A snowy day in Freiburg

While I was awake at 4am revamping my blog page, it was a clear night with not a cloud in the sky.  However, when Carsten woke up around 7am he commented that we had roughly 4 inches of snow on the ground.  Now, my first thought was "I am not going to school today; I will stay in bed."  However, I did get up and looked outside and thought it wasn't that bad.  I mean, coming from Wisconsin if the snow is below the knees it is basically spring outside.  Thankfully I was accident free going to school, though it was iffy at times since not all the bike paths were cleared of snow.  I had thought of taking a picture of the snow on the ground and in the trees, but since most people (though not all) who read this are either in Chicago or Wisconsin and they have seen plenty of snow this year I thought I would pass.  

Another sleepless night

This is so crazy to me.  I can't believe how tired I am and yet I still can't seem to sleep.  My thinking is that I can't turn my brain off enough to relax and thus fall asleep.  I am always reviewing German in my head, how to ask or say things, what certain words mean, etc.  The other thing that won't leave my brain is how I am going to file my taxes this year since I am not in the USA.  I have tried looking into what my options are but to no avail so far.  Hey, at least my sleepless nights aren't wasted :)

The weather outside is frightful!

As I have written in earlier posts, Freiburg is a cycling city.  That being said, the wild gusts today made it nearly impossible to ride; however, both Carsten and I braved the weather.  Thankfully, I did not have accident number three and Carsten was safe as well.  However, while I was trying to make it home from school in the wind and rain I couldn't help but think of The Wizard of Oz (no, I don't know why my mind works like this) and kept picturing Dorothy.  And then, out of nowhere, I thought "hmm, since I am on a bike I would be the Wicked Witch."  Of course this then led into a stream of consciousness where I debated with the facts that yes she does die but it was only because she wanted that sparkly pair of red shoes Dorothy stole from her sister.  In the end I made it home and realized that, oh who am I kidding, I didn't realize a thing!

Another Monday

Today was mostly low-key.  My schedule has changed here in Freiburg than what it was like in Munich.  Here is how a typical days looks for me now:

*  Carsten's alarm goes off between 6:30 and 7am, upon which he hits snooze for about 20 minutes.

*  Carsten leaves for work around 8:15am and I go back to bed.  My sleep here in Germany is worse than it was in the US, and for those of you who don't know, my sleep in the US was awful.

*  I get out of bed at 9:30am and make coffee.  While drinking my coffee I review my homework and prepare for class.  I get ready and all that and if I have time I might do a load of laundry or some cleaning.

*  Around 12:15pm I get on my bike and head for school.  

*  At 4:30pm I head back home from school.

*  Once home I have a snack and spend the next 2 hours (minimum) on my homework.

*  Carsten arrives home at 7pm and I prepare dinner.  

*  The rest of the night is spent relaxing, doing homework or reading.

*  Midnight is bedtime or at least the time at which I try to fall asleep.

Carnival

Today we had a Carnival celebration outside our apartment.  "What is that?" you ask.  Well, click here to read more about this tradition.  And if you would like to see some pictures from it, click here.  

Movies reviewed

In the last month Carsten and I have watched a few movies.  The first one was a movie we rented titled Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.  It was much better than I had expected and the music wasn't half bad.  I am not saying I would run out to buy the soundtrack, but in the end quite the entertaining movie.  The next movie we saw was in the theater.  It was playing in English so I could understand what was being said.  It was a fantastic movie that I would highly recommend, though definitely not the feel good movie of the year.  Anyway, it was titled Revolutionary Road.  The last movie we saw was another rental titled The Astronaut Farmer.  I did not have much desire to see the film, but I really liked it.  It was a sweet story that had some really good acting, though the camera work was nothing stellar.  I would like to point out that none of he movies we have seen in the last month have been a horror film...see I do watch other things :)

Count them...2 accidents

So, Freiburg is known for being a biking city.  That said, I ride my bike everywhere, nearly everyday.  Carsten "pimped my ride" meaning that he bought me a headlight, taillight and some mud flaps.  Oh, and a bell...cute huh?!?   Rain or shine, snow or sleet, day or night I am on my bike.  This of course leads to some unfortunate events.  My first accident happened around 11:15pm on a Friday night.  Carsten and I were on our way out dancing.  He was riding his bike in front of me and as we were crossing the street, he swerved to the right to miss a street sign.  However, I was following too close behind him to see the sign in time to move.  As a result, I hit the sign.  It broke off the metal pole and hit the left side of my face.  In the end it was only a small cut with minor bleeding that hurt like the dickens.  The second accident happened just under a week ago while I was riding to school.  It has snowed lightly the night before and the roads were slippery.  My bike lost control and slipped out from under me.  Needless to say, I fell and the movie we rented and my cell phone went flying out of my bag.  My right hand was really sore (thankfully I am left handed) and I had only a small scrape on my right knee.  

The apartment

As I wrote in an earlier post, the apartment is really quite perfect.  Our windows face south so we have sunshine all day long in the apartment, which is one of the best features, along with a fantastic balcony.  What would make it even better would be to have some furniture.  For example, we are still without a bed, have nothing to put our clothes in, no coffee table, dining room table or a vacuum cleaner to assist with my neurotic cleaning.  But all that aside, it feels really homey and comfortable.  I never had this feeling in Munich, so at this point in time the move here feels like it was the right thing to do. Anyway, to see some pictures of the apartment, new kitchen and refrigerator click here.  One room is not in the pictures and that is the office, as I was in the room updating my blog and the picture taken was photo shopped as evident by me having two chins.  Clearly that picture could not see the light of day.

The last month in a nutshell.

Things wrapped up quite nicely in Munich.  The cleaning and painting of the apartment went smoothly and the actual move was also quite smooth with no real problems.  Everything arrived in Munich safe and sound and then the unpacking could begin.

THE FIRST WEEK IN FREIBURG ~ 12 Jan - 18 Jan

My first week in Munich was Carsten's second week at his job.  He seemed really happy with the position and the company (which is still true).  It is conveniently located to our apartment.  He can walk there in 15 minutes or ride his bike and be there in 5 minutes.  I spent the first week unpacking our stuff and trying to organize the apartment as well as find a school to attend to continue my German language lessons.  Though I initially had some concerns about the size of the apartment, it has proven to be quite perfect for the two of us and the cats.  

THE SECOND WEEK IN FREIBURG ~ 19 Jan - 25 Jan

The second week in Freiburg began with me starting my new language course  I did not care for my teacher the first two days and then on day three I had a new teacher.  What I learned was the one person teaches the class on Mondays and Tuesdays, with a different person teaching the course Wednesdays-Fridays.  In the end, neither of the teachers is as good as my teacher in Munich and the class as a  whole is quite disappointing.  Most of the class speaks Spanish as their native language, which also seems to be spoken through much of the class.  So, I am not always sure if what is being said is German or Spanish.  Maybe I can be tri-lingual by this time all of this is done :)  Also during this week our kitchen was installed.  It arrived earlier than expected (or at least most of it) and it looked terrific.  Now, all we need is a refrigerator.  At the end of the week, Carsten decided we would go out dancing.  We went out on both Friday and Saturday night to what I would label "gayapalozza."  On Friday night, I had a little accident on the way there (more on that in another entry).  The song that got me out on the dance floor can be heard here.  Once out there it is nearly impossible to get me off.  On Saturday we went to an event that was sponsored by the University.  It reminded me of the 10% dances that UW-Madison has periodically.  Anyway, the song that got me out that night can be heard here.  

WEEK THREE IN FREIBURG ~ 26 Jan - 1 Feb

This week consisted of more of the same.  I attended classes Monday-Friday from 1pm-4:30pm. This week also brought the arrival of our new refrigerator.  Wow, Carsten really went all out on this thing.  And for once I am not being sarcastic.  It looks amazing and is really quite a piece of machinery.  This week also brought the rest of our kitchen being installed, meaning a second room is completed.  The first was the bathroom, which was done before we arrived.  Pictures of the apartment will arrive in a separate entry.

