What a crappy day yesterday. On Wednesday night I had dinner at my friend Sam's apartment, he is from Holland, with his roommate Marcus from Portugal and a friend of theirs who I can't remember her name from Japan. It was very good, and we enjoyed good conversation, good and bad wine, and watched Sideways. I got home around 1:00 am, and was greeted at 7:00 am with my alarm blaring and informing me that it was time for my German lesson. It went all right, but was pretty boring. I then went with Irina from Ukraine to go and finally get my Visa. Yet, I lacked a mini photo of myself, and the machine there only took coins, and it was six euros ($7.50) for four crappy photos. We both only had five euro bills so we went to the local shopping center and broke our respective bills, me getting dish soap and Irina Christmas lights. We were back, got our photos done, then waited forever. Usually you bring your forms, then come back in a week for the visa. For some reason though, I have to come back in two weeks. Fun Stuff.
Since I was up and semi motivated, I decided to try to get my cell phone again. I went to the place with Irina, and she got hers first, and then there was not enough time for me, since we had class at 11:30, so I resolved to go back in the afternoon. Our class was World Heritage and the Theory of Culture, and in the spirit of the name of set class, we had a discussion about what culture means. We had to write down on a piece of paper what we think culture means, which after some thinking, I came to the conclusion that it is impossible to define culture. My teacher has different ideas, and basically when someone made a point that did not go along with her ideas, she was quick to point out why we were wrong. Though she wasn't rude about it, she certainly didn't hold back either. So this was mildly frustrating.
Nevertheless, I decided to get my phone again, and after the class headed back into town. The guy there took all my information, scanned a bunch of stuff and told me that he had to fax it to the center office, and it would take half an hour. So I went and got a couple of bratwursts, walked around the outdoor market, and returned only to find that it hadn't worked. So he told me to come back later. Nice. So I returned to my place exhausted, and took a nap. I was back to the stupid office at 5:30 and he told me that I need to show my visa. I explained that a woman who worked there the week before told me that was not necessary, just that I registered with the city. Well, wouldn't you know, it depends on the company you use, and the one I picked needs a visa. So in the end, I have to wait for two more weeks before I can get a cell phone.
Things got better later as there was a party for WHS students and we got to know our classmates a little better in a purely social setting, it went all right, but I was so exhausted, I left early. Tomorrow I have a weekend seminar on Project Cycle Management, which I hope is more exciting than the name.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
I am on the hunt for a new cell phone, and Daniela and I decided to meet up in the center for me to purchase one yesterday at 3:oo. I got there at the presicribed time, and waited and waited. Finally I decided to check my French cell phone that can still receive messages from Germany, and sure enough there was a message from Daniela. She quite matter of factly informed me that she had an accident with a car while riding her bike and that she was in an ambulance at her apartment. Well, it is usually about a twenty minute bike ride to her place, but I made it in a about twelve, only to discover no ambulance. In fact, after calming down and thinking about it, it seemed rather odd that the thing would still be there, but nevertheless I rang her apartment. Her roommates answered the door, and I attempted to find out what the hell was happening. Now normally my German is as comprehensible as nuclear physics, but when upset, it is basically impossible to understand. After calming down and explaining what happened (I didn't know the German word for "accident" so I kept banging my hands together) they said that they knew nothing. Great. So after pleading, I finally convinced one to let me use her cell phone, and she was pretty reluctant. It was amazing, I asked if anyone had a cell phone, and I just got stares at first, not even a yes or no, just blank looks like I had asked to see them jelly wrestle in their bikinis for me or something. After the one brave soul handed me hers, I called Daniela and she told me she was at the "Apotheke", or the pharmacy. I thought this was a pretty odd place to be after being hit by a car, but it's Germany, and I still haven't figured out how everything works yet.
After getting a vague discription where this was, I was off again on my bike. I did occur to me at this point that she meant the hospital, so I stopped by there, but she told me that her bike was there, and I couldn't find it, but I entered anyway. There was no reception desk, or anyone of any official capacity there, so I just wandered a bit and left. I knew there was a pharmacy down the road, so I went there, but nothing once more. I then knew I had to speak with her again, and I found a phone booth across the street. I had no change in my pockets, but luckily I had 20 cents in my backpack, and I called her again, and she informed me that indeed it was the hospital.
