Hello from Germany,

I wish I had some sazzy website to document my adventure like my good friend Ping....wait....I do NOW. I am also preoccupied with a new language at the moment. Eventually my website will be and should be written entirely in German (sorry) just to help the words stick in my rusty head. I have taken 3 weeks of language school and my progress is steady. I can now comprehend conversations between groups of people much better, but for me to butt in and express my opinion will take longer. It's like waking up from a long sleep.

There was a week that I really freaked out because I couldn't do the simple things I was used to doing, like watching the Simpsons and reading....um..."anything" at the same time. But everyday I learn a handful of words and struggle with the bizzare grammar. Happily, I can now have a conversation with Alex entirely in Germany for pretty much the entire day. Of course when I need to comprehend some of the more time sensitive/complex tasks, English really comes in handy. And this is something I can say in favor of learning a new language as an Adult. Unlike children, you already know one language well, you can use it (sparingly) to your advantage. It is very much about preception of one's ability and trudging forward each day. There are some days I have though, "How the hell did my Mom make it just fine moving from the Philippines to the U.S.?" I think it is pretty cool what any of us can do when we need to and want to do it.

Today is a blah, blah day. I had a brush with the Germany Buracracy and had to ride my bicycle in the cold rain to clear up the problem. I now know, no matter what find your rain pants,! This weather is brutal to a 'warm-rain' Floridian and it isn't fun to sit in class with a soggy bottom :( The University gave me a double sided sheet of paper that said on one side to cut below here, but on the other side it said do NOT cut below here. OK? which is it? Then they asked that I fill out a data sheet, only the data sheet was never forwarded to me. Oh, and the deadline to turn everything in is the day after the Mari? Himmelfahrt or Assumption of Mary holiday, um, that's today!

Everyday there is something new to learn. Yesterday, I took the train from Regensburg to Munich and rode the U-bahn to my apartment; about an 1 hr 30 min time and only 22 Euro total; all about the same time that it takes to travel by car. I am so used to driving a car, it's impressive that there are other forms of transportation that work just as well.