Live Sports Abroad: Handball Bundesliga

So, it turns out when you are spending a lot of time learning a new language you lose some time (and brain space) to do other things, like update this blog. Alas, I'm still going to work on posting regardless of how often I manage to do so. Without further ado, the return of Live Sports Abroad:

Handball is a sport that's relatively popular in Europe, but not at all in the US. Pretty much the only handball you'll see in the US is if you seek it out during Summer Olympics coverage. You may, but probably don't, remember that we went to a women's handball match in Slovenia roughly 5 years ago on the sabbatical. That was funny because the two referees were twins and we got wicked confused. For reference, that post is here.

The Berlin team for the Handball Bundesliga (German Handball League) is the Füchse Berlin (Berlin Foxes) and we went to their home opener at Max-Schmelling-Halle in Prenzlauer Berg, an easy tram ride from our apartment. As you can see, the place was packed and it was very loud. You can see some of the Fan Club section in the top left of the photo complete with the drummers like they have at soccer matches. Players pass the ball around and take shots at the goal, with contact rules that I don't fully understand, but there were several two minute penalties like in hockey where one team has to play shorthanded. I also feel like the goalies (goalkeepers?) were way better in this match than any handball match (live or otherwise) I've watched before though admittedly that is not many. They made several stops and were wicked pumped when they did.

As for concessions, for food there was the usual schnitzels and wursts and pommes, but people didn't really seem to be getting any food. The beer line however went for ages. Also, you have to pay a euro pfand (deposit) for a plastic cup that you can return at the end. No disposable plastic cups at events here in Germany.

This is Fuchsi, the mascot for the team. He was a little subdued in the first half as the team managed to bring it to a hard fought tie at halftime. The Füchse exploded at the beginning of the second half however to take and never relinquish the lead and Fuchsi was pumped.

I can't see anyone ever actually saying Bam! Hammerteam! but who knows, Berlin can be a weird place.

All in all, It's great, but I think it would be hard to commercialize (read: make money) in the US because it's a fast game that consists only two thirty minute halves so with breaks and halftime the game is over in around an hour and a half. Nevertheless, I feel like someone who was physical and fast but flamed out of the NBA because they didn't have a shot might do well in handball, but who knows.

I really enjoy handball and it's a cheap, fun thing to do. Also a bonus, the games are often on Sunday afternoons when everything else in Germany is closed. Hopefully, we'll get to a few more Füchse home games throughout the season.

Settling In

We are slowly obtaining all of the various Government IDs and registering with the required authorities that we need to function here in Germany (Meldebestätigung, Steueridentifikationsnummer, Rundfunkbeitrag) and other various fun things to try and pronounce in German. (As an aside, the easiest of all of these has been the health insurance which was a simple one page form for both of us I just sent to an email address and then they sent us letters that basically said: You have health insurance!)

Christiana has started work and is navigating all of the new things that come with that and I've started intensive German classes. They've been great not only because it will be useful to have a better command of the language but also as a social outlet. The class is truly international and contains people from Ireland, Israel, Sweden, Turkey, Indonesia, Colombia, Brazil, (and one other American from New York). It's great if mentally tiring but that part I'm not wicked surprised about.

We have been able to get out and about some as we went to a fireworks competition that was unlike any fireworks we've ever seen. Three teams competed in a 1 minute technical challenge (specific colors), 4 minute show to the same predetermined music, and then a 10 minute freestyle. So we basically watched 45 minutes of ridiculous fireworks. The team from Poland won, but we liked the team from Slovenia the best.

Also once a year most of the museums (and there are a lot of museums) in Berlin stay open until 2 in the morning for one night (Lange Nacht der Museen, Long Night of Museums) and they offer extra programs and activities which leads to things like this after midnight in an art gallery which is great:

And, for the video game enthusiasts out there, the German Technology Museum included this gem in their section about gaming:

Up Next: A returning feature from the old blog!