Homecoming

Today is my last day in Straelen, Germany. I can hardly believe that my time here is ending, but I have had an unforgettable experience and could not have asked for more. This will be my last blog entry, so I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for taking this journey with me. Thank you for reading these blogs, making comments, sending me encouragement, and praying for me. I appreciate your support throughout the past months, and I am truly thankful for you. I love you all and cannot wait to see you again face to face! I would also like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He deserves all the glory! He provided me with this opportunity, prepared the way, and then graciously led me through every step of it. He has been so faithful, filling me when I was empty, being my friend when I felt alone, and showing me great and unsearchable things I did not know. He is the Word, and the Word is alive! I lack the words necessary to thoroughly express my thoughts and feelings at this moment, but I am full of anticipation. Although I am saddened by the ending of this chapter, I know that such an end leads to another beginning. I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life, and I can hardly wait to see what God does in and through me in the future! I am anxious to get home and begin the next journey. I can taste the homecoming, and it is truly bittersweet.

Saying Goodbye

Goodbyes are not easy. I have spent nearly four months in Straelen, living, working and getting to know new people. And I have seen those people on a regular basis, becoming accustomed to seeing them and having conversations with them. But in two days, that will end. In two days, I will leave Straelen, spend the night with a colleague, and then fly back to America the next morning. Once I am on that plane, I will no longer see these people who have become my friends. I will not talk to them every day. And the time of making memories will be over. Although I hope to return to Germany and to Straelen one day, I cannot anticipate when that will be. I am leaving this town, not sure if I will ever see these wonderful people again. I feel so strange. Part of me is beyond excited to leave Germany and return to the states, my family, and my friends. I look forward to reassimilating into the familiar and comfortable. The other part of me, however, is grieving. This part of me is incredibly sad to leave. During my stay here, Straelen has become my home. Although I do not want to live here, I have fallen into a routine, which will soon be interrupted and replaced. I have begun saying goodbye to my colleagues and friends, and Tuesday morning will be my last opportunity to do so. But even after the final goodbyes, this place and these people will remain in my heart for the rest of my life, and I will always smile when I remember the time I lived in Germany!

I Am Famous!

My newspaper article came out today in the Rheinische Post, a widespread newspaper in this area of Germany. It is the same article that I translated previously. However, if you would like to see me in all my glory, you can check out the Wasserstraelen website at http://www.wasserstraelen.de/aktuelles.html. Click on "pdf" and view the newspaper layout with picture and article.

With The End In Sight...

On Friday night, some of my dormmates and I grilled out in the backyard of our dorm again. We sat around for a while, until it got dark and cold outside, cooking wurst and bread and talking. On Saturday, my mom's cousin, Gabi, and her husband, Mannfred, took me on a day trip to see some interesting sights. First, we visited Dernau, a small town hidden between mountains and surrounded by vineyards. The wine vineyards covered the hills on every side, and it was really beautiful. We walked through them and stopped at a restaurant on the top of the mountain. The restaurant was built after a famous architect whose name I cannot remember. But it was a Mexican style, bright orange and yellow stucko with smooth, rounded edges. After eating on the deck overlooking the vineyards, we drove to a little town called Ahrweiler that was quite old and had homes proudly displaying that fact. The homes were white cement with brown or black wooden panels crossing along the front, very much the stereotypical German style, and above the doors were the dates the homes were built. Next, we drove through Bonn, the old capital of Germany, and then to Düsseldorf. We stopped here, drank coffee/hot chocolate at a cafe, and took a walk along the Rhein River. The weather was beautiful with lots of warm sunshine and fresh breezes. We ended our adventure in Mönchenbgladbach, where Gabi and Mannfred live. We ate dinner at Palace St. George, a fine restaurant that was previously a church. The chef is a one star expert, and after visiting our table, he cooked us a delicious meal. That night, I watched a couple of movies with Christian and his best friend, Tom. Since they spent six months in California, we talked about the emotional rollercoaster that one rides in the last days before going home. One day I am psyched about going home, and the next day I am sad to leave. Of course, I am excited about going home and being with my family and friends again. But it will also be hard to leave this place and these people, since both have been a sort of home to me in the past three and a half months.

A Morning In Straelen

Underneath a clear blue sky, the market place was coming alive with fresh produce, blooming flowers, and potted plants. Men and women hustled and bustled to set up their tents, displaying their colorful goods for potential customers. The sound of the water fountain was drowned out by large carts rolling seasonal inventory over the cobblestone below. The sun warmed my skin, a cool breeze rustled through the tall, thin trees all around me, and I realized that I am in love with this place. Its simplicity and easy-going nature have built a special place in my heart, and I have no doubt that it is here that these treasured memories will stay.

Fun In The Sun

I had a lovely weekend. On Saturday I came up to Wasserstraelen to work out. There is a track that circles the building, so I walked for about 45 minutes, and then I did some arm exercises on a bench. The weather was perfect, the sun was shining brightly, a cool breeze kept me comfortable, and I even got some sun on my winter-worn face! On the bike ride home, I smelled a cookout. The smell of grilling meat reminded me of summers in Georgia, and I wished that I could take part in a cookout that night. Well God heard my wish and granted it oh so sweetly. Late afternoon, my dormmate, Nicholle, invited me to join her and her boyfriend, Thomas, for a cookout in the backyard of our dorm! I was ecstatic. We sat outside, talking while we waited for the coals to turn white. When the food, meat and bread, was ready, it was already dark, so we moved the party inside. Dinner was delicious, and the companionship much needed and appreciated after a homesick Friday. But the fun did not stop there. Let me be vulnerable with you readers. Sunday was a really lonely day for me. I was not sure of the source of that loneliness, but I was fully aware of its presence. Sometimes, in these moments, God puts a song on my heart which helps me express myself. I opened my mouth, and this song escaped: "When the loneliness creeps inside, when the heaviness rests upon my shoulders, would you come? Would you come? Would you fill me up with companionship. Would you fill my heart with your love." I felt better just singing these words, but I also knew God was listening, and I wondered what He would do with my prayer. Soon thereafter, I took a walk. I ran into my dormmate, Svenja, who had just returned from her hometown. She asked me what I was doing, found out that I was bored, and invited me to get some icecream with her. So we sat outside a small cafe, eating icecream and lauging at the hysterical antics of a small dog. All day, I had been sulking, thinking about how boring Monday would be. I do not work on Mondays, but I had nothing fun planned, so I anticipated sitting around all day. On the way back to the dorm, Svenja said that after work on Monday, she was going to visit a place called Blue Lagoon, and she invited me along. She said that the park makes one feel as though one is on vacation! Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. So Monday, we loaded up on our bikes and rode about 30 minutes to Blue Lagoon in a nearby town. This park can be compared to the lake at Callaway Gardens or the intramural fields at UGA. There was a lake, beach, volleyball, snack shack and water skiing, which was not done with boats but rather a sort of machine that attached to a person via rope and carried him or her around in a circle back to the shore. So we settled down on a blanket in the sand and decided to try the water. I stepped in up to my ankles, but the water felt like icecubes, so I could not go in any further. My feet started to go numb, and then Svenja splashed the freezing cold water all over me, and I screamed like a little girl. We layed out on the beach for hours, talking and laughing like old friends as we watched people dive into and react to the frigid water. It felt like a summer day, and as we basked in the warm rays of the sun, we dreaded the idea of going back to work. Before nightfall, we rode back to Straelen, played soccer in the backyard, and then ate dinner. After dinner, full of baked potato and salad, I noticed that my loneliness was gone, and in its place was companionship and love, just as I had prayed.

