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living in switzerland
October 2009 
Control Fart
Jena
Sometimes the German language makes me smile.
Take the word 'fahrt' for example which means 'drive'.
It's pronounced exactly the same as its low class English brother,
and this puts a new swing on everything, particularly the meaning of 'ascension'
which translates as 'Auffahrt' or 'Christi himmelfahrt'.
'auf' meaning 'up' and 'himmel' meaning heaven. I'll leave the rest to your imagination!
(actually 'ab' pronounced 'up' means 'down' here, but that's another whole chapter
of my life...)
anyway, back to my story.
I discovered the other day quite by surprise that I've been 'fahrt'-ing illegally in Switzerland for
well over 4 years. And that, in order to 'do it' legally I would have to go for a 'kontrollfahrt' .
The implications being that if I didn't do it right I would have to start from scratch, take practical lessons
and even write exams on the subject in German!
Talk about motivation to excellence. I decided I'd better take a few 'fahrt' lessons from a qualified instructor just to be sure I wasn't offending anyone with my usual practices. I must be honest, I learnt quite a few practical tips, particularly how to do it respectfully in tight corners or when surrounded by cyclists.
well, I'm a legal 'Führer' now, with a licence to 'fahrt' wherever I please in Switzerland. If you don't believe me I'll show you the accompanying offical letter I got. It says exactly what my examiner said. That the powers that be in this country wish me, above all else, a 'gute Fahrt' !
;o
and you thought this country was full of anally-retentive people? Just shows you, nothing is really as it seems!
Access: Public
I could not find Ausfardht or Einfardht on the map of Germany…where was this place..and such a huge town it had many exits!! HAHA…I can relate totally!
Classic dear ET (!?)
the abfahrt and aus?fahrt signs get me every time and the airport. Invaribaly I go 'fahrt'ing down the wrong lane and end up at departures instead of arrivals or vice vera.
the only way to get it right is to remember up (ab) means down. So if you're meeting a plane that's coming down this is your lane. If not, choose the other lane.
:)
Oh this made me smile! Me and my loved one have finally decided Germany is the 'next place' for us, even though we resisted for years ( proving to me once again that I have much less - none? - control over what happens than I think I do). We do a lot of driving and I always smile at Fahrt in all its contexts especially having a gute Fahrt!
~ Sandra
I worked for 6 months as a nightclub bouncer (really!) in Munich, sorry… München, years ago. I spent a lot of time driving around Oberammergau and Garmisch looking at car license plates with 'Fuck-1234' (or whatever number) written on them. I hear they've discontinued issuing that series. To bad….. ;-)
But we can always play with German words too:
Heut kommt der Hans nach Haus,
Freut sich die Lies,
Ob er aber über Oberammergau,
Oder aber über Unterammergau,
Oder aber überhaupt net kommt,
ist nicht g'wiß!
Albert
;)
I'll forward this to some german tongues see what 'comes' back
Jenna - More or less it's:
Today Hans will be coming home.
Lisa is happy.
Whether he comes by way of Oberammergau,
Or whether he comes by way of Unterammergau,
Or whether he comes at all,
Is not certain.
A bit trickier in German….;-)
Thanks Albert
I know this much
except I read net as nett which means 'nicely'!
isn't it just magnificent that in any language
the addition of a single letter
can put a whole new spin on things
Or the subtraction - mein Got yes.