One man’s junk is another man’s treasure
The phrase “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” was SO true a few days ago. Twice every year, in spring and fall, in Jena there are a few days that people are allowed to put out Sperrmüll (things they don’t want anymore that is garbage to them) on the street corners or near their houses. Sometimes this “Müll” is not garbage at all. People are allowed to put out nearly anything that they don’t want anymore, though not their normal garbage like food and bottles and such. One can put out sofas, televisions, computers, clothes, shoes, closets, shelves, beds, mattresses, bicycles, etc. The city hangs up notices on the doors of the block they will be picking things up from and the inhabitors have until a certain date to put things out on the street corner. 
So Sunday my roommate, Teresa, her boyfriend, Jonas, and I went out “shopping” around all the Sperrmüll down the mountain from our apartment. Wow, were we able to find so many cool things! Many shelving units that were in great shape (too bad we didn’t have a place to put them, or a way to bring them up the mountain to our apartment), rollerskates, wooden laundry baskets, clothespins, rugs for our room and the bathroom, a coffee pot, shoes, a mirror, a clock, an action figure that will make a great present for another roommate, christmas ornaments, magazines and an atlas from the GDR (German Democratic Republic…old East Germany) and some dishes and a small table.
But the best find of all came near the end. We were looking through this big pile of “junk” when this older woman, who was still putting things onto the pile, came up to us and asked us if we needed a television. She explained that it was still in working order and didn’t want to have to take it apart to put it on the pile (one is supposed to do so with televisions and computers for some reason. Thieves or something? I’m not sure.). “The only thing that is wrong with it is when you switch channels it gets louder and you have to turn the volume down,” she said. Teresa and I looked at each other and said we’d take it. Afterall, I didn’t have a television and Teresa’s always saying it’s a great way to learn the language…at least you get to hear it and such.
So the lady brings out this television and the three of us wonder how we’re going to be carrying this fairly large TV set up the mountain. Then Teresa remembers: Jonas lives in the area, is from Jena, and his parents have a car. So we brought the TV to Jonas’ apartment and are just waiting to get the car to bring it up the mountain. Then will come the test: does it really work?!
I’m sure you’re asking, ‘But don’t you have to pay for the stuff?!’ That’s the best part of Sperrmüll….it’s someone else’s junk! They’re throwing it away! So no, you pay NOTHING! We were able to get so much stuff for FREE Sunday that it makes you really wonder why people go buy the expensive things from the store. But why don’t we have such a thing in America? It’d be like a garage sale without making money, but you’d be getting rid of your stuff anyway. Maybe when I get home I’ll see if I can arrange something like this in my neighborhood…
