it´s not crashing if you don´t speak the language

Lila and her family have graciously welcomed us into their home on a pretty busy weekend. Right now Miri, their middle daughter, has a bunch of friends over to celebrate her 14th birthday, which is tomorrow. This morning Tabea, their oldest daughter, was interviewed in church because she is getting baptized next week. And yesterday, we got to go with them to a wedding!

We felt pretty self-conscious about this because we obviously did not know the couple, nor did we speak the language, nor were we appropriately dressed (who rocks the hot in quick-dry fabrics? we do). Nonetheless, we jumped in the car with Lila and the girls and headed off for the church. We arrived at the same time as the bride, which is always fun, except they were all just hanging out outside, and the doors were open, so everyone is turned back to look at the bridal party hanging out there, and in come the Töws family, with two random underdressed girls in tow.

So of course we try to discretely slip into the back couple of pews. This would have worked out, except we somehow managed to locate The Loudest Pew In The World. Every time you shifted your weight, I swear flocks of birds in the fields nearby swarmed into flight.

Awk-ward.

The ceremony was somewhat different from what we´re used to. In Germany churches can´t actually marry people, so they get married legally the day before, and the service is more like a regular church service, except the announcements seemed to have to do with the reception, and the groom welcomed everyone near the beginning as well.

At the end, they walked out to "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You", and then there was a receiving line as you exited the church.

Awk-ward.

We discussed at length how we should handle this. "Hi, you don´t know me, and you don´t speak my language, but you look beautiful and I hope you´ll be very happy together." Hmm. Maybe a language-barrier-crossing thumbs up sign and a hug? No.

We snuck out the side and waited behind some shrubs until the girls were done.

Friends, Lonely Planet does not advise you on how to navigate this stuff.