Easter

I spent Easter weekend with my family in Wüstensachsen. I had a lovely time, but it was much too short. Friday was a relaxing day. I played with five year old Lennard until he went to a friend's birthday party up the street. Then Peter and Sonja and I sat outside, enjoying the hot sun on a perfect Spring day. I ate chocolate icecream, they drank green tea from China, and we nibbled on a lamb. Well, not a real one. At Easter, Germans make a sort of pound cake with powdered sugar on top in the shape of a lamb. This is in remembrance of Jesus, but it is also a tasty treat. That night, Lennard invited me to take part in his bathtime ritual. Once he was up to his neck in fluffy, white bubbles, we brought out the characters from "Finding Nemo." Although plastic, they came to life in our hands, meeting each other, swimming together in the ocean, and becoming friends. To our delight, these characters could gulp water and spit it back out with just a light squeeze of the belly. Lennard and I both giggled as we squirted each other, quickly filling and refilling our little playmates with water. At bedtime, Sonja read Lennard a story, and then we said our prayers. First, Sonja prayed while Lennard repeated. Then he got to add anything he wanted. A smile spread across my face as he began to thank God for me and my visit. Lastly, I prayed in English what Sonja had prayed in German. We all said goodnight, and a motherly warmth spread throughout my heart as I looked forward to repeating the scene with my own children some day. On Saturday, Peter and Sonja took me to nearby Fulda to shop. I had a great time buying gifts and souvenirs. We also saw the Dom there, which was really beautiful, coated floor to ceiling in white and gold. Randomly, we came across three people dressed as chickens. Head to toe, they were brown and feathered with big, yellow beaks. They were playing music and walking and pecking just like real chickens. It was hilarious! Later, in Wüstensachsen, we went up a mountain to the Wasserkuppe. There was a slide that started at the top of the mountain and continued down the hill like a ski slope. It is hard to describe, but it was as if the mountain was sticking out a bright, silver, tin tongue with both sides cupped upwards. And in the middle of that tongue-like track was a little cart that had a big, red stick shift, like something from a Nintendo controller. Forward meant go faster, and backward meant slow down. Knowing I would use the break too much as a first-timer, Peter and Lennard rode together on one track, while I drove on the one next to them. Although they beat me to the bottom of the hill, I laughed and squealed the entire way down, doing my best to throw caution to the wind. It reminded me of Water Wiz but with a flat black cart in place of a mat and of course minus the water. I bought some souvenirs, and we took a coffee break (hot chocolate for me) before heading back down the mountain. Sunday began with an Easter egg hunt. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Easter Bunny had left me a basket full of chocolate goodies! After breakfast, we went to church, where I enjoyed a traditional Catholic service. We ate lunch at Rolf and Helga's house, where Helga served delicious pineapple chicken, salad, and two forms of potatoes-one shaped like little balls and one more like hashbrowns. After lunch, we all went up another mountain to Kreuzberg, where we met Sonja's sister, Beatrix, and her boyfriend Klaus. Kreuzberg is a place where monks make their own beer in a monastery. I bought souvenirs and gifts, and then we stopped by a cafe on the way home. That night we all went to dinner at an Italian restaurant where we ate pizza, pasta, and played the German version of Paper, Rock, Scissors with Lennard. The centerpiece was a lit candle, and since Lennard was like a moth to a flame, the game distracted him from lighting the table on fire! I relaly enjoyed having everyone together in one place. On Monday, also an Easter holiday here in Germany, Sonja cooked lunch. Traditionally, Beatrix, who is Lennard's godmother, brings a bundle of presents for her godson, and Sonja cooks her a meal. So we ate delectable green noodles with a salmon and cucumber sauce that was too yummy to resist seconds, which barely left room for dessert of vanilla icecream and chocolate mousse. Lennard played with his new shield that completed his knight ensemble, and Beatrix gave me a pretty necklace and bracelet! Sadly, it was then time to say goodbye. This was difficult to do, beacause I will not see them again soon. I held back tears as Rolf and Helga drove me to Fulda to catch my train. But once I settled into my reserved window seat on the comfortable ICE train, facing the vast, green countryside that I have come to cherish, I let go. I cried as the train pulled away from the German relatives I have come to know and love. At that moment, I made a promise to myself. I will be back. I do not know when or how, but I will be back!

Berlin

I went to Berlin this past weekend with Sonja and her husband Peter. We started by taking a tour, but the rain and speed of the tour made it impossible to take pictures or enjoy it. But that night, we saw the Blue Man Group at Potsdamer Platz! The show was incredible! I had no idea that they acted in skits as well as played music. They played drums on big metal barrells and paint splattered everywhere. They used gumballs, catching them in their mouths and then spitting the colorful juice all over a blank white canvas. One man used marshmallows, spitting them out to form a little sculpture. The crowd also got involved, crowd surfing toilet paper from the back of the theatre to the front stage as it sparkled in the black light. One young woman took part in a hilarious skit, while another young man was fitted with a full body jumpsuit and motorcycle helmet, painted blue, and thrown against a blank white canvas. We also were asked to stand up and perform specific movements in order to create a rock concert environment. The Blue Man Group entertained us for two hours, amazing us with musical talent and making us laugh at their comedy. Afterwards, I took a picture with one, who just happened to be my favorite, but could not reach the other two before they left. But it was so much fun and only the first of two wonderful surprises. I started Saturday with a repeat English breakfast minus beans, mushrooms and tomatoes. On the walk back to our apartment, we heard music. A new insurance company had opened that morning and had live advertisement. A man in a big green animal costume holding a sign marched around the sidewalks, leading five men who were playing instruments like electric guitar and a trumpet. They played some great oldies and songs that sounded like New Orleans originals. It was so funny, and if I lived in Berlin, then I would totally buy insurance from them. Next, we visited a Holocaust memorial. Above ground were huge grey cement blocks to symbolize the deaths of six millions Jews, a number much too large to truly comprehend. Under ground was a sort of museum with timelines, pictures, family accounts and personal letters written to loved ones about the horrors seen and experienced before death. I saw pictures of naked bodies being bulldozed, a rabbi surrounded by Nazis who were smiling while cutting off his traditional sidelocks of hair before they hanged him, a firing squad of twenty soldiers shooting a group of women, and a group of women's naked dead bodies piled up in a ditch with one still alive but about to be shot. My body cringed, but I could never possibly fully understand a tragedy of such epic proportion. Tears came to my eyes, but I never had to mourn the loss of a parent, sibling or friend just because he or she was a Jew. I find it difficult to imagine the amount of pride it requires to consider onself so superior to another race that one would assume the right to utterly destroy and wipe out the other. If I have ever doubted the presence of evil in the world, evidence of the Holocaust has removed every remnant of such doubt. Saturday night held the second great surprise. Peter took us to a private club called Bungalow. We had a dinner reservation for 8pm, and the guard at the entrance cleared us and let us pass. We walked into the bar area where you wait until your reserved time. Everything was white, and huge silver disco balls rotated slowly above us. Soon, a woman dressed in white led us upstairs to the dining room. We took off our shoes and came to our table, which not a table at all but rather a big, square, white couch topped with big, square, white pillows. So we lounged as we waited for our food to arrive. Then we were served a ten course meal! Yes, that's right, ten courses! The food was delicious, and the meal ended with tiramisu, New York cheesecake, and a chocolate icecream cone. Finally, our adorable waiter, dressed in white, brought the bill which was lying in a high-heeled, white shoe. But that is not all. During dinner, we got massages at our couch, and a woman peformed two songs beneath a spotlight. The entire evening lasted four hours, and was nothing short of amazing. On Sunday, we walked to see the last remains of the Berlin Wall. On our way, we saw police everywhere, on the street, in cars, and even on rooftops. Helicopters surveyed the area, and many bullet proof vehicles drove by with police escorts. Apparently, many important political figures were staying in the famous Hotel Adlon that weekend, and security was tight. Even the subways were closed in fear of an attack, and the British and American embassies have permanently blockaded their entrances so that only pedestrians may pass. I was reminded of how much 9/11 has changed the world. So we arrived at the wall, and that experience was very strange for me. The symbol itself is a distant and impersonal one to some extent, not being significant to my generation. To me, the wall is a tourist attraction or interesting monument, but to people in that time, it was a divider of families and friends, something people died trying to get over. Just like with the Holocaust and the number of six million being too large to truly comprehend, I could not really wrap my mind around such a boundary. At Checkpoint Charlie, I had entered a museum and read stories of people who tried to cross the border between East and West Germany. People made harnesses to slide down a rope to the other side of the wall, and some built homemade scuba diving gear, since the gear itself had been declared illegal, in fear of people using it to cross the border. And since people tried to swim to freedom, the Nazis built large metal bars with pointed spikes sticking out of them and placed them just below the surface of the water so as not to be seen. If anyone jumped into the water, then he or she would be either severely injured or killed. Although I have not been directly affected by the Berlin Wall, standing by it made me feel that a part of history had become a part of me. I now possess knowledge of the Holocaust and Berlin Wall that I would not have gained otherwise. Germans believe that tragedy must be remembered in order to prevent recurrence. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Berlin and to learn about the history that has made the capital city what it is today.