WEEK FOUR IN FREIBURG ~ 2 Feb - 8 Feb

This was the last week we were without telephone and Internet, thank goodness.  My mood was clearly impacted with my inability to have contact with my friends and family back in the US.  This week began with my second accident.  It was nothing major, just angst producing.  But, I will talk about this when I do the entry for my first accident.  This week was mostly uneventful, with wild mood swings and feeling disconnected from my loved ones.  On Saturday night we had drinks with our friend Andrea, which was quite pleasant.  The first bar we went to had a band, which was one of the worst I have ever heard.  So, we left shortly after and went to another bar, which was more enjoyable, or at least quieter.  Since Carsten and Andrea spoke German for about 80% of the night, I was unable to participate in most of the conversations, but that seems to be how things are here for me, at least for the time being. 

  

Reunited and it feels so good!

After nearly one month I finally have phone and Internet access.  To say it has been a long month would be an understatement.  I don't think I actually realized how much I depend on the Internet; not only to stay connected with family and friends, but to deal with Sallie Mae and other financial stuff.  However, all that is taken care of and I can return to my life in Germany, which pretty much entails writing this blog, trying to learn German and cooking.  Prepare to read the long, and sometimes boring, entry of the last four weeks.

Gone for a month

Hi!  Well, once we leave Munich, we will be without a phone or internet for roughly 4 weeks.  So, no blog activity until we are back on-line.  Bye for now...

Another day of cleaning

After another sleepless night, the day was spent cleaning.  I don't think I have ever spent so much time scrubbing a shower before.  Carsten cleaned the floor and now we only have a couple more things to do (including painting) before the apartment is ready to be turned over to the landlord.  I must say, I can't wait to be at the new place and begin to settle into life here in Germany.

It's time to roller disco

I was on the phone last night with a friend of mine and I mentioned how my naked apartment looks like a great place for a roller disco and how I should have a dance party in my place.  so, that's what I did.  Now, I don't have a stereo here so I had to use my I-pod.  Yes, I am sure I looked like an idiot dancing and singing around my apartment, shaking my money maker all about, but it was fun none-the-less.  Oh, and this is the song that kicked it off.

My day today was quite productive.  After a terrible night's sleep on the hardwood floor, using the term sleep loosely, I got up and cleaned my little heart out!  It was a lot of floor scrubbing, cleansing the kitchen and dirt and grime, cleaning the windows inside and out (apparently i do do windows) and now I can get ready to paint.  Oh, and that dang bathroom.  That is my least favorite room in this apartment.  Those dang tiles kill me.  But I digress; apparently all our stuff arrived in Freiburg today and it appears that nothing broke, so that is good.  

Now the real work begins

So the movers have left.  They were here for three hours though I think it could have been less if they had fewer cigarette breaks.  Anyway, I helped out, I think it might be a control issue.  I took care of all the clothes, coats, shoes, CDs and bathroom items.  That left books, DVDs and the kitchen for the movers.  Overall it went pretty smooth.  One of them spoke no English and the other very, very limited English.  The one who spoke no English kept whistling the Pink song "So What," so he was a winner by me.  Anyway, they will deliver our stuff to Freiburg tomorrow evening and Carsten will deal with it on that end.   Now the real work begins here in Munich.  I plan to spend much of Friday cleaning the apartment, scrubbing everything down.  I think we will paint on Saturday, depending on what time Carsten arrives.  And then Sunday we will drive to our new home, where I can unpack and arrange the new place.  Thankfully I enjoy doing that and Carsten doesn't; it works out quite well.  Oh and if you are wondering what I am sleeping on since the movers have left, it is a sleeping bag on the hardwood floor.  Basically I am camping indoors.  

Tomorrow's the big day!

The mover's come tomorrow to pick up my stuff and take to Freiburg.  They are to deliver our stuff on Friday after 5pm.  Boy I can't wait for this move to be over with.  I am feeling quite anxious at the moment, but I think that is mostly due to my fear of being ale to communicate with the movers.  Maybe that is why I am so organized with this move?!?  Oh who am I kidding, i would be this organized even if the movers did speak English :)  Anyway, once the movers leave I will be left with a sleeping bag, the cats and the computer.  Carsten will return on Saturday so we can paint and finish cleaning the apartment before turning in our keys on Sunday and saying good-bye to Munich.  Speaking of Carsten, he stated his new job today.  He phoned me tonight and said he liked it very much and sounded mostly optimistic, though he made sure to point out the negatives he has seen so far.  In my opinion the negatives weren't a big deal, but what do I know.  

So, since I have everything basically ready for the movers I had some free time today.  Thus, I finished reading the book Written in Bone.  Again, if you like murder mysteries this might be a book you would enjoy.  

Carsten's gone

Well, Carsten has officially moved to Freiburg.  He left in the middle of the afternoon, later than he hoped, to begin his 5 hour drive there.  He is staying at a hotel tonight and after he begins his new job tomorrow he will go to pick up the keys to our new place.  Speaking of our new place, as I look around at my neat piles, the boxes I have packed and what still needs to be dealt with I am wondering if our new place is big enough.  Sure, in theory it should be large enough, but looking at all of our clothes, shoes, books and CDs I can't help but wonder how this will all fit into our new, much smaller, apartment.  It looks like it is time for me to become creative with organizing the new place.  But I am getting ahead of myself here.  I need to wait two more days for the movers to even come.  For the next couple of days it is just me and the cats waiting patiently for the next chapter in this adventure.  

Monday, Monday

Today was a more relaxed day.  A bulk of the day was spent organizing and packing, especially for Carsten since he will move out tomorrow.  He also took care of unhooking the washing machine...thank goodness.  I am good at packing and organizing but dealing with machinery is just not my thing.  As with most of my moves I am beginning to feel a bit anxious.  I am not exactly sure what worries me but then again it isn't clear what doesn't worry me at this point.  My hope is that once the move is done and things feel more settled the anxiety will subside.  Of course once I return to school and have other things on my mind that will also help.

Still on holiday

Yes, it is still the holiday season here in Germany.  Some people will return to work tomorrow (Monday) but most won't go back until Wednesday, like Carsten.  Why you are wondering?  Well, that is because it is some holiday on Tuesday-I don't know what exactly so I just call it the day everyone takes down their Christmas trees.  

So how did we spend today?  Well, being hyper-organized (or anal-retentive) I put our belongings on the first floor in neat piles to make it easier for the movers on Thursday.  I am getting pretty good at this moving thing and living out of boxes!!  Other than packing and organizing, we watched the other two movies we rented.  One of the movies, which was quite successful in 2008 and was highly recommended to us, neither of us liked it as much as we had hoped.  The music in it was fantastic, but that was obvious going into it.  To find out what we watched, click here.  The other movie we watched was the recent rendition of The Incredible Hulk with Edward Norton.  Carsten saw the preview for this with one of the other movies we saw recently and thought it might be fun to watch.  In the end, it was pretty disappointing.  Probably still better than the last Hulk movie, but that isn't saying much.  Of course it was left open for a sequel, but what isn't now-a-days.

For those of you reading this in the US, have a great day back at work tomorrow.  

3 for 1

Today was a pretty relaxing day; aka-preparing for the storm of the upcoming move.  Slept in a bit, ate some brunch, finished reading the book Chemistry of Death (would highly recommend if you like murder mysteries) and then some grocery shopping.  Afterward, we rented three movies for the price of one.  The first one we watched was The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.  The movie is somewhat entertaining, but no where near as good as either of the first two.  The plot was ridiculous and though it tried to be funny, it really wasn't most of the time.  However, the best line was in the very beginning by Maria Bello.  Anyway, it was entertaining but not memorable.  Plus, we watched it first assuming it was the worst of the three.  Looks like Sunday will be filled with movie breaks in between packing and getting ready for the move.  

Tonight we also got together with our friends Sven and Kathleen for dinner and drinks.  It was a nice time, though it went later than I had anticipated.  I am sure we will come back to visit them from time-to-time once we move, as I know Carsten will miss them quite a lot.  So many changes all the time!

