I'm back in Cottbus. Today was a major bust, and the incompetance of the administration here is reaching all sorts of interestingly stupid levels. I was told a couple of weeks ago that the German language program would be from 9am till 1pm, but since no one had any idea where this would be held, I should come back the 26th (today) and ask where to go. So, at 8:50 was at the office, only to find a note on the door saying that World Heritage Studies students meet at this room at 10. Great. I went to the bank, paid my semester tuition fee of 115€, and had some breakfast. I returned at 10 only to find another note posted on the previous one saying that all international students were to report to another building for matriculation. OK. On my way to the other building I found a random sign saying that the language program had indeed started at 9am in another building. Whatever, I'll just go to this matricuwhateverthing and figure it out. When there I talked to a woman from the international office saying that I didn't have to be here cause I already enrolled. No problem. Another girl told me that the language program was doing a test right now to assess peoples level of German, and that they would start again at 1pm. Wonderful. So after a nap and lunch I went to this other building and after speaking with two people about where I should go, I finally was told that I have to take the test that the others took this morning (though my level of German could be assessed as basically none), but I would have to wait till Wednesday. Incredible.

Well, not to let a day be wasted, I decided to check out when I could get my student ID. I went to the office at the excate time a woman was posting the hours for tomorrow. It was at this point brought to my attention that something was missing from my file (hard to believe since I have given them all my history, mini-photo, blood and urine samples, my soul, a brass monkey, five orange pips and some funky looking bird in a fruit tree). Well, not only was something possibly missing from my file, but so was the file. She searched and searched, only to find nothing. Great.

I did not quite realize the popularity/desire to hear about my life, but since there seem to be some curious people who have sunk so low as to crave news from yours truly, maybe I should indulge them. (You are welcome mom). Well would you believe, I really have had little time to write since this time at Daniela's it has been slightly more eventful than the cake walk I have previously experienced here. I was luckily able to come back to Horba after discovering the little mishap with the language program (I blame this on the possibly new German woman chancellor). Anyway, the parking place that I had previously helped with in July is now a lot more closer to actually accomodating an actually automobile. I was busy with that until yesterday when I was put to a familiar task: digging holes. You know, I am surprised that there is any more solid ground around the place, I have dug more holes than I can count and I have only been here for a month. I am not sure if this is a German characteristic, but digging holes seems to be quite the popular hobby. And if one is not digging one themselves, the men in the neighborhood start to flock around someone that is like chimps to an ant hill. In fact, scientists have determined that men and chimps make excatly the same grunting sounds when engaged in these respective situations. Don't act surprised.

Right. Where was I? Indeed, my time back in "The Lake City" (the motto of Horba, pop. 200, which, among little else, has a small man made pond...pond is a strong word, lets call it a water rentention dip). Last night we went out with a couple Daniela's friends to a chinese restaurant in the area which was most excellent. I barely almost couldn't finish my meal, but in the end my eyes won the battle against my stomach, though I am not sure if my brain was happy with the results. The day before another of Daniela's friends came over for breakfast. She is a volunteer firefighter, so she took us over to the fire house for a behind the scenes tour. She showed us pretty much everthing and I even got into the front seat of this huge truck. It was sweeeet. (Stay tuned for photos on the old blog here!)

Tomorrow is some celebration in another town, and then it looks like on Sunday back to Cottbus.