England-Part II

So after a wonderful day of sight-seeing, we had planned to return to the hostel by 5:30pm. I had to take two trains to catch my flight, and the directions at the hostel listed my journey time at 45 minutes. We did not really lose track of time towards the end of the day, but we did have to wait for our tour bus a couple of times, which put us behind schedule. I knew I was pushing it and began to prepare myself to miss my flight. However, I did not prepare myself for what was really ahead. Catherine and I ran to the tube station, said goodbye, and I hopped on the tube, which I took to a particular street. I got off at the correct stop, raced upstairs, and found the Stansted Express ticket line. I bought a ticket for this train which was supposed to go directly to Stansted Airport. I walked under a huge orange sign that read Stansted Express: the fastest way to Stansted Airport. I should have considered it an omen. I slid my ticket into the machine, the little gate opened, and the machine spit my ticket back out. I ran to the train and hopped on. The ticket master on the train took my ticket from me, examined it, punched a hole in it, and gave it back to me. Although I had a weird feeling in my gut that I was on the wrong train and should ask someone for confirmation, I dismissed the feeling as silly fear and tried to feel comforted by the fact that the ticketmaster had checked me in without indicating any problems. If that conductor had been around about one hour later, he would have regretted the day he became a ticketmaster! He is a lucky little man! So I rode this train for some time, expecting to miss my flight but hoping for a quick and easy exchange for a later one. I stepped off the train and knew immediately that something was wrong. Nothing looked familiar, and I knew I was not at Stansted Airport. I followed the crowd upstairs and approached the ticket/information counter. I explained to the worker that I was looking for Stansted Airport but was apparently lost. He replied that I could take a bus outside to the airport. At first I thought maybe the hostel information center had neglected to include that minor detail, but then the worker informed me that the bus ride would last one hour! Naturally, I reacted strongly to this. I told him that was strange because I was told to do exactly what I had done and that I would arrive at Stansted. He then told me that I had travelled in the wrong direction and was currently one hour away from my destination. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. In defeat, I stepped outside into the freezing night air to wait for the bus. I called my colleague, Stephi, to tell her not to pick me up at Weeze, but the call would not go through. By the grace of God, the call to my boss was successful. I told him my dilemma, and he called Stephie for me and then called me back. He said he had bad news. According to the internet, the flight I missed was the last one of the night, and the next one left at 6:40am the next morning. The time was currently about 7:30pm, and I cringed at the thought of that possibility. I told him I would go to the airport and find out my options and then call him back later. Two men nearby heard my conversation, and the younger approached me. He was a young man from Poland, travelling with his father, and they had also taken the wrong train and were trying to get to Stansted. He told me that there had been some sort of mix up with the Stansted Express, so really it was not completely my fault. They caught me on the verge of tears, mostly from anger and frustration, so their timing was perfect. These two gifts from God distracted me with kindness and lovely conversation about our countries and lives therein. We parted ways at the airport, and they rushed to catch their flight, since they had been smart enough to leave time for such mishaps in their schedule! I went to my airline, which was dark and completely shut down except for two desks. I expained my problem, and a woman told me that my flight had indeed been the last of the night, and my next option was the 6:40am flight. In hopes of finding a flight with another airline, I went to information, who shared the blessed news that all the other airlines were shut down for the night with no more outgoing flights! Awesome! So I went back to my airline and paid about $100 to exchange my missed flight for the next one. Luckily, there was one cafe open 24 hours, so I drank hot chocolate and ate a muffin. I called my boss and upated him, and he told me I could take a cab from Weeze back to Straelen, and he would see me later. Then I called my parents. My mom answered and called me right back so it would be free for me to talk. Hilariously, my phone cut off right after I told her that I had missed my flight and was stuck in the airport. What a perfect place to end the conversation with my mother, leaving her to worry about me. Later, I remembered a genius invention known as a collect call and was able to get back in touch with my parents. We talked a while, laughing about my circumstance and how I was not at all surprised that it had happened to me! Anyway, to make a long story shorter, I spent the night in the airport. I tried to sleep, but that was nearly impossible. Choosing between a hard bench and the cold floor was a real tough decision, and I found myself lusting after the mats, sleeping bags and blankets of those around me. I frequented the cafe, watched the snow fall outside, listened to music on my i-pod, and immortalized my experience in a notebook. Sadly, I had packed lightly with one carry-on, excluding toiletries like face wash and toothpaste, which I borrowed from Catherine. So I chewed a lot of Orbit and felt pores clogging every minute. I laughed at myself and this miserable destiny, and I wished I had a travelling companion with which to share it. But I survived, and that is really the point. I took care of myself, caught the flight at 6:40am, took a taxi back to Straelen, and slept all day. Luckily, my boss is a gem and gave me the day off to recover! So I am glad to be back and am actually still quite exhausted. But I will definitely never forget the night I spent in a London airport, completely exhausted but as strong and independent as ever!

England-Part I

My England post will be in two parts, the first about the trip itself and the second about missing my flight back to Germany. On Thursday at 6:45am, my colleage, Stephi, picked me up at my dorm and drove me to the Weeze airport, a small, local airport located twenty minutes away from Straelen. Since Stephi was generous enough to drive me before school, I was farely early for my flight, so I enjoyed a hot chocolate and blueberry muffin in the cafe. On my one hour flight to London, I met Audrey. Her father is French, her mother is German, and she learned English in school, making her fluent in three languages! We had great conversation and shared the excitement and anticipation of our first trip to England. From Stansted airport in London, I took another one hour flight up to Newcastle Upon Tyne. Catherine met me there, and we rode a train to her house. We settled in and then ate at a pub, where I ordered a chicken caesar wrap and chips (french fries). Then we walked around Newcastle for a little while. That night, we met Catherine's Scottish boyfriend, Peter, and his friend, Ed, at the cinema to watch Music and Lyrics. On Friday morning, we ate a traditional breakfast at Willy's, the cafe where Catherine works. Our meal included fried eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, toast and beans, which are oddly enough quite common at breakfast. I devoured this delicious meal along with a cappuccino. Afterwards, we walked around Newcastle for hours and even toured an art exhibit at The Baltic. We bought groceries for the weekend and made plans for a night out on the town. We met Peter and his friends at a pub called The Lonsdale. Then we met up with a group of girls and took a taxi to a club called Venue. We danced all night and had a blast. On Saturday, we watched rugby with the boys at their apartment and did a little window shopping in town. That night, we watched a movie and relaxed at Catherine's flat. We headed to London on Sunday morning. Upon arrival, we found a hostel called The Generator and stayed in a room with six other people. It was really fun to meet other travellers and hear their stories. We walked around London that afternoon, ate, watched a St. Patrick's Day concert, and took some photos. When we got back to the hostel, we remembered that we had received an invitation to a mixer at the bar. This provided a way to meet other people, so we gladly accepted. The bar was a decently sized room with tables, chairs, couches, TVs and a pool table. We met a group of guys from America who just got back from Iraq and are living in Germany! They were from Florida, Texas and Kentucky, and we really enjoyed their company. They are finishing their time in the army and making plans for life thereafter. It was great to hear about their experiences and what they plan to do in the future. So we stayed at the bar all night and then rested up for a day of sight-seeing. We ate breakfast at the hostel on Monday morning and then took a tour bus around London. We saw Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Little Ben, Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, London Eye and more. In perfect English style, we ended our day with traditional fish and chips at the Sherlock Holmes Pub. Then we headed back to the hostel and said goodbye to all our new friends. You can see pictures of our adventures on facebook. We had so many moments of awe. One time, I looked at Catherine and said, "We are drinking hot chocolate outside of Westminster Abbey right now!" We have known each other our entire lives, so sharing such a trip was quite special. We have always wanted more than the every day and familiar, so being in London together and seeing famous sights was an amazing experience! I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to travel to England, and I will cherish that time and those memories forever.

Fun In The Sun

The weather in Straelen this weekend was beautiful! Lately, it has been raining every day, and if the sun shines, it does so only for a short while before the next rainfall. The SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder) was beginning to set in, but now Spring is finally arriving! On Monday, my day off, I decided to play outside. I wore cut off sweat pants, a UGA sweatshirt, tennis shoes, and sunglasses. I ran some errands and did some window shopping, and I was in a very cheery mood. I smiled and said hello to every person I saw, basically wearing a sign that said "American" across my forehead. I finally settled into a bench in the middle of the town square and read The Testament by John Grisham, an author I am enjoying quite thoroughly. I read for a couple of hours, basking in the warm rays of the sunshine directly above me in the clear, blue sky. It was perfect! Germans passed by on bike or foot, and many stopped to converse with familiar faces. I bought an icecream cone at a little cafe, and the cold, minty refreshment hit the spot. I looked around and chuckled to myself at my reality. I thought about how I was currently in a foreign country, living and working by myself for almost four months. I thought about how far I have come since my initial arrival. I knew noone and was not yet familiar with my surroundings. I had no idea what to expect. At that moment, I was very proud of myself for all I have accomplished, and I got excited about what is still to come. God has blessed me with this amazing opportunity, and I am enjoying every step of the way!

