A Little Place of Which I Can Call My Own

Finally, I'm in my own apartment.  I feel so grown up living on my own, having my own mailbox, keys, elevator, grocery list, etc. etc.  Sure, last year I lived on my own in the dorms, but it was never quite this liberating.  I mean, I had to do my own dishes last night for cripes sake.  I'm in the real world now! Well kind of.  Eh.  Anyways.  My apartment is so adorable! It's bigger than i had previously thought, which was quite a pleasant surprise.  I have a small kitchen, bathroom, large walk in closet, balcony, and a large room which is shared as my living room and bedroom.  My kitchen is all black and white with some cute tiling on the wall, a hidden refrigerator and a stove top which is nearly impossible to control heat wise.  Burnt dinners, here we come!  Looking on the bright side, it'll be something to write home about.

My bathroom is brand-spanking-new; freshly renovated by the parents of the girl who really owns this apartment.  That too is black and white, and very retro-modern.  The accents are all silver, and the shower confuses the heck out of me.  It took me like 20 minutes to be able to stand under the water this morning.  There are two different temperature handle things on the bath, one hot, one cold.  Of course you have to find a happy medium between the two, and i'm not sure if I'm just like completely stupid or what, but I was either literally scalding myself, or turning a never-seen-before shade of blue.  It was one of those "life experiences" I suppose.  But dang.  Never have I had to preform a new version of the tango in my shower out of pure fear of water.  Eh.  Still, this has not shaken my joy in this new apartment.  Besides, as you can see, it's totally cute.  You can't be mad at something so cute.  

The balcony is somewhat small, but you can seat two people there comfortably on my two chairs and small table.  The view is just outrageous- I can see basically half of the city from my balcony, along with the sprawling landscapes of the mountains and fields.  I have no temperature reader thing here, so my theory is just to walk out on the balcony every morning and surprise myself.  This morning it was a bit cool, almost brisk.  Like a fall morning usually feels.  It was sunny when I first woke up but now those ever infamous clouds are returning.   But hey, as long as the rain doesn't arrive, today seems like it will be pretty dang nice. 

So yep.  Those are the views!  My walk in closet has so much storage space, I really have no idea what to do with it all.  I had no problem fitting my obnoxious 3 suitcase load of clothing and miscellaneous items into the storage unit running along the entire wall, or the shelves across from it.  Walking space in there is tight, but it works just fine.  The owner of the apartment left a lot of her books in the closet towards the back, and I'm assuming I'll probably start diving into them within the next few weeks.  There are some old American classics, along with some modern German novels.  So, between the two, I should be fully occupied reading wise.

Ok so last but not least, the "big room."  I have this large room, the main room of the apartment, which I split as a living room and bedroom.  In one corner is my low-lying bed with a floral comforter, the other a couch.  In the middle of the room is this modern, large, white bar with a glass and mirror shelving unit.  I'mt not really going to use this much I predict, but it does look pretty cool.  It also helps to divide the room.  I have a nice large desk in here which I also tend to use as a table since the kitchen is too small to contain one, and a nice little coffee table.  There's a TV with a dvd player (score!) and a quite random juke box.  Oh and I have 2 plants, which I need to water, I think?  Eh.  But yes.  This is where I spend the majority of my time.  It's quite cute if I do say so myself.  Most of my pictures are from when I was moving in, so if it looks a little messy, please bear with me here. 

I added a picture of the entryway just for kicks.  The door panneling on the back is a huge collage of words.. it's pretty cool.  So yes, my apartment is cozy and I love it.  The carpeting is brand new too; I can't seem to remember if I already mentioned that or not. 

So in other culture shock news, I have discovered that the understanding of being "dressed" for the day is completely different here.  I, being American, love to sport my cotton t-shirts from the Bellin run or some random high school or college event, with some bright colored athletic shorts and a nice pair of good old flippy-floppies.  This, here, is viewed as just plain ridiculous.  Do not, I repeat, do not, whatever you do, wear this in public here.  You should be wearing jeans, a nice shirt, earrings, makeup, most likely a scarf, and a nice pair of either tennis shoes or ballet flats before you even think about leaving your house.  I'm serious.  I've already endured the odd stares and elevator eyes.  Just don't do it.  I'm currently about to leave to run to the local H&M in search of a nice fall jacket, since fall has clearly already hit here, and my jacket is more for the dead of winter.  Maybe I'll pick up more of a sense there on what I should try to alter my outfits to.  Their H&M is like our American Eagle; everyone wears it.  I'm attempting the German look today; I even threw on a scarf.  Oh and some makeup.  This is a big deal folks, big deal. 

