Alltag in Deutschland: Frühling & Ostern | German Listening Practice (Slow Podcast)

Hello and welcome to the Eleos German Podcast. I'm Eleo, I'm a language teacher, and this is my podcast for German learners. I would like to offer you a way to practice your German listening comprehension. and things about life in Germany. Please don't put any pressure on yourself if you don't understand everything and try to focus on what you already understand. You can listen to this podcast on Spotify and other podcast platforms. Or watch on YouTube, turn on the subtitles, and read along if you'd like. I am speaking today about a time that I particularly enjoy. I am speaking about spring and also about Easter, Because Easter falls right in the middle of spring. Yes, if you've already experienced a spring in Germany or live in a country with a similar climate to Germany You must surely know the feeling when spring begins. After a long, dark, cold winter, the first spring days always feel especially special. The flowers are blooming slowly, the sun is appearing more often, and the days are getting longer. And we have clearly noticed this here for several weeks now. We can feel that spring is in the air. Something is in the air, meaning something is currently happening or will happen soon, something is beginning, changing. And that's exactly how it has been here in recent weeks. Everything changes. Nature changes, the weather changes and the atmosphere in the city changes as a result And the mood of the people also changes. I find it fascinating and also amusing every year to see people in springtime especially noticeable on the first pleasant spring days. Some people, myself included, stay indoors as soon as the first pleasant spring sunshine appears, Simply stand on the street, look at the sun, absorb its warmth and light fully, and enjoy it. And even on the squares, benches, and walls, people sit peacefully in the sun, enjoying this feeling. It is something that connects us on the first pleasant days of spring. We all experience this, we all feel it. And I also have the impression that during these days in the city, we smile at each other more, and are happier and friendlier. It feels as though we, too, are flowers slowly blooming again in spring. People are sitting in cafes and restaurants again. People are sitting outdoors in parks and on lawns. And we notice that spring is beginning, and with it, our sense of life changes. We also have a term for this in German. We're talking about springtime feelings, having springtime feelings. And that precisely describes this new energy, this lightness we feel when spring begins. And in the spring, many people celebrate a festival, namely Easter. I find Easter interesting because it has many different levels. Easter is originally a religious festival, a Christian festival. Today, many people in Germany live without a religion or follow a different religion. That is why Easter looks very different to many people. Some people celebrate Easter very traditionally and may go to church for the Easter mass. Other people take a few traditions with them and may celebrate Easter more as a cultural or family event. Other people, in turn, do not celebrate Easter at all. But what applies to all people in Germany are the three holidays we have around Easter. There is Good Friday, exactly before Easter. Then there is Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. So these are three holidays, and on these three holidays most people do not work. That is why many people have a long weekend, and schools also have Easter holidays. That means the children are on vacation and are not going to school. I also, as a language teacher, have a few days off around Easter. I am on vacation, and I am not going on vacation. I'm staying at home and really enjoying this time right now. Also more time for my hobbies, meeting up with friends, and enjoying the sunshine outside. And I'm also using my free time a lot right now to learn Portuguese. I have been learning Portuguese for a while now, and recently something has caught my attention. I already understand quite a lot, but whenever I have to speak spontaneously myself, it's still sometimes very difficult for me. Perhaps you, as a German learner, know this already. One hears a lot, reads a lot, yes, has a lot of input and already understands quite a bit. But as soon as one speaks spontaneously oneself, it is still very unfamiliar. That's why my current focus is on speaking more actively. And I'm very glad that my Portuguese teacher from italki is supporting me in this. italki is a platform where you can book 1-on-1 lessons with native speakers. I found my Portuguese teacher through the filter function. And he supports me very well in my learning process and adapts superbly to the focus. so that I can engage more in active speaking. What I really like is that the class hours are very flexible. I have plenty of time right now and can simply book more hours. And many teachers offer trial lessons at a reduced price. so that you can first take a look and see which person truly fits you. And if you'd like to sign up, if you ever want to try it out, You are welcome to use the link in the description for that. With the code ELEO4, you get 5 euros off your first lesson over 10 euros. and by doing so, you also support my channel and me. Also, have fun with it! Yes, I had a lot of fun with it during my Easter holidays And I will also have a lot of fun at Easter. I will spend Easter this year with children. And in Germany, there are lovely traditions for children at Easter. The Easter Bunny is coming. The Easter Bunny comes in the morning and hides chocolate and sweets, Sometimes small gifts for the children as well. He hides it in the gardens or in the houses and apartments. And then the children look for the chocolate and the candies. And that is always very sweet, very funny, and a lovely tradition. so many families