''First Week Of School!!!'' (You have to say it like in 'Finding Nemo!')
So Monday was my first day of school. I was not looking forward to it at all after such a craptastic weekend, but it actually went well. I think once I get into the swing of things that everything will go well! My classes seem interesting and the professors seem very nice, but it's so bizarre having every class in German! They also have this weird thing called the 'academic quarter' which means that if a class is listed as beginning at 11 and ending at 1, it'll actually start at 11:15 and end at 12:45. Why don't they just say so in the first place?! It's like they're trying to trick you into thinking it's not so long. Silly Germans. Each department here has it's own ginormous library and some of the professors make you get go copy dittos that they have set aside for you to read for the next week. It's such a hassle going to the library, then trying to copy stuff using your university card, which you have to put money on somehow (I've yet to figure that out!).
On top of classes, I still have to go grocery shopping a couple times a week, find time to run the errands I need to (things are open at weird times here!!!), do homework, cook food for myself, keep my room and clothes clean, hang out with friends here (to keep me sane), sing in the choir, and keep in touch with everyone back home. It's going to be one wild time! Hopefully things will settle down once I figure out the system.
This week was nice though. On Tuesday, I went to the Russian Choir with Barbara and we had a lot of fun. Since everything is sung a capella, we don't need a room with a piano in it or anything. We simply have a guy with perfect pitch and a pitch pipe in case he messes up for some reason. The songs were really pretty, but it was hilarious because they handed the music out and it was all written in Cyrillic!!!! Luckily, I could remember some of the letters and how they were pronounced, but it was quite funny because I hadn't even thought about not being able to read the words! I definitely want to continue going though - I love singing, after all! I also hung out a lot with Barbara and Elliot and watched some of the 4th season of The Simpsons, which Elliot's family kindly sent him! It was so nice to watch that show...just a little slice of home and normalcy. Barbara and I also made guacamole at 11 at night on Wednesday night - that's what happens when you're hungry, bored and have an avocado! Sounds like the makings of a bad joke...
On Thursday night, we (Barbara, Elliot, Yavor and I) got bored and decided to go to a disco in town, but we just ended up wandering around cause Elliot couldn't remember where it was. Oh well! We had a good time just walking into town and back - it was good exercise on a lovely evening. On Friday, the weather was absolutely gorgeous! Elliot and I met up and went on a hike to the top of the Schloßberg where there's a huge lookout tower that was just built in 2002. The view was absolutely amazing and apparently, on a clear day, ('you can see forever...' - it's a song!) you can see all the way to France. After that, we decided to go find an American diner we had heard about, but I mentioned Mexican and then it became our mission to find good Mexican food. And boy, did we ever! We found a place called 'Enchilada' that satisfied our need for spicy food and filled us up! After dropping a lot of money there, we decided to head to the Freiburger Messe (fairgrounds) where there was a carnival going on. It was like a mini-Oktoberfest, just proving that Freiburg is the München (Munich) of the West! There was this insane ride that boasted a 50 meter freefall and was like one of those pirate-ship rides in that it spun you up in the air. The only difference was that the seats also spun - you'd go upside down and then spin backward or forward when the arm began to fall downward. It was insane and cost 5 Euros, but it was worth it!!!
Yesterday was a nice, lazy and beautiful day! I went into town to see if one of my books had been ordered, but it hadn't so I began to walk back home and found that there was a flea market by the Herz-Jesu church. I wandered around for a bit, but didn't buy anything and then I strolled leisurely toward home. Then I worked on my Referat (oral report) for my politics class (due on Monday) and finished it up in a couple hours. Now I just have to wait for the Germans to proof-read it for me! Then Elliot and I decided that we were too lazy to cook and we went to McDonald's for a traditional American dinner of burgers and fries...Boy, did I need that!!! We returned home in time to watch 'Forrest Gump' in German on the tele! Even though the voices were weird, that movie is still awesome because of the acting - I don't care what you say, Mom! :-P
Today is another gorgeous day and I think I will spend it outside reading and relaxing. Tonight I have to buy wash tokens so I can do the laundry and I think I'll vacuum my room at some point. I also have to have the Germans read my report and make sure that it's good to go tomorrow. My work is never done here, it seems. *Sigh* After this report, I shouldn't have anything else to do besides the final exams for all my classes though, so I'm in good shape.
