and sauerkraut" can get some useful tips and advice, knowing that if they go ahead they will have to frequently 'swallow the toad'.
In her eleven years living and working in Germany, Abigail takes us on a journey to a place full of chaos, confusion and contradictions and discovers the deep chasm that exists between the stereotypical view of Germany and the reality.
At a time when Europe is wondering about the origins and features of the struggling German economy which has once again labelled this nation as the "sick man of Europe", these pages offer a kind of psychological and sociological insight arising from personal and day-to-day experiences.
Anyone planning to move to the "country of sausages and sauerkraut" can get some useful tips and advice, knowing that if they go ahead they will have to frequently 'swallow the toad'.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Gloucester
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
2 black and white images
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 142 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
241 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78963-433-4 (9781789634334)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Abigail Dunn was born in Enfield, Middlesex, and grew up in the up-and-coming town of Waltham Cross. After being told to "never become a teacher" by one of her school teachers, she moved to Germany in 2012 to teach English at a prestigious university. She holds a first-class degree in French and German from the University of Exeter and a DPhil in 19th and early-20th-century-German-fiction from Exeter College, Oxford. Since living in Germany Abigail has taught in various schools, universities and companies across the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. When not teaching she enjoys trying to play the violin and drinking a glass of Riesling.
Content
Preface ; How well do you know Germany? Questions ; Chapter 1 28 Deutschland. Warum nicht?; Germany. Why not? ; Chapter 2 369 Von Pontius zu Pilatus. From pillar to post ; Chapter 3 168 Aller Anfang ist schwer in Deutschland; Every beginning is hard in Germany ; Chapter 4 229 Das ist nicht meine Aufgabe!; That's not in my job description! ; Chapter 5 358 Es ist illegal aber ich mache es trotzdem; It's illegal but I do it anyway ; Chapter 6 546 Das darfst du nicht!; You're not allowed to do that! ; Chapter 7 362 Datenschutz uber alles!; Data protection above all else! ; Chapter 8 398 Weltmeister Kommunikation!; World champions in communication! ; Chapter 9 251 Deutsche Grundlichkeit! German Rigour! ; Chapter 10 742 Weltmeister Planung!; World champion planners! ; Chapter 11 319 Ich bin ehrlich und ich sage meine Meinung; I'm direct and say what's on my mind ; Chapter 12 814 "Vorsprung durch Technik" ; Chapter 13 450 Ich bin auch nur ein Mensch; I'm only human ; Chapter 14 546 Das musst du doch wissen! You must know; that! ; Chapter 15 228 Servicewuste Deutschland; Service desert Germany ; Chapter 16 314 Sie mussen sofort zahlen!; You have to pay immediately! ; Chapter 17 719 Ich bin immer punktlich! I'm always on time! Chapter 18 529 Digitalisierung in Deutschland; "Digitalisation" in Germany ; Chapter 19 384 Vertrauen ist gut, Anwalt ist besser; Trust is good, a lawyer is better ; Chapter 20 190 Ich war es nicht. It wasn't me ; Chapter 21 279 Es ist billig, in Deutschland zu leben!; It's cheap living in Germany! ; Chapter 22 350 Ich mache es nicht, wenn es nicht gesetzlich vorgeschrieben ist; I won't do it if it's not prescribed by law ; Chapter 23 563 Andere Lander, andere Sitten; Different countries, different customs ; Chapter 24 318 "Smalltalk" mit den Deutschen; Small talk with Germans ; Chapter 25 416 Selbstandkeit uber alles!; Self-reliance above all else! ; Chapter 26 288 Armutszeugnis* Deutschland; Certificate of poverty Germany ; ; Chapter 27 188 "Quadrat, praktisch, gut"; Square, practical good ; Chapter 28 295 Achtung! Strafe! Caution! Fine! ; Chapter 29 778 Schamen Sie sich! Be very ashamed! ; Chapter 30 627 Geiz ist geil. Cheap is sexy ; Chapter 31 327 Flexibilitat und offenes Denken? Nee danke Flexibility and open-mindedness? No ta ; Chapter 32 175 Ich bin sehr leistungsorientiert!; I'm very performance-oriented! ; Chapter 33 439 Courage ist gut, aber Ausdauer ist besser.; Courage is good, perseverance is better ; Chapter 34 277 Augen zu und durch! Grit your teeth and; get to it! ; Chapter 35 208 Weltmeister Spa ! World champions in fun! Chapter 36 161 Das Land der Dichter und Denker; The land of poets and thinkers ; Chapter 37 371 Gebildet oder eingebildet?; Educated or conceited? ; Chapter 38 925 Weltfuhrer Gesundheit!; World leaders in health! ; Conclusions ; How well do you know Germany? Answers