No school tomorrow

Today is my last day of class for this week.  Tomorrow is May 1st, also known as May Day.  It is our Labor Day here in Germany and thus many places are closed, such as my school.  Coincidentally, one of the universities here in Freiburg is having a dance.  Carsten has mentioned wanting to go and since last Saturday was a bust (and he doesn't have to work tomorrow), I am guessing we will in fact head out to shake our money-makers.

Low-key afternoon

Well, after watching a couple episodes of Scooby Doo, I decided to do some learning.  I have a computer program (thanks Gary) that enables me to do various learning exercises.  One of the great things is that it has a portion that monitors how I say things.  I think this is really important because even if I know what I am saying I might not be saying it correctly and thus could be misunderstood.  So, I spent roughly 3.5 hours working with this program.  Oh, it also monitors your progress from each time you use it.  It should that I improved by 38% since I last used it in the latter part of 2008.  

Once Carsten got home it was making dinner, doing dishes and watching some TV.  Carsten spent over 1.5 hours on the phone with his sister, so I was able to watch whatever I wanted to.  I chose Little Britain.  If you don't know what this is, I would highly suggest you check it out.

Feeling a bit blind-sided

This morning after about 40 minutes into my class the other teacher came in and told me I would need to leave the class now to take an exam.  Though on the exam it stated I had 30 minutes to complete the test, I was in fact only given 20 minutes before it was taken away from me.  Needless to say, I did not finish the test.  However, later in the morning this teacher came back into the classroom and told me I did "excellent" on the exam.  I have no idea what the test was for, only that it started out easy and then became quite hard as I progressed through it.  Ugh, I hate tests anyway and then to just have it sprung on me doesn't feel too good.  I can't do anything about it, so I guess I need to just let it go and move on with the day.  Maybe an episode or two of Scooby Doo would make me feel better :)

Such a lack of energy

I can't seem to get motivated today.  Maybe it is the rain and clouds, but whatever it is it has been glued to the couch.  After class, I came home and surfed the Internet.  What did people do before the Internet?  Anyway, I watched some episodes of Scooby Doo, did some homework and feel asleep on the couch.  Oh how I have missed naps :)  Anyway, that was a bulk of my day.  After dinner, Carsten and I watched the DVD Eagle Eye.  Although I enjoyed the film and was mostly entertained, I did find it a bit long.  Billy Bob Thornton was fantastic, as he always is!  But the rest of the cast was basically replaceable with anyone else.  The general theme of the plot was about data mining.  The book I recently read, The Broken Window, was also about data mining and was much more entertaining.  

A rainy Monday

The weather is dismal today which is clearly impacting my mood as well.  All went well at my class this morning.  The classes here are taught by two teachers.  One works two days in the class while the other works three.  So, for last week Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had the teacher that also taught at my last school.  That means today and tomorrow I have the teacher the is new to me.  I had some angst going into the class, not knowing her teaching style, etc; but all seemed to be just fine.  She is quite friendly and seems to have been teaching for some time.  She informed me that I work too fast, though I had made no mistakes in my work.  The person who sits next to seems to have dyslexia and is really struggling, so I am helping him out.  

After class I came home and ate something, since I don't typically eat before class, and then did some cleaning.  I was on my hands and knees scrubbing our rug in the living room.  It doesn't look great, but it does look better.  Why Carsten bought a cream colored rug is beyond me!

A day to rest

I basically did nothing today, which was exactly what I wanted to do.  It is nice to have those days with no obligations, just sitting back and doing nothing.  So, my day involved getting up and reading some before making breakfast.  Then I did a load of laundry and cleaned the bathroom.  I read some more and then in the early evening Carsten went to meet a friend of his and I watched the movie The Cell.  I have seen it so many times, and I forgot just how many famous people are in this film.  Visually the film is quite remarkable, but the actor (especially Jennifer Lopez) feels a bit forced much of the time.  Much later in the night I was able to connect with my friend Laura, after not talking for way too long.  Why do some people got to be so hard to reach :)

Happy Birthday Carley

Today is my cousin Carley's birthday.  She is celebrating with her family in Baraboo and is likely having a great day.  Though I am not there to share in this special day with you, know that I am thinking about you and wishing you the happiest of birthdays!!

