Kein Annung....

So its 3 a.m. and I just had a stalker outside my door. (yea... thats safe). and now theyre trolling with a guitar down the hallway :-)
Why beat. em. join em. Thats what I love about Germany. almost everything is closed on Sundays so even if you wanted to do something. you couldn't. Except when you have a date :-) then thats ok :-)

So I haven't written in a while, things have been quite busy around here. Everyone going on holiday, or getting in the last bit of traveling before the school year begins on Monday. So I'll fill you in.

After the last day of classes we decided to take a trip to IRELAND!!
We flew Ryan air, for under 30 American dollars round trip.. yes kids... Ryan Air is the next best thing to peanut butter.
Except the landings need some work... When a plane lands on its side its never good. Schadee .
We stayed at Jacobs inn, which is a youth hostel. ( My first Hostel ever!) and it was fantastic! It was clean and had the best breakfast of Irish bread everrrrr.
The first day we got there we saw a really cool Jail, and then walked a ton. We saw things such as the St. Patricks Church, which was nice because we also went to a Choral mass there. Then we saw Trinity college, which was amazing! We actually mocked the statue of the provost because he wouldn't allow women in his school; after his death women were admitted and now 52% are female. yay! We saw almost all of what Dublin has to offer in just a few short days. I had my first Crepe which was delich. We went to Temple bar, the most famous bar in Dublin, which was crowded and overpriced. So we decided on a small traditional Irish pub. The bartenders name was Jimmy and the music was beautifully sung. I like small bars better than crowded ones... Other things I got to do: We went to the Guiness factory and at the end everyone got to drink a free pint of Guinness in the sky bar! That was such a great view, Guiness is the smoothest beer i've ever had! We also went to the Jameson factory, I got a certificate because I got to become a certified whiskey tester!!! I now know how to test whiskeys!!!!!!!


The last full day in Dublin we decided to go outside to a town called Howel. It was a small fishing town with amazing seafood, a really amazing view, a drunk dog, a wierd dialect, great small shops, semi-friendly people, brownie mix, and real mayonaise.
By the way... the limit for liquid items to take on Ryan air is 100 ml. so when the security man took Sydneys 120 ml jar of mayonaise she began to cry. He then had 3 girls in his face pleading not to take the mayonaise... he pretended that he never saw it and gave the mayo back to Sydney. That was cool :-) The last night in the Hostel was movie night, a free movie and popcorn! We saw Fools gold. It was nice to speak English for that small bit of time, but surprisingly we wanted to speak German. I think because we weren't under pressure to speak it and thought that practicing it on eachother when no one else around us understood would help... it did.

So I am back in Germany now. Schadee.

I registered for classes. Im taking 4 German classes including a Grammar course, a speaking course, one about doing Business in Germany, a standard German course, and a law course about comparative European Law, which im really excited about. Im debating about whether or not to sit on another law class, i am under no obligation to hand in a (sheine?).

Gillian is here! I picked her up from the Hauptbahnhof with a sign! She is here and we are Lufeling :-) Shes going to stay with me for a while until she finds a wohnung.

Today we went to Heidelberg for the lighting of the Schloss. (Cant think of the German word now- i've been speaking German for most of the day, so now when I lay in bed i give my mind a break and try and speak what little english I can manage. lol).
So anyway. That was a really cool event. The fireworks were grandious, for all of 15 minutes ( i have a great video of them). I finally met Davide, Gillian's old roomate, which I heard so much about! We had AMAZING thai food, I had the duck.... ausgezeichnet.

This morning I went for a run, and helped Almir and the rest of the Tutors paint the party room! he ended up painting me more than the wall! It was super fun! I had a red nose for quite some time, as he had a giant white hand print on his tush :-)
The room looks great now, and ready for the first party of the semester!

Last night we went to the bar... can't remember which ones, I wasn't that drunk... just tired... I remember we went to Diablo.. then O'reillys... but after that... think we went home... think....

For now, I believe thats all. I had a really good name for this blog, but I can't remember... im so tired. Ill ask Gillian, then come back and rename it haha.
Thats all for now kids.

Our feet are the same.

Guns and Butter

I haven't written in a while, but this should be the most interesting of them... I'll back track just a tad.

The international dinner was awesome. WOW what a smörgasboard of international foods! Everything from Baklawah to egyptian food to salmon sandwiches from Norway.

So we drank some wine, ate some popcorn balls, and did merry things. It was Kim's birthday, (in my class) from norway so we went to his favorite Stammkneipe to celebrate! that was awesome, and everyone got really drunk. Then we all walked to the favorite club called Zimmer. I ended up getting really bored and really hungry. So Johann and I left for some Dönner ( of course...). So we started play fighting in the patch of grass by the train tracks. Funny idea... the train that was passing thought that he was really "trying" to beat me up. At this point we were on the ground wrestling so the lady stops the train, gets out and demands to know if i needed help. We erupted in laughter and went on our merry way.

