On Tuesday oral and written exams were given to all of the students to gauge our levels of German. I placed very high and picked a class called "German for College Students." On Tuesday night there was a party to celebrate the beginning of the course. There I met lots of nice people, ate good German food, and drank champagne :-)
On Wednesday the first official day of class started. I made a few friends right a way. Tanja, a girl from Russia and I, have been friends since that day. In the evening I went to the international summer choir. There I met more international students that love singing, and learned lots of singing vocabulary in German. It was fun to sing again--haven't in a while! After singing I met up with Tanja and some others. From there we went to a beer garden. We ate giant soft prezels, drank beer, and enjoyed each other's company, all while enjoying the beautiful view of the Neckar river.
On Thursday I went to class, followed by a movie night in the evening. We watched a German movie that was a parody of the media, and how the heads of these television stations want us to watch crappy reality shows instead of things with substance. It really made me think. After that I met up with some others at the bar in our dorm. I drank a sex on the beach that had a ridiculous amount of alcohol, and was drunk enough to stand up and dance with Tanja. Good times.
On Friday I had class, and then went out on a small boat on the Neckar with the other students. At night we went to a cafe, but Tanja and I left early since we weren't feeling well. Yesterday Tanja and I went to the Altstadt. We ate at an Italian restaurant overlooking the Neckar. I ate carbonara-yum!!! Then we went shopping :) At night I met up with a German girl (a friend of a friend) at the movies. We saw Eclipse in German, which was weird because the actors voices are different.
Today the entire summer academy hiked to a cloister, and then had a picnic. It rained, but luckily one of the teachers loaned me her coat and an umbrella. The hike back was like 5km--I wanted to die!!! Ahh well--it means I won't feel guilty when I have a drink at the bar tonight.
Bye for now, Molly
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Welcome to Tuebingen~!
Hello All,
I have not updated in a while. Things have gotten busier. July 26-31 I enjoyed my last week in Lower Saxony with Frauke, Ralf, and the kids. That Monday was particularly exciting, as Chris and Katharina, two friends of mine, came to visit. Together we walked to Hahnenklee and then drove to Goslar. We ate kaesespaetzle, climbed a church clock tower, and walked around the city. Then we headed back to Ralf and Frauke's so that I could introduce them and so that they could meet the kids. After that it started raining, so we went to the Wassertretbecken. It's this tub outside with really cold water in it that is supposed to be good for your circulation. I went in several times and nearly died. It was so cold it hurt! That night we went out to eat at a pizzeria and then Katharina, Chris, and I said our goodbyes. Was really fun.
The next day the family was out and about. I woke up to find a purse in the kitchen with my name on it. Lea's mom had made it for me!! So sweet. She's really talented. Then Lea, the 7-year-old, came over wanting to hang out. She and I went to Hahnenklee and sat at a cafe and ate ice cream. She is adorable! Then we skyped with my mom, which was funny since my mom can only speak English and she can only speak German. But I translated, and all was right with the world.
On Wednesday I went with Ralf, Frauke, and the kids to Goslar for shopping. There I got my hair done in Germany for the first time. I was afraid of having to explain what I wanted to in German, but everything turned out fine. On Thursday Frauke and I took the kids to a Fairly Tale park, but it was expensive and it sucked. On Friday I packed, and on Saturday I said my tearful goodbyes.
On Saturday evening I arrived in Tuebingen. Angi picked me up at the bus station, and then we went back to her place. There we ate dinner with her friends, including an exchange student from Scotland. Was very fun. On Sunday I relaxed and then we all ate dinner together again, and then went out for ice cream. We ate our ice cream on a ledge overlooking the neckar river where all of the students sit. Was beautiful. On Monday Angi and I went to get info about my langauge course and then the program workers took us to my room. After that Angi and I went to Oma's, my friend's grandma who is like my grandma, where we ate cake and talked. :-) On Monday night, after watching crazy you tube videos, Angi drove me back to my place where I spent my first night in my new room.
