Germans are not renowned for their sense of humour, and in an attempt to shake off their rather seri...
Germans are not renowned for their sense of humour, and in an attempt to shake off their rather serious reputation, a nationwide network of 'laughter clubs' has been established to train Germans in the art of having a giggle
The club's founder who incidentally wears a bell on his shoe for comic effect says that classes do not rely on conventional methods. Rather, club members work through 11 well-regulated stages. The class starts with members standing in a circle, clapping and chanting: "Ho ho ho, ha ha ha," as loudly as possible. When this has been mastered they are taught how to pounce like lions
One member said his favourite part of the class was laughing like a lion, which involved opening his mouth as wide as he could, sticking out his tongue and raising his hands as if they were paws. He said it makes him laugh till he can no longer speak. It's good to know that irony, sarcasm and spontaneity feature highly on the curriculum