A Weekend With My Colleagues

Last weekend was such a blessing! On Friday after work, I went home with my co-worker, Sonja, to Krefeld. We picked up my co-worker Thomas's wife, Connie, at the train station and went grocery shopping. We headed back to Sonja's flat, and Thomas arrived just in time for coffee and pastries called Mandel Hörnchen and Nüssecke, which are really yummy. We sat around the living room for a while, talking and laughing. Sonja cooked a delicious dinner of salmon in a creamy sauce, steamed broccoli with baked cashews, rice and white wine. We ate, conversed and devoured juicy pineapple for dessert until my tongue was raw. According to custom here in Germany, we sat around the table for hours, simply enjoying each other's company. I think that has become my favorite part of my experience here thus far. I love the way Germans relax over meals and spend time together. The focus is not on the food but rather on the company present at the table. Meals become a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better. Finally, we went to bed, but Sonja and I talked for another hour, giggling about boys like little girls. Thomas left for work early the next morning, but the ladies slept in. Then we ate a fabulous German breakfast, including warm brötchen, jam, meat, cheeses, orange juice and cappuccino. Again, we sat at the table for hours, only speaking English when I did not understand something in German. Connie and Sonja had planned to talk about taxes, so I cuddled up on the couch with a blanket and a cappuccino and began to read a new book, John Grisham's The Rainmaker, the perfect activity for the rainy day. Hours later, Sonja drove us to the train station, but we missed the train. So Connie and I found a bakery and got to know each other better as we waited for Thomas to pick us up. Then we drove to their home in Kerken, ten minutes from Straelen. Naturally, we started with coffee and pastries. I drank a fabulous lemon tea, which I bought later in Venlo (in the Netherlands) as we shopped for groceries. Thomas was not feeling well, so he took a nap while Connie and I went grocery shopping. In a very un-American fashion, we drove to four grocery stores to buy everything we needed! To my delight, Connie cooked penne pasta with a tomato meat sauce, which really hit the spot. They drove me home that night, and I showed them around my dorm. Thomas said that when he is feeling better, we can all do something fun together, like go bowling. So I look forward to more quality time with my colleagues. Before bed, I watched the eclipse, which I believe is my first ever, and it was really neat. On Sunday, I worked from 10-2, and had fun in the bistro. Sarah and I worked together, and we were really busy, but I am now confident in my abilities to understand orders and prepare and sell the food, so I had no problems. One woman came up to the counter and began trying to tell me that her coffee was weak. She said it was not too strong, but rather another word that she could not think of in German. I happened to know the word and told it to her, and her face lit up as she confirmed that it was the word for which she was looking. Needless to say, I felt pretty proud at that moment. I was able to help a German find the word she needed to express herself! Turns out, she was from the Netherlands, which is just minutes away from Straelen, so she spoke English too. They are quite language savvy over there. So I had a lovely weekend and thank the Lord for blessing me with the opportunity to bond with my colleagues. Now I am looking forward to going to England next week to visit Catherine Merritt, probably the oldest friend I have, for about one week. Then I am going to Berlin the next weekend with Sonja, and her husband, Peter. You will remember that Sonja is the daughter of my mother's cousin, Helga, who had the big birthday party. Then for Easter, I will travel back to Wüstensachsen to spend time with my relatives. Also, my mom's cousin, Gabi, and I are planning to take a day trip to see some surrounding sights. So I have a lot to look forward to as I draw closer to the end of my stay in the motherland. I love you guys. Grace and Peace...:)

TGIF!

Happy Friday! This week was fun because I received two packages. Sadly, the camera cord is for the television, so I still cannot upload photos. However, my dormmates are going on a class trip to Italy for one week, and Christian said that I could borrow his laptop, which has a place for my camera card. So I should be able to post photos to facebook sometime next week. The other day, I went with my friends to buy matching shirts for their trip. We were standing outside our dorm, waiting for everyone to meet so we could leave. All of a sudden, the boys start laughing and shouting orders to one another, and I realized they had discovered a bit of mischief. Our friend, Jens, was sleeping in the dorm, so the guys decided to turn his car completely sideways in its parking space! Suzanne, Verena, and I watched, laughing hysterically as the guys huddled around the small automobile, picking it up and sliding it until it was facing the car next to it. We took pictures, and the guys stood by, proud as peacocks of their accomplishment. It was pretty funny, and I like the fact that they are so playful. I am looking forward to the weekend. Tonight, I am going home with my coworker, Sonja. We will have dinner with our coworker, Thomas, and his wife and then spend the night. I might go to Thomas's house on Saturday too. My boss bought me a TV and DVD player for my room, and Jens let me borrow a pile of DVDs, so I will not be bored while everyone is gone! Other than that, things are pretty slow around here. I got pretty homesick last week, made worse by the fact that my dad had knee replacement surgery and was not doing very well. He is better now though, which is good. So my dormmate, Matthias, felt badly for me when he found out I was sad, and he invited me to spend Saturday in his hometown. We drove about thirty minutes to Oberhausen, famous for the largest mall in Europe. Honestly, it was not that big, comparable to the Mall of Georgia but not as nice. I met his friend, Britta, who speaks fluent English and wants to be an English teacher. She has spent time in the states, so we had great conversation. Matthias is a bit socially awkward if you will, but I am thankful that he was kind enough to invite me to see where and how he lives. Christian has been really busy with his school work. Everyone has to complete a final project, and since Christian is a procrastinator, he has been frantically trying to finish in time while also keeping up with other work and presentations. But I have been excited about progress in my relationships with my coworkers. I had been sad last week, wondering if they wanted to get to know me outside of work, that being difficult since they do not live here. I had walked through Straelen last weekend, wanting to shop but wishing I had a good girl friend with whom I could do so. Well on Tuesday, God blessed my heart. Sonja invited me to her house this weekend, and Nadine invited me to stay with her and go shopping! And I have noticed that we are talking, laughing, and joking more often. Once again, God's timing is perfect, knowing exactly what I need and when I need it. He is so good! I love you and miss you. Grace and Peace... :)

My Interview

I had my interview with the city's public relations representative on Friday. I thought you might like to read the translation of the article that is being published in the paper, complete with a picture of me! The paper is not just available in Straelen but other surrounding districts as well, such as Düsseldorf. The article might become available online, so I will let you know. But here is the English translation. Some parts might sound funny because of the language difference.
"Her smile was worthy of every toothpaste commercial. White teeth and brown eyes compete with brunette hair. The conversation is about Barbara Ashley, the 23 year old American practicum student from Athens, Georgia. She will work at Wasserstraelen until May 2. She took the job because she wanted to learn German and learn something from the Germans.
In the aquatic fitness center, Wasserstraelen, she brings with her what she studies. She assists the sport scientists with their children’s swimming classes and baby swimming classes. Sometimes you see her at the reception desk or in the bistro. The children find it totally exciting to test their English knowledge, and they have a lot of fun with that. Barbara Ashley transfers her theoretical knowledge form her studies at the University into the practical work. She studies health and public behavior, which is a field that consists of exercise and sport as well as diet and nursing. Later she can work as a therapist, a nurse, or a physical fitness advisor at companies. She exchanges her experience in the field of primary prevention with the sport scientists, and she will prepare a portfolio for her studies. The internship in the fitness center of Straelen is comparable to a semester. Without written documentation of the internship work, she will not graduate.
Not only is the work a win-win situation, but she has also made good personal experiences. The roots of the family on her mother’s side lie near Fulda. Her relatives still live there, and she already visited them. In the city of flowers, she has experienced a lot of positive things. “I have very good contacts to the apprentices of the “Meister Klasse.” I live in the same dorm as them. It was relatively easy to get into contact with them. They accepted me in their circle and took me to events on the weekend.” She went with them to Köln for Karneval and her “Alaaf” is perfect. In order to improve her German, she is attending an advanced German class at the People’s High School in Geldern. “I drive there with a stick-shift car. My car in Georgia has, as many others, automatic transmission. I enjoy riding my bike to work,” she says as she flashes her white teeth."

Funny Faux Pas

Wow, three posts in two days! This is a nice change of pace for those of you who are so tired of staring at the same updates over and over again. I remembered that I wanted to tell you about two times that I completely embarrassed myself in German. Thankfully, God has given me the ability to laugh at myself, whether alone or with others, so I laughed hysterically too! The first time happened at Stefan M.'s birthday party in the dorm. Someone asked me where a guy was, and I wanted to tell her that he had gone to the bathroom. When I said it, she started laughing, and I realized that I had told her that he was IN the toilet. Even now I laugh out loud when I think about it. So we laughed hysterically as I said in German, "Oh my goodness, hopefully not!" The second time was just the other day. I was showing Christian the pictures of my family and friends that I brought with me in a small photo album. When I showed him the picture of my family, I asked him how to say sister-in-law in German, repeated it to him, and thought I had mastered it. We moved along in the photos and came to Jeff, who is the brother of my sister-in-law, Gina. (Hopefully, he will not mind that I am sharing this with you!) I wanted to explain that Jeff was Gina's brother. After I did so, Christian had a really confused expression on his face and asked me to repeat what I had said. Apparently, I had used the wrong word. Turns out that I had basically told him that Jeff was the guy who got me pregnant! We laughed hysterically, and then I explained in English what I was trying to say. I hope you enjoy those stories, and please feel free to laugh too!

I'm lovin' it!