Out on the town

Today Carsten and I went to the Deutsches Museum, which is the museum to go to in Munich and with us leaving next week, we thought we should go before it is too late.  It is the biggest museum I think I have ever been to.  In some ways it is similar to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, but much bigger with cooler exhibits.  My favorite was the mining exhibit and I think Carsten probably liked the physics section the best...shocking I know!!  I was looking for the fashion and entertainment exhibits, but apparently a museum dedicated to science and technology has no space for these important contributions.  

A movie for the ages

Okay, so that is a bit of an exaggeration, but in the end a pretty good film.  This time we watched the movie Wanted.  It was the action thriller filmed in Chicago staring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman.  Let's start with the acting.  James is good, but was better in The Last King of Scotland.  I believe Morgan can really do no wrong in terms of acting.  And Angie, well, in my opinion she can't act her way out of a bag.  Plus she was so damn skinny in this.  If she is ever in Munich I can take for a burger now that I know where to get a great one!!  Anyway, the movie had a lot of action and was a bit bloody with a high body count.  So, if you like that kind of film, as I do, then you might enjoy this little flick.  

Happy New Year

Welcome to 2009!  I hope everyone had a fun New Year's Eve celebration and is ready for whatever 2009 has to bring.  On a big scale, change is coming to the White House in the US and hopefully things can begin to improve in the states regarding the economy, unemployment and morale.  

My New Year's Eve rang in as expected.  Carsten and I had dinner with our friends Gary and Klaus.  We went to Dillinger's Chicago Bar and Grill.  Yes, you read that correctly, we went to a "Chicago" restaurant in Munich.  It was the best bloody burger I have had and the weiß beers were going down smooth.  After dinner we made our way to Olympiapark to watch the fireworks.  This was my third New Year's Eve in Germany and my first in Munich.  All three have been filled with fireworks and let me say, it is quite the spectacle.  On the 4th of July in the US, towns will put on firework shows and it is typically a disappointment.  However, it appears that here in Germany it is the individual people and not the town who put on the fireworks and apparently no firework is illegal here.  So picture hundreds of thousands of people, most have likely been drinking, lighting fireworks.  One word people... ARMAGEDDON!!!  To see what I mean, check out our pictures from the night by clicking here.  Or a video of what it is like in one of the neighborhoods within Munich.

It was a great time with good food, lots of fireworks, too much champagne and great company.  Plus, once I finally got home (4am) I called Alica and was able to catch up on our holidays. By 6am I was in bed.  I tried to stay awake until 7am, when it would be midnight in Chicago/Wisconsin, but was unable to make it that late.  Maybe next year :)

New Years Eve

It is the end of another year and as we prepare for 2009 many people ponder what the current year brought and how to improve the upcoming year.  Some people make resolutions and others make wide claims about how different things will be once the new year begins.  That being said, I am not one of those people.  I don't do resolutions and if things need to change they can happen now and not only when one year ends and another one begins.  

That being said (or typed in this case) let's get to what is really important; how to celebrate the closing of the year.  Our plan here in Munich is to have dinner with some friends and then go to a park and watch fireworks while drinking champagne.  Yes, pictures will be available!!!

Have a safe and happy New Year celebration!

Did someone say "movie night?"

Tonight Carsten and I rented a movie and went to Gary and Klaus' for a movie night.  This time we saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  It was not the roll on the floor laugh factory I was expecting, but it was a solid movie with great writing and acting.  It was more of a romantic (less comedy) movie than I am used to watching, but I guess not everything can be a slasher flick!  

Another movie review

Carsten's sister and her partner came to our place tonight for a brief visit and to pick up some things.  We also ate dinner at a near-by restaurant that I have wanted to try since moving here.  The food was okay, not spectacular-a bit disappointing actually.  It was an Italian restaurant, maybe I should stick with places that only serve wurst!!!

Anyway, after they left we watched a movie that Carsten rented.  This time it was the Martin Lawrence flop Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins.  Now, it wasn't all bad.  Some of the writing was quite good with several laughs; however,the rivalry thing went too far and was tiresome after a while.  Mo'nique was fantastic as always, but Cedric the Entertainer I found boring and monotonous.  In the end, Mike Epps stole the show and was the best part of the movie.

My new addiction

While in the German countryside I became a Sudoku lover.  I don't know how I did not get into this craze when it first came out.  So, when I am not trying to learn German, or when trying to avoid learning, I am doing a Sudoku puzzle.  

Speaking of learning German, one of the best things about the week at Carsten's mom's place was being able to communicate with her, if only a little bit.  She helped me practice some words and I was better able to understand things that she said/asked.  Plus, I could answer her some.  I still have a log way to go, but it was nice to feel as though I have made some progress. 

I'm back

So, after one week in Niederbeisheim, I am back in Munich.  It was a wonderful week that can be described in five little words:  food, food and more food.  I can only imagine the amount of weight gained during this trip.  Oh well, I guess that is what the holidays are for!!

As you can see, I have added some pictures from my trip.  One is Carsten and me on Christmas day.  Three are from a hiking trip (one of me and Carsten, one of Carsten's sister and her partner and one of one of the most beautiful pictures from the trip).  And of course one picture is Carsten's mom and her husband, from Christmas.  

Now, let's recap the week.  We left on Sunday, December 21st and after about 5 hours of driving we made it to Carsten's mom's home.  And the first thing we did, after letting the cats out of their kennel, eat dinner!  Oh and speaking of the cats, they did fantastic in the car.  They are so well behaved :)  The rest of Sunday was relaxing and catching up on things.  On Monday morning we got up early to go to Carsten's sister's home so that her partner could do some repairs on the car.  That afternoon we went to the hair salon and I received my first "German" haircut.  It turned out pretty good, though no one can compete with Anthony in Chicago!  The rest of the day was spent eating.  Seriously, Carsten's mom made so many cakes while we where there.  Anyway, the next day was the hiking trip.  We had to drive a couple hours and then walked about 7 miles to the top of Brocken.  A cold and snowy day,but a great workout.  Oh, and we finally broke out our walking sticks, which we coincidentally bought one another last year for Christmas.  On Christmas Eve we spent the day with Carsten's mom running errands, grocery shopping, etc.  We also took a scenic drive through the countryside.  Carsten made the observation that in many ways the area where his mom lives looks quite similar to Wisconsin, which in fact it does.  That evening Carsten, me, his mom and her husband ate our holiday meal and exchanged gifts.  The following day was Christmas Day in the US.  Here we ate more food and in the afternoon Carsten's sister and her partner came over the eat, exchange gifts and celebrate Christmas.  The day after Christmas I practiced my driving, which seriously needs to improve soon.  I can't believe how much I struggle with this.  Anyway, we also went to a neighboring town from Carsten's past and walked around, though it was bitterly cold outside.  The evening was a relaxing day in front of the Christmas tree and I finished reading the book Seeing by Jose Saramago.  On Saturday we spent the day running errands with Carsten's mom and then the three of us went furniture shopping.  Well, shopping isn't the right word, but we looked at options.  It will be great to finally move and begin to feel settled.  In my opinion the first task is buying a bed, but I digress.  Saturday night was my favorite night of the week.  We ate food, watched a German "game show" and just hung out.  On Sunday we had to make a trip to Carsten's sister's house to pick up some things and then back to Niederbeisheim to pack up the car.  In that time, Carsten's mom made one more homemade cake.  We had coffee and cake and then headed off to Munich.  Again the trip took roughly 5 hours and then we were finally back home.  

Now, time to get situated and prepare for our move to Freiburg...one more week and then we will reside in a new city.

We're off...

...to Carsten's mom's house.  I will be off-line for the next week or so and thus won't be posting anything new on my blog until after we return home.  However, once I get back I plan to update the blog with all that occurred in the countryside of Germany.  Oh, and hopefully we will have some pictures as well, especially since Carsten just bought himself a new camera.  Happy Holidays everyone!!!

A holiday party

I am feeling better today and think that within the next couple of days I should be back to normal, or at least as normal as I can get.  So in honor of my improving health and the holiday season, Carsten and I went to Gary's holiday party.  The food was great as well as the company.  And we played Uno, which was a blast and since it has been years since I played, it was a lot of fun.  Too bad Carsten didn't seem able to win even one round :)  I guess I could give him one of my wins.  What really made the night was the public transportation was on our side on the way home, which is not always the case late at night here in Munich.  Now off to bed.

