9th March

 Hello Everyone,

 

I've nearly made it through the first week. I will be happier when I have made it through the 3rd week, because theoretically all of my paperwork and all the formalities should be done.

But if I could ignore all that crap I've had to do this week, I would say I have enjoyed the time spent here so far.

 Contrary to what may be the popular vote, I've found it much more difficult adapting to dorm life than adapting to the fact that I have to speak a different language here. Perhaps that's because the language barrier is more of just a short wall, like those in houses that have 2nd floor lofts that are too good for railings.

... By that I just mean that nearly EVERYBODY understands and can speak English here. So if I were really struggling, or as in a few instances, I couldn't think of how a specific English phrase translates, it's fairly acceptable to just revert to English (although I still think that's cheating).

 

In any case, you guys want to here about my day (right?)

 

It started off with meeting Helly at the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) at 10:05 am. Well naturally when she said "let's meet at the kiosk" it should happen that I choose the wrong kiosk, and it takes us an extra 10 minutes until we finally see each other a block away down the sbahn tracks. (p.s. bahn=train, so s-bahn is like a subway)

 

The goal for today way: get Val a German cell phone to call home and be able to call/text in Germany.  After some consideration, I decided I would rather just pay for cheap smart phone, and internet prepaid card.  The phone itself was 85 Euro, and it's some kind of Samsung. It's basically the tiny cute version of my fancy new American (and therefore expensive in Germany) Galaxy S II.

But the store I got it from did not have very good pre-paid plans. So we walked around the Koenigstrasse and found some little phone shop. They had a prepaid plan that is: 5c per minute to call anyone in the US! 12c per minute to call anyone in Deutschland, 15c per SMS text sent, and internet plan of up to 750MB and 30 days usage for 9,90 Euro per month. I was pretty happy with that deal. There are of course other pre-paid things I could add on, like 9,90 per month for 1000 SMS or 9,90 per month for 1000 minutes. However I doubt I will use that much. At least, I'm trying to use them sparingly, since I'm paying for the internet in my dorm and might as well use it for Skype and facebook chat when available.

Also, in buying the pre-paid plan, you are also buying the SIM card. When I bought it at the store, the package cost me $25 including somewhere around 8 Euro of money to use however: data, talking, texting. I didn't think it was that great of a deal, but I also didn't want to go walking around searching for the cheapest SIM card either. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when the sale lady told me that with my purchase I got a free set of headphones- their "Hi-Fi Headphones" too! The kind that cover your whole ear, like they used to have at the library for books on tape. They even come in a box!

But Enough with that boring electronic stuff: So got my phone done (or so I thought..). check. Now what to do?

 Helly said she thought that one of the chain stores would have dirndls out in their seasonal section because it is almost time for the Fruehlings Fest (Spring Fest). Soooo, we went looking at the dirndls they had!  Helly is such a good shopping buddy. She knew I was dying to try on some dirndls, and she was so exicted.  I only tried on 2 when we were there, but she got pictures of both, and definitely in the next few weeks we will have to go dirndl shopping for real.

 

 

 too much pink, but I like the sleeves and the green color.

 

It's hard to tell, but the apron on this one is actually brown lace over blue satin kind of material.

 

 

 

The weather was still so nice today, so we sat outside at the Schlossplatz in the sun for about an hour before Helly needed to go meet a friend.

 

When I got back to my dorm, I tried for about an hour to set up my phone, but to no success. It kept not letting me call the US, and somehow it must have been because I had accidentlly used up all the 8 Euro that was supposed to be on there in trying to download the What'sApp app. So in a very frustrated state- because I felt so close to being able to contact people through texts once again, that I made last minute decision to go to the schwabengalarie (a shopping center) and buy more phone cash.

It was probably a bad decision, because I still hadn't realized at this point that my phone kept trying to download things and was spending 50c per MB, which somehow turned into $4 worth before I realized it. [I hate electronics]. But in the end, I set up the 9,90 Euro internet per month plan, and I'll see how the texting and talking goes for this month.

 

In the evening, I decided I was going to make something none boring out of my very boring, but in need of being used, food selection in my fridge right now. Specifically, I love carrots, but I was getting awfully tired of cooked carrots.

 A couple years ago I made a pretty good pumpkin soup, that had kind of a bisque texture. As in, pureed pumpkin mixed with milk. Therefore, I thought to myself: Hey, Ima try this with these carrots! And wouldn't you know- it is super tasty!

 

[ (cooked carrots + (milk +butter + water)melted in a pot) pureed in a blender ] + heat + salt +sugar

 

= rich carrot soup that is filling, satisfying and not at all boring!

 

Also, grilled cheese.

 

I was so proud of myself that I didn't even mind how awful and cheesy the tv shows I tried to watch were.

And now for once, I think I will try to go to bed early and finally catch up on some long missed sleep!

 

Auf  "Wiederschreiben"

 

 

p.s. This is from the Welcoming Party last night hosted for the international students by the international students group or something like that. Everyone who entered before midnight got a free shot of Jaegermeister Orange! And then at everyhour for 15 minutes, it was Euro 1 special. Additionally, Beck's bottled beers only cost E 2,50. Typical Germans.  It was a good time.