My program starts tomorrow, although tomorrow is just a "get to together" to meet the other people in my program.  I already know I'm the youngest, but whatever.  I'll be fine.  It's not like I haven't endured being around older people my entire life as an only child.  It'll be fine.  Plus, I've already chatted with a few on facebook, so it's somewhat comforting knowing I'm not going in completely blind.  Thursday I'll have my German language placement test for my german language course, and then in the afternoon I'll take off on a train headed to Berlin.  Apparently we're doing something for my history and culture class, but I failed to read that email explaining exactly what I'm doing in Berlin, but hey.  It'll be an adventure.  After I return from Berlin the next epic adventure will be to master the washer and dryer.  That isn't going to be pretty.

Oh the Comforts of Germany

So, days two and three have now come and gone and I have begun feeling somewhat at home in this supposedly foreign place.  I'm already on a hot search for my own bicycle to use for random adventures through the city, grocery shopping, and for extra speed on those mornings I just can't seem to wake up for class on time.  Bikes are a major trend here.  I suppose it makes sense; who would want to drive around when everything is so close, and when you can experience the simple beauty up close without any plastic, metal, or glass between you. 
Sadly, It's cold here, unlike Green Bay.  Today was maybe, just maybe, 55 degrees.  It also tends to rain here on and off, kind of like if the weather were a 2 year old toddler that randomly wishes to throw tantrums.. yeah.  The rain only lasts for about 5 to 10 minutes, and then it just decides to up and quit.  I wish it would make up it's mind, quite honestly.  I mean, it'd be rather convenient to not have to constantly carry around my recently purchased bright blue and obnoxious umbrella everywhere, all the freaking time, even when it is completely sunny, but hey.  I can adjust.  Besides.  Perhaps I'll find a really unique umbrella somewhere and make a totally awesome fashion statement out of what may seem as downfall of a situation.  It'll be epic.  And I'll rock it.  As long as I don't slip on the cobblestones, that is. 

Aren't they so cute?  Yep.  Welcome to my world! Yesterday during the day we spent the majority of our time walking around and exploring the city.  I bought a portable internet stick thing (which is proving quite problematic.. thank god I have Severin the computer genuis), some little random items, and a train ticket thing which I will need all semseter.  I took about 133 pictures during this random wanderings, and i think I'm going to open a Picasa account through google which can hold picture albums that are FREE.  Yayyy Free!  Such a great word.  So yes, I'll post the link once I get around to materializing something.  In the meantime, here are a few of my pictures.. woo!  I'm sure quite a few of you have already thoroughly stalked them on facebook but, eh, my grandma would love to see them, so just bear with me.

In other news, last night I went "out" for the first time of many I'm sure.  Severin, Sarah and I met up with a new friend I have made here in Marburg and went to a cozy bar in the Oberstadt (last time I wrote Upperstadt, but was later corrected..hmm). It was this cute little bar that had wooden floors, a crazy staircase, wooden bar, and tons and tons of college students and old friends laughing over a good german beer.  I'm not one for beer so I stuck to shots of lighter liquors, and we made quite the night of the evening.  We also went out dancing at a club, but it was kind of awkward because the club was quite empty considering most students are not currently in the city; it's currently holidays for them.  However it was still really fun and I'm super glad to have made a really good friend in this city already.  Her name is Senta, and she may be a little alternative, but hey, she's pretty awesome.  But back to the bars.  This city really isn't the city to get completely drunk off your you know what in.  Why?  Try 75 degree hills which you need to either balance down or climb up after drinking all night in the bars/pubs.  I watched a variety of drunk people stumble down these cobblestoned death traps last night and a few bottles of vodka roll after them, so, yes.  These hills are intense people.  Intense. 