Day 5

Today is the fifth day of not feeling well.  However, Carsten went to the pharmacy (Apotheke) this morning and bought me some medication.  So far it seems to be helping some.  

For whatever reason, Carsten decided today needed to be the day that I open a bank account.  For those of you reading this who are not living in or from Germany, apparently this is done through the Post (Office).  Though we in fact did take care of it, it is still unclear to me how this works.  So, I am either confused because of my fever and loads of medicine or the process really is confusing.  I'll let you decide which of the two it is.    In the end it is done and apparently I now have a bank account for all the money I make while being unemployed :)

At the end of the day Carsten rented another movie.  This time we watched a little film called You Kill Me.  No, I didn't know it either.  It was a bland little film that had some laughs but wasn't anything spectacular either.  The best part in my opinion was Tea Leoni, who I think is fantastic is basically anything.

Now it is bed time and hopefully tomorrow will bring sunny skies and better health.

No real post today

I am still quite ill (day 4) and will likely do nothing but sleep and watch DVDs for the rest of today. Carsten is at his work holiday party and due to poor communication (and now me being sick) I am at home.  May tomorrow be a healthier day :)

Run Fatboy Run

No, that is not what I heard while out on the streets of Munich!  It was the movie we watched tonight.  Run Fatboy Run was the latest movie from Simon Pegg.  It was a romantic-comedy, which is not a genre I typically enjoy.  However, this was cute and had several good laughs in it, plus the writing was spot on as well as the acting.  So, if you want a good rom-com, this might be what you are looking for.  Oh, and based on a few of my recent posts, clearly I am looking for a job in the movie review business :)

Still ill

This day seems to be a total waste.  I think I might have a fever along with aches, chills, a couch and sore throat.  I have slept much of the day and don't have much energy.  On the upside, since I finished my class yesterday I didn't have anything to miss today.  Plus, the weather is cold and gray so who would want to be outside anyway.

Last day of school

Today marked the last day of my first German language course.  I really enjoyed this class and what really made it was the teacher, who is the blonde woman standing next to me in the picture above.  I am looking forward to taking another course once we move to Freiburg and I can only hope my next teacher is as good.  

I am feeling under the weather today, which made me really no want to go to school, but since it was the last day it seemed as though I really should go.  I made it through, though it felt like the longest class ever.  Afterward, Carsten and I met to finish his Christmas shopping.  We also found a refrigerator that we both like for our new place.  All-in-all it was a pretty successful day.  Now though I will go to sleep and hope to feel better tomorrow.   

Another movie

I love watching movies, no matter how bad some of them might be.  The way I look at it, these people spent their time and energy making this piece of crap, so I might as well watch it.  That being said, Carsten rented Bank Job tonight starring Jason Statham.  I was confused at the start of the movie, but I blame that on being ill.  However, about 2/3 into it I really enjoyed it.  What made it even better was finding out at the end that it was based on a true story.  So, anyone interested in watching a movie about a real life bank heist in the 70's, this is the movie for you.

The moving day is set

Soon my next move will be history and I believe it will be my last move for at least a couple of years!  It looks as though the movers will come on January 8th and take our stuff to Freiburg on the 9th, though I will not go down there until the 11th.  Carsten will move down on the 6th as he begins his new job on the 7th.  And, just to add one more thing to the mix, I am hoping to start my next language course on the 12th.  Because when you think about it, who really wants to feel settled before moving on to the next thing :)

Our final movie

We watched the third movie we rented.  I clearly enjoyed it more than Carsten.  Again, the movie was 10,000 B.C.  I found it to be a bit of a love story and was enjoying the action scenes.  The film is completely fictional and quite unrealistic and a bit too much like Apocalypto, but since I am no movie critic who am I to judge!  

McCafe

We decided to take a walk to the nearest McCafe, which is really not all that close, but what can you do.  We don't have these in the U.S. or at least I have never seen one.  Basically it is a cafe inside a McDonald's, err go McCafe!  We each has a slice of cake and split it.  They were so tasty, but I couldn't help fantasize about the french fries I was smelling.    It was my first time in a fast food restaurant since moving to Germany.  In the end, it looked like every other McDonald's in the US, only the menu was in a different language.

A decision has been made!

So, it appears that Carsten and I have made a decision regarding the kitchen.  We will go with our first design/choice of the day yesterday.  Once it is installed (after January 20th) we will take pictures for me to post on here.  Let me just say that it is somewhat modern looking with a chocolate brown/white color scheme.  

It appears that a decision has also been made about my German language classes.  Though I would really enjoy doing one more month here in Munich, it doesn't make much sense with the move, holidays, etc. as I would be in an empty apartment.  So, I will begin my next course in Munich shortly after the start of the new year.  I hope my next instructor is as great as my current one!

And finally, we watched Kung Fu Panda.  It was not as funny as I had hoped it would be, but it was still quite entertaining.   Thankfully I enjoy cartoons like a six year old (wait, do 6-year olds still enjoy cartoons?) so I enjoyed the film.  

Kitchen Nightmare

Well, nightmare might be too strong of a word, but after spending 5 hours and only looking at 2 kitchens, I am pooped.  Of course this would be a lot easier if I didn't have to design the kitchen under budgetary restraints.  Apparently money is an issue!  Alas, the two kitchens we designed are both quite nice and both would do the job.  Thankfully we have the night to think thing over before making a final decision and contacting the two companies on Monday.  

To take our mind off of the kitchen, we decided to rent some movies.  Again we had the three for the price of one so it looks like we will be having some movie time until I return to class on Monday.  The movie we watched tonight was Jumper.  It wasn't the worst movie I have ever seen (that is still BloodRayne) but it is nothing to write home about.  Oh wait, I guess that is basically what I am doing right now.  The other two movies we rented were Kung Fu Panda and 10,000 B.C.  Let's hope they are better.

Off to Freiburg

In a moment we will leave and drive to Freiburg.  The downside of this is that the weather has turned quite snowy and we only have "summer" tires on the car.  The other downside is spending money on a new kitchen, which as you know is quite costly.  The upside is going to Freiburg and seeing our friend Andrea, who has so graciously offered her air mattress to us for the night.  Auf Wiedersehen!  

A long day

Today Rachel left Munich to head back to the states.  We had to get up at 4am today to ensure she made it to the airport by 5:30am.  It was great having her here and I must say it is quite quiet without her, but in a good way :)  Anyway, getting up that early made for a very long day.  I had a good start to my class today, but as it progressed I felt more tired and thus seemed more confused by what we were doing.  After coming home and having a late lunch with Carsten; took a nap, much longer than expected too!  Somehow I still feel tired, though I blame that on spending the past two hours doing homework.  My class ends next week and I still have not decided what to do.  Right now my options are 1.  do another class here in Munich before moving to Freiburg and continuing in classes there or 2.  just move to Freiburg right away with Carsten and start school immediately.  The reason I might stay in Munich is because we will still have the hotel and I really like my class/teacher and the thought of leaving it makes me kind of sad.  I need to make a decision soon as my class ends on Tuesday.  In other news, we are leaving tomorrow for Freiburg again as we need to look at kitchens for the new place.  As much as I like to shop I am not looking forward to this excursion.  

Rachel's last full day

Since Carsten finished work yesterday he was able to spend the day with Rachel while I was at school.  Once my class ended, we met for a lunch on the run and then wandered through the city center.  I took Rachel to one of my favorite churches here, bought some of my favorite candy to share with her and then Carsten went with Rachel into the Apple store, which recently opened here in Munich.  Tonight we plan to go out for dinner to a "typical" Bavarian restaurant in honor of Rachel's last night here.  We have to leave around 4:45am tomorrow to get her to the airport in time for her flight, which means it will be a long day at school, but so worth it.  It has been great having a visitor here and connecting with my roots from the states. 

