die erste Monat

Jetzt bin ich hier ein Monat in Deutschland. Alles geht gut. Ich habe nur ein mehr Woche 'intensiv-Kurs', zwei Wochen Ferien, und dann faengen wir das Sommersemester an. Ich will alle meinen 'Posts' hier erst auf Deutsch schreiben. (Oder ich probiere...dann auf Englisch..)


Ok, so I'm keeping up this blog in English, so all of you, my friends and family, can read it. The first section will be in German, so I can constantly work on it. Friday (23rd) marked my first month of being here in Germany. The first week was easy, reuniting with the family, the move to Wuerzburg added a lot to my plate, but as I adapted now it has become home. I feel like I've had a relatively easy transition. The hardest part was the pace of life. I got here and realized that you HAVE to slow down. Things are not always open, you cannot continuously run from one place to another, as I feel I do in the US. The school system is also different; there is not required homework that you must turn in each day or week--it's all at the end of the class. I feel like this alleviates much of the stress we have at the University in the US. I've heard this, but it's so different actually living it.

I've actually done a lot since I have been here: spending time with family in Muennerstadt (i take the train some weekends), meeting tons of people in Wuerzburg and exploring what our city has to offer (and there is never a dull moment...every night is a party), spending a couple of days in Bamberg for my cousin's birthday, and this weekend, visiting my seventh country, the Czech Republik (Prague). The city is beautiful! I went with a group of nine: 6 from spain, 1 from italy (milan), and another from the US. It's so amazing being surrounded by so many languages and cultures. We joke that I will leave here knowing both Spanish and German. (And I'm trying to retain the Italian...). I love it all, and could not have imagined a better experience that what has happened thus far.

With everything I do, I always go into it determined to do it the best I can. It’s been the same way with college. I have said I will go straight to graduate school and finish by the time I am 24 with my doctorate. It’s been my ‘plan’. But now, as I am learning so much, just from experiences, I think I might want to slow this down a bit. There is no hurry. I will still apply for schools, but I think I may also see what other avenues present themselves. I want to learn about and see the world. I’m learning to take a step back and evaluate my life, in a way that has never happened. I am always so busy, I never stop and think. Here is a completely different story. I see how incredibly blessed my life is and has been up to this point. I wonder, why me? Why am I so lucky to be here, to be doing what I’m doing? Of course there are so many things that I have no control of, but life deals you what it does, and I am so content and at peace with life. On the way home, I watched the sun set. I was thinking about how bizarre it is that here I am, eleven hours by plane from home, and I can see the sun going down, and at the same time the sun is shining in California. The world is not so big. There are so many similarities I am finding among cultures, among people and places. But the differences make life intriguing.

Anyways…I’ve got to get working on my homework (I just found out we had the time change today, so it’s already almost midnight!) We have our final exam this week, so I will be spending some quality time in the biblothek (yeah, library).

I will try and post pictures, but my internet is running extremely slow, so if you see none here, your best bet is: www.myspace.com/jenhead25

Wilkommen Wochenende!

So it is finally Friday (freitag!). Hooray! I'm hooked up to the net, which makes me a very happy girl. It took a week of running around. (I was missing communication.) School started and is going great, I'm learning a lot and abosorbing all that I can. I've met people from all around the world: Spain, Italy, Ireland, England, Nigeria, Korea, Japan, China...and more. Tonight I am going out with some friends from Spain, Japan, and USA. First Friday night here. There is also a big stadtspiel (city game) for all new students on Sunday. I found teh gym today and cannot wait to start using the sports center!

my plane from San Francisco to Frankfurt

the beautiful california coast

taking care of my great-oma's grave (lighting the candles and cleaning it up)

Muennerstadt, where my family lives

du bist schuldig! (my cousin, Ramiro)









Georg and I @ my new apartment in Wuerzburg

Barbara and I also...

my apartment

my bathroom

out my window

my apartments

across the street from me, for running

gartens

around the corner from me, residenz

das rathaus

streets of wuerzburg





top floor of my building

from the balcony

everything i have written thus far...

27. Feb

Schöne Grüße aus Münnerstadt!

I’ve been here in Germany for five days. Everything is going great. The family is amazing. My great-aunt says that I am the newest Familie-Mitglieder (newest family member). I have met/seen again (for the first time since I was about 7 years old) most of the family: my great aunt Christine/great-uncle paul, great-cousin Matthias and girlfriend Kathrin, great-cousin Barbara and husband Ramiro (who is also from Kalifornien) and their son, Ramiro Jr., my gross-gross Cousin, or as I like to call him, meine super Cousin, who is six years old. I have also seen family friends Georg und Renate and will again soon. I have yet to meet my oma’s (grandma’s) other brother, Günter and family. I talked to him for the first time ever a few nights ago. I believe we will see each other next week.

What’s been going on since I have been here?

Freitag (23).: Matthias, Kathrin, und Georg picked me up from the airport in Frankfurt along with fresh baked german goodies. Georg was in hand with a Monarchs (WNBA) flag and had told everybody that I play for the team. haha. We drove through Euerdorf (wo Günter lives), Bad Kissinigen (wo my oma was born!), and then here to Münnerstadt, where the rest of the family lives. I was greeted by a bubbly 6- year old asking me to watch Spongebob Schawmmkopf (auf english spongebob swim-head) with him. Of course, and I settled in.