Oh what a day!

Today started out like many Saturdays.  Got up, ate some breakfast, took a shower, all the usual. Then Carsten and I decided to ride our bikes to the City Centre to walk around and go to the Farmer's Market that takes place everyday.  I love this market since all the food is so fresh and it supports the area farmers, which in this region seems to be a lot.  Anyway, we bought some lettuce, radishes, parsley and some homemade honey.  We also did some shopping in the City Centre, including buying the books for the next level of my schooling.  The thinking behind this is that I can work ahead and occupy my time more while looking for a job and going to class.  We spent about 4 hours there shopping and walking around and then headed back to the apartment.  The round trip s roughly 9 km by bike.  After a quick stop at home we decided to go for a little bike ride.  Carsten had bought a map at the store where we bought my school books and so off we headed.  The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold.  We rode for about 3.5 hours and approximately 35-40 km.  Back at home we rested a bit, ate some dinner and then I called a couple people.  Carsten was itching to go dancing and though I would much rather have stayed home and watched a movie, I didn't seem to have much say in this decision.  So, we got ready and rode our bikes back to the City Centre (another 9 km round-trip).  I found the location to be small, pretentious and way too hot (temperature wise).  The music was really not to my liking.  I danced to one song and then they only played about 2 minutes worth of the song before it was mixed into some other song that I have never heard of.  As always, to hear the song that first got me out on the dance floor, click here.  Carsten saw a couple of his friends and even ran into a co-worker.  We finally made it home around 3:30am.  In the end, I think the whole night was a waste of time and money, but isn't that really what a lot of life is about?!?

Happy Birthday Richard

Today is Richard's birthday and I am going to guess he is between 60 and 62 years old, though honestly I have no clue really as to how old he is.  Not quite as old as dirt but also too young to retire.  Did you hear me...you CAN'T retire yet!  Listening to him talk you would think he didn't want to work anymore, all this talk of retiring he does.  So says the person currently not working :)  Anyway, happy birthday and do something fun today!

End of the week...finally

I thought this week would never end.  It hasn't been all that rough or anything, it's just that weekends are more fun!!  In my class today I realized I am a bit out of place.  Aside from the obvious, my youth and beauty, sense of humor and humility, I have lived in Germany the least amount of time.  Where as I have been here for roughly 6 months, everyone else varies from 1-2 years to 10 years.  They all speak much better than me, but I can write and understand more.  I know, I know, be patient and the ability to speak will come too.  

On a separate note, I have ran everyday this week and am really trying to get in better shape.  I ran everyday but one while at Carsten's mom's place and since being back I ran everyday but one as well.  It doesn't appear that I have lost any weight, except maybe in the face.  However, my legs are smokin' hot right now.  In case anyone was curious :)

Day 2 and going strong; or at least going!

So in class today I realized that one student is already driving me crazy with how rude she is.  Now, we all know I am not one to judge, but...she actually told two different students on two separate occasions to shut up.  I may have thought that I might even say something, but I would hope I would have at least tried to be polite.  Anyway, other than that all was good.  My teacher (from my last school who also works here) asked me how I felt in the class and then later the other teacher came into the class and asked how I felt there.  In the end I told them both it was "okay."  I am not feeling too challenged right now in the class, but I am hoping that will change soon.  I know it won't be the same speed as my last class, but something a bit more would be great.  Ugh, why do I have to be such a nerd all the time?