Tollwood revisited

It sounded from Rachel as though she had a nice day visiting the city.  She participated in the tour that I had done shortly after I arrived here (see a previous post for the details of the tour).  Since I had class and then homework I was unable to spend much of the day with her; however, we were able to go to Tollwood (the Christmas market on the Octoberfest grounds).  We had a nice time there, looking at all the goodies for sale, drank some Weiß beer and ate some Indian food (a curry sampler).  Though it was a nice time, it was a later night, at least for a school night.  So, bed time for some quick sleep before school tomorrow. 

Wanting more free time

How is it that I am not working, but going to language school, and still don't feel as though I have enough time in the day?  Since I had class/homework and Carsten had to work today, Rachel was on her own in the city.  Based on her report, she seemed to have a good time, though did not get through all that she had hoped for today.  One of the things on her list was the BMW museum, which happened to be closed today.  She has more things on her list of sites for Tuesday, so maybe she will find more success then.

Tomorrow, Tuesday December 9th, is Carsten's last day at his job.  He has vacation time to use, which is why he is off for the rest of 2008.  On the upside, he will get to spend some time with Rachel out in the city on Wednesday before she leaves on Thursday morning.  

Bad Tölz

Today we decided to take a train to Bad Tölz to walk through the city centre and check out their Christmas market.  The weather was cold and at times a few flurries would fall, providing a beautiful view.  In my opinion, it looked like what was one expects to see in an "old world town."  We ate some yummy food, had some gelato, which really didn't make sense since we were already cold, and then some hot tea.  We decided to avoid the glühwein after our beer challenge the night before.  It was a pleasant day, even if we were all tired a bit.

A visitor arrives

Today Carsten and I went to the Munich airport to pick up my friend Rachel, who is visiting us until Thursday.  Though we had not planned on having visitors before 2009, Rachel happened to be in Scotland visiting other friends and it only made sense for her to swing on by to Germany.  So, what do we take Rachel to do only a few short hours after landing?  That's right, a beer challenge.  It was great fun, though we were clearly much older than everyone else who participated.  I know, I know, I am only 24 and I was still older than most everyone else, well except for Gary...thanks :)

Third week completed

For those of you keeping track (or counting down the days like me) you know that I have just finished my third week of intensive German language school.  That means I have 7 actual classroom days left (told you I was counting).  I am really enjoying the class, will miss it when it is done and look forward to beginning another course once we move to Freiburg.  All that being said, I also can't wait to give my brain a brief break before it implodes.  Seriously, I am really getting tired of learning.  I mean, how smart should one person really be?!?  All joking aside, anyone wanting to learn a new language, do it while you are young.  Here I am a vibrant young lad of 24 (yes, I am still holding on to this delusion) and I struggle on a daily basis with trying to grasp the simplest of concepts.  That being said, time to get back to my homework :)

My first movie in München

Tonight Carsten and I went to a movie with Gary and Klaus.  It was my first time seeing a film in Munich, though we attempted to go nearly one month ago.  Anywho, we saw the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace.  I really enjoyed the film, though this is not your father's Bond, so to speak.  It had little lovin' happening and no gadgets to speak of.  However, it was high energy and at least for me kept my interest.  Of course it helped that Gary brought some popcorn that was fantastic!  Oh how I have missed popcorn.  Sorry, got sidetracked there.  The theater was quite different from the ones in the US, or at least the ones I am used to going to.  It reminded me of the Broom Street Theater in Madison, Wisconsin.  For those of you not familiar with this theater, it is a garage!!!  Literally, it is a garage that has been turned into a playhouse.  

Let the kitchen drama begin

Well, it appears that we have decided on an apartment.  It was not my top choice, but it does have some nice features; one being Carsten having the ability to walk to work.  One of the downsides of this place was needing to buy a kitchen for it.  Though this seems to be pretty common here, it was not something either of us wanted to deal with.  So, we obtained a quote and thank goodness I was sitting down.  A final decision has not been made regarding the kitchen and I am sure a lot more discussion will take place and yes, I will write all about it (whether you want to read about it or not).  

Tollwood

Tonight Carsten and I met his co-worker/friend Gary at Tollwood.  It is a winter festival that takes place on the same grounds as Oktoberfest and like most things German, it focuses on alcohol, though this time it isn't beer so much as hot spiced wine (glühwein).  This excursion was a great idea.  Not only did I have a blast drinking the glühwein, but I met some of Gary's friends who I really enjoyed talking with.  However, the best part was hearing stories from Gary and his friends, who also went through intensive German courses, and their struggles.  It helped me to feel better about my own progress and to limit some of the expectations I have put on myself regarding this course.

Some things I will never understand, pt. 2

As I had stated in an earlier post, this will likely become an on-going post.  It seems as though i see things almost on a daily basis that take me by surprise, for one reason or another.  It is not possible for me to write all of these down, so i wait until i see something extraordinary and then I make note of it.  Well, that happened today.  It is not that I haven't seen anything this "odd" before, it was just something that caught my eye and made me laugh a bit.  So, here is the scene.  I get off of the bus and walk to the Post to pick up a package that has been sent to me (thank you Katherine for sending all my excess mail).  As I am walking to the Post, a curvaceous woman of about 50 years old is riding her bike in my direction, wearing a dress and smoking a cigarette.  She inhales from her cigarette and then uses that same arm to indicate she is turning left.  It was then that I laughed.  Seeing her smoke and ride her bike was one thing but then to inhale, one more time, before indicating she was turning seemed like too much for me.  The moral of the story, she may get lung cancer, but she will have killer calf muscles!

World AIDS Day

Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day.  It is the first year in some time that I have not been involved in some sort of outreach or programming that honors today.  For those of you who are interested in more information about World AIDS Day click here or here or here.  

Today is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day.  In 1988 the World Health Organization announced the first World AIDS Day to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS as well as provide opportunities to understand and support persons living with HIV/AIDS.  If you would like to read what President Bush "wrote" regarding World AIDS Day, click here.  

A restful day

Today was a day of leisure.  I slept in until roughly 9am and then got up for some breakfast.  Much of the morning was spent poking around the apartment.  I also looked on-line for some furniture sine we desperately need to buy some things once we move.  In the afternoon, Carsten and I went for a walk around our neighborhood and then on some path that seemed to lead into nowhere.  It was really quite relaxing.  Though it was chilly outside, it was also sunny, which made for a nice, crisp winter day.  During the walk, we found a bakery that was actually open on a Sunday and we bought ourselves three slices of cake.  Thus, we came home, had some hot tea and cake and then spent the next few hours playing board games.  It was a much needed day of peace.  And now, let the work/school week begin!

A busy afternoon

Carsten and I headed off to the City Centre this afternoon to do some holiday shopping.  Carsten wanted to look for some gift ideas for his family, in addition, a large Christmas Market is happening in the City Centre as well and we wanted to walk through it.  Having come from Chicago I know what "a lot" of people looks like.  However, the magnitude of people that were at the market was incredible.  Of course it didn't help that so many people also decided to bring their SUV strollers along as well.  Funny, the cars in general are smaller here than in the US, but the strollers are huge!  But I digress.  After a few hours we had enough of that scene and came home to watch the final movie, P2, we rented.  It was the best, by far, of the three we rented and even Carsten agreed, which was a bit surprising since he doesn't care for horror films as much as I do.  Once we finished the movie we decided to go to the circus for one last time.  It was great fun!  A lot of laughing and even though I didn't always understand what was being said it was still funny.  This truly is a dying piece of entertainment.  I would recommend attending a circus if you have a chance.  I know that every year one comes to Chicago and I am sure many other cities have traveling circuses come as well.  In summer 2008, Celebrity Circus was on TV and yes I watched every episode.  The acrobatics take quite a bit of physical strength and the comedic component of the circus is not something that appears easy to obtain.  In the circus we saw, they used the audience a lot and so we really became part of the show.  In the end, just go and you will have a great time! 