My German class went well last night. The teacher was very nice, and I understood the majority of what he said. I also felt comfortable enough to tell him when I was not sure of what he was saying. The other classmates are from India and Poland and were generous enough to share their material with me, since I was new. Although I do not speak or understand German as well as they do, I can read and do German grammar better than they can, so I was not intimidated. The one downside remains that the class is almost three hours long, which would be exhausting for anyone. But I plan to go back next Monday, and it if I still like it, then I will transfer into that class officially. Class finished later than expected, and Christian had waited in his car for twenty minutes. Germans do not like to wait, so he was not happy. He told me that I owed him a chicken burger, so we did the unthinkable. We ate at McDonald's! That's right, folks. I ate at McDonald's...hence the name of this post! I ate a chicken sandwich and fries, and it was not unbearable; however, I do not mind if we never return. Those of you who know me well know why that is a big deal for me, so I thought I would share that moment with you! Afterwards, we drove back to Straelen, and Christian taught me how to drive a stick-shift. Just like everyone had been telling me, it was not that difficult, and I actually had fun. We laughed hysterically multiple times, and Christian said that he will never forget teaching the American girl how to drive a stick-shift! I am now the master of gears 1-3. We drove around in the Wasserstraelen parking lot at first, and then we crossed the street to practice on long roads that crossed through large, green fields. I had been nervous because it had rained, and it was night time, but it turned out to be great because nobody was on the road. I was happy knowing that nobody was in danger, while I drove around the town! The greatest achievement came at the end of the lesson. Christian had driven his own car, but the car I use had to be returned to the city hall parking lot. I had no choice but to drive it alone! So Christian said good luck and drove behind me as I embarked on a journey around the main circle in town. I did really well and only stalled out as I parked in the lot at the Rathaus (city hall). I have yet to perfect my parking skills. Needless to say, I am very proud of myself and look forward to my next lesson. My hope is that I will soon be able to drive myself to Geldern for my German class. Lastly, I have exciting news. This Friday at 12:00 pm, a woman from the PR department in Straelen is coming to Wasserstraelen to interview me. She will take my picture and publish the article in the city paper! The interns who came last year did the same thing, but I feel special because I am the only intern here right now. So I will definitely keep a copy of that and bring it home with me for you to see. I tried to upload pictures of Evan Gabriel Ashley onto Facebook, but my boss has disabled this computer's ability to upload/download, so I will have to ask him about that later. I am frustrated because I really want to share those photos with you as well as those from my experience thus far. Three people have sent me packages, but they have yet to arrive, so please pray that they will be found and arrive safely to me here. I was looking so forward to receiving that American love! Plus I really need my camera cord and journal! Ok, that is all for now. I love you and miss you. Have a lovely day:)

Salzburg, Köln, and a new nephew!

First, I would like to announce the most exciting news! My second nephew, Evan Gabriel Ashley, was born on February 15, 2007 at 6:47 pm, weighing 8 lbs. 4 oz! He is beautiful, and I look forward to meeting him in person in May! Welcome to the Ashley clan, Evan! And now, my weekend. Jonathan and Lauren arrived safely on Wednesday, and we went to Geldern that night to play pool with Christian. I can proudly say that Christian and I showed our opponents how it's done! On Thursday, I showed them around Straelen, and we celebrated Karneval in a big tent in the center of town. The Prince made an appearance, and his soldiers performed again, so I am really glad that my friends got to see that. We also enjoyed dönners, schnitzel, and a lot of hot chocolate from the bakery, where we discovered delicious sugary doughnuts called Quarkbällchen. We left Straelen on Thursday night, taking a night train to Salzburg and sleeping in cachets. We arrived to our destination at 5:00 am on Friday morning, so we wandered around the city until a bakery opened at 6:30 am. We bought cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate (known only as heisse schokolade in Austria and not kakao). We checked into our hostel when it opened at 8:00am. It is called Institute St. Sebastian, and for only €25/person/night, we received free breakfast and a very nice room on the third floor with three beds, a private bathroom, and a beautiful view. We began our day with a tour of a famous fortress called Festungsberg, which is known for the following true story. In 1525, the fort was surrounded by the enemy, who decided to wait until the people starved to actually take it over. The people inside the fort were down to their last ox, but instead of eating it, they created a genius plan. One day, they walked the bull across the wall, so that the enemy could see it. During the night, the ox was painted. When the enemy saw it the next day, they assumed that the people had enough food to last them a long time, so they retreated! Since then, the people of Salzburg have been known as "Oxen washers." Next, we went to Salzburg University, where Jonathan studied for four months about five years ago. We visited some churches too, and in one of them, monks were singing, and it was one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard! On Saturday, we went to Tomaselli's Cafe, which has been in business nonstop for about 200 years. We also took a Sound of Music tour. Although I have never actually seen the movie, the scenery was beautiful, and it was interesting to hear about the making of the film and to take pictures of things that were in the movie. Sunday held my favorite activity. We toured old catecombs, a church, and watched two men play a life-size game of chess in the town square while eating scrumptious sugary doughnuts in the shape of large pretzels. After this, we took the advice of our tour guide, and rode a cable car to Der Untersberg, a mountain in the Alps! When we stepped out of the cable car and onto the snow-capped mountain, I could barely believe my eyes. We were standing on the peak of Der Untersberg, from which we could see the entire city of Salzburg! It was unbelievable! Not even my pictures do it justice, much less my words. The sun was shining, and cool breezes swept over our faces and cleansed our lungs as we walked around the snowy mountain. I attempted to take it all in, but everywhere we stepped, there was a new and breathtaking sight. We saw graves, a statue, and two large metal crosses that had been placed at two separate hilltops. We stopped at a restaurant and bought hot chocolate. Then we sat down on a log, sipping our hot chocolate and gazing out into the open sky and a panaramic view of Salzburg. I could hardly believe that I was actually in the Alps! We could not ski because there was not enough snow, but just sitting in the midst of such beauty was completely satisfying for me. I was overwhelmed with the evidence of my Creator and the incredible work of His hands! Thankfully, my roommates are sending me my camera cord, so I will make those pictures available to you as soon as possible. We left Salzburg at 6:30 am on Monday morning, after purchasing breakfast from the same bakery we visited upon arrival. We stopped by Köln on our way back to Straelen, in order to experience Karneval in its most famous location and to see a famous cathedral called the Dom. Both were conveniently placed right outside the train station. People were gathered around walls and fences, watching the parade. Huge floats passed by, and those who took part in the parade threw candy and chocolate bars into the crowds. Marching bands played music, and people everywhere were singing traditional German songs. The ground was covered with confetti and candy, while the air was filled with national pride. We had fun watching this, caught some candy, and even met some Americans. Then we turned around to take pictures of the Dom, which was right beside us. I tilted my head back as far as it would go, and my jaw dropped, as I noticed the size and detail of the structure. I wanted to grab the passersby and say, "Hey, why are you walking by? Don't you see this incredible cathedral in front of you?!" It is hard to believe that they are accustomed to something so grand, but it is normal for them to see things that were built hundreds of years before America even existed! The gothic cathedral was built in 1248, completed in 1880, and is the most famous landmark in Köln. To my dismay, it was closed for Karneval, but I plan to return so that I can see the inside. I wish I could describe its size to you, but just know that I had to take three pictures just to get the front of the church in a photograph! This was certainly another highlight for me in addition to the Alps. That concluded our weekend travels, so we headed back to Straelen. Jonathan and Lauren are leaving tonight. Christian and I will drop them off in Geldern as we go to my German class, which should be a little easier than the previous one. I am glad they were able to visit me, and we had a lot of fun. Ticket to Salzburg, Austria: €136; Ticket back to Straelen, Germany: €119; seeing the Alps and the Dom: Priceless!

Karneval

The time of Karneval has arrived! This week long celebration, the original purpose of which was to drive out witches and evil spirits from winter, is celebrated in different places in Germany. It begins on November 11 at 11:11am and continues on a calmer level until the 42nd day before Easter. This festival is often considered a way to go wild and crazy before Lent, and my coworker told me it ends with a big bonfire where you burn your sins from Karneval. On Sunday afternoon, Christian took me to neighboring Kapelle for Karneval. When we arrived, people were in costume, lining the main street in anticipation of the parade. Big floats drove by, and marching bands and dancers performed in between them. People in the parade threw candy to the crowd, and little children scurried around with bags in an attempt to gather as much as possible. I was able to take some pictures of the children, my favorite being one of a chubby cheeked little strawberry! I have decided that Karneval, from what I have seen so far, is a combination of Mardi Gras, Halloween, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. On Monday morning, I went to class with my friends from 8:00am-1:00pm. They had three classes, two teachers, but remained in the same room the entire time with two breaks in between. The first teacher asked me to stand up and introduce myself, which was pretty embarrassing and very unexpected. Although I could not understand much in the lessons, I know that they learned about the politics and financing involved in the gardening business. After class, we headed to a gym to celebrate Karneval in Straelen. The room was completely packed with people of all ages, dressed up head to toe in themed or simply silly costumes. A band played traditional German music, some of which I have begun to memorize, and people drank, danced or stood around and talked for hours. The "Karneval Prince" I mentioned before made an appearance with his troops, but this time they had lady soldiers with them. Again, the men performed a marching dance with rifles, and then the ladies danced a sort of can-can, kicking their legs in every direction while wearing big red boots. I remembered my camera this time, but it was much too dark inside to take any good pictures. Luckily, the "Prince" was conversing with the commoners as the party ended and the lights came on, so I took some pictures with him. He even gave me a pin to remember the moment. Outside the gym was a large food cart, and I can proudly say that I tried my first Bratwurst, the equivalent of a long hot dog in a little round bun, and it was pretty tasty, considering I am not a big fan of sausage. So now I have experienced Karneval twice. Jonathan Pinney and Lauren Jones are coming to visit tomorrow, and we plan to see Karneval in Köln, the most popular location and largest gathering, on Thursday and Friday and then travel to Salzburg, Austria for the weekend. Also in Köln, which you know better as Cologne, is a famous Catholic cathedral called the Dom, so I am really excited to see that. Please pray for me though, because I think I am getting sick. My throat is a little sore, but I do not want that to ruin my weekend. Hopefully, we will have a blast travelling and seeing awesome sights. I think I can safely report that after four weeks, I am a little bit homesick. I am thankful that I am here, and I have loved every moment of this experience thus far, but I wish I could have one day in my American comfort zone. I want to see your faces, hear your voices, hug you (I miss good hugs so much!), eat at Olive Garden, devour some Oreos and then work it off at Ramsey, and be in a smoke free environment again! Anyway, I will write again next week and tell you about my trips in as much detail as possible. I love you all very much. And now I will leave you with a few more things I have learned about Germans, some generalized of course from a small sample size...
Germans have no sense of personal space; they wear wedding rings on their right hands; they all know the words and sing and dance to traditional German songs during parties, which I find very patriotic and fun; their school system is very different from ours and kind of confusing; the majority of their TV shows and movies are American ones dubbed in German; they have no problem blowing their noses, anytime, anywhere; they have not embraced smoke free laws, which means that I smell like an ash tray all the time and constantly hear my lungs screaming for help; I have yet to meet a non-Catholic.

