May 13 - Ascension
May 24 - Pentecost Monday
...
I like holidays as much as the next person, but in Germany, all shops close on holidays in addition to Sundays as usual. This makes life annoying when you has next to no time to run errands as it is, and your only chance is to fight through the throngs of tourists on Saturdays. Wah!
On the other hand, vacation days and national holidays are no joke here; really, no one works. I find this a welcome change from the American grind. Perhaps it's not a fair comparison with my last years in the US were spent madly finishing graduate school, but even the busy/super-productive people here in Germany see holidays as an integral part of their year, no questions asked. In the US, I often got the feeling that if I took a holiday, I was showing weakness or a lack of commitment to my job. You almost feel like your job is at risk if you have to call in sick. Not here. It's a relief to know that your well-being is considered more important than being the cog in the work machine.
Having seen both sides of it, I realize that I was close to being brainwashed into workaholism. But now (even as I write my blog while at work) I feel motivated to work hard now, and enjoy the time off!