So I have good news and bad news. The good news is that Cottbus is great, and I will undoubtably have a great time. The bad news is I arrived 17 days too early.
I came last Thursday with Daniela and her parents and did the whole moving in thing. I was a little worried at first when they had never heard of me, but it all was worked out, and I was paired with a Chinese guy (whom I have yet to meet). The room is nice, and I share a kitchen and bathroom with my roommate. During the weekend, I explored the town and it is very beautiful, with stately architecture, clean streets, tramways, lots of young people, and bikes everywhere. It is really a charming place.
Now for the reverse side of this pleasant landscape. I really had thought the French were the most inept public servants on earth, but the Germans are looking for an equal finish in the race. After a long search for international student office on Friday, including asking a woman in French where it is, I located the closed office. Yet, I heard some shuffling around, so I knocked and a woman answered. I asked her where I need to go for the language program that starts Monday the 12th. She didn't know, but called someone else up and said that it started the 26th. So, in frustration I went down and saw this woman she had spoken with, and reconginized her name from e-mails I had sent. She was responsible for sending all mailings out, including the one that said that the language program started the 12th. When I asked her about this her reply was, "It was changed. It's the 26th now." What she should have said and what I was eagerly waiting for was, "OH!!! Mr. Sikora, I am deeply sorry for this terrible wrong that has been bestowed upon you. Please accept my deepest apologies from the bottom of my heart. (Phone rings) Excuse me, yes, Chancellor Schröder, yes sir, Mr. Sikora is here, you CAN apologize to him now....". I guess I didn't expect that much, just a simple "Sorry" would have done the job.

Greetings and salutations from the land of chocolate. I arrived here safely on Monday morning, after a very long trip. After a brief one hour night of sleep, I was off to O'Hare and on my plane at 8:00 am Sunday. I got to Philadelphia at about 10:30 am only to find that I was evidently the only customer at the time in the entire airport, or so it seemed. I was able to get some well earned sleep there, and then got on the plane to Frankfurt. The ride went quickly and I got a solid three hours of sleep in, but the only downside was the video system, which decided to crap out on me, yet everyone around was enjoying their choice in movies and TV shows. I got to Germany at 6:45 am on Monday and while waiting to talk with Daniela at the airport, I had to evacuate the area because of a suspicious package. Fun stuff. I caught the train to Erfurt, and met up with Daniela and her Dad, and then I was off to Horba once more.

My first day back, yesterday, was indeed a surprising one. I woke up at 8:00 am only to discover that I was going to be involved in a potato harvest. This was a first for me, but it went all right, as myself and eightish others were bent over in a field for two and half hours seperating good potatoes from rotten/too small ones. I was then back at the house unloading our share, and other random veggies, and then went for a bike ride. All in all, I was busy for about twelve hours.

Last night Daniela and I went to her friend Ronnie's house with her friend Maria and Ronnie's boyfriend. We had pasta and sausages and chatted about all kinds of stuff. Good times.

Off to Cottbus tomorrow morning!

For those needy individuals that have been weary for news, constantly hoping for an update of some kind, then your prayers have been answered. (Quite frankly, I have been hoping for a good Bears quarterback, but hey, to each his own.) Since there has been some information misconstrued by certain readers, allow me to take the time to clarify some key points.
1. I am not in Germany yet.
2. If you have a questions about my program, and HAVE NOT read the website that I provided, then may I suggest doing that.
3. Who said I was gonna write a book? I can barely keep this thing afloat.
Anyway, what news to report? In the time I have been back, I have been quite busy with a variety of tasks, and really don't feel like I have had that much free time. I am starting to get nervous though, and all the things I should have done are starting to become things I have to do now. I am in kind of a rush at the moment, but I am coping as best as I can.

I will be leaving Sunday morning, really early, and taking the plane to Philadelphia. I will be there for several hours before boarding another plane to Frankfurt. Usually when I have gone to Europe, I take a direct flight from Chicago, but it was significantly cheaper to connect for this flight, so I opted for it instead.

In visa news, can you believe that the French are more efficient in handing out the bastards than the Germans are? So much for stereotypes.....
The two times I got a French visa, I just went to the consulate in Chicago, gave them the forms, and 10 minutes later, I had a visa in hand. While the German consulate requires that I go down there, give them my crap, then THEY mail it to German, and send it back after processing...a process that takes 2-4 weeks. However, I can get it in Germany, in fact, I can even get it in Cottbus, and it should take a lot less time since they don't have to mail it anywhere. So in this one, for all you scoring at home, Justin 1 - German Gov't 0

Go team Justin!