1st Day of my Integrationkurs

With my new course and school beginning today, my schedule is also different.  Previously I had class in the afternoon; however, my new class is in the morning.  I think this will be good for a couple of reasons.  The first, my day will feel more productive as I will be forced to wake and get stuff done.  Also, if and when I find a job, I think it will be easier to work around my morning class versus afternoon.  On the downside, since I don't always sleep well at night, having an afternoon class was at times better, as I could sleep better once Carsten left for work.  No more of that!  Something else that is different with my new class is that I no longer have a test every Friday.  As much as I dislike tests, I do think these were helpful in terms of monitoring my progress.  My last class was an intensive class meaning it went fast and had a lot of homework.  My new class is the complete opposite.  It goes quite slow and today I actually did all the homework that is to last until April 30th.  This program is significantly less expensive than my last class, which is a good thing considering the cost of our furniture.  So, these are my initial thoughts on my new class.

Last day of freedom, so to speak

Tomorrow I begin with my new school, so in a way today was my last free day.  What did I do today?  Well, I did a lot of laundry, read some, did the dishes, played with the cats, went running and applied for a job.  I have applied for a few jobs since living in Germany, but nothing has come of it, kind of like apply for jobs in the US.  Thankfully Carsten is independently wealthy (wink, wink!) and can support both of us!!  Tonight I will watch Paris Hilton's My New BFF and Rock of Love...quality TV at it's best :)

Laugh out loud funny!

Every time I see this I laugh out loud.  I am hoping no one takes offense to it, as it is meant to be humorous.  Considering all the issues in the world it is nice to be able to just sit back and laugh at something.  May you enjoy it and find it as funny as I do :)

Cleaning the apartment

It has been said by many people that I am anal and clean too often.  Just because I have been known to clean out the inside of a washing machine does not mean I am anal, per se.  And so what if I vacuum twice per week and wipe down the bathroom almost everyday, that's just who I am!  Anyway, today I did a lot of cleaning in the apartment.  Call it spring cleaning, call it boredom, call it too much cat hair everywhere, call it what you like.  In the end, the apartment was clean and I was pooped.  Who knew it took so much energy cleaning the inside and outside of all the windows, window sills and banisters in front of the windows.  Anyway, after all that I had some energy left and decided to go running.  The weather here has been amazing for over a week.  After living in Chicago for so many years it is nice to see spring again :)  I finished my last book and am not reading a new book called Commonwealth by Joey Goebel.  Carsten just finished it and seemed to really like it.  It is not a murder mystery, which is what I like, or an autobiography, my other favorite.  Instead, it is a look at Middle America.  I have only read the first chapter and already it reminds me of my hometown, Barbaboo, WI.

As promised...photos

If you are interested in seeing some of the pictures from my time in Niederbeisheim, then look no further.  Well, a little bit further as you will have to click on some links, but that is all.

So, for pictures from Point Alpha, click here.

To see some from Fulda, click here.

And to see me attempting to play Badminton, click here.

The weekend is basically over

So, after getting home late on Friday night/Saturday morning, one would think I would sleep in.  Well, that didn't really happen.  I got up and went running while Carsten ran to the grocery store to get some food.  We had nothing in the house to eat since we were gone for so long.  Afterward, we hoped on our bikes and went to a couple stores to look at mattresses.  We also did some more grocery shopping to hopefully have enough food for the week, but let's face it, we all know that isn't the case.  I mean we had only our backpacks and were on our bikes...how much food can we possibly have carried home?  I say three days worth.  Once we made it back home, I laid down for a bit and then did some more reading of my book.  So close to being done.  I am glad Carsten has more books by this author...he really knows how to write.

Saturday night Carsten and I went out dancing.  We went to the same place we went on Valentine's Day.  However, the music was no where near as good as it was then.  That being said I still shook my money maker.  And as always, I am posting the song that got me out on the dance floor.  Click here to find out what it was.  We danced, had some champagne and then rode our bikes home.  We finally made it at 4am.  

