time to celebrate

Every morning this week, I have woken up and thought, “YES! It’s Sunday!  Unfortunately, this has only been true for one of four days.

I’ve heard many an expat and German discuss the Frühlingsmudigkeit (Spring Tiredness) and the Föhren (hot air?) that make people tired, depressed, have migraines, blah blah.  These claims are all backed up with talk of hot air coming down from the Alps and being trapped in the city, or something about changing daylight.  But the Germans love their diseases, so this was all dismissed as whining from those who are not chipper morning people like myself.  However, for the past two weeks, karma has come back big time – I have never been so tired!  I can sleep 8, 9 hours a day and still not want to get out of bed.  A far cry from my normal eyes-popping-open-at-6am-on-Saturday, shrieking, “I’m awake!  I’m awake!”

This whole not-wanting-to-go-to-school feeling is especially frustrating as May will bring a slew of national holidays.  Not a plethora, per se, but three, which is enough to re-charge.  Especially since two fall on Thursday, and I full intend to enjoy a “bridge” Friday as well.  But while three holidays in one month is nothing to scoff at, this highlights a greater problem confronting the German public: lack of “flexible” holidays.

In the US, if the 4th of July falls on Saturday, we would have Friday off.  Or holidays are specially built to fall on the “fourth Monday” “second Tuesday” and whatnot to ensure that there is the same number of holidays every year.  In Germany, land of people who love to talk about how much holiday they get, there are no such make-up holidays.  If the national holiday, October 3, falls on a Sunday, you are outta luck, buster.  Likewise this month with Ascension, which coincides with Labor Day (May 1) this year.  In some countries, they are awarding May 2 as a make-up holiday.  Not so with our German friends.  So when all is said and done, this year we only have 10 holidays in Germany – not much to brag about if you asked me!

Although any time you’re ensured 25 days of holiday, I guess you’re not supposed to complain.