I headed back in, but did not know where to go, and again found no one to ask, so I followed one woman into the emergency section. I found a woman there and told her that I think my girlfriend is here, but I am not sure. She responded like I was talking about an old friend of hers, "Oh yeah! The girl with hair down to here? She is with Doctor What's His Name in surgery." Hold on. Surgery? Up to this point I had not thought of what had actually happened, indeed I had not wanted to, but this was certainly really shitty news. She told me that it was next to an apotheke in the hospital, and the surgery center was next to it, so I ran over there as fast as I could.
I finally found Daniela, and luckily everything looked to be in the right place. But she was grabbing the back of her head. I came to her and I felt her head which had a large bump on it and she said her back hurt. They had taken scans and we were waiting for the results, but there was a woman there with her. I asked Daniela if she knows who hit her, and it turned out to be the woman standing. She had gone with Daniela to the hospital, and was keeping care of sorts. I guess the woman was turning and Daniela was going across a crosswalk, and she hit her, and her head hit the car, and her back the road. Luckily the results came shorty later and they were negative for a concussion and all that. The woman drove her back to her apartment and I took the bikes back then went to another pharmacy to buy some cold packs and then to a grocery store to buy water for Daniela and booze for me, the later being very helpful. So after a long and tiring day, I had some red wine and pizza, was asleep by nine, and it looks like everything will be all right.
After getting a vague discription where this was, I was off again on my bike. I did occur to me at this point that she meant the hospital, so I stopped by there, but she told me that her bike was there, and I couldn't find it, but I entered anyway. There was no reception desk, or anyone of any official capacity there, so I just wandered a bit and left. I knew there was a pharmacy down the road, so I went there, but nothing once more. I then knew I had to speak with her again, and I found a phone booth across the street. I had no change in my pockets, but luckily I had 20 cents in my backpack, and I called her again, and she informed me that indeed it was the hospital.
I headed back in, but did not know where to go, and again found no one to ask, so I followed one woman into the emergency section. I found a woman there and told her that I think my girlfriend is here, but I am not sure. She responded like I was talking about an old friend of hers, "Oh yeah! The girl with hair down to here? She is with Doctor What's His Name in surgery." Hold on. Surgery? Up to this point I had not thought of what had actually happened, indeed I had not wanted to, but this was certainly really shitty news. She told me that it was next to an apotheke in the hospital, and the surgery center was next to it, so I ran over there as fast as I could.
I finally found Daniela, and luckily everything looked to be in the right place. But she was grabbing the back of her head. I came to her and I felt her head which had a large bump on it and she said her back hurt. They had taken scans and we were waiting for the results, but there was a woman there with her. I asked Daniela if she knows who hit her, and it turned out to be the woman standing. She had gone with Daniela to the hospital, and was keeping care of sorts. I guess the woman was turning and Daniela was going across a crosswalk, and she hit her, and her head hit the car, and her back the road. Luckily the results came shorty later and they were negative for a concussion and all that. The woman drove her back to her apartment and I took the bikes back then went to another pharmacy to buy some cold packs and then to a grocery store to buy water for Daniela and booze for me, the later being very helpful. So after a long and tiring day, I had some red wine and pizza, was asleep by nine, and it looks like everything will be all right.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Fear not, for I am back. I hope that you are sitting in a comfortable seat, for I should have quite a bit to write here, but it really is just up to my motivation. Right now I just really want to eat, so I will try my best not to summarize too much.
Last weekend in Horba was quite nice, and I spent time working on the parking place again, and moving around huge rocks. Not quite as much fun as it seems, but Jörg, Daniela's dad, actually started to ask my advice about things, and for once I was able to start using words instead of using wildly insane hand gestures.