Soo yes.  It was quite the interesting evening.  No, grandma, I didn't drink all those shots alone.  Just.. most of them.  :)  At the end of the night, I had no problem climbing down the death traps of marburg, and woke up with no headache, so the evening was a success.  However, I would totally recommend buying bottles of your liquor of choice before going out, and buying less drinks at the actual bar, because it can become quite expensive.  And expensive generally isn't a term I'm fond of on this trip.  Or any trip.  Whatever. Hmm so that's about it for this entry.  Oh, we took a random road trip to a city near Marburg yesterday named Giessen  and well... I didn't take any photos, but it's not like you're all missing anything.  It was kind of ghetto, except the main shopping center.  That was actually pretty nice and chic', but you had to walk through the old, garbage scattered, liquid spattered streets with sketchy turkish restaurants lining the streets to get to it.  But eh, minor.  I bought some school supplies (which minor note- Visa basically does not exist here.. urgghhh).. and that was about it.  Oh and some chocolate.  But chocolate is about as frequent as water here, so it's really not all that much to write home about.  So, I'm off to bed.  It's already 11:03 and I'm thoroughly exhausted.  Tomorrow I'll finally move into my apartment, and finally be able to stop eating out.. not that the food here isn't cheap and amazingly delicious.  But yes.  One last note- Mom, send me Ranch dressing.  Please.

Wilkommen zu Marburg!

So, today is Saturday and I have now been in Germany for a complete 24 hours.  My flights all were on time and efficient (couldn't complain about the overseas flight; it only took 6 hours and 20 minutes compared to the normal 8) and my host sister Sarah Fuchs met me at the airport. 

Yes, that's all my luggage.  You'd have that much too if you were going away for a year! Ok, so I actually fully regret taking that much luggage.  We had to haul it from train to train after leaving the airport, and when you only have 6 minutes to make it across an entire train station to catch your connecting train, you really don't want 150 pounds of luggage.  Especially when your biggest suitcase (the blue one in this photo above) decides to break its wheel.  But, I'm in Marburg now and happy to have all my things, so eh.  Minor detail. 

Marburg is, quite simly, breathtaking.  Its in the mountains, but they're more like tiny mountains.  I thought I would die from the extreme hills, but it turns out there are elevators to take you from the lower part of the town to the upperstadt (upper city).  I definitely will survive.  There are cobble stones everywhere, cute little stores with beautiful things for sale in the windows, bicycles lining the streets everywhere and old romantic bavarian houses.  It seriously feels as though I've wandered into a fairy tale.  I love it here.  Love, love, love it.  Also, the city already feels amazingly quite safe.  It's so cozy and old and somewhat small, that it really isn't all that dangerous or threatening of a place.  In fact, I really wouldn't even call it a city, its more of a cute, large town. 

The other great thing about Marburg is the food.  We went out to dinner at an extremely cute, old little German Restaurant up in Upperstadt, and my entire meal only cost me 8 euro, with the drink.  This was an extremely nice restaurant too, with mirrors everywhere, roses on the tables and candles.  Sooo cute!  This was my dinner..

It's a baguette with fresh Mozerella, Tomatoes and some herb along with a huge salad.  Soo simple but sooo good. 

So far the only bad news I have to share is that my apartment isn't quire ready.  When my apartment owner's friend picked us up at the trainstation yesterday, she informed us of the bad news but quickly reassured us that we had a hotel room rented for us by the parent's of the girl who owns the apartment.. I hope this all makes sense.. But anyways, long story short, I'm in an extremely beautiful hotel room in the center of town.  The hotel is modern with bright colors and seriously the most comfortable beds.. ever.  I may be prejudice considering that I hadn't slept in about 38 hours, but, I doubt it.  These beds are pretty darn nice.  Looking out our window I can see the elevators to the Upperstadt, cars passing by, a TON of bicycles, and the older buildings on the side of the mountain.  Again, gorgeous.  I feel as though I'm going to start over using that adjective, but, I suppose it could be worse.  This is the view from the hotel:

Another cool thing I saw from my window this morning, was this car.  It had some ribbons on the top and some flowers on the dash board, so I asked my host sister what was going on with this car, and this is their version of a "Just Married" car.  True, it's much less distracting, but still, it's quite cute :)

Ok, so now I'm off to start the rest of my day.  It's 11:38 AM here, which means it's only about 4:38 AM there.  I hope you all enjoy the photos, and I also hope I remember to stop assuming their water isn't carbonated.