Today has been a day of relaxing.  I got up, did some reading and watched some TV.  After breakfast I cleaned up the kitchen, go cleaned up and then went to the computer.  I checked my emails and followed up on what has happened in the world while I was without the Internet.  Tonight Carsten and I will watch a German crime series, eat dinner and relax.  He has to return to work tomorrow and I will clean and do laundry.  On Wednesday I begin my Integration Course, so I have two more days of being home before I hit the books.  

I'm back y'all!

Well, after a week away I am back and ready to report on my time in Nieberbeisheim (the village where Carsten's mom lives).  It was a very relaxing time, though also a lot of work since his mother doesn't speak any English.  On the upside, I think I did pretty well communicating with her in German and she was very supportive and helpful with me and the language.  So, here is an overview of the week:

Friday, April 10:

Carsten and I left early in the morning, hoping to beat some of the holiday traffic.  We did pretty well the first few hours but then things turned bad from there.  The trip should take about 4.5 hours; however, it took more like 6.  We hit a traffic jam shortly after Frankfurt that just ever let up.  To make matters worse, Lela was really struggling with the heat and time in the car.  In the end, she was sick (from both ends - making a mess in the carrier and back seat).  Once we arrived, both cats had a bath and were cleaned up and before long they were as good as new.  The rest of the day was filled with food, coffee and cake and a walk.  During the walk I found a path for me to run, which was great since I brought along my running clothes.  

Saturday, April 11:

This morning I woke up early and went for a run on the path I had found the day before.  It was challenging, but also great to run in the brisk morning weather.  Carsten and I had hair appointments today.  My new look is good, though I am no longer blonde.  I had my hair cut so short that all my blonde locks are now gone; but I am sure they will be back before too long :)  Later in the day Carsten, his mom and I went and did some shopping.  We had a very pleasant afternoon window shopping and walking around Bad Hersfeld.  That night Carsten's step-father came over and we all had dinner and watched some television together.

Sunday, April 12:

It was Easter, which means even more food!  I began the day with another run and today I improved my time by 5 minutes.  In he late morning/early afternoon Carsten's mom and I played badminton, which Carsten and his step-father each read books on the terrace.  It was a lot of fun and being out in the warm sun helped me get some much needed color.  You can only be pasty-white for so many months before people start calling you Casper!  During the middle afternoon the four of us went on a nice walk and I found a new running path for me to take.  This one is a bot longer with more hills, but I think I am up to the challenge.  The Easter meal was fantastic and as usual I ate too much food.    That night I was able to phone my mom and brother for a brief phone conversation.  Oh and the book I am reading is so good...soon I will finish it and need to find something else to read.

Monday, April 13:

Today is a holiday in Germany, which means limited things are open, but that doesn't mean you can't still find fun things to do.  I woke up early and went for a run on the new path I found the day before.  The first hill nearly kicked my butt, but I made it.  I am speaking very limited English on this trip and during my runs is really my only real break from speaking or listening to German; oh, also when I am reading my book.  Anyway, Carsten's step-father made plans for us to take a little trip today.  In plain words it means an "historical field trip."  He is big on history and educating people on facts he deems important.  So, today we went to Point Alpha.  It was a long drive, or at least longer than I had anticipated and the pay off wasn't all the great; however, it was still interesting none-the-less.  The German culture and history is really quite fascinating and learning it here is much different than learning it in the US or in school.  After Point Alpha, we drove to Fulda.  It was a really great afternoon; I think we all enjoyed ourselves.  We walked around the town, went into a old church, ate coffee and cake, had ice cream, and sat in a park for a bit.  That night we relaxed after dinner, yes we had even more food, and watched some television.  German crime series seems to be quite popular right now.