Pirates and Buried Treasure

Today, my coworker, Claudia, and I hosted a two-hour birthday party. I was excited because I planned most of the party, and I really wanted the kids to have fun. Nine 9 year old kids came to celebrate the birthday of Nils, who was turning 9. They put on black eye patches and bandanas and instantly turned into pirates searching for buried treasure. We started in the gymnastics pool where they divided into two teams, blue and green. Each team member had to enter the water, sit on a noodle, and while carrying a cup of water, swim between floating balloons to the other end of the pool and back. The first team to finish with the most water remaining in the cup won and got to dive for the clue to the next activity. The blue team finished first, but the green team had more water in their cup, so both teams dove into the water to search for the clue, which was a laminated piece of paper attached to a red ring by a string. They followed the clue to the water slide. There, each individual and team had to slide down the slide as fast as possible. The team with the fastest collective time won and got to dive for the next clue, which we followed to the bistro, where we took a break to eat pizza and cake. The next clue was hidden under the cake, and the children got excited about the fact that we only had two more activities until we found the treasure! So we headed to the jogging pool. Here, the kids had to ride a caterpillar float around in a circle and against a current, picking up as many floating items as possible along the way. The team with the most items collected won and dove for the next clue. This one led us to the diving pool. Each child had to jump off the diving board, swim across the pool to pick up a ring, dive through two hula hoops and attempt to throw the ring onto a big, yellow, blow up octopus. The team who got the most rings onto the octopus won and dove for the last clue, which led us back to the gymnstics pool, where the kids found a net full of treasure boxes containing coins. They could either keep these coins as a souvenir or exchange them for something to eat at the bistro like a pretzel or icecream. Most of them turned their coins in for a snack, but some kept theirs as a memory of the party. They squealed with delight when asked if they had fun, so I am quite content with a job well done. I am happy that they had fun, and I look forward to the next birthday party!

Colorful Detail and Random Facts

Hello again! I apologize now if this entry gets long, but I hope you will enjoy an update on my life in Germany just the same. My mom came to Straelen on Saturday and left this afternoon. I am very glad that she got to visit me, and we had a lot of fun together. One night, we ate dinner at Gasthof Zum Siegburger, a small restaurant around the corner from my dorm that serves traditional German food. The entire place was decorated for Karneval, a German celebration like Mardi Gras that starts next week. Multi-colored, florescent streamers hung from the ceiling, equally colorful flowers lined the windows, and the faces of clowns stared down at us from random places throughout the room. Karneval is a huge celebration in big cities like Düsseldorf and Köln, and my boss has told me that I must not miss the parades and festivities, so I plan to travel to Köln with friends to experience it all! Apparently, Karneval comes to Straelen only every two years, and the residents get really involved. As we were eating, townspeople began to enter wearing festive costumes. They gathered in the room next to ours, which was complete with a DJ booth and more decorations. People were dressed as convicts in black and white stripes, clowns with rainbow colored jackets, and some just threw something random together to create a funny outfit. The guests began to sing to traditional German music, and some got up to dance. All of a sudden, a group of men entered the restaurant through the front door. They were covered head to toe in red and white, wearing long coats with tails and feathered hats, looking just like British soldiers! They marched in, the first soldier carrying a big sign that announced the coming of the "Karneval Prince." They marched loudly into the party room and lined up in a perfectly straight row. One man announced every soldier's name, and then they performed a song and dance as everyone else clapped and cheered with delight! Later, we learned that this group was invited to perform at the party, and the prince acts as such for two years, making many appearances around town. Sadly, I had forgotten my camera, but the mental picture of that night will remain engrained in my mind forever! Tuesday morning, before work, my dormmate Karsten drove us to Kevelaer, another nearby town. He showed us a beautiful Catholic church that was built in the 1600's and stands in the middle of the city. People travel from everywhere to enter a small, round building by the church to light candles in prayer and to receive healing. I cannot possibly describe in words the beauty of this place. We bought two postcards, an information packet and took some video, so you will just have to see those when I return. I stood in the church, mouth agape, in total awe of this man-made structure. It was unbelievable. Afterwards, we drank coffee and hot chocolate in a little cafe. I am so thankful that Karsten told us about the church and offered to take us to see it; otherwise, I might have never known about it. He is so thoughtful. He even gave me his tulips because he was going home on the weekend and knew they would die while he was gone. The ironic part is that I had just been thinking about how dreary my room looked with plain, white walls. The vibrant red, yellow and orange flowers certainly brightened the room. On Tuesday night, I had my German class in Geldern at 7:00, and it turned out to be quite a stressful endeavor. Stefi had to work, so my mom drove the stick-shift and followed my boss to Geldern. The teacher spoke fluent German the entire class period, which by the way was a very long 2 1/2 hours, and we worked on grammar, which is the one thing in which I am efficient. Hungry, tired, and frustrated, I barely survived the lesson. Although I need to hear such fluent German in order to improve, I do not want to sit through such a long lesson and be frustrated at how much I do not understand. So I might step down a level and see if I am more comfortable in that class, but I still do not want to learn how to drive a stick-shift and drive myself to Geldern twice each week for 2 1/2 hours! My mom came to work with me for two days, and she took video of me helping with the baby and children swim lessons. I had so much fun with those classes, and the babies were just as cute as can be, wide-eyed and giggly as we played with balloons in the water. They reached out for everything in front of them, including the example doll named Emma, and bit and licked the balloons as much as possible. When helping with such classes, I am reminded of how simple life once was! Last night, Christian went to dinner with us, and we stayed at the restaurant for four hours, talking, laughing, and getting to know each other better. This morning, I woke up, pulled back my curtains, and my heart jumped as I noticed that it was snowing! Straelen is currently blanketed with white, powdery, fluffy snow! It has stopped and will probably melt by tomorrow, but I am so content that I got to see snow in Germany! Tomorrow, I am going to school with my friends, and I am excited to see first-hand what they really do. So that is all for now. I love you, and I miss you. And now I will leave you with some random facts that I have learned.
German desserts look much better than they actually taste; Paprika is a pepper and not a spice; Pepperoni means hot peppers unless you say pepperoni fleisch (meat); Germans "Prost" (not Roast) the first drink you drink together and any other celebratory drink; You do not receive ice in your drinks or free refills; Ketchup is not free; Talking on your cell phone is expensive, and nobody really does it in pulic.

German Class and a Birthday...

Last night, my coworker, Stefi, drove me to Geldern, a nearby city that is about fifteen minutes away. I took a placement test in order to find out which German class is best for me. Out of 48 questions, I missed only 6, so I have been placed in the advanced German class, so I can improve my ability to hear and understand the spoken language. I was encouraged to find that I had not forgotten all the grammar that I learned in school, and I look forward to my class which meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00pm. Back at the dorm, I headed upstairs to celebrate my dormmate Stefan's 24th birthday. He cooked for everyone, making a sort of sandwich with one slice of German bread, meat and a fried egg. It reminded me of the delicious sandwiches that my dad makes for me with fried egg, bologna and cheese on toast. However, this birthday meal came nowhere close to my dad's signature breakfast. Everyone gathered in the lounge and sat around for hours, talking, laughing, and watching the guys wrestle like little boys. We had a really good time, aside from the moments of the fastest German I have ever heard and will most likely never understand! Work was really fun today too. I started the day by taking pictures of everything because the place was empty. Sadly, I realized that I forgot the cord I need to upload pictures onto this computer, since there is no place for my camera card. But I will see what I can do, so you do not have to wait three months to see pictures. From 2:00-3:00 and again from 3:00-4:00, I helped with the children's swim lessons. The kids were full of energy, and we did our best to keep them moving. I did pretty well giving them instructions in German. The easy part is that they are young enough to be content with a "sehr gut" or "super" after every performance, so we seem to be getting along quite nicely. Other than that, I just do my best to memorize certain phrases that I need to get through the lesson if I don't know them already. I took a break to eat, and then from 5:00-6:00, I took part in the Aqua Spinning class. For this class, you take bikes into the water and cycle. Christof taught today, and as a great full body workout, it was really fun. The exercise puts no pressure on my knees, so that is definitely a plus! I decided to write this update tonight because my mom will be visiting from this Saturday to Thursday, so I expect to post a long blog after that. If I think of anything else or experience something exciting before next week, then I will let you know. But most likely, I will not write again until next week. I hope you all are well. When you have time, please tell me about school, work, ministry, family, friends, etc. I trust that God is taking care of each of you, loving you as no other can. Continue to turn to Him for every need, and remember that His faithfulness endures forever. Grace and Peace...