Well, I need to get outside and enjoy the weather! Till next time!
Annabelle :-)
On top of classes, I still have to go grocery shopping a couple times a week, find time to run the errands I need to (things are open at weird times here!!!), do homework, cook food for myself, keep my room and clothes clean, hang out with friends here (to keep me sane), sing in the choir, and keep in touch with everyone back home. It's going to be one wild time! Hopefully things will settle down once I figure out the system.
This week was nice though. On Tuesday, I went to the Russian Choir with Barbara and we had a lot of fun. Since everything is sung a capella, we don't need a room with a piano in it or anything. We simply have a guy with perfect pitch and a pitch pipe in case he messes up for some reason. The songs were really pretty, but it was hilarious because they handed the music out and it was all written in Cyrillic!!!! Luckily, I could remember some of the letters and how they were pronounced, but it was quite funny because I hadn't even thought about not being able to read the words! I definitely want to continue going though - I love singing, after all! I also hung out a lot with Barbara and Elliot and watched some of the 4th season of The Simpsons, which Elliot's family kindly sent him! It was so nice to watch that show...just a little slice of home and normalcy. Barbara and I also made guacamole at 11 at night on Wednesday night - that's what happens when you're hungry, bored and have an avocado! Sounds like the makings of a bad joke...
On Thursday night, we (Barbara, Elliot, Yavor and I) got bored and decided to go to a disco in town, but we just ended up wandering around cause Elliot couldn't remember where it was. Oh well! We had a good time just walking into town and back - it was good exercise on a lovely evening. On Friday, the weather was absolutely gorgeous! Elliot and I met up and went on a hike to the top of the Schloßberg where there's a huge lookout tower that was just built in 2002. The view was absolutely amazing and apparently, on a clear day, ('you can see forever...' - it's a song!) you can see all the way to France. After that, we decided to go find an American diner we had heard about, but I mentioned Mexican and then it became our mission to find good Mexican food. And boy, did we ever! We found a place called 'Enchilada' that satisfied our need for spicy food and filled us up! After dropping a lot of money there, we decided to head to the Freiburger Messe (fairgrounds) where there was a carnival going on. It was like a mini-Oktoberfest, just proving that Freiburg is the München (Munich) of the West! There was this insane ride that boasted a 50 meter freefall and was like one of those pirate-ship rides in that it spun you up in the air. The only difference was that the seats also spun - you'd go upside down and then spin backward or forward when the arm began to fall downward. It was insane and cost 5 Euros, but it was worth it!!!
Yesterday was a nice, lazy and beautiful day! I went into town to see if one of my books had been ordered, but it hadn't so I began to walk back home and found that there was a flea market by the Herz-Jesu church. I wandered around for a bit, but didn't buy anything and then I strolled leisurely toward home. Then I worked on my Referat (oral report) for my politics class (due on Monday) and finished it up in a couple hours. Now I just have to wait for the Germans to proof-read it for me! Then Elliot and I decided that we were too lazy to cook and we went to McDonald's for a traditional American dinner of burgers and fries...Boy, did I need that!!! We returned home in time to watch 'Forrest Gump' in German on the tele! Even though the voices were weird, that movie is still awesome because of the acting - I don't care what you say, Mom! :-P
Today is another gorgeous day and I think I will spend it outside reading and relaxing. Tonight I have to buy wash tokens so I can do the laundry and I think I'll vacuum my room at some point. I also have to have the Germans read my report and make sure that it's good to go tomorrow. My work is never done here, it seems. *Sigh* After this report, I shouldn't have anything else to do besides the final exams for all my classes though, so I'm in good shape.
Well, I need to get outside and enjoy the weather! Till next time!
Annabelle :-)