Tuesday, April 14:

Another early morning run and again I made better time than yesterday.  Lovin' it!!  So, the rest of the day was doing some shopping, food of course, and then looking at furniture.  We were able to find the items we have purchased to show Carsten's mom, who appears to have approved of our choices :)  It was a fun day of doing not much of anything.  Later in the day I finished my book The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver.  If you like murder, mystery and technology then this is a book for you.  Since we have had amazing weather every day so far we have spent a lot of time on the terrace or in the yard.  Today Carsten mowed the lawn and I helped Carsten's mom with the gardening.  No, not picking weeds.  I brought up some huge plants/trees from the basement, did some digging and planting and even some minor sawing.  It was fun and something different.  I mean, it is not everyday I get to saw and dig in dirt.  Oh, and Zoe is loving being able to be outside walking around.  Lela on the other hand doesn't do so well outside.  That night Carsten's sister and her boyfriend came over later in the night on their way back from a vacation in Italy.

Wednesday, April 15:

Tax Day!!!  After another early morning run (for those of you reading all of this, yes I have ran everyday so far), I came back home, got cleaned up and we had another little day of shopping and hanging out.  Today we went to Kassel for our shopping excursion.  It was fun, but a bit exhausting.  I mean, seriously how many times can we look at furniture.  I mean, it is was CDs I would be fine, but enough furniture already :)  Today I also started reading a new book and will likely finish it within a week.  It is another murder mystery type book.  This one is Before the Frost by Henning Mankell.  We also did more work in the garden after our shopping trip, but no where near the amount of work we did before.  This is really making me want a house and a garden of my own.  But then again, it is kind of nice to have it to do now for fun rather than "have to do it" or else the yard looks like crap!  Plus, I think Carsten's mom likes having the help.

Thursday, April 16:

Day 6 of my early morning runs.  I am feeling really good about all the running and am hoping all this work is helping to keep some of the calories from all the food I have eaten this week away from my mid-section.  Carsten had to get up early this morning and take the car in for an appointment.  He had to go to Kassel for the appointment and was able to see his sister for the day, as she lives there.  The original plan was for Carsten to take the car and his mom to go swimming, shopping and have her own day.  This was exactly what I wanted as I was needing some space from all the "German" that was around me.  However, she didn't want me to be alone so she stayed home.  So, we spent the morning and early afternoon talking and sitting out on the terrace.  Then I started doing some German learning with one of my workbooks while she baked a couple of cakes.  It was not as relaxing of a day as I had hoped, but it was still pretty good.  Carsten made it back later than expected and we ate.   Shocking I know!!  

Friday, April 17:

Today is our last day here.  We decided to leave a day early to avoid some of the weekend traffic.  I decided not to run this morning to give my knees a break.  So, the day was spent (can you guess it??) eating and shopping.  The weather was drizzling all day, but really, since we had summer weather all week it was fine.  After the shopping I did some reading and then loaded the car.  After a yummy supper we said our good-byes and hit the road shortly after 8pm.  We made it home at about 12:35am.

And that is my vacation.  Three words can sum it up:  running, eating, shopping.  In the end, a perfect trip!  Oh, and I do have some pictures.  Not as many as I would hope, but some.  I will be adding those in the next couple of days.  

Entry 200

Well, this is my 200th blog entry.  I can't believe I have written that much on here.  This really has become a great outlet for me and a terrific way to stay connected with friends and family.  Thank you all for reading about my life, even if it is a bit boring at times.

On that note, this will be my last entry for the next 10 days, as Carsten and I are leaving way too early tomorrow morning to go to his mom's place.  I will not have Internet access, which is why no entries will be made on here.  However, I hope to take some pictures and will have lots to share when I get back.  

Be kind to yourself and those around you..much love!!!!

Early to Rise

Today I got up and out of bed early, or at least earlier than usual.  I made Carsten breakfast (Frühstück) of coffee, toast, yogurt and a kiwi.  I got him off to work and now the day is mine.  We are going to his mom's place for a vacation and though we were planning on leaving tonight, we have decided to leave tomorrow morning.  So, today I will clean the cat litter, pack our clothes, clean the apartment (so it is clean when we return) and pick out music for our 5 hour car ride.  I am looking forward to being at his mom's place, as the cats like it there a lot and it means I don't have to cook and clean.  We are hoping for a lot of relaxing, quiet time while we are there.