Discotheks and American rock!

On Friday night, Christian picked me up at my dorm, and we drove to a nearby town, Krefeld, for dinner. The restaurant was called Haweco, and the menu was half English half German. The titles of the foods were in English, such as American Pita or Chicken Crispers, and then the description was in German. The restaurant was quite large, consisting of a main floor with a bar, where we sat, and then four upper levels accessible by a winding metal staircase. Going upstairs to the bathroom, I was reminded of an old firehouse, and wondered if I should look for a pole to slide down. TVs were on, small candles were lit at the center of every table, and waiters/waitresses constantly whizzed by, making drinks and delivering food. Simply because I could not resist the opportunity, I ordered Chicken Crispers with Cajun or chicken fingers with steak fries. They were delicious! Christian and I had great conversation throughout the meal, and I really enjoyed his company. He is 22 years old, lives with his parents in Straelen, and is in a sort of masters program to perfect his craft of gardening. He will finish this summer and help his parents with their business. German schools are very different than those in America. There are many options, but the people I have met have spent ten years in regular school, three years in an apprenticeship, and then one year in Meister, which literally means master as I mentioned before. So Christian is almost finished and will then enter the working world. He lived in California for six months, as posted previously, so we talked a lot about his impressions of the country and the people. Later on, we drove to a Discothek, or club, and watched people dance to American rap and hip-hop! The club was similar to those in America, complete with a bar, dim lighting, a DJ booth and dry ice effects. I met a guy from Florida who is studying film in Germany. He said he heard my accent and had to ask where I was from, but I am sure the fact that I was speaking English was a huge giveaway So I had a lot of fun, and I am so thankful that Christian is willing to show me around and take me out to have some fun! On Saturday night, Christian invited me to go to another club with him and his friends. He picked me up at 9:00pm, and we drove to Tom's house, the friend with whom Christian went to California. Once there, I met Tom, his girlfriend Laura, his sister and her boyfriend, and Andy. We hung out for a while, getting to know each other, and then we drove about 30 minutes to Duisburg to a Discothek called Pulp. Unlike the first club I visited, this club played rock music. Oddly enough, everywhere I have been thus far has played American music, right down to Sweet Home Alabama! So I had fun dancing to both German and English rock music. Christian's friends are really nice, and we laughed and danced all night...literally. We left at 5:00am! I was exhausted but so thankful for another opportunity to make friends! On Sunday, I went to a pizza parlor with Kosten and Nicholle, not sure how to spell their names yet, but they are the first two people I met in my dorm. They are the youngest too, 18 and 20, but I like them very much. I had told them that I like pepperoni and cheese pizza, and so they ordered for me. But when we got back to the dorm to eat, I was surprised when Nicholle opened a pizza and gave it to me. It was packed with the largest green hot peppers I have ever seen! Now I am not at all a fan of peppers, so I politely picked off each one. Regardless, my mouth was on fire by the time I finished eating, but it was still somehow pretty tasty. Then we watched German TV and English CNN, learning new words and attempting to translate each other's languages, since none of us is fluent in the other. Monday was boring, but I accomplished grocery shopping, which is not fun when you must do so on a bike! But I was glad to have found the discount grocery store called Aldi all by myself as well as to have shopped on my own in a foreign place. Work was fun today. I know that I have not written much about it, but this post is already long enough, so I will keep it short. Basically, I had time to spare, so I slid down the huge slide, jumped off the high dive, and sat in the jacuzzi. I also helped with the children's swim lessons again, which I love! The first class is called Kinderschwimmen, literally translated children swimming, and the kids are around 5 years old. The second class is called Kleinkinderschwimmen, literally translated, small children swimming, and the kids are 1-3 years old, and their parents swim with them. These two classes are by far my favorite activities. So that is all for now. I put minutes on my phone, but they are really expensive and short lasting, so I am exploring other options such as a calling card like we have in America. Then I look forward to hearing familiar voices and updates on your lives. I love you and miss you! MWA!

Go Karts and New Friends!

It snowed a little bit today! Everyone laughed at me because I was so excited about what they considered no big deal, so I had to explain how rare snow is in Georgia. Nonetheless, I am really excited! So I had so much fun last night! About eleven people from my dorm drove to a nearby town to ride GoKarts. The other two girls, one guy, and I just watched. You had to drive for twenty minutes, and it was cold, so we just observed while drinking hot chocolate (Kakao) and eating nuts (Erdnüsse). When the guys came back in, we sat around for a while. They laughed hysterically about the race, and we began to get to know each other. Then we went to dinner at a restaurant, talking and laughing the entire time. My favorite thing about this group is how much they love to smile and laugh. Even when I have no idea what they are saying to each other, I seem to enjoy myself! Honestly, I feel like I have known these people forever because they are so friendly and easygoing. We went back to the dorm, and I had planned to go to bed. But when they found out that I did not have to work until 11:00am today, they convinced me to go to a bar here in Straelen for just a couple of hours. So we walked in the freezing cold to a little bar not far from our dorm and stayed for about three hours! All night, everyone asked me lots of questions and complemented my German. Gradually, they became more comfortable with me and would speak some English. One young man named Christian lived in California for six months, in order to learn the language and experience a different culture, so he translated things for us when we had trouble communicating certain words or phrases. One difference that I have noticed here so far is the drinking atmosphere. In America, some people use alcohol as an excuse to be loud, obnoxious and inappropriate. But that is not so with this group. As is custom in Germany, they drank much beer throughout the night, but they never got crazy or acted stupid or silly. They just enjoyed each other's company, talking about work and school and asking me questions about America and my life. For you UGA students...I made the mistake of telling them about Jager Bombs (a mixture of Jagermeister with Red Bull for those of you who do not know), and another young man, David, kept asking me if I wanted one. I refused multiple times, thinking he just wanted to oblige me. But then Christian explained that in Germany, if a man offers you an invitation to drink, you must accept the offer at least once or it is considered quite rude or unfriendly. So I drank a Jager Bomb in Germany hahaha! (But don't worry, friends, you still know me.) They like to toast to each other also ("Roast"), so we did that often. Ultimately, I had a blast and did not go to bed until after 1:00 am! As I mentioned in another post, everyone drives home on the weekend. Christian, however, lives nearby and offered to hang out with me when I am bored on the weekends. He is picking me up at my dorm tonight to show me around Straelen and the neighboring towns. He told me that he did not want me to get the wrong impression; he has a girlfriend and just wants to show me around Germany as people showed him around America. (That explanation is for you Pops, wink wink) So I am super excited about that! I am so thankful for these people and their kindness. They are very open and sincere, and I look forward to getting to know them better. I hate to admit it because I do miss all of you very much, but I fear that I will be extremely sad to leave this place and my new friends when May 2 finally arrives...

Jesus...mmm mmm good!

Greetings my fellow Americans! Due some recent excitement, I felt a short post was in order. I got sick yesterday and stayed home from work. I was beginning to wallow in loneliness but decided to sing praises to my King instead. I was singing random praise songs out loud and asking the Lord to provide for me some sort of friendship soon because the solitude was getting old. My neighbor, Suzanne, stopped by to say hello, and she invited me to ride Go-Karts with her and my dormmates tonight when I get home from work! I am so excited! I wanted to share this story with you to remind you of how perfect God's timing truly is. He knows our needs and even our wants, and he promises to never leave us nor forsake us. He is good all he time, and his faithfulness never fails! Also, I find it amazing what a difference it makes when we take our eyes off our circumstance and focus on Christ. The view is so much better from his side! So I am looking forward to making new friends and having some fun. Of course, I will let you know how it goes. Oh and one more thing... she totally does speak English, but she is really shy. Sonja had told me that many Germans know how to speak English, but because they feel that they cannot do so 100% perfectly, they do not try. Apparently, that is true. Suzanne spoke English when she came back to my room last night to tell me what time we were going. I told her that she spoke very good English, so hopefully I can encourage her to speak it more often. So that is all for now, but I will write again soon. Grace and Peace to you...