Video Rental

Finally, a video store has opened in our neighborhood.  I love me some movies and have been going through a bit of withdrawal without anything new to see.  So last night (Friday) we walked to the video store that opened a week or so ago to see how it is.  Well, it has about two rows of movies, all new releases and a section for pornographic films.  In the end we rented three movies, since they had a special three for the price of one.  We watched two of them last night and will watch the last one today.  The two we saw were Funny Games, a film about a family held hostage in their summer home.  I really enjoyed it and thought is was quite different than most movies made.  The second movie we watched was Hancock, the latest blockbuster from Will Smith.  Honestly, I didn't care for the movie.  Carsten picked it but also was not thrilled with it.  The last movie we got was P2, a horror film that takes place in a parking garage.  Since I am a HUGE horror film buff, I am guessing I will like this one, at least let's hope so!

The weekend is upon us

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and didn't eat too much.  After the realtor left last night, I was able to call some people to say hello and wish them well.  It was great hearing the voices of those who I hold dear to my heart.  Though I did not have the time to phone everyone, I hope to be in touch with people soon, either by phone or email.  Oh, and though I had a nice talk with people, it was really, really hard to hear what yummy food you were going to eat (or had just eaten in some cases).  Carsten and I had bread and salad.  Jealous much?!?  

Enjoy the holiday weekend those of you reading this in the US.  Me, not sure what the weekend holds but I hope sleeping in and relaxing is part of it.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  It is weird to me that I am not cooking or stuffing my face with food (turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie) at this very moment.  Instead, I am preparing to do some homework.  So far today I have gone to class and cleaned the apartment.  The realtor is coming tonight to show the apartment to prospective tenants and so that meant I had to clean.  In the real world no one really cares how clean the apartment is except me and for those of you who know about my cleanliness...enough said :)

I do want to take a moment though to share what I am thankful for today and everyday.  I am most thankful for Carsten-for his love, patience and support.  I am thankful for my family and wonderful friends-who although they are far away from me now, I know they are only a phone call away.  And finally, I am thankful for the support and encouragement I have received from people while on this journey abroad.

Tracy Chapman, pt. 2

We are back from the concert and let me begin by saying she sounded amazing.  The show was just Tracy on stage with her guitar, no one and nothing else.  According to Carsten, Tracy changed guitars more than Cher changes costumes, to give you an idea of just how many guitars she had at her disposal.  The downside of the show was that she played all her typical songs, i.e. her greatest hits plus three new songs, and their were no surprises.  The upside was her voice and how much she interacted with the audience.  Here is the set list of the show:

1.  Why?

2.  Crossroads

3.  Sing For You

4.  Across The Lines

5.  Save Us All

6.  Change

7.  Stand By Me

8.  The Promise

9.  Something To See

10.  Subcity

11.  Fast Car

12.  Telling Stories

13.  Give Me One Reason

14.  Baby Can I Hold You

15.  Talkin' bout A Revolution

Encore:

16.  Cold Feet (Audience Request)

17.  She's Got A Ticket

I can't wait to see what concert I will attend next!!! 

Tracy Chapman

As one of my birthday gifts, Carsten bought us tickets to see Tracy Chapman in concert.  This will be our second time seeing her.  The last time we saw her was in Chicago at the apt named Chicago Theatre.  She sounded amazing and I can only hope she sounds the same tonight.  She has a new CD available and a single out, though we have yet to purchase the CD.  Thankfully I know the rest of her music catalogue and thus shouldn't be too lost during the show.  One of her greatest songs was called The Promise.  However, the song that made her famous was Fast Car.

A funny story

Okay, so funny might not be the appropriate adjective.  It is more of an "oh my, who does this happen to" kind of funny.  For example, when I was taking a cab in Chicago from Beth's (thanks again for letting me stay at your place) to visit my dear friends Craig and Laura (love you both) my cab hit a deer; yes in the urban area known as the Windy City.  Anyway, this story is that kind of funny.

Picture it, Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, November 22nd.  Carsten and I have looked at five apartments and we are about to see the last one of the day.  We are exhausted, cold, hungry and just want to find a place to live.  As we are waiting at a stop light to turn yellow then green (yes, it goes yellow twice here in Germany) a car is backing up toward our car from the passenger side.  Carsten notices it and makes an off-the-cuff comment.  My reply is "No one is in that car!"  Carsten not being a native English speaker did not exactly understand what I meant by this and then the car hit our car.  Thankfully no major damage was done to either car; however, we did have to phone the police since their was no second driver and we couldn't just leave the scene.  In the end, we decided against the apartment because it is too expensive and doesn't exactly fit our needs.  

My current schedule

A couple weeks back I wrote a post about my schedule; however, since I am now in my German language course that has changed.  So, for those of you wondering how I am currently spending my days, here it goes.

7am - Wake up and get ready for the day

7:30 - Coffee and toast

7:54 - Catch the bus (assuming it is on-time); transfer to subway

8:30 - Arrive at my school and review my homework and materials

9am - Class starts

12:30pm - Class ends

12:45 - Take subway/bus home 

1:30 - Arrive at home

1:35 - Check e-mail, mail, etc.

1:45 - Eat lunch

2pm - Do dishes, sweep floors, do laundry if necessary

3pm - Homework

6-7pm Carsten arrives home; prepare dinner, do dishes

8pm - Relax, watch TV, read, play a board game

11pm - Bed

Realization

It has occurred to me only recently (okay so it was about 10 minutes ago) that Thanksgiving is this Thursday.  Yes, it is sad I won't be with my family, yes it is sad I won't have a paid day off of work (of course since I am not working I guess this doesn't really matter), but what is most sad is that I won't have turkey.  I have looked for it in the grocery stores (I am being kind here using that term to describe the stores in my neighborhood) but I have been unable to find a single turkey.  At this time I can't remember the last time I didn't make a Thanksgiving meal.  I think it might have been 1999 when I was living in Arizona and stayed at home with my friend's Amy and Peter.  Alas, life goes on.  Plus, I can always eat wurst and kraut and pretend it is turkey with all the trimmings.  

I need a chip inserted

How ideal it would be if someone could insert a chip into my head that would enable me to speak and understand German.  Now, I am sure you are thinking "But it is so much more rewarding when you have worked for something and see the results."  Yes, that is true, but at this point I want to see more/better results.  I know that in general I am not the most patient person, but for real, this is driving me crazy.  It has gotten to the point where every night I have a dream that involves me trying to learn to speak German.  I wake up with German words in my mind.  So, the upside is I know some German words; the downside is I just want to sleep and turn my brain off.  Well, enough complaining from my end.  I guess it isn't all bad and hey, maybe soon I can actually put a sentence together correctly...a boy can dream :)  

The Weekend!

Well hello.  We finally made it back after a weekend in Freiburg, where we looked at apartments.  We left early on Friday afternoon, around 2pm, to try and beat some of the weekend traffic.  The trip from München to Freiburg is expected to take approximately 4.5 hours by car.  It took us about 6.5 due, not only to traffic and typical road construction, but the weather turned bad.  Once we arrived we ate a cheap spaghetti dinner and then headed off to our friend Andrea's, where we were sleeping the next two nights.

Saturday was a busy day.  We woke up at 7am for breakfast and to get ready and had our first appointment at 9:30am.  Throughout the day, we looked at 6 different apartments, none of which stood out as the best place for us.  We liked several of them, but they all had strengths and weaknesses.  Some were large, others were massive and a couple were on the smaller side.  Some were brand new and others were quite old.  It was fun to see all our options, but also mind-blowing.  We were both quite tired when we finished and were able to head back to Andrea's, which was around 5pm.  

On Sunday we looked at 4 more places.  Again, we had no real winner.  Some were better than others but none of them were crap-shacks.  We again had to get up around 7am to be ready for our first appointment at 9:30am.  Today we finished around 3pm and then headed back to München.  As expected, this time it only took the 4.5 hours.  We were quite exhausted from it all, but still needed to go through all the information to try and pick to right one for us.  At the time of this writing, this is still not clear :)

As many of you reading this know from our talks when Carsten and I were looking for places in München, most apartments here don't come with kitchens.  In addition, the tenant is responsible for light fixtures as well as many added costs that are not typical when looking at apartments in the United States.  This, along with the number of places we saw, added to an overwhelming weekend.  However, we are both secure in knowing we will make the right decision in terms of where to live.  Plus, are next place can't possibly have as many faults as our current place!!!

FRUSTRATED!!!