The next day was interesting. It was the last VISUM club night. I was a tad more interested this time around i suppose.
apparently I love Tequilla! after about 12-16 shots of tequilla, 4 Screwdrivers, and hours worth of dancing, I was ready to go home. The DJ is my new best friend and whatever I wanted to hear he played it right away!!!!! It was such an awesome night :-) But too much to write about ;-)

The next day was really interesting!
I went into town with Sydney and Ena. and then wandered off on my own.
I noticed that morning that there was an unusually large amount of police out. German police are never out unless something is wrong, and rarely ever are they patrolling the streets.
I walked back to my street and to my room. All of a sudden I hear such a commotion. So I grab my Ipod and running shoes and go out for a "typical run." 2 vital pieces of information here. 1. I did NOT bring my camera like I always do. 2. I live across from the prison.

I start running towards the jail and see hundreds of people. I start listening to what they were talking about and was so interested! They were having a protest! They were protesting that illegal immigrant offenders should be sent back to their country like Iraq or Iran, or turkey, because they were currently being held in the German prison. There were hundreds! And I think every cop in Germany was there. Complete with war attire. Even the horses had on pads! They were armed with assault rifles, and raid shields, and night sticks. They were REALLY intimidating! Paddy wagons lined the streets and the police on foot marched in perfect lines, ready for action. They followed the protesters as they marched around the back of the jail to the front. When "we" ( I followed behind" got to the front of the jail police with shields and HUGE rifles, and snipers hiding in the grass, were lined up protecting the entrance to the jail. All of a sudden some stupid kid starts trouble and all the police jump out of smart cars and jump off horses and chase the rioting protesters away from the prison. They then marched down the street again, ready to go into town and gather support. WOW that was the coolest thing ever!!! But i didn't bring my camera. I have such vivid images of this tho. But it would be nice to show you guys too!

That night Harold invited me to a party... in a castle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I grabbed sydney and we ventured off to Weinheim, where harold met us at the train station (in the kick ass BMW) and took us to his apartment at the base of the mountain. There we drank wine and admired the view from the terrace. OMG step out onto his terrace, look up... and you get the most AMAZING view of the sky, and the castle !!! I want a castle in my backyard!!!! So we drive up to the castle and enter the party. The cobblestone was amazing, the castle was amazing, the music was so awesome!!! and we had such a great time :-) This is the part of Germany that I love most. Screw the towns with shopping and tourist attractions, I like going into the woods and admiring castles, and most of all the view from the top. We get back to Mannheim much later that night and go home. Saw a friend on the tram and we started talking that we both needed to go running the next morning. Little did I know what I was getting myself into....

Met at 12 noon and started off on our run.... Ended up running 4 miles!!!! He had my running all along the Nekar, clear around Ulmenweg, towards the Uni Clinic... which is FAR!!!!!!! and then back around towards Herzogenried. One of these days I will may it out for you. However, it felt AMAZING!!! My body was nice to me today. I think I might be getting over whatever Illnesse(S) I had before. Just in time for classes.

I talked to Jamie, she's not doing well. :-( So i wanted to come home and make things better for her. But she won't let me do that. So now I made a promise to myself, that I will stay here and max it out. for her! Because shes expecting so much from me :-( I will do it all for her.

Tomorrow (today) We leave for Dublin!! I am so excited!

Tis all for now I suppose. I need some sleep before 5 a.m.

Tschuss alle.

The stuff legends are made from...

Last night was atrocious fun.


Came home after class and made popcorn balls.. that was fun. THEY WENT LIKE HOT CAKES!!!!! Everyone loved the marshmallowy goodness of popcorn.

So the international farewell dinner was awesome. I ate things from egyptian food to baklahva to norwegian food...by the way. Did you know that I can speak nowegian? I did last night apparently. And apparently it was darn good.

Popcorn Balls and Iyengar Yoga

Tonight is the International dinner. Everyone is to make a dish from their country... I make popcorn balls. :-)


and I realized today that maybeeee walking around in sandels is the cause of my SEVERE back pain. Considering we walk everywhere... so I started wearing real shoes, and did some yoga... and my back feels a tad better.


basic problem solving... I will do just fine in life.

Where the hell is Malaysia?

The past few days have been, quote, an epic fail, end quote.

I feel like I've been hit by a bus. Every joint, muscle, tendon, red, white and blue blood cell hurts. Its that bad.
But i'm living.

Class is almost over for the summer, then real University starts. I've been anticipating this for as long as I could remember... but waking up from my nap just a few minutes ago... I wonder... why am I doing all this ? Whose standards am I trying to live up, those of my own self? Or those of others. Do people really understand that this is a stepping stone to actually doing something with my life? Hm. Law School. Sounds about right.