*To be continued.*
I have not updated in a while. Things have gotten busier. July 26-31 I enjoyed my last week in Lower Saxony with Frauke, Ralf, and the kids. That Monday was particularly exciting, as Chris and Katharina, two friends of mine, came to visit. Together we walked to Hahnenklee and then drove to Goslar. We ate kaesespaetzle, climbed a church clock tower, and walked around the city. Then we headed back to Ralf and Frauke's so that I could introduce them and so that they could meet the kids. After that it started raining, so we went to the Wassertretbecken. It's this tub outside with really cold water in it that is supposed to be good for your circulation. I went in several times and nearly died. It was so cold it hurt! That night we went out to eat at a pizzeria and then Katharina, Chris, and I said our goodbyes. Was really fun.
The next day the family was out and about. I woke up to find a purse in the kitchen with my name on it. Lea's mom had made it for me!! So sweet. She's really talented. Then Lea, the 7-year-old, came over wanting to hang out. She and I went to Hahnenklee and sat at a cafe and ate ice cream. She is adorable! Then we skyped with my mom, which was funny since my mom can only speak English and she can only speak German. But I translated, and all was right with the world.
On Wednesday I went with Ralf, Frauke, and the kids to Goslar for shopping. There I got my hair done in Germany for the first time. I was afraid of having to explain what I wanted to in German, but everything turned out fine. On Thursday Frauke and I took the kids to a Fairly Tale park, but it was expensive and it sucked. On Friday I packed, and on Saturday I said my tearful goodbyes.
On Saturday evening I arrived in Tuebingen. Angi picked me up at the bus station, and then we went back to her place. There we ate dinner with her friends, including an exchange student from Scotland. Was very fun. On Sunday I relaxed and then we all ate dinner together again, and then went out for ice cream. We ate our ice cream on a ledge overlooking the neckar river where all of the students sit. Was beautiful. On Monday Angi and I went to get info about my langauge course and then the program workers took us to my room. After that Angi and I went to Oma's, my friend's grandma who is like my grandma, where we ate cake and talked. :-) On Monday night, after watching crazy you tube videos, Angi drove me back to my place where I spent my first night in my new room.
*To be continued.*
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Weekend ;)
On Friday we took the kids to an indoor playground, as it was raining. It rained so much here last summer, but the weather has actually been amazing this summer. So basically we were willing to suffer through a rainy day :) After the playground Frauke dropped me off in downtown Goslar, where I met up with Saskia, a friend of a friend that I'm interested in getting to know better. She and I went out to dinner. We sat at an outdoor cafe, and I ate kaesespaetzle (noodles with cheese) and drank an Alster, beer mixed with lemonade. We had a nice chat, then went and ate ice cream and went shopping. I'd love to buy everything in S. Oliver, but I only bought a couple of sale items. I have a whole year here and I can't spend too much at the very beginning!
On Saturday (yesterday) I went with Frauke and her family, and her friend to a open house at the local fire station. It was perfect for the kids. They were allowed to talk with real firefighters, there were demonstrations on fire safety, and great activities for kids. Thies, their 6-year-old, was able to climb up on top of one of their trucks, and also to drive an excavator with one of the workers. It was adorable to watch. He looked so proud. Yesterday afternoon more of Frauke's friends arrived, and that meant drinking coffee and eating cake-I was happy to oblige. I ate a chocolate and cherry cake with a bit of rum in it, which was as delicious as it sounds.
Yesterday evening I chatted with a girl that is going to be studying abroad through Bowling Green in Austria as well. She and I had already planned on traveling together, we just hadn't made any definite plans yet. I spontaneously asked her if she was free for a few days at the end of September, as I want to go to Sweden. We looked up tickets, found some for 42 Euro a piece round trip (only 58 dollars total for a round-trip ticket!), and voila, we bought the tickets right away. So I'm off to Stockholm, Sweden in September!!! I cannot wait. That has always been a country that has been on the top of my list. I looked up youth hostels yesterday, and if we stay in a room with about 10 other people, we can keep our accommodation costs to a minimum.
Ahh cheap travel. Did I mention I love Europe??!
<3 Molly
On Saturday (yesterday) I went with Frauke and her family, and her friend to a open house at the local fire station. It was perfect for the kids. They were allowed to talk with real firefighters, there were demonstrations on fire safety, and great activities for kids. Thies, their 6-year-old, was able to climb up on top of one of their trucks, and also to drive an excavator with one of the workers. It was adorable to watch. He looked so proud. Yesterday afternoon more of Frauke's friends arrived, and that meant drinking coffee and eating cake-I was happy to oblige. I ate a chocolate and cherry cake with a bit of rum in it, which was as delicious as it sounds.