A very long post with details:)

Guten Tag! Today is my first official day at work, but since my boss does not arrive until this afternoon, I am catching up on e-mails and thought I would post an update. Although I consider it impossible, I will attempt to describe the beauty of Germany in words as I tell you about my weekend. I had planned to leave on Friday to visit my mother and her family, but due to the worst storm that Germany has seen in about twenty years, no trains were available for me. This country is not accustomed to tornadoes and hurricanes like we are, so nobody was prepared to suffer the damage. Trees fell everywhere, and power outages occurred, so the trains were out of service for a little while. Gabi, my mom's cousin who lives nearby, had driven me to the train station, but when we were told we could not travel, she dropped me back off at my dorm, which I will now describe. You enter the building through a glass door which opens to the second and middle floor of the dorm. Directly in front of you is a lounge, where people can smoke, watch TV, or access the kitchen. If you turn to the right, you will find stairs to your right and a hallway in front of you. I live on the end of that hall. Going to my room is no problem because I can push the light switch which illuminates the walkway. However, the lights are on a sensor at night, so as soon as I enter my room, they turn off again. Across the hall from my room is a small bathroom with a toilet and shower. In Germany, toilets and showers are either in completely separate rooms or at least divided by doors that have locks and keys. The shower across from me is tiny, so I like to use the one at the other end of the hallway. But going to that one can be a little creepy when nobody is around and the lights are off, and I am constantly reminded of "The Shining," regretting the fact that I ever saw it! I have only met four people so far, but this weekend, nobody was home. I couldn't figure out where all the people were until a little old lady came in to clean. She spoke no English, but we had a nice conversation in German. She explained to me that the students do not live in Straelen, so they go to school during the week and then go home on the weekends. I am sad to hear that because I had hoped to make friends with whom I could spend time and travel on the weekends. I had time to spare, so I decided to ride my bike around Straelen. The wind was cold and nipped at my cheeks, but I did not mind at all. I found Wasserstraelen and fifteen minutes later found myself back to it again! That should tell you how small this town is. I rode past the little grocery store, where people were loading groceries onto their bikes. Everyone met me with a friendly, "Guten Morgen," and for a moment I forgot that I was American and did not actually belong here. Every house has windows adorned with delicate curtains and decorated with potted plants and flowers. It is as if the home owners want you to enjoy what you see as you go by. There are no screens on any windows, and they open both as doors and windows. People hang bed linens out the window for freshness or just enjoy the cool breeze. Instead of central heating and air, Germans use individual heaters that can be set on levels such as 1,2,3 etc, and the open windows serve as air conditioners in this chilly winter season. I tried to take in every detail as I observed daily life here, but then I remembered that I will have this same experience every morning as I ride to work! So I headed back towards my dorm to wait for Gabi. She picked me up, and I successfully caught a train to Fulda, the big city near Wüstensachsen, a small village where my German family lives. My mom picked me up, and I had just enough time to shower and head to the party, which was the main reason for my visit. In Germany, the 10 birthdays are very big. My mom's cousin, Helga, turned 60, so she had a big party. We sat at round tables decorated with glass candles, menus and cards detailing the seating arrangements. We ate lots of good food, drank, laughed, and danced all night. I found that I like Schnitzel very much, which is basically like breaded pork chops but way better. The rest of the food was like American food, including salad, vegetables, and potatoes au gratin. Helga's daughters, Sonja and Beatrix, brought out a huge chocolate cake packed full with candles, and we sang Happy Birthday in English and German. Then every guest lined up to wish Helga well and give her traditional flowers or other gifts. The funniest part of the night was the dancing. I like German music, but I am a horrible German dancer! A young man asked me to dance, and since he spoke no English, we attempted to converse in German. He kept asking me why I did not have a boyfriend in America. When I asked him if he had a girlfriend, he told me that he was married and had a daughter. He was a little drunk and obviously quite friendly. To the delight of all my friends who have been making jokes about it for months, his name was Dieter! I could not believe how ironically funny that was! It is tradition in Germany that you dance together and then the man escorts the woman to the bar for a drink. Despite my bad German dancing, Dieter and I frequented the bar that night! We partied until 3:00am! I slept very late the next day, and we met at Sonja and Peter's house for coffee at 3:00pm. Sonja is Helga's daughter, and Peter is her husband, and they have a five year old son named Lennart. We sat around for hours, drinking coffee, eating cake, talking and laughing. Then we ate party leftovers for dinner. I played with Lennart a lot, battling with swords and such. I think that little kids speaking German is my new favorite sound! On Sunday, we ate Brotchen (literally translated little bread), which is the traditional breakfast. You walk to the nearby bakery and buy fresh bread, and then everyone meets at the table for bread with meat and cheese and coffee. You will not believe the view from Helga's table! The scenery is breathtaking! Mom and I walked through the village, and we shopped at the store. All around the village, deep greens and browns cover the rolling hills, and in the higher regions, we could see ice beginning to form on the hills. The cold wind felt so refreshing on my face, and I could smell burning wood from nearby barns. People were walking through the village, doing errands or making conversation with neighbors, and I found myself wishing I had grown up this simply. There was something so perfectly quaint about this town and its inhabitants, and I did not want to leave. On the drive back to Fulda, I saw what I had missed in my nighttime arrival. We drove down a mountain, surrounded again by rolling hills. Every now and then, we would come across a little village, tucked in between the hills, and if I blinked it would be gone. On the train ride home, the visual stimulation continued with huge mountains peaked with castles displaying flags on their highest points. Germans are also very energy conscious, so I would see large windmills made of metal set in the middle of grassy plains. Although I attemped to capture some of this beauty with my camera, I know that I inevitably failed to do so. Traveling is very exhausting, and I am still adjusting to the time difference, so I went to bed as soon I returned to Straelen. I am enjoying Germany very much, and I look forward to the rest of my stay with great anticipation. I will do my best to keep you upated and to include details, so you can experience this with me as much as possible. I miss you all and love you very much. Bis später!

Guten Tag von Deutschland!

Hello from Germany! I am here safe and sound. I am not working today, due to bad weather, but I decided to come to work anyway. I have internet access here, so I thought I would write a quick update. My flight here was a little rough. I get motion sickness, and the turbulents were so bad on the descent into London that I threw up upon arrival, making it to the restroom only by the grace of God. Then I had to take a one hour bus drive to another airport in London, and I thew up on that as well. The next flight into Dusseldorf was not as bad, and I began to feel better. A woman named Suzie picked me up at the Dusseldorf airport, holding a decorative sign that said "Welcome in Germany Barbara Ashley." That was a heartfelt welcome indeed, and I am keeping the sign. We drove about 45 minutes to Straelen and came to Wasserstraelen, where I will work. The staff is very nice, and my boss is even nicer than he seemed in my interview last year. He took me to my dorm to drop off my suitcases, and then we bought a bike and some groceries. Apparently, the American interns who came before me did not take good care of their cars, scratching and denting them and even getting speeding tickets. Since the city pays for the internship, it said no more cars would be provided for the interns. As long as weather permits, riding my bike and walking will be just fine. So I went to bed at 8pm last night and woke up at 2pm this afternoon! I woke up a few times in between but could not function well enough to get out of bed! The weather is very bad here today, but a guy from my dorm drove me to Wasserstraelen, since I could not ride my bike in the rain. So far, I have met four dormmates, only one of whom speaks English. That might become frustrating at times, but it forces me to speak German, which is good. I am usually very shy with the language, but I have no choice but to speak German to them. I am the only intern here, which might get lonely, but I love meeting new people, and I plan to acclamate in time. The people I work with speak English by the way. So that is about it for now. I am excited about everything that lies ahead. I look forward to working with the classes, especially the swim lessons for children, getting to know everyone in this small town, and learning how to better speak and understand German. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers and trust that you will remain in mine. Tschuss!

"Shhh, just go!"

So I am about to leave for the Atlanta airport to fly to Germany for the semester! I am so excited about this opportunity but also a little sad that I have to leave family and friends in order to experience it. My flight leaves tonight at 6:25pm, and I will arrive in Germany tomorrow morning. I do not know my address yet, but my cell phone number there will be +49 (0) 163 7236987, and I can receive international and national calls for free. I will be using this phone, since mine will be out of service. You can also contact me at Babs1984@uga.edu or Babs198499@aol.com. I am attempting to figure out how to create a place to sign up to this blog, so that you can receive e-mails, notifying you of new posts. Keep your eyes out for that link. So this is my goodbye to you for now. Thank you to my friends for a wonderful "Aufwiedersehen Barbara" party last night. You are so special to me, and I appreciate you very much. I love you, and I miss you already! Tschuss!

Welcome to my blog!

Hello family and friends! I have created this blog, so that you can be a part of my experience in Germany. As most of you know, I will be interning at an aquatic fitness center called Wasserstraelen in Straelen, Germany from January 16-May 2, 2007. Instead of sending out mass e-mails to everyone, I can post updates to this site. For your information, I will be checking my AOL, UGA and Facebook accounts as often as possible, so feel free to keep in touch with me that way as well. I will miss all of you very much, but you will certainly remain in my thoughts and prayers. Do not forget about me!