Last night's pub quiz was awesome. Go Purple Cobras!!! SSSSSSSSSSSSS. We rocked house when it came to questions about Malaysia... don't ask me how I knew that the only gold medal won for Malaysia was in Badmitton... And that the largest suspension bridge is in Japan... and the theme song to Family matters (comeon... everyone knows that) So needless to say, the American's rocked house at quiz night at the Irish pub! Then I came back and did some yoga... my right hip is clearly off center... woke up this morning and clearly my left side hates me... I don't get it.

So the important stuff: I got my Deutsche bank cart... finally... After I stormed in there twice and demanded it after 4 weeks. (By the way... they think I am related to the almighty Goldman-Sachs... I wonder who led them to believe that ;-) ) HEHEHEHEHEHEH

I chose my classes. Im taking all German courses this semester, then next semester when I feel i'm a tad more proficient in German I'll take some econ classes, even though most of the classes here ARE taught in English, because that the language of business. Schadee...


Tomorrow night is the international pot luck night, cant wait for that... The americans are preparing good ol' fashioned "home cookin" With wings and cornbread (LMAO)

Tonight we are going to a concert, that should be fun.


What a crazy month its been Let me tell you....

I can only dream what the coming semesters will be like.


Now Im off to the pool at Herzogenried park with the girls to relax and read some.


Tschuss Alle!

The things they don't tell you on the tour!

So I watched this really interesting documentary on Hitler's family. Did you know that one of his sister Aloisia married a doctor from the Steinhoff Hospital in Wien? The doctor that was arrested by Hitler himself for giving lethal injections or *Euthanasia* to the mentally handicapped people. And one other of Hitlers relatives was actually admitted to the Hospital Steinhoff because she was mentally handicapped. (Aunt if i listened correctly).

I would have liked to see the Hospital itself and not just the church, maybe next time lol.


I just thought that was interesting.

A Yawn that won't come out!

Well kids... Im still sick... But slowly getting over it.


I am temporarily divorced for a week because Adam threatened me. He said that he wouldn't talk to me for a week if i didn't go to the doctor. It was the throwing up blood thing that he didn't like. Its better now. I understand the concern. But Doctor's aren't my thing. Its the natural healing etc. that does the trick.

Anyway. This past week has been somewhat of a blur. Its all going by so quickly. and as I sit back and look at all that has been accomplished. I pat myself on the back in wonder. One month ago I was a complete stranger to so many people. I was a young American in a new place with so much to learn. Now, I sit back as others ask me (of all people...) questions, and I guide them around the city that I now call my home.

Summer academy is almost over, some will return to their countries and look back on a memorable experience, others will continue on their adventures here in Mannheim and experience what it really means to be in a German school system. A new environment, new friends, new classes, and most of all a new language. We've all grown accustomed to each other, our accents, ways of doing things, social circles, and after school events. Now, we have graduated out of solitary confinement and thrown into the general population.
God Speed.


So VISUM took us to this AMAZING club the other night. 3 clubs in one, HUNDREDS of people, great time!
Ok... we WILL just leave it at that. Some of you have access to the pictures lol.

Then, despite the fact that we strolled in at 6, we woke at 10 and begun on our journey for Frankfurt. I knew this would be an interesting trip, not just for myself but for plenty of others because of our infatuation with money and banking. This, kids, was the financial capital, The Manhattan of Germany.
We took a really speedy elevator up to the 55th floor of a building and danced around on top. MAN O MAN! You could see the world from a top this building. If not clear across Germany.
Then we went to Goethe's house. That was really cool.
Then it rained. and we chatted in a nearby coffee house.

Im being terse in my description of the day, only because I'm tired. Sleep deprivation is catching up with me. I slept all this week because I was sick, but that wasn't really sleep ya know? Sick sleep is not the same.

I GOT A MOMMY PACKAGE!!!!! It had colorful binders and PENS! ( I LOVE! PENS!) and colorful folders and pencils and OVALTINE!!!!!!! I LOVE OVALTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( Except I am afraid to drink German milk :-( ) I LOVED MY PACKAGE MOMMY AND HERMI!

But I am waiting on some others that were lost because the correct name wasn't on the mailbox... schadee... Ill do some investigation.

So its crunch time this week kids. WE HAVE A FINAL! I think I am the only person in this entire academy concerned with this damn test. The mentality seems to be "it doesn't count for our school and credits so I don't care..." Well... I care. I don't know if it counts, that would be lovely... but It does matter because I hate failing and I want to learn German. THERE I SAID IT!
OH NO! I HAVE DEUTSCH BAG FEVER!
and Gillian comes soon!

So this week I will be studying (Not partying) and learning etc. etc. Then at the end of the week when I completely kick that tests' ass I will have earned my right to fly to Dublin and Enjoy what is left of my summer vacation without guilt.
Then I will come back refreshed ready to kick Uni Mannheims tush.

HERE I COME! JA VOLL!!!!!!


Im going to Bett now.


And im going to watch a cool documentary on Hitlers' family during his Reich.
May I suggest watching documentaries on Joox.
Joox.net

great site. awesome movies and tv shows and documentaries.


Tschuss!