Yesterday evening I chatted with a girl that is going to be studying abroad through Bowling Green in Austria as well. She and I had already planned on traveling together, we just hadn't made any definite plans yet. I spontaneously asked her if she was free for a few days at the end of September, as I want to go to Sweden. We looked up tickets, found some for 42 Euro a piece round trip (only 58 dollars total for a round-trip ticket!), and voila, we bought the tickets right away. So I'm off to Stockholm, Sweden in September!!! I cannot wait. That has always been a country that has been on the top of my list. I looked up youth hostels yesterday, and if we stay in a room with about 10 other people, we can keep our accommodation costs to a minimum.
Ahh cheap travel. Did I mention I love Europe??!
<3 Molly
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Funny ;)
Michigan News Headline
"Flasher Reported Along Huron River
Reports of a man emerging from brush along the river in the buff have been coming in"
--I read it and laughed. If that were a federally offense in Germany nearly the entire country would be arrested. When I swim at the pond in Hahnenklee I normally see someone naked there every day.
Cultural differences are amusing...
"Flasher Reported Along Huron River
Reports of a man emerging from brush along the river in the buff have been coming in"
--I read it and laughed. If that were a federally offense in Germany nearly the entire country would be arrested. When I swim at the pond in Hahnenklee I normally see someone naked there every day.
Cultural differences are amusing...
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
A little of this, a little of that...
On Sunday Ralf's(the father of the children that I babysit for) parents came for a visit. Ralf's sister and her family came to visit as well. It was nice, I spent some time speaking with her 15-year-old daughter. We spoke German with each other but she can speak English, as she studies it in school. We all went to the pond together to go swimming, which was nice. We swam for a really long time so I was definitely exhausted by the end.
Yesterday we went to the pond with Ralf's mother, and last evening we ate outside at the hotel restaurant across the street from us. I had one Alster (a German drink that is half beer, half lemonade), and was drunk/happy for 2 hours after. I cannot believe how low my alcohol tolerance has become. I've always been a cheap date, but that was pathetic...
Today we took the bus to downtown Goslar with the kids. I bought a German magazine, ate delicious Italian gelatto, and tried not to buy anything more. Money is definitely tight and I have to keep costs to a minimum until I find some sort of a job out here (probably just babysitting or tutoring). When I think of all of the things I still have to pay for: bedding, residency permit, health insurance...I about have a heart attack. Let's hope some sort of a job opportunity presents itself!
Bye, Molly
Yesterday we went to the pond with Ralf's mother, and last evening we ate outside at the hotel restaurant across the street from us. I had one Alster (a German drink that is half beer, half lemonade), and was drunk/happy for 2 hours after. I cannot believe how low my alcohol tolerance has become. I've always been a cheap date, but that was pathetic...
Today we took the bus to downtown Goslar with the kids. I bought a German magazine, ate delicious Italian gelatto, and tried not to buy anything more. Money is definitely tight and I have to keep costs to a minimum until I find some sort of a job out here (probably just babysitting or tutoring). When I think of all of the things I still have to pay for: bedding, residency permit, health insurance...I about have a heart attack. Let's hope some sort of a job opportunity presents itself!
Bye, Molly
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Hannover
Today I took the train to meet Chris (a former exchange student at my university in Michigan) in Hannover. He and I visited his friend Dennis, and then eventually met up with Imke (another one of the former exchange students)! I didn't know she was coming until today, so that was pretty exciting. It was nice to be reunited with 2 of my favorite German exchange students that studied at Oakland University :-)
We walked around the city, shopped, and went to the top of the Rathaus (city hall). There we saw a beautiful view of the city. Towards the end of our day I did manage to finally eat mint chocolate chip ice cream. Yum.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Just being a role model...
This is a picture of Lea and I after we swam in the pond yesterday. ;)
----
Lea, our 7-year-old neighbor, is absolutely adorable. I have previously spent time with her and her mother, Anette, at the public pool, as well as on the day that I went with them to the technical university that Anette works at. Today I was invited for dinner for steak and pepper and wiener schnitzel. Lea was adorable, showing off a bit for me. She's a sweetheart, and tomorrow I've invited her over for a girls night. We're going to watch a movie and eat junk food. ;)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)