It is finally Friday and I have finished my first week of German language school.  Let me just say that I am rather frustrated with my inability to grasp this language.  However, what is interesting is how I am able to recall more things from my years of taking Spanish.  That being said, maybe in 20 years I will remember some of the German I have "learned" this week!

Carsten and I will be leaving shortly for Freiburg, as we have scheduled several apartments to look at this weekend with the hopes of picking one for us to move into.  It is raining quite hard currently and is expected to be in the 20's in Freiburg, so basically I am back in the Midwest :)

Off to Carsten's Birthday dinner

Since Carsten had to go to Hamburg for work we were not able to celebrate his birthday.  So we are going out tonight for dinner with our neighbors, Sven and Cathleen (from our night out last week-see earlier post and picture) to celebrate the birth of Carsten.  So, here I am preparing for the night out-though I still don't know where we are going.  But, I could guess that sausage and kraut are on the menu :)

I stink at Math, no matter what language!

I have known for many years that Math is not my friend.  I even learned in college that I have an enemy in Statistics; actually nemesis might be a better word for it.  Anyway, today I learned that numbers and Math, whether in English or German, cause me grief.  So much so, that at one point in class today we were doing an exercise and though I knew the teacher was talking I went completely blank.  I saw her lips move but that was about all.  So when it came time for me to answer a question from what she just said clearly I couldn't.  Since I am not the best at lying I just said "I'm sorry I have no idea what we are doing at the moment."  Though everyone laughed and thought it was a joke I really was clueless...shocker I know.  Luckily the teacher came back to me a little bit later and I could redeem myself, for the most part.  Not surprising, I did pretty well with naming furniture and such for homes.  Interior decorating here I come!  Wait, do I need numbers for that job?   

Day 3 of school

It has come to my attention that I am out of practice when it comes to school/learning and all that is required for this to happen.  Again today I am struggling with staying awake.  Most of my fellow classmates talked (in Spanglish) about being tired, so at least I know I am not the only one.  However, I can't believe how much I am looking forward to the weekend when I don't have to get up so early to get off to school.  Sure, I will still have to get up early, as Carsten is not one for "wasting a day."  But it will be much better to not have to run off to catch a bus.  No, not the short bus, a regular sized one.  I continue to really enjoy my class and the teacher, but I still struggle with retaining the information.  I seem able to say most things; I just need to be prompted on what to say when.  That is something I clearly need to work on.  That being said, I am off to continue doing my Hausaufgabe (homework).

So tired!

This picture shows just how I feel today.  I cannot believe how tired I am.  I think it has to do with now having to get up early to go to school; especially since I have been a Hausmann (house-husband) for the past several weeks.  I was up extra early today with Carsten to send him off to Hamburg, which I think only added to my drowsiness.  Of course, if I wouldn't have stayed up so late last night reading my new book "Seeing" by Jose Saramago I might not be as tired today.  Speaking of books, I just finished reading "Thunderstruck" by Erik Larson and I must say I did not love it.  I really enjoyed his last book, this one not as much.  Though it did get better for the last quarter of the book.  

Anyway, today was a tough day at school.  It shocks me at how little I can recall moment-to-moment in this class and yet I seem to remember most movies, actors/actresses, singers, etc.  Plus, I was not the best dressed today.  Here I thought I looked so dapper and in walked another student and as soon as I saw her I thought, "now she knows how to dress."  Clearly it is time for me to focus less on my appearance, as well as the appearance of others, and get busy with learning German.   And we all know that is easier said than done, not that I am one to judge :)

Carsten's birthday

Today, November 18th, is Carsten's birthday.  However, he had to leave quite early this morning to catch a flight to Hamburg where he will be until late on Wednesday night.So we won't spend his birthday together.  That being said, as you can see from the picture, he doesn't look a day over 40!!!  Happy Birthday Sweetie!

First day of school

Today was my first day of German language school.  The class meets 3.5 hours each day, five days per week for four weeks.  Like every other first day of school, I was a bit nervous.  I had the same thoughts running through my head as when I was younger:  Will I be the dumbest in the class?  Will I say something wrong/stupid?  Will the other students not like me?  and most important...What should I wear?  Let's begin!  I looked fantastic.  I wore black pants and black shoes with a green colored sweater and a multi-colored scarf with a charcoal grey coat.  Whether I was the dumbest in the class has yet to be determined and I definitely said things wrong/stupid.  The class is small with only seven students.  I really only spoke to one of the students who sat right next to me.  Everyone seemed really nice and most appeared to be just as nervous and confused as me.  Oh, and did I mention I was the best dressed?  I realize that could go without saying but I figured I would just say it and make sure everyone was on the same page.  We are given homework each day and that is what I am off to do right now.  Auf Wiedersehen.

Dachau

Today Carsten and I went to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.  It was the very first concentration camp and the last one to be shut down.  It was an extremely emotional place for me to visit; as I am sure it is for most people.  I could not bring myself to take any pictures inside the buildings as it felt disrespectful to all the men who suffered there.  The reason I say men is because only men were allowed at this particular camp.  I have attached the link to Wikipedia that talks more about the camp and has some pictures from inside the buildings and crematorium.  Click here to see my pictures.  

It's Saturday; you know what that means?

Yes, another Saturday another day of looking at cars.  However, this time we actually test drove one.  It appears that an Audi is officially out of the picture (sorry John).  We both sat in one and hit our heads and realized we are both too tall for an Audi.  Instead, we drove a VW Golf Plus.  It was a fun little car and reminded me a lot of Dixie (my car in Chicago).  The one we drove was also the same color as Dixie and had some pep to it.  

After our trip to the car dealership we went looking for furniture.  It appears that in only a few months I may be sleeping in a proper bed, instead of a mattress on the floor.  Though we did not find a bed frame we did agree on a mattress.  Oh, and in case you are wondering why we are waiting for furniture, it is easier to move with less stuff so we are waiting until after we are in Freiburg to get anything new.   

How I learn

As I wrote earlier in the week, I have been using the Internet, along with my German in 10 minutes a day workbook, to get a head start on my German language education.  I thought some people might be interested in the web page or possibly trying their hand at German.  So, click here to access the page.    

Also, my official German language class begins on Monday, I am a bit nervous, as evident by my dreams every night.  Seriously, if I have one more dream involving German nouns or getting kicked out of the country for not speaking the language I think I might snap.

Have a great weekend everyone!  

Picture from my night out...

Here is a photo from my night out on Tuesday where we went to the club 8-Seasons.  The people in the picture from left to right are:

Me 

Carsten

Friend of our neighbors  (can't remember her name)

Kathleen and Sven (our neighbors)

What do I do all day?

I get asked a lot what it is I do all day, especially since I am not working at the present time.  Although my schedule will change next week, I thought I would write down now what it is I do to occupy my time.  Here we go...

*  I wake up irritated because Carsten can't seem to turnoff his alarm clock

*  I either fall back asleep or wake up for the day.  If I fall back asleep it is for less than one hour

*  I make the bed (assuming no cat is sleeping on it)

*  I check my email, return emails and look at my facebook page

*  I make some coffee, eat brunch and watch a cartoon DVD, usually Scooby Doo (the kid in me)

*  Now the cleaning begins ~ dishes, sweeping, dusting, cat litter, mopping (if needed), bathroom

*  During this past week I have also been studying my German on the Internet which has taken away from my cleaning schedule

*  Sometimes I will walk to the market for food or to the dry cleaners

*  Once Carsten arrives home I prepare dinner

Basically I am a regular June Cleaver but with better fashion sense.  Of course next week when I officially start my German language course this schedule will change, drastically, but I will wait until then to figure out how to get all my cleaning done.

I'm tired of learning!!!

After 10 years of higher education one would think I have this learning thing down pat.  Well, I don't.  Maybe at 24 years old I am just too old to learn anymore, no I don't believe that either.  Of course I can still learn (and of course I am still 24), but maybe I should pick something other than a new language.  That being said, I can now count to 1000(ish), name the days of the week, the months of the year, the alphabet and greetings and salutations.  My task for Thursday will be German noun suffixes.  I know this is all thrilling for you all to read so just think of how exciting it is for me to actually be doing.  Thankfully, I was given the workbook "German in 10 minutes a Day" by my good friend Jim; yes, I am using the book.  Also, who knew the Internet had free language courses, sort of.  Seriously, what doesn't the Internet have.  On a final note, shortly before I left Chicago I attended a conference on Internet Addiction.  Well, all I have to say is "Hello, my name is William and I am addicted to the Internet."  