On Monday was my first day of classes, but I only had one class, archaeology. It seems like it will be interesting, but it is hard to tell from just the lecture. One cool thing is we will go to Berlin for the class and go on a nice tour of something. The next day I had my new German language course that is actually going to teach me grammar. The gigantic drawback with the program is that it starts at 7:30 a.m. On a scale of coolness, this is certainly horrible. In fact, Tuesdays in general really suck a lot. I am essentially busy from 7:30am-9:00pm. Not cool. Anyway, after German I have geology with a professor that seems interesting (he is a hydrogeologist so I guess levels of excitments are quite low in his world. Seriously he gets his kicks from water, which though essential to life, is not what I would call something to write home about). He did manage to bad mouth America for about five minutes saying that we couldn't pay for disaster relieve. He even spoke with me after class about how Chicago is polluting Lake Michigan, and I quite sagely corrected him with the information that it is the bastards in Milwaukee. I am having trouble remembering my schedule after this, but I believe I had Stratigies for the Conservation and Preservation of Natural and Cultural Landscapes. Or in short, my Iraq class. Indeed the entire class is about a people known as the "Marsh Arabs" which were a culturally secluded group from the marshy area around Basra, Iraq where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers come together, that had been untouched from the outside world for 2,000 years. This all changed during the Iraq-Iran war in the '80's, and now the people are dispersed all over Iraq, and their culture, language, and way of life is supposed to vanish within the next twenty years. Our job in the class is to talk about how we could save it, and preserve part of these peoples heritage, and the coolest part of all is our teacher wants us to go to Iraq and visit the area. But, as he mildly put it, "I believe that it might be a problem, since I guess there is still some conflict their, and apparently everything is blown up." This class was followed by Intercultural Communication, which is a funny class to take since everyday I have to interculturally communicate with the people in my program that are from all over the world. I think I will just have to have some beers with people in my class instead. At the end of the day, I have a "coaching" class and from what I understand of it, I will basically just suck up to the program director by showing up.
On Wednesday, I was really bored. I had just two classes, Introduction to Culture, because evidently I have none already, and World Heritage and the Theory of Culture, which they claim are different classes. The first was held in a lecture hall that is normally designed for about 50 people, but around 200 showed up. One even brought a dog. Not like a seeing eye dog, or anything like that, just you know, your average Fido. The class is open to people other than WHS students, so all these Germans were there, but they may divide the class, so that we can actually see the front of the room. The other class was more of the same, but more detailed, and sounds a lot more interesting, and is more about what culture means to preserving world heritage. It was a very non-eventful day, and I felt so exhausted, even though the previous day was longer, yet I still got my party on that night, and as it was the official partay evening for my university, Daniela went out to see what was going down. We ended up in town at a place called Stuk, along with Ona from Colombia and Eche from Turkey, and a German guy. There was some live jazz music, and it was fun.
The next morning sucked, since I had only gotten about four hours of sleep and I stumbled into my language class five minutes late. Luckily, I was not the only one, and there was a steady trickle after me. The teacher also thinks my German is really good because I can kind of speak it, but she decided that it would be a good idea to tell the class that I speak perfect German, which is about as far from the truth as one can get. I took a very badly needed nap after this, then went to some other class that I cannot remember now. After this I had an inane tour of the library, then I was off to Archetecture II, not to be confused with the first one, which we haven't taken. That night was the official international student welcome, with champagne, African singers, Sorbish dancers (the Sorbians are an ethnic minority from the Cottbus, or as they say Chosebuz region, and speak a dialect of Polish) followed by free food and drinks.
It has been an exciting week and I have been extremely busy, and I will probably update again on Monday..............
Last weekend in Horba was quite nice, and I spent time working on the parking place again, and moving around huge rocks. Not quite as much fun as it seems, but Jörg, Daniela's dad, actually started to ask my advice about things, and for once I was able to start using words instead of using wildly insane hand gestures.