here have. Otherwise, I think many people have the tradition of to make a nice, large Easter breakfast and simply spending time with the family and spend the holidays peacefully. Some people use the long weekend or vacation to go away. and others don't notice any of it at all, because they might not be celebrating at all or might have to work instead For example, in a hospital. What everyone did notice, though, was the chocolate in the supermarkets. Before Easter, that is, several weeks before Easter, we see chocolate eggs, chocolate rabbits, in supermarkets, All kinds of animals and objects made of chocolate. And I find it quite interesting when you take a look at the symbols surrounding Easter. Indeed, they are all for Easter, but also precisely for this period, during which Easter falls For a fresh start. The hare, for example, stands for fertility and growth. Eggs symbolize new life. Yes, there are many symbols that represent Easter. but actually also symbolically represent this time of year. Easter can have very good weather at times and very bad weather at other times. After all, we are in Germany, and even if we all have springtime feelings, The weather can sometimes not be so nice. The weather here in spring is actually very changeable. It's very nice now, almost summery, And suddenly it's cold and raining, almost like winter. Sometimes it can even snow in April. I hope this doesn't happen this year. And we also have an expression, a phrase for it. We say that April does as it pleases. In April, we can have any kind of weather. The weather in April and throughout spring is very changeable. Then there is also a change in the spring, namely the daylight saving time adjustment. The clocks are set forward one hour. From winter time to summer time. I always get a little confused. Every six months I find myself wondering, Are the clocks being set forward or back now? and I get a little confused. But there is a saying that helps in this regard, namely in spring, the garden furniture, also the furniture for the terrace, for the garden, placed in front of the house because we are using them again, because the weather is getting better. Also the furniture is being placed in front of the house. The clocks are presented. Then in the fall, the clocks will be set back. The furniture is coming back into the house or behind the house. That's a mnemonic that helps me. The watches have now been presented as well. presented one hour ago. At two o'clock in the morning, it was suddenly three o'clock in the morning, and many people notice that in the mornings, when they get up and are tired. But above all, we notice that the days are now getting longer, And that is truly beautiful. I think that's the issue. what I personally value most about spring and summer, that we have more light and the days are getting longer again. It's simply a quality of life that we don't have in winter. Just going out after work and having light with me That is already very nice. And I also have a short text about it in my last German post written and would like to share it with you once again briefly. Only a small excerpt. After the long winter months, it feels almost a bit like like a collective sigh of relief. A shared anticipation for the spring and summer months, the ones that await us. We all feel it, this sense of life with greater lightness, Warmth and light, which we have missed throughout the winter and almost forgotten. Suddenly, music can be heard again from open windows, People stop on the street and talk longer than usual. In the parks, groups are sitting on the grass, although the grass is actually still much too cold. Yes, that's how spring feels to me here and now I am very interested in it, How spring feels to you. If you have experienced a spring in Germany, Please report on it gladly. If you live in another country, Please tell me about spring in your country. Maybe there isn't even a spring where you are. I would find it very exciting to learn whether there are similarities or significant differences there. And of course, I am also very interested in whether you celebrate Easter. Feel free to vote in favor during the voting. Just click Yes or No. I am very excited about the results of the survey, the vote and can also review the results report on the previous episode Tell me about the results. Actually, last episode, also in the episode about the school system in Germany, asked whether you find ten years a good age to send children to a secondary school as well as to decide, which secondary school the children will attend. And it's really exciting, because 50% of you voted yes on Spotify and 50% for No. That means your opinions are divided, go separate ways And in the comments on YouTube Do you also have very interesting things? Tell me about the school system in your countries, Tell me about your school days. And there, many have also said, that they find it very early ten years ago, to decide which secondary school the children will attend. I would like to read a short comment aloud by Jean-François. He is a teacher in France. Jean-François writes, Instead of investing in schools, The state cancels training positions. I am a substitute teacher, but I don't always have a job. Yes, thank you very much, Jean-François. for sharing your teaching perspective from France. And this shows very clearly, that not only in Germany more money should be invested in education but also in France and some other countries. I also know teachers in France. and keep hearing very frustrating things over and over again. Therefore, courage! And thank you once again for sharing, even for sharing and your support among so many videos Thank you and best wishes. And yes, now I am very interested in what you write under this video I look forward, as always, to exchanging with you. and wish you a happy Easter, if you celebrate and otherwise a very beautiful spring, if there is spring where you live. Bye!