The picture her eon the right is from a tree right outside my bedroom window.  I have been watching this tree and waiting for it to bloom, which it finally did on Tuesday.  I think it is really quite beautiful and it has a wonderful fragrance.  I decided to share its beauty :)

A New Day

After laying low for the past couple of days, today was the day I wiped the tears away, stopped feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't return to the US for the funeral and be with family and took action here in Freiburg.  I registered for my Integrationkurs, which will begin on Wednesday, April 22nd.  I am looking forward to the class.  I was able to sit in on the class for a bit today and meet my new classmates.  Everyone seemed nice and I did a pretty good job of standing in front of the class and speaking about myself (I know, I should be used to doing that), all in German.  

Last night Carsten and I ordered our bedroom furniture.  The upside is we will have a fully furnished apartment; the downside is that it will take 13-14 weeks before the furniture arrives.  We've made it this long, so what is another 3-4 months :)  If you are interested in seeing our bedroom set, click here.  To see the dining room table, click here.  Our living room furniture matches the dining room, although we still need to figure out what to do about a coffee table.  But that can come late.  

6 Months

Six months ago today I was driven to O'Hare airport by my mom and brother.  It was a quiet drive down, for most of the way.  We stopped at Culver's so I could have one more Butter-Burger before leaving the country.  I didn't know what to expect; only that I was scared, excited and scared - oh wait, I already said that!

I knew that finding a job would be tough, as well as learning the language.  I think I was more optimistic and Carsten was more realistic in terms of my options and how things would proceed with regards to these two areas.  However, I have had three months worth of language class and both my teachers have commented on my progress and being advanced for only having three months.  I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist (I know, shocking) and I always want to be able to speak more fluently.  In about two weeks I begin my Integration Course which is 6-8 months in length.  In terms of a job that is still unclear, but considering the situation in the US I think I would have just as much of a struggle there as here.

One thorn through the past six months has been our lack of furniture, or more specifically a bed.  Thank you all for your patience through this and reading about my frustration of sleeping on the floor.  However, I am happy to announce that tonight Carsten and I are going tonight to order some bedroom furniture we found last weekend.  This will make our "big furniture" purchases complete, now we just have to wait the 8-10 weeks for delivery.  I think once these things are in place I will feel more settled.  I love living here, I think our apartment is great; the city is fun and beautiful, but sleeping on the floor and eating off of cardboard boxes just doesn't feel like home to me.  I know people have it much worse than me and I am so grateful for all that I do have, but I am also happy to be getting a bed!

So, 6 months are down.  Sometimes it feels like I just got here and other times it feels like I have been gone for a really long time.  The past half-year has been filled with many ups and downs, like every one's lives, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog to see what I have been up to.  Let's see what the next 6 months bring!!!

A Rough Day

I have to say I am feeling a little bit lost right now.  When I first started doing this blog the idea was that it was a way for me to stay connected with people back in the US and to share my experiences in Germany.  Some entries are funny, others a bit more boring and some are filled with pictures.  In a way this blog has been my life as an open book and this entry won't be any different.  

I feel as though I am beyond sad right now and it isn't even all about my grandmother passing. Yes, that makes me sad; she was an incredible person who was so strong - in mind, body and spirit.  I don't believe in heaven or hell only that people are at peace once their time here on earth ends.  Many people have different beliefs, which I think is great, because it is our differences that keep us together.  I am sad because I can't be with my family right now, as I think I should be.  Carsten sent me an email today letting me know how difficult he knows this is for me and how important family means to me.  That email meant so much to me!  Growing up I never really had many friends, but I always had my family.  As an adult I feel so fortunate to have many friends and people who love me, while still maintaining a close connection with my family.  

