Is ‘Erlebnis’ German Zen-Mind Or A Slice Of Cantaloupe?
I Learn To Make The Small Things In Life More Enjoyable
Sometimes I’ve felt that Erlebnis is as unapproachable for me as the art of Zen i.e. not happening. Philosophically tricky, even.
To get an idea of what the German word ‘Erlebnis’ means, think of the definition of ‘Brunch’ in an early episode of the Simpsons: “It’s not quite breakfast, it’s not quite lunch, and it comes with a slice of cantaloupe…”
Erlebnis can be understood as something a little beyond the ordinary that makes it special: Breakfast is good — but normal. Lunch is fine. But again, not special. Brunch, though…eating between Breakfast and Lunch?! Having that decadent slice of cantaloupe at the end…that is definitely the ‘wow-factor’ that propels this into Erlebnis territory.
Brunch is a classic Erlebnis…uhhhh….I think.
I live in Germany, but I’ve found it difficult to pinpoint EXACTLY what Erlebnis means. Very roughly, it means ‘a special experience’, but somehow I feel like Germans cry ‘Erlebnis!’ when I don’t expect it. They say the experience was special, when I found it just ‘OKAY’.
I’m definitely missing something — somehow I’m doing the same things, but not reaching that state-of-enjoyment-mind that propels the Germans into having an Erlebnis.
My First Experience — Was It Special?
My first encounter with Erlebnis was at the self-proclaimed ‘Erlebnis Zoo’. Just like breakfast and lunch are normal, a Zoo is just a Zoo. An Erlebnis Zoo, however, offers you more than just animals in cages. Maybe it offers a boat ride that immerses you in the jungle, or maybe it gives you the chance to peer into a dangerous wave pool of seals, transporting you magically to a stormy Arctic. Special, right?
I missed that boat, though — literally. Maybe I wasn’t yet ready for Erlebnis?
The others didn’t wait for me to come to the boat ride because I got stuck for an hour watching a wild donkey. This donkey stayed the whole time with its head firmly pushed into a corner of a building. Sporadically, a tiny gazelle would spring energetically towards it and try and nudge it out of the corner, but donkey would only frown (?) and push it’s head even farther into the corner.
I was fascinated.
But after an hour, I suddenly came to my senses… what was I even doing here? Was this an Erlebnis, or was I wasting my time?? I suddenly realized that it was quite possible that the boat ride was my only chance at a SPECIAL Zoo experience, a.k.a. the Erlebnis. Objectively speaking, the donkey was pretty awesome…but was it Erlebnis-worthy?
I was starting to doubt myself, and my doubts were confirmed when I found my companions again. They could only talk about the boat ride. I had missed an immersive jungle experience and the main Erlebnis of the Erlebnis Zoo.
My First Erlebnis Success
I did have some successes in my quest for Erlebnis. I discovered “Plunsch Brunch” at a local hotel (yes, Germans found Brunch!) This was brunch combined with access to the pool/sauna area. It was easy for me to get into the Erlebnis-mood because Brunch is already an obvious special experience. If you add a couple of hours in the swimming pool afterwards…well, you’ve got yourself a clear-cut, hard-core Erlebnis.
The swimming and brunch combination felt good. Delicious food, casual splashing around in the pool…I was Erlebnis-ing the hell out of this, AND having a good time. I felt like I was making progress into this elusive German state-of-mind.
But after the high of Plunsch Brunch came years of drought and doubt. I couldn’t shake the feeling that, outside of Brunch, I didn’t really understand what an Erlebnis was.
For instance, I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I went to the traditional Christmas market — and I wasn’t feeling the Erlebnis at all. You should know, Christmas Markets are a classic Erlebnis. Just think of it: at the darkest, coldest time of year, you can meet up with your friends outside in a cozy market, and drink mulled wine surrounded by Christmas decorations and music.
What is not special about that experience? But I guess I had an off-day.
I felt more like having drinks the Dr. Seuss way. That is, the drinks with my friends didn’t have to be ONLY at the Christmas Market to be good. I would have drank in a bar, in a box, with foxes and trains…it didn’t matter where we had our drink: I just wanted to hang out. If the place isn’t special, then it’s no Erlebnis.
I was an Erlebnis failure.
My Erlebnis-ment
I kept at my Erlebnis education. I wasn’t going to give up on Erlebnis as fast as I gave up on Zen’s two minutes of pure hell.
My ‘Erlebnis-ment’ happened on a castle terrace that overlooked a hillside vineyard and a river on a very peaceful evening before Christmas. Much like the Christmas Market, you could buy Glühwein/mulled wine there. Glühwein literally means ‘glow’ wine, and as I drank it, it started working its ‘glow’ magic. It seeped deep down inside me, and the magic of the evening did, too.
Like a king, I surveyed the lands and river stretching out before me. I looked at my friends warmly, and raised my glass in a toast to everything, because everything tonight was special…
…and it happened!! I was having an Erlebnis! As I raised my glass, I realized that I did NOT want to drink with my friends in a box this evening. I wasn’t ready to drink with a fox or on the Express train to Hamburg. I didn’t want to just ‘hang out’. No. I wanted to be with these friends right here and right now, because it was special here!
I was Erlebe-ing like I had never done before. It wasn’t my first time, but it was special.
Despite my Erlebnis-ment, I still can’t claim that I understand every situation that a German considers an Erlebnis…but now that I’ve experienced this elusive state-of-mind for myself, I am excited to be at the beginning of this special journey.
I think I learned that Erlebnis isn’t about the special experience, per se. It’s about making an experience special. It was never about the cantaloupe itself, the cantaloupe is just the excuse to love the world.
And just so no one forgets in the giddiness of my Erlebnis-ment: the Donkey may not have been officially an Erlebnis, but it was officially fucking awesome. I can still enjoy things my own way, too.
