Guten Tag!
Congratulations, you now know about as much Deutsch as I do!
I know everyone is expecting some awesome pictures of the things I’ve done and the people I’ve met, buuuuut I’m sorry to disappoint, I haven’t been able to do much yet. But yes, I’ve made friends! Friday night I hung out with Simone, my student liason, and some of her friends. Saturday, I went to, none other than, the mall. I could easily get lost in a mall that size. I stuck to one floor and did alright. They have a Hollister, one of a few in Deutschland, and I walked in, and right back out. There were SO many people it was ridiculous. Apparently being an American is really cool? When you enter the store the employees greet you by saying “Hey, what’s up?” in Englisch, and that’s the only time they speak it. They have to wear flip flops and tank tops, everything Hollister, when it’s only about 55-60° F outside. I find this hilarious..
Saturday night, Simone and Britta, Simone’s friend who also spent a year abroad in Australia, took me and Jorge, an exchange student from Costa Rica, on a “tour” of Brauweiler, since I hadn’t yet had the time to look around. I used the term “tour” lightly, as most places were closed, and there was a wedding going on at the Abbey. My camera battery was also dead, my luck right? But, we did have some really fantastic ice cream at an Italian cafe.
SUNDAY. Oh Sunday. My friend Laura is a volunteer Firefighter, and they take part in the World Children’s Day in Cologne. She asked me to come along, and I am so glad I did! We were set up right along the Rhine, which made it very cold, but it was very cool to see all the boats coming and going. 
They attached different sets of ropes onto the ladder of the fire truck, and raised the ladder to make a rope course. Myself, along with the other firefighters, had to wear harnesses that had a pulley system that was attached the kids’ harnesses. Picture a rock climbing set up. Anyways! We did that most of the day, taking turns as it hurt your hands after a while. When I was taking a break, one of the firefighters made me put on his gear so that they could poke fun and take pictures, which I’m sure will be posted on Facebook in the near future. When we got back to the station, they then made me put on an oxygen tank and mask, and once again took pictures. I guess that was my initiation in some form or another? Haha I don’t know, but it was worth it, I had a lot of fun.
After all that fun, I came home to forgotten homework. Well, I guess not so much forgotten as ignored. For my language course, I was supposed to write half a page about what I did that day. UM, HELLO. I just arrived here last week, and you expect me to be able to write that much?! I seriously have a really hard time in class.. Every other student in my language course speaks Spanish, and they also already know quite a bit of Deutsch already. So, my teacher assumes I know as much as them, and is trying to teach me Deutsch, while speaking in only Deutsch.
Story of my life, George..
Patience and Faith that everything will work out are two things that I really need to work on. In the meantime, Laura is throwing me into the culture by offering to take me places. AND, I should be making a trip to Oktoberfest this weekend. AHHHHHH!
That’s all for now :)
