Basically the entire month of April...

So clearly I haven't updated in a while, but I'm going to go ahead excuse myself, given that I've been keeping pretty busy. And with that said, this post is going to be of the newsy variety, so hopefully no one objects.

Deutsch-Kompakt

My month-long immersion course came to an end at the beginning of this month, which was a little bittersweet. I can't say I'm not glad to have these gorgeous spring days free, rather than spending them in a stuffy classroom going over impossibly complicated grammer rules that I could learn a hundred times without really understanding. But during those classroom hours, I met and became friends with some really awesome people, and that's been a huge part of how happy I am here. We finished our course with a day in Stuttgart to visit the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Ballet.

Spain

The next stop was Spain - five days in Madrid and two in Valencia. Despite some inclement weather, I had an amazing time. Kathleen and I got to wander around together for the first time in two months, when we braved the Great Snow in London. Both cities were so beautiful; even the gray skies couldn't diminish that. We ate some amazing food, drank a few bottles of wine, bought some great, cheap clothes, and got to spend hours just sitting around and chatting (and watching bad, bad movies). We even cooked Easter dinner for ourselves! It's like we're grown-ups or something. And on my very last day, who did I run into but Rick Steves! Now I feel like a real traveller.

In the royal gardens.

Eating a tasty paella.

Springtime in Tuebingen!

After a month and a half of sporadic wintry weather, it's finally spring here. Everything is beautiful and green, and I've been able to put my winter coat away for good!

Sommersemester

Also, real school has finally started. I've actually only had one class so far, but it was lovely. I have high hopes for the next three months.

Fruehlingsfest

So what should we do to celebrate the arrival of spring in Germany but drink lots of beer? Yesterday I went to Fruehlingsfest in Stuttgart, with is the springtime equivalent of Oktoberfest. It was good and hot, perfect for a fair and/or large amounts of icy cold beer. We drank good German beer, ate delicious German food, and even joined in a few German drinking songs. Immer spass.

One month later... (Vol. II)

(Vol. I can be found here: http://sashmo.blogspot.com/2008/10/one-month-later.html)

For some reason, being in places for a month seems like a big deal to me. Maybe it's because this is the point, especially for studying abroad, that it ceases to feel like a long vacation and it starts to sink in that this is real life. At least this time it actually has some basis in fact; my Deutsch-Kompakt course comes to a close on Wednesday, and soon afterward I begin my actual classes. (I'm also signing up for next fall's classes on Monday, and I'm in the process of writing the proposal for my bachelor's essay, both of which are indicative of even real-er life.)

A month in, and I'm feeling really good. For the first time since last summer, I feel like myself, and a better version of myself to boot. The people are wonderful, the city is beautiful, the food is amazing... everything just fits. Nothing really monumental has happened, but it's better that way. I'm not looking for anything big and crazy to happen, I'm just enjoying each day and all the little things that come along with them. Whether it's a low-key night out with friends, a really good doener kebab, the sound of rain on my windows, or just understanding what people say to me (auf Deutsch, I mean), I feel like I'm in a place to just sit back and appreciate all of it without worrying about what it means or where it's going.

"Heimat is hier und dort - ist überall, wo Menschen uns mögen."

I like this quote. I've spent my whole life looking for a definition of home that actually applies to me, and here it is. Home is here and there - above all, home is where our loved ones are. For me, that's pretty much everywhere. I've never been one to wax poetic about the idea of home; in fact, it has usually just irritated me. I hate the looks of pity I get when I say "Oh, I'm not from anywhere in particular." I just don't understand why that's necessarily a sad thing. Instead of one home, I have many. I may not live there anymore, but I carry them with me no matter where I happen to be, and they are no less important in my life than a more traditional "home" is in someone else's life. I'm made more aware of this each time I find myself in a new place, poised to begin yet another piece of my life. It's exciting and scary at the same time, knowing that an unfamiliar place will soon become an inextricable thread, one that will stay with me forever. When I look back on a previous home, it's as though I'm remembering two places -- the one in which I lived and loved, but also the place as I first saw it, crisp with newness and hazy with time. They always feel different, and even when I'm settled and comfortable, I never forget the beginning.

Right now, I'm again in that transitional moment, so I've been thinking a lot about those other times and places, as well as what's to come. Not only in Tübingen, but in the coming year - my last as an undergrad.

As for the present, I have spent most of my time in class thus far. We have about five hours of German per day, and when we're not in class, we're all usually hanging out together. There's never a dull moment. Last week was spent in Blaubeuren, a little town in the Schwäbishe Alb about two hours from Tübingen. I was little skeptical; after all, we were facing a week in tiny village with no internet and even more class time than we have here. But even with these drawbacks, it was amazing; every day there was something new to do, we had delicious food, the weather was fantastic, and I got to spend time with people whose company I genuinely enjoy. We also spent a day in Ulm, which is a great little city. One word: Brotmuseum.

We left on Friday, so since then I've just been catching up on homework and bureaucratic stuff, like choosing classes for next semester. It's looking like I will be abandoning all pretense and taking only German history/studies classes for which I can write papers about gender. And I'm still in disbelief that I'm choosing classes for my SENIOR year. Weird.