Samstag (24): Took a walk to the Friedhof (cemetery) and saw my great grandma’s grave! The cemetary’s here are absolutely beautiful, and my aunt takes very good care of her grave. There is always at least one candle lit.
Then, we went to my first German Club: der Rock Fabrik in Schweinfurt. I am definitely NOT a fan that people can smoke in the bars…oh well it’s a big part of the culture)

Sonntag (25): A little hung-over…took a walk with Matthias and his Hund, Mikah, a beautiful German Shepard. Afterwards, drove to Matthias’ girlfriends’ house in Bad Neustadt, about ten minutes away. We played Tischfußball until receiving a call from Kathrin (his girlfriend)’s friend, saying she saw my aunt’s name on tv…and she won a new car!! We called her, and sure enough, time to come home and celebrate…she has won a new convertible (28,000 €)!! Drank champagne to that to celebrate!

Montag (26): Woke up sick. Blah. Walked to Barbara’s house, who lives under her Uncle Peter. He invited me upstairs for cappuccino and showed me a new Wohnung (apartment) that he put together above the garage, which I am invited to use. It’s beautiful, has everything for a self-sufficient place. Brie and i are invited to use in july! Crashed out super early…

Dienstag (27): because Barbara and I had a shopping trip planned this morning to Schweinfurt. It was nice, but the weather has been crappy. I bought a new shirt (sommer-type, as usual…man I am bad at buying clothes for cold weather!). Picked up my lil cousin from Kindergarden-he saw me and yelled, das ist meine Cousine!!! Schau mal, das ist meine Cousine !! (my cousin, look that’s my cousin!) He’s so sweet. Aber ich bin noch krank (ja, still sick…). Hopefully I feel better in the morning!

Mittwoch (28): Tomorrow I need to get up early to walk to the Post. I am expecting my Zulassungsbescheid (acceptance letter from Uni Würzburg) and I forgot to put c/o Ferdin’s ( my family). So I need to make sure they deliver it to me. Then, as little Ramiro as been counting down the days, we are going to the Schwimmbad tomorrow (swimming pool).

Donnertag (1. März):Ich ziehe nach Würzburg um! (I’m moving to Würzburg!) It is not far, only 100 km or so. I believe, that I will move in and get my key, but spend the weekend with my family here still. Either coming here on Thursday or coming back on Friday for the weekend. We will see.

I have not taken many pictures, as it has been raining most of the time. I have also eaten sooo much food!!! Oh man, I could never go hungry living here…I think I’m eating enough for 3 people. I don’t want to turn anything down. I have also not been as aktiv as I would like, but I’ve been sick and it’s been crappy weather. I will be getting hooked up to internet in my room, so I can share with you all what I have. I hope everybody is doing well!

Lg,

Jen


1. März

Hallo aus Würzburg!

I’m here, my place is great. However, there are not many people in my dorms at the moment, since the semester does not actually begin until April. I walked around the city…it is so beautiful! I cannot believe that I will be living here for the next six months. I feel so incredibly lucky…and spoiled! I made a day plan for tomorrow: 1) get my acceptance letter from International programs 2) go to the Rathaus (city hall) to register as living here 3) find Deutsche Bank –open up a Girokonto (checking account) for my housing/internet, exchange Ami money, find the University, get matriculated, and then be hooked up to the net!


5. März

So my plan for last Friday did not work out. The Rathaus wanted a Passbild (passport foto), which I have…but at the time in my apartment. The bank Sparkasse, told me it was a bad time and that they were too busy. Also went to Intl. Programs (akademische auslandsamt), and only received more for my ‘to-do’ list. Everything closes @ noon on Fridays, so all must wait. It is somewhat frustrating how slow the processes take here. It’s also interesting not being on a 24 hour clock. People do slow down, which has both its ups and downs.

I spend this past weekend @ home with my family in Münnerstadt. Ran a few of times through the town, went to a boxer-dog club with my cousin. Sunday I took the train back to Würzburg. Little Ramiro says to me ‘ich vermisse dich schon, Jeni. Ich hab’ Lieb für dich.’ Haha- I miss you already, I love you. My aunt sent me back to Würzburg with plenty of food to start off the week. I am more than taken care of here.

This morning I started school. I had two choices: a DSH-Prüfungs Kurs or Mittelstuffe. One prepares you for a big German test and the other is purely review. I asked the director if one is harder, or what. He told me that one just moves at a quicker pace. So, I took the harder one (of course), and this morning was the placement test. Hell no will I be taking this course. It’s very very advanced. I want to move at a pace in which I can actually retain information. So I took a 2.5 hour test that was completely over my head. Not a big deal, at least I checked it out. And I know there were people in the classroom who’s German is worse than mine. So I’m switching tomorrow. It’s a 4-week German course 5 horus/day.

And now I’m waiting on my tutor, who is going to accompany me to the rathaus, bank, health insurance place (abbrev. AOK), and whatever else I need to do. I hope to be on internet this week!!! I want to use Skype and actually be able to post these and pics sooon! Man, I’m going crazy having my computer here but not being able to get online. Soon, soon. (Plus, my computer crashed a while back, and somehow the Ethernet cord driver did not get reloaded, so I have to take my computer with to campus to use wireless first to download the driver…man I wish Bernhard would get here so I can get started on this business!