First week of 2009. Time...where does it go? I could talk and talk about that...but I am not even going to get started. ;)
"Real" life started up again today. (Although I found out tomorrow is yet ANOTHER holiday, Dreikönigstag (3 Kings Day. Is that epiphany? We have so many holidays here, and the only reason I know half of them are from the church seasons!) Having days off are nice, but I would be able to enjoy them more if everything was not shut down. Or if we had cafes which remained open. (Actually, McCafe may be open...American business taking over here...mixed feelings...) I am hoping to get a kick start on my project before not only my colleague with technical expertise moves to Italy, but also before my adviser takes a new position at another university hospital in Leipzig. He said he will still advise me and be in Würzburg once a week, which I hope actually works out. I am so ready to just start working with patients, but this "preparation" period is lasting way longer than it should, due to things I do not want to discuss here. I do have to admit that I am frustrated with the fact that I am doing a project in an area I have not studied the past four years, nor have previous experience in. But the only direction I can go is forward, despite the tempo.
Finals are coming up the end of this month, so I need to start getting to that studying thing. I find that it is so much harder to study when you are advanced in a language. I do not even know where to begin! Beginning language courses are so much easier. Make your vocab flashcards. Study some grammar. Bam. How do I study how to spend 45 minutes writing an essay, listening to a radio show and writing reponses? It reminds me of trying to study for the GRE or SATs where there is SOO much you could study, who knows if you will hit something pertinent to the test? Next semester I would like to take courses other than German language.
The weather is cold...really cold. (Well, to me really cold. New Years Eve was -10 C! The next night I was walking home from basketball and saw the thermometer read only 0 C...ONLY...a month ago I would have thought 0 degrees was so cold!) I woke up to snow this morning. I hope it sticks around awhile. Although this weather is preventing me from working out as often as I would like. I am afraid spring will get here, I will shed my big winter clothes and then notice how much weight I have gained! (Ok, not so dramatic...but I am not as active as normal. And my body is in hibernation mode and wants to eat a lot of warm foods.)
I realize that I am putting out a chunk of money for my basketball team, which I may not even finish out a whole year with. BUT...since I am not rich enough to pay for a personal trainer to hold me accountable to work out...being part of a team makes me accountable to work out at least twice a week. I considered joining a gym, but there is again the problem of whether I will kick myself in the ass to get there. With a team, you are a part of something. Another thing I have noticed is that I have been really moody lately. Not emotional, but just more moody/irritable. But once I get to basketball training, my mood is completely different! I am on a high and feel incredibly happy. Maybe this was a missing part of my life? I am also going to start weight training again. I have not lifted weights since I left the States. And that used to be a part of normal workouts a few times a week.
I have been coming to some realizations of who my real friends are here and who are just acquaintances. I would rather have one real friend than hundreds of acquaintances anyday...but sometimes coming to this realization is sad.
One good friend of mine who I met playing basketball wants to drive next weekend to the Rhön (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rh%C3%B6n) to go skiing/snowboarding. I am excited! Hopefully it works out. Although now that it snowed here, I am not sure how the roads will be because she does not have snow tires...either way, I am ready for some more snow sport experience. :)
I wish you all a wonderful start to the new year, and that it is full of wonderful surprises.
lg,
Jen
Inga's first visit to Wuerzburg (But...Würzburg is MUCH more beautiful in summer. Here is the winter impression at least, you can see our overcast, depressing weather.)
My roommate Jenny made an advent wreath for our apartment.
What is a weekend with Inga without making tacos?
My roommate Jenny, Inga, me, and my friend Anja, ready to go to the disko.
I had soooo much Glühwein this winter!
At the Würzburg Christmas market
Solution to no kitchen table.
All on my bed, watching Love Actually a few days before Christmas.
Market in the daytime...giving Inga a whirlwind tour of Würzburg, before the rain came in.
CHRISTMASA failed attempt at making "Feuerzangenbowle"...a warm drink with 80% rum, wine, and sugar.
SILVESTER...New Years Eve I celebrated with my friend Anja and some of her friends...
We made fondue:
And as an appetizer...snails, which Anja brought from Belgium. :P
Yummy, huh?
It actually was not that bad, although my face says otherwise. (By the way, the green is herb and garlic butter...I thought at first it was the snail...)
Also important here on New Years Eve...melting pieces of lead and quickly pouring it into cold water to see what shape it becomes...it tells your future for the coming year. ;)
Mine fell into 3 pieces.
Midnight at the bridge (Negative 14*C!!)
Random Photos, out and about with friends:
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