It's Monday

Hello everyone!

Well, today was the first full day in our new apartment. We did a lot of moving in and laundry (still doing laundry actually... I always put that off until I have nothing left to wear except a token shirt or perhaps two that I would never wear otherwise.) The apartment is really cool, the living room is spacious and we have plenty of shelves and closet space for everything. We haven't seen much of our flatmates, only really Gunter, our sort of live-in landlord. I really like having this half of the apartment to ourselves for most of the time (our two rooms, the kitchen and a tiny bathroom). Off the kitchen there is a tiny little elevator that only goes from the floor to our apartment; we have the highest one in the building, 85 steps up! The elevator is tiny and is mostly made of wood, we saw a little plaque on the wall inside that says 1918. Yes that's right, the elevator appears to be nearly 100 years old. I might not have ever stepped inside it again if there wasn't another label that says the date and approval of that last inspection. It's a little jerky, but when we were getting all of our stuff up here to move in, man, I was really glad to have it.

Berlin is really really cool, especially at night. Granted, during the day as we walked to do our errands there is a lot of litter on this part of town and a LOT of graffiti, but graffiti is really normal in most cities in Germany, much much more than what I've ever seen in the U.S. Anyway, we had a long trek to the apartment from the train station, but it gave us some time to take in our surroundings. There are so many cafes and restaurants, it's unbelievable. It makes me wonder how they can all stay in business with so much competition! It was a Sunday night and still the city was sparkling with nightlife and loads of people out and about. I guess I'm used to the early closing times of businesses in Germany, even on the weekend, most malls and stores close at 8.00 pm. I even saw a sign for the mall in Leipzig that said, roughly translated, "Night Owl shopping on the weekend! New hours! Open until 20:00!" (8pm. To all my B & N buddies, join me in a hearty chuckle at that.) My point is that even on a Sunday night, at 9pm, this city still kicks. As you know, after about 8pm on a Sunday in Fort Wayne, you're pretty much staying home for the night. So, you're never really lacking for things to do or see in the evening, which is usually when I get the most antsy.

Let pause here and say it's really great to have clean clothes. I don't know why I wait so long!!

It's hot in Germany! As I sit here at my desk, the sun is down, and all the windows are open, for the first time today there's a great cool breeze blowing in occasionally. I miss the air conditioning, which here is considered a pretty unnecessary luxury. Much of Germany is quite ecological. I see their point, but still makes me think longingly upon entering my own cool house after spending time outside.

Sooooo, the Rhineland! It's taken me a long time to write about this! I sent some of you postcards so you already know the beauty of the place. Christian, I, and his parents went to visit Bonne, Linz (yes, it's a little town named Linz!), and some of the surrounding areas' names escape me.... Anyway, the highlight of that trip was the boatride down the Rhine. We weren't in an area to see a lot of the many castles in that area, but that really didn't take away from the amazing countryside and traditional German houses and rolling hills with grape vines everywhere. I felt quite fancy with Christian floating down the Rhine, taking in the sights with a white wine in my hand.

Speaking of wine, I developed a real taste for it. I never thought that would happen. When we were in the Rhineland, Christian, his parents, and I found a little brewery (literally, it was like we were eating in a really folksily-decorated shed as you can see in the pic) and it was really cute! We stayed for a basic dinner but the reason Angelika and Gerd stopped was to sample a little of the wine made there. Of course, I was given some too. I really loved it. It was a blau portugeiser spaetlicher rosé wine, halbtrocken (half dry). It's a wine made with Blue Portuguese grapes, picked later in the season, half dry. I bought two bottles, one to share with my parents when they come visit in September. The other... I don't know, for a very special occasion. Since then, I've tried several different kinds, when it comes to white, I prefer "lieblich" or sweet. As far as red, I've only tried one with Angelika and Gerd, and I think that was not such a typical one, because it had a very distinct fruity flavor, which apparently isn't so normal. I'm hesitant to try it, because I'd tried it once on my first visit to Germany and really didn't like it at all. Ok, ok, enough about wines, although, I'm pretty excited about it as a little hobby. It seems that finding a really good one is like hunting for treasure. I have a little journal in the back of my Moleskine for the different names of the ones I've tried and how they were. So far, the one from the Rhine stands far out from the rest! Then again, the Rhine area is known for its great wine.

In Bonne, we saw the house that Beethoven grew up in, a little museum with a lot of his own instruments, and original portraits. In the audio guide there was a sample of a composition he wrote when he was 12, and it blew my mind all over. I can't even remember the things I was doing when I was that age, but I know they never had the potential to be so significant. Insane.

Overall, it was a really pleasant experience, I would recommend that area to anyone wanting to travel to Germany, as it seems to be truly as German as it gets!

I start school one week from today, and I'm excited. I saw the facebook page for people who have been there or are there now and there's 900 members of that group. Apparently the school has been around for a long time, there was one entry saying that they went to school there in sprin of '88. There are also a lot of people saying they've gone there for several summers in a row to learn. It's very encouraging to know that so many people have benefitted and loved it there. I suppose I'd had some of my doubts inevitably as the date comes closer. Will I not fit in? Will I hate it there? Is it going to be too overwhelming?? Now I've read some more of what the classes are like and it sounds just like German class at IPFW with Dr. Roberts. All taught in German, with a textbook, and lots of interaction with fellow students, including games. There are even group excursions in the afternoons for people who want to go and explore Berlin.

The school has its own fully functional restaurant which is open to the public everyday from 11am to midnight. Every Monday evening is a meeting time there for GLS students so they can eat together and socialize. Pretty cool, I think. It's still quite hard for me to speak German with people, besides pretty basic conversation, though I understand much of what people say in conversation with each other. I get so nervous (though I suppose that's a little silly) and my grammar is pretty terrible. Usually I can be understood, but it's really a challenge sometimes. Then again, if it weren't a challenge, it would be boring. The school also has a bookshop with some English novels. I'm really really looking forward to that, I want something new to read (without translating all the time!).

Ok, I've rambled long enough. I'm trying to stay awake so I can speak with my parents via Skype, but they won't be home for another hour or two. It's already 10.20pm here! Pics of the apartment and surrounding area as soon as we get things altogether and I don't have laundry drying all over the living room. All right, everyone, take care. Talk to you soon!