Blaubeuren cloisters and Blauetopf.

Deutsch-Kompakt.

Kirche in Ulm. We climbed all 750 steps to the top.

The first week

So I've been here about a week and a half now, though I'm still in the stage when it seems like so much longer. This isn't a bad thing, it's just strange to think that Thursday before last I had never been to Tübingen; now it already feels like home. This is probably in part due to my many years of moving experience -- I generally find it fairly easy to settle into a place -- but there's something about this town that is so comfortable and homey. I almost wonder if it has to do with distant, mostly forgotten memories of when we lived just a little north of here in Spangdalem, or maybe it reminds me more of Charleston than Nottingham did. Whatever it is, I love it.

The first few days were spend camping on Susanne's couch. We had a great time, and if it hadn't been for her, I'm sure my first impression of Tübingen wouldn't have been nearly as positive. Although she did lead me astray once (coughmenstoilettecough), having a Tübingen resident as a guide was wonderful. And of course, having her as a friend is even better :)

The past week has been a busy one, as I started my Deutsch-Kompakt course. It involves a lot of classtime - I leave my Wohnung at around 8.30 and get back at 4.30 or 5 - but we also have a lot of extra-curricular activities, which means I get to meet people. I have yet to spend an evening sitting forlornly alone in my room wishing I had something to do. I was reallly nervous that I'd be completely overwhelmed with the language, but it has actually been fairly easy. I'm getting over my fear of speaking German, though I have a general anxiety when it comes to speaking to anyone I don't know, whatever the language, so I doubt that will be overcome. How anyone can learn a language without spending an extended period of time immersed I'll never understand.

Anyway, I don't have too much to relate yet. My class is going to a place called Blaubeuren this weekend, so hopefully I'll have something interested to report afterward. And as usual, I'll post some photos:

A view from Schloss Hohen Tübingen


The Neckar River in late afternoon.

Schloss Hohenzollern

A wintery view from my balcony. Yes, balcony.

The D-K group at a Schwäbisch Gasthof yesterday

Tübingen

A couple of momentous occasion are upon us - one, I'm finally in Germany again, living out a life-long dream of mine and acquiring a second language. And the second - my blog turns one year old today :)

I arrived in Germany on Thursday morning, so I've been here for a couple of days now. It is absolutely breathtaking here (notice the banner above!) and the weather has been unbelievable. Today it is the same temperature as it is in Charleston, and being that I haven't lived in Charleston this year, it is the lovliest day I've seen in months. Perhaps most importantly, the food is amazing as well. Oh, Käsespätzle... I should be moving in tomorrow, and my immersion course starts on Tuesday, so this week will be a big one for me.

Deutschland Bound

Just a quick update: I'm leaving for Germany tomorrow, so the next time you year from me, I should be settling in to my new room and routine (and language!).

Scotland and Ireland and England, oh my!

I'm long overdue for a post, but seeing as I've talked to most of the people who read my blog in person in the last few days, I don't feel too bad about it. I've been in Philly for a week and a half and I've got another week and a half before I head off to Deutschland.

I left Nottingham on the 24th of last month and took a train up to Edinburgh to meet Dad. My leave-taking was like so many others - sad, but also incredibly hectic. Why is it that even if I start packing two weeks ahead of time, I always end up scrambling to get everything together at the last minute?

Trent building.

Susanne took a train to Birmingham the same day, so we were able to ride together for part of the way. The rest of the trip took about four hours, and luckily I left early enough to get sunlight throughout. I went through lots of beautiful towns, quaint farmland, and down along the rocky coast in southern Scotland, which made for a nice tour. My two giant suitcases were surprisingly manageable, at least until I got to the hotel and had to haul them up four flights of stairs! I absolutely loved Edinburgh; the weather even cooperated during our time there.

The Royal Mile.

Next came Ireland. We spent a little more time there, and got to see a lot more. Again, the weather was unbelievable -- almost 60 degrees some days! We went to Dublin, Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, and many other places. Dad really enjoyed the tiny roads... But we ate lots of potatoes and oysters and drank plenty of Guinness, so we had a good time.

Trinity College, Dublin.

Kylemore Abbey, Co. Galway.

Temple Bar, Dublin.

So after a little more than a week, Dad and split up; he went back to Philly and I continued to London to meet Kathleen. We had a fantastic time (but seeing as it was me + Kathleen + London, was there any doubt?). We did a lot of touristy things like the Tower, Buckingham Palace, and museums, mostly just to get out of the cold. I was looking forward to my flight back to the States -- I'd made sure to book well in advance, and I got a flight that wasn't at the crack of dawn so I'd be able to take my time in the morning. I figured that since it was January, it wouldn't be crowded, so I could get through security quickly and maybe even get a row of my own on the plane. But the morning before our flights, we woke up to this:

Ultimately I had two flights cancelled and spent an extra day and a half in London. And I woke up on the day I actually left with another cold. But at least I got to enjoy one of England's favorite past times in my last hours there -- queueing.