Video Wednesday: Maibaumaufstellung (Raising the Maypole)

May 14, 2008 · Filed Under Video Wednesday 

As of today, I have now lived 6 years in Germany. It wasn’t all good times, I had plenty of homesickness and cultural adjustment to experience. I spent plenty of nights crying and plenty of mornings not wanting to get out of bed, but I always kept going. First, I told myself that I couldn’t give up before living a year abroad, how wimpy would that be. Then I said two years. Each year was easier, and once I hit three year, it was pretty much smooth sailing. In my fifth year, I decided that maybe, just maybe, I preferred to spend the rest of my life in Germany. Over the last week, I realized that I don’t mind drinking wine at all (I used to hate the taste). I suppose it’s only a matter of time till I’m out on the Wiese, drinking a Mass while eating Weisswurst for breakfast.*

Now, on to the main event. Today’s Video Wednesday is this year’s Maypole raising in Harting, Germany. Harting is a small Bavarian village located just south of Regensburg. Andrea invited us to join their Maifest (May fest), which took place on the 1st of May, and since Laaber wasn’t having one, I jumped at the chance to film the event. I finally got around to editing the pieces together yesterday, and it was a project. How to condense a 1.5 hour event into 6 minutes? I hope you enjoy my efforts.

* Wiese = meadow, Mass = liter of beer, Weisswurst = white boiled sausage typical eaten before 12pm in Bavaria

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Comments

7 Responses to “Video Wednesday: Maibaumaufstellung (Raising the Maypole)”

  1. barbara on May 14th, 2008 12:26 pm

    Hi Christina,
    That was very interesting ! A real Maypole. Bravo to the guys because it took a lot of work to install it.
    Yes , adjustment to another country is always a long road, and we all have the bad sides.Chin up Christina; the worst is behind you!

    barbaras last blog post..To work or not to work ?

  2. rita on May 14th, 2008 2:18 pm

    that’s quite some impressive maypole!!!

    ritas last blog post..malfoys in the news

  3. andrea on May 14th, 2008 9:19 pm

    well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Hezamarie on May 16th, 2008 10:23 am

    Hey you. Congrats on reaching Year 6. Even Alex, for being a NRW boy, has converted a bit and will eat a Weißwurst on occasion… with lots of Münchener Senf.

    Awesome video!

    Hezamaries last blog post..Pentecost Weekend Highlights

  5. silvia on May 17th, 2008 5:26 pm

    wow, very well done Christina!

  6. swenglishexpat on May 18th, 2008 6:37 pm

    That’s what I call a May pole! And they did not cheat (like I think most do these days) by using a big crane. But I was surprised to see that there were no hard hats or other safety measures taken. Children and others were standing within “striking distance” of the pole. Seems very un-German to me. But my hat goes off to them, fantastic effort. Thanks for sharing. I have seen many poles around where we live, but never how the heck they get them up!

    swenglishexpats last blog post..ABBEY - Oh no! Not again! (cont.)

  7. Christina G on May 21st, 2008 11:40 am

    I’m glad you all like it! I was worried I’d condensed it too much.

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