Christmas in Germany

I just spent the last week at Urs´house for Christmas. It was nice and very relaxing. I don´t have my computer with me now because the library is closed but I figured out how to use my Rechenzentrum card so I am using a computer in another part of the campus. Woo hoo for me! I will write a more coplete entry with pictures (hopefully) soon. I´m going to celebrate New Year´s here in Landau with Mario and some friends. It should be fun but I miss you all! Please write me and let me know how your Christmas was!

Another Picture

Here is a picture of some new German friends. From left to right: Mario, Alex, Alex's girlfriend (who is from Mexico but I don't remember her name! ... She's really nice and we have about the same level of German skills... it's nice that I have someone to be confused with), and me.

On Friday I'm off to Urs' house for Christmas and then I think I will hang out in Landau with Mario and a friend of his for New Year's. I miss my friends and family but I am looking forward to the break.

The last couple weeks have been pretty cool. Last weekend Kaija, Joanna (from Poland), and I went on a trip to Mainz. A guy that studied at Coe last year invited us to come with him. The trip was set up by some kind of local government official in his town so for nine Euro we got a bus trip to and from Mainz, as well as a tour of a government building and a tour of the second biggest television production center in German. Kaija, Joanna, and I decided to skip out of the tour of the government building and go see the Christmas market and the church in downtown Mainz.

The city center was really nice and we even found a Pizza Hut to eat lunch... it was so good! I’m beginning to miss some of the food from home... especially my mom’s cooking. The tour of the television center was pretty cool too. We had a guided tour and, although I didn’t understand everything our guide said, it was still fun to see where everything was filmed. We even got to watch them film something that was shown on T.V. later that day.

This last weekend I did a marathon! Karlsruhe Friday, Strasbourg Saturday, and Heidelburg on Sunday. I went Christmas shopping with Mario (from my trampoline class) in Karlsruhe. We didn’t see very much of the city but we got a lot of shopping done :-) On Saturday Tina invited me to go to Strasbourg, Alsace (France) with her and her friend. We went and saw the church and the Christmas market, but by the time we were done, we were so frozen that we decided to just go shopping rather than sightseeing (as there was a huge indoor mall right by where we parked). I found two sweaters and a pair of jeans, which have already come in handy! I went to Heidelburg with Kaija and Joanna. We saw the Christmas market there too and we would like to go back sometime because there is so much more to see. It is really a beautiful city...

I am going to spend Christmas with Urs and his family. We have classes until the 22 and on the 23 I am taking the train to his house. I’m not sure what my plans are for the rest of the break yet but I’m sure I will find something to do :-)

Back in Landau

Yes, we made it back and with no problems. One thing for sure though, is that I am NEVER buying a FIAT. Urs’ FIAT has had some kind of problem almost every weekend that I have been back to visit. This last weekend, not only did the coolant holder leak (the reason for us just barely making it to Hamburg and then being stranded there for two extra days), but also the emergency airbag button was broken, and there was something wrong with the antenna so we couldn’t listen to the radio.

Despite our auto problems, the visit was really nice and it was so cool to see Kira again. We just visited on Friday night and on Saturday we went out to go see the town. We spent some time at the Christmas market and walking around the downtown. At night we went bar hopping and I got to experience the Hamburg nightlife. It was pretty cool and there were so many people! It was like out of a movie or something. We stayed out pretty late and I was frozen because it was so cold out (despite wearing several layers). I was sure that I would be sick the next day but I ended up sleeping until one in the afternoon and felt great when I woke up. I don’t think I’ve ever slept that late in my life! Sunday we hung out at Kira’s apartment for the rest of the day, Monday Urs and I went back downtown to do some shopping, and Tuesday afternoon we were able to return back. It was a good time.

I now have to get ready for two presentations next week but it shouldn’t be too bad I hope, especially since they are both in English. The only bad thing is that I will be gone all day tomorrow in Mainz and the library isn’t open over the weekend. Oh well, I think it will be ok. Wish me luck!

Hamburg...

Why have I not yet written about my wonderful weekend trip with Urs to go see our friend Kira (an exchange student to Geneva, near my town, four years)? you may ask... Well, that´s because I´m still here! Urs´ car broke down just in time for us to cost into Hamburg, but it won´t be fixed until tomorrow at the earliest, and we are not even sure about that. Grrr... It is pretty cool to see Kira again, it´s just that Urs and I both need to get back to work on some important homework. Oh well, we´re stuck so we have to make the best of it. I´ll write again when we are back and I have finished preparing for my two presentations next week...