I spent much of today in tears, sadness for the loss of my grandmother, sadness over the lost of past friendships, relationships, and loves.  But also sadness over the way we treat one another.  I don't understand why people have to be mean, or make up things to other people.  Our time with those around us is so short in the grand scheme of things.  Why don't we make the most of it; let the petty stuff go, forgive people for mistakes made in the past and let's all just live, love and remember those who add so much to our lives.  Think about the people in your life who you are grateful for.  Please, tell them - it will make them feel good and you as well.  

Thank you for reading this and for letting me share my life with you!  

A very sad evening

I found out around 9pm my time tonight that my paternal grandmother passed away last night shortly before 8pm.  I have spent the past three hours trying to get a flight home but have been unsuccessful.  The timing is just too tight, as the services are on Tuesday morning.  I feel so much guilt right now and even though I know I tried really hard to make this work I can't seem to shake this feeling.  I know people understand my predicament, but it just doesn't feel right to not be there.  

I love you grandma!!

A relaxing day

So far, today has been quite relaxing.  I have a funny feeling in my gut that something bad is lurking around the corner, but for right now, all is good.  Today I woke up early, ate some breakfast and then went for a run.  I am really glad to be running again, it is a great way to clear one's mind.  Carsten and I have spent some time today talking about bedroom furniture options and looking over the budget, if that isn't depressing I don't know what is.  Then the rest of the day I have been reading and just finished the book The Water-Method Man by John Irving.  I would highly recommend this book.  I don't know if it is the psychological aspect or what but I had a hard time putting it down and once I finished it was really glad to have read it!

A BIG Purchase

Before you all go thinking "Finally, they got a dang bed so I can stop reading about that crap," no we did not purchase a bed.  We did find a bedroom set we both agree on, but the cost is a bit high, like 5200 Euros.  However, then we would have a matching bedroom set with wardrobe (since closets don't exist here a wardrobe is necessary).  Instead, we bought furniture for the dining room and living.  That means only 8-10 more weeks of eating off of cardboard boxes.  That is what we use for a coffee/dining room table currently.  It was also a bit pricey (everything here seems to be), but we did get a good deal for all the furniture and the quality.   So, if anyone wants to make a donation to the William J. Hutter Sallie Mae College Fund or to the William J. Hutter Moveables Fund, please feel free to contact me for further information.

My last day

Today was my last day of class with this particular school.  The day went quite well, which surprised me as I was unable to sleep last night.  I finally fell asleep shortly after 4am, but was awake when Carsten's alarm went off at 6:30am.  

After the class, we all went out for Italian food, and of course beer, and then a small group of us went and played pool.  It was a great time and it felt like I had friends here for the first time.  I really miss my friends a lot and this outing really made me appreciate my friends back in the states even more.  I know I have not always been the best friend to some people and some have chosen to no longer be my friend, but those who have remained my friend over the years I hold a very special place in my heart.

Day 3

The weather this week has been a vast improvement over last week's weather.  Last week I had to ride my bike to and from school everyday in the rain and it was cold to boot.  However, this week the weather is significantly warmer and it has been sunny everyday.  Since the weather has been so good, I went running outside today for the third day in a row.  I am hoping to be in a little bit better shape by the time summer comes, which is only a couple months away.  Plus I am tired of Carsten's "fat" comments everyday.  So, with my bike riding and jogging and at the end of April Carsten and I plan to join a gym, so I won't have many excuses for not being in shape.  Though I guess I could blame it on genetics or German beer :)

Well, I made it.

I ran for just over 1/2 hour outside and though my abs, arms and legs hurt before I ran they seemed fine during the run.  However, my chest began to hurt while running.  I shared this with Carsten and his response was "It must be your big boobs."  So sensitive he is :)  Now, off to shower and do homework before making dinner.  

I was right

I woke up this morning with only sore abs; however, as the day progressed my legs and arms joined in.  I am leaving now to go jogging and am hoping not to have a total breakdown on the way.  If all goes well, I will write more later; otherwise it won't be until tomorrow.