September Recap

So not having a regular internet connection is really cramping my blog style. My apologies!  In order to bring you all up to speed on what has been happening during my last few weeks in Germany I'm going to list the highlights -- otherwise this would be a novella. Not kidding.

FREISING VOLKSFEST!
Another awesome weekend of Bavarian songs, beer, food, family and friends!  I ended up meeting up with a friend I studied in Freiburg with along with her boyfriend and uncle who lives right by my German relatives (small world). The worst part of the weekend was lugging the rest of my luggage (50lb+ suitcase plus huge duffel bag) back to Rotenburg.  I found tons of tiny bruises that looked like spider veins on my shoulders and neck the next day.  Needless to say, I wore a huge scarf to school all week. I know how the mind of a student works and I had a feeling they wouldn't buy the "I had to carry heavy luggage home" story. Moral of the story: taxis were invented for a reason.

OKTOBERFEST
INSANE.  This was one of the craziest weekends of my German adventure so far.  I met up with two of my friends who I studied abroad with (the one from the Freising Volksfest and the other one who is also an English teaching assistant) on Friday to do touristy things in Munich.  We ended up eating at the Hofbräuhaus and sat at the same table as some Swiss guys who were celebrating their friend's 40th birthday.  One of them ended up falling asleep at the table... while sitting up... with his chin resting on his hand as if he were just in deep contemplative thought.  Hilarious!

After we ate, we helped my friend pick out an adorable dirndl for the Oktoberfest festivities and then headed back to Attenkirchen where my cousin was putting us up for the weekend.  One of my friend's sorority sister's also came into town for the weekend. The next day was the opening day for the Oktoberfest and complete madness. After watching the parade my three girlfriends and I surprisingly made it into the Paulaner tent and settled in for hours of beer drinking, singing and partying! Around about 4pm you could not move in the tent. SO MANY PEOPLE.  I ended up meeting someone from Indiana and every time I saw him in the tent he would fist pound me and yell "HOOSIERS!" hahaha gotta love Hoosier pride.

Around 5pm we left the overcrowded tent to find my friend's cousin who was in town for the weekend too!  Luckily we found a table at the other Paulaner beer garden right away.  I ended up meeting a super nice couple from Indiana there as well!  Only at Oktoberfest will you make these unbelievable connections.

We left Oktoberfest relatively early -- drinking + cultures from all over the world = recipe for (sometimes) disaster.  Lots of fighting.  A fight broke out RIGHT where my friends and I were sitting literally 30 seconds after we stood up. Once again: craziness. We were happy to get back to peaceful Attenkirchen.

The next morning my cousin made us the traditional Bavarian breakfast: weißwurst and pretzels and weißbier. YUM.
Great weekend!

THE BIG MOVE
The rumors are true: I moved to Kassel!  It's about a 40 minute commute to Rotenburg but it's the closest university city and has a lot more going on than good ole' R-Burg.  I'm staying in a Studentenwohnheim which is basically a dorm.  My floormates come from all over the world: Italy, Hungary, Spain, Brazil etc. So far so good! Classes start on Monday so now I just have to figure out what I am going to take. Ahh college life, I have missed you.

HAMBURG
A few weeks ago I spent the weekend visiting some German friends I made in NYC two years ago. Hamburg was beautiful but COLD.  I definitely did not pack well.  I want to go back when it gets warmer.  It was so great catching up with all of my friends though!  I feel so blessed to have kept in contact with them over the past years. Definitely friendships that will last for life!

FREIBURG
Ahhhh home sweet Freiburg.  I spent last weekend there with my 3 friends who I studied abroad with who are also Fulbrighters.  Being there was like putting on your favorite old sweater: so comfortable and cozy. That city will always have a special place in my heart.  The funniest part of the weekend was our living situation: my friend found us a super cheap apartment to stay in for the weekend right in the middle of the city.  We all were stoked about saving some money and being right by everything, what we didn't expect was for the guy who was renting us his apartment to be so.... interesting.  His name was Phillip and he was definitely a character.  He was maybe in his 50s or 60s and LOVED calling us all by our first names.  I think sometimes he just did it to hear himself speak.  The weirdest part of the weekend was when we were eating breakfast and he asked my friend and I to cut and then butter/put jelly on his bread... umm... okay?  I mean, granted he did have one hand that was crippled but it was still a bit odd. He also asked me to tell him a bedtime story on our last night there... Needless to say, we did not spend a lot of time in the apartment.

Regardless of his quirks, it was an incredible weekend catching up with my friends in one of my favorite cities! It was so comforting to hear that they are encountering the same challenges I am in the classroom as well as in terms of just adjusting to German life. Having them as a support system has meant the world to me.

Alright I think that's enough for now... Enjoy! Stay tuned for my blog on my trip to England with 44 German teenagers and only 2 German teachers. Eeeeh!
Cheerio, mate!