Goin' to da club!

Tonight I went to my first German dance club.  I have gone to pubs and beer gardens but never to a dance club.  And as most everyone knows I like to shake my groove thang!  After a day of cleaning and studying German it seemed like the right time to cut loose, even if it was a Tuesday night.  So, Carsten and I, together with our neighbors with to 8-Seasons where we met up with some of our neighbor's friends.  It was really quite cool and I had a blast.  Oh, and this is the song that got me on the dance floor.

Getting my learning on

So, my German language course begins one week from today.  As preparation for my course Carsten has decided to give me tasks to get a jump start on my learning.  My task for today is counting from 1-1000, the days of the week and possibly some greetings.  Clearly I should have been paying closer attention when he was giving me my "homework." 

Circus

No, not the new Britney Spears album, a real live circus.  As most people who are reading this know, I am from Baraboo, WI, home of Circus World Museum.  Now, I could go on and on and write about the history of the circus and what it represents, but thankfully other people wrote about it at Wikipedia and you can find out all about the circus here.  The circus we went to see was the Barelli Circus.  Honestly, it was a blast and really helped to improve my mood.  I don't have many pictures from the circus as my battery went dead (camera battery that is).  Clearly I need to get better at charging this thing on a regular basis.  But, I did manage to get one of me and Carsten (shocking, I know) and of the outside of the tent.  The few I did get from inside did not turn out too well due to how dark it was inside the big top.  

The old keep getting older!!

Today is the birthday of my mom and my brother.  Though I am not able to be with you on this special day,  I hope you both have a wonderful day.  I miss and love you both very much...

More driving practice

Today we decided to look at more cars.  It appears that I have lost the battle on the Audi.  It seemed as though I might be making progress with this task of mine until Carsten had to go and sit in one and bump his head.  Apparently he wants head room.  Whatever; I think looking good is clearly more important than functionality (case in point look at some of the shoes I wear!).  That being said, Carsten has picked the Skoda Octavia for us to drive.  I never heard of it either, so here is a picture of the car.  

After looking at cars I practiced some more driving.  I did not do as well this time as the last, but I think part of that was not being in the mood for driving.  No, this had nothing to do with the Audi, though maybe I would have practiced longer if behind the wheel of one :)

Keeping a low profile

My mood seems to be getting the better of me as of late.  I didn't leave the house today and I only did the most minimal amount of cleaning possible, which is how I really know I am in a funk :)  However, I was able to talk with some of my friends today on the telephone, which was a huge mood booster for me.  So, to all those I was able to reach, thank you for your friendship and encouragement, and for those I did not speak with, don't worry, your time is coming!! 

A breakdown of sorts

This morning we had an early rise as we needed to get into the city to fill out the necessary paperwork for me to officially reside in Germany.  The building was a it overwhelming and a bit like a maze.  I felt much like how I suspect a lab mouse feels.  The process itself was also overwhelming to me.   Think of going to the DMV times 100!!!  Thankfully Carsten was there to help me through.  In the end, I have six months to take what's called an A1 test.  This test will prove that I know enough of the German language.  Now, I am already freaking out a bit since everyone knows how well I am at tests!

When we finally left, Carsten went to work and I went to the grocery store and then home.  Upon arriving home I seemed to have a bit of a breakdown.  The song I was listening to was not a sad song, necessarily, though it was a holiday song.  At the same time, I was looking at a picture of one of my best friends, Alica, and that is when I lost it.   I have been here about one month now and though I am happy to be here and have this opportunity (thanks solely to Carsten) I can't help but miss my life in Chicago.  

Just Keeping Busy

Reading has become one of my favorite past times.  I have enjoyed it for some time now, but with having no TV as a distraction or much communication with the outside world books have become my main outlet.  I finished reading The Other Boleyn Girl this past weekend and really enjoyed the book immensely.  Since then I have read The Good Wife and Last Night at the Lobster, both by Stewart O' Nan.  Now I am reading Thuderstruck by Erik Larson.  

While going to the dry cleaners today, yes I go frequently, I had a new woman wait on me.  This one was also quite friendly and spoke more English than the other attendant I normally have.  She was also very patient with me and helped me to understand what the details on the receipt mean.  Though I had already figured this out from my other times there, I thought it so polite that she would try to help me out in this way. 

In the evening Carsten brought home two board games.  We enjoy board games quite a lot and though most of the ones we play are German games,  we don't play any that have to do with words.  However, since I rarely win I guess it wouldn't make much difference :)  The game we played tonight was Just 4 Fun.  I'd provide a link for it, but it is all in German.  If is sort of like Connect Four, but with more strategy and not as straight forward.

Election Day

Today is election day in the US.  With the time change I am not able to follow the election as I might like.  So what am I to do?  How about shopping?!?  That's right; just walking myself over to the nearest mall.  Carsten and I decide to meet there when he is done with work.  No problem, except I get a little lost.  In the end we find one another and tootle around the mall.  It still surprises me to see a grocery store in the mall.  I don't know why really; I mean, it actually makes some sense.  I went to buy the makings for homemade guacamole only to not be able to find avocados.  What kind of third world county am I living in!!! Okay, it's not that bad; really :) 

Picture this, Munich 2008.  A stunningly attractive American and a German leave the mall and begin to walk home, in the dark, a different way than how the American came to the mall. What happens, you guessed it they get lost.  Now, not just lost but stuck in a muddy field and no light. As most of you know, the American watches way too many horror films.  Let me just say the surroundings were perfect for some one or some thing with a saw, machete, or anything else to come and do them in.  But I digress.  I have been watching too many Golden Girl episodes.

  

Some things I will never understand or "Look what else is new to me!"

I am guessing that this will be an on-going series with my blog.  

Living someplace that is different from my previous experiences gives me plenty of things to not fully understand.  One of the first things that took me by surprise was our garage.  As you can see from the picture below, our garage has two "floors." The car that is in the garage in the picture belongs to our downstairs neighbor.  The empty spot above her car is where our car goes; essentially our garage uses a lift to put our car in or the neighbors car in.  Never in my life have I seen a garage like this.  And this is just one of many things that is new to me.  

Brauneck

Today we went hiking at Brauneck.  We started at the bottom, which was in the village of Lenggries, and climbed to Brauneck.  From there we continued climbing (because really who needs legs) to Latschenkopf.  If you look here at the pictures, you will find a map and some of the views from the outing.  It was absolutely beautiful there.  It was a steep hike and seemed to go on forever, though I was told it was not as high as some of our other hikes.  Of course we could have taken a cable car/ski lift thing up and/or down, but that seems like cheating. Coming down we got caught in nightfall and it was pretty dark by the time we made it to our car.  However, you could still see the beauty that was surrounding us.  

This experience today really helped me to appreciate how fortunate I am to have this opportunity of living in another country and experiencing the beauty that it holds.  Though you are not here with us, I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Driving a Manual 101

Today was a nice and relaxing day.  It started out with some breakfast and Carsten playing around on the computer while I finished reading the book "The Other Boleyn Girl."  Afterward we took a walk to a car dealership to look at possible cars for us.  I found a great Audi A3 2.0 TDI that I think would be perfect for us.  Carsten found a 3 series BMW, I think.  I really was more focused on the Audi.  Anyway, all this talk of cars made Carsten think it was time for me to learn how to drive a 5-speed.  Now, I have been "taught" in the past how to drive a 5-speed and even drove to Colorado in a 5-speed.  But that was a long time ago and I was not that great then.  So, we took some time to practice the basics.  I only stalled the car a few times...or so.  I clearly need some more practice, but I wasn't horrible either.  Personally I think I need that Audi as motivation for learning how to drive a 5-speed.  Here it is and I think you will know what I mean.