I think there's an East/West thing going on as well. Berlin is a weird mix of both, and immigrants make it culturally very different from the rest of Germany.
On Thu, 8 May 2025, 15:39 Huda Masood via Silklist, < [email protected]> wrote: > Really? In Bonn, Germany I get asked all the time what I do as an > occupation. I have NEVER been asked what I do for physical activity! I > wonder if it a life phase specific question? > > On Thu, 8 May 2025 at 10:30, Aditi via Silklist < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> I've been silent on here for a while but had to answer this one. >> >> In Germany the equivalent of what do you do, is what sport do you play or >> "do you make sport". I, the most unathletic person I know, have been caught >> off guard because my Indian brain thinks - Cricket? Tennis? Football? >> Badminton? And I would sheepishly answer, I don't play a sport, only to >> receive shocked looks. I finally understood that they were asking about >> any physical activity, to find something common to talk about - so I now >> simply say I hike/walk, do yoga etc. >> >> I have never yet been asked "what do you do for a living" in an >> introductory conversation with anyone in Germany. I have, however, been >> asked what the population of the city I come from is 😁 >> >> On Thu, 8 May 2025, 13:00 Bruce Metcalf via Silklist, < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I think that great fun, and some non-small benefit, can result from >>> overturning the usual banal greeting questions. >>> >>> A late friend responded to, "What do you do?" with "I don't *do*, I >>> *be*!" Assuming that didn't frighten them away she would then go on to >>> talk about the things she was doing, why they were important to her, and >>> finally, "What do you *be*?" (complete with that peculiar wording). >>> >>> Her favorite answer was, "I... I'm not sure. Let me think about that." >>> >>> An interesting approach to both connections and self-understanding, but >>> a bit off-putting for those living the unexamined life. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> / Bruce / >>> >>> -- >>> Silklist mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://mailman.panix.com/listinfo.cgi/silklist >>> >> -- >> Silklist mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://mailman.panix.com/listinfo.cgi/silklist >> > > > -- > Huda Masood > +91 9886796967 > -- > Silklist mailing list > [email protected] > https://mailman.panix.com/listinfo.cgi/silklist >
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