On Monday was my first day of classes, but I only had one class, archaeology. It seems like it will be interesting, but it is hard to tell from just the lecture. One cool thing is we will go to Berlin for the class and go on a nice tour of something. The next day I had my new German language course that is actually going to teach me grammar. The gigantic drawback with the program is that it starts at 7:30 a.m. On a scale of coolness, this is certainly horrible. In fact, Tuesdays in general really suck a lot. I am essentially busy from 7:30am-9:00pm. Not cool. Anyway, after German I have geology with a professor that seems interesting (he is a hydrogeologist so I guess levels of excitments are quite low in his world. Seriously he gets his kicks from water, which though essential to life, is not what I would call something to write home about). He did manage to bad mouth America for about five minutes saying that we couldn't pay for disaster relieve. He even spoke with me after class about how Chicago is polluting Lake Michigan, and I quite sagely corrected him with the information that it is the bastards in Milwaukee. I am having trouble remembering my schedule after this, but I believe I had Stratigies for the Conservation and Preservation of Natural and Cultural Landscapes. Or in short, my Iraq class. Indeed the entire class is about a people known as the "Marsh Arabs" which were a culturally secluded group from the marshy area around Basra, Iraq where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers come together, that had been untouched from the outside world for 2,000 years. This all changed during the Iraq-Iran war in the '80's, and now the people are dispersed all over Iraq, and their culture, language, and way of life is supposed to vanish within the next twenty years. Our job in the class is to talk about how we could save it, and preserve part of these peoples heritage, and the coolest part of all is our teacher wants us to go to Iraq and visit the area. But, as he mildly put it, "I believe that it might be a problem, since I guess there is still some conflict their, and apparently everything is blown up." This class was followed by Intercultural Communication, which is a funny class to take since everyday I have to interculturally communicate with the people in my program that are from all over the world. I think I will just have to have some beers with people in my class instead. At the end of the day, I have a "coaching" class and from what I understand of it, I will basically just suck up to the program director by showing up.
On Wednesday, I was really bored. I had just two classes, Introduction to Culture, because evidently I have none already, and World Heritage and the Theory of Culture, which they claim are different classes. The first was held in a lecture hall that is normally designed for about 50 people, but around 200 showed up. One even brought a dog. Not like a seeing eye dog, or anything like that, just you know, your average Fido. The class is open to people other than WHS students, so all these Germans were there, but they may divide the class, so that we can actually see the front of the room. The other class was more of the same, but more detailed, and sounds a lot more interesting, and is more about what culture means to preserving world heritage. It was a very non-eventful day, and I felt so exhausted, even though the previous day was longer, yet I still got my party on that night, and as it was the official partay evening for my university, Daniela went out to see what was going down. We ended up in town at a place called Stuk, along with Ona from Colombia and Eche from Turkey, and a German guy. There was some live jazz music, and it was fun.
The next morning sucked, since I had only gotten about four hours of sleep and I stumbled into my language class five minutes late. Luckily, I was not the only one, and there was a steady trickle after me. The teacher also thinks my German is really good because I can kind of speak it, but she decided that it would be a good idea to tell the class that I speak perfect German, which is about as far from the truth as one can get. I took a very badly needed nap after this, then went to some other class that I cannot remember now. After this I had an inane tour of the library, then I was off to Archetecture II, not to be confused with the first one, which we haven't taken. That night was the official international student welcome, with champagne, African singers, Sorbish dancers (the Sorbians are an ethnic minority from the Cottbus, or as they say Chosebuz region, and speak a dialect of Polish) followed by free food and drinks.
It has been an exciting week and I have been extremely busy, and I will probably update again on Monday..............
Thursday, October 13, 2005
The Mormons invited Daniela and I to their church last night for some pizza and ping pong. We didn't get to the ping pong, the two Elders (as they are called) Daniela and myself, plus two German girls polished off three pizzas, no problem. After this homemade pizza, we had homemade chocolate chip cookies that were as the Germans say "lecker", delicious. The two girls are both studying Social Work along with Daniela, so they spoke about the program for awhile, which was good for Daniela. I love free food.
This weekend, I am going back to Horba. Daniela's grandpa is celebrating his birthday this weekend, so we are going to make sure that all the cake is eatten. Just kidding, we are going to (how you say happy birthday in German) "We wish you all goodness on the birthday." Of course in German, this is all just one long unpronouncible mess.
First day of classes Monday....till then!!!!!!!!
This weekend, I am going back to Horba. Daniela's grandpa is celebrating his birthday this weekend, so we are going to make sure that all the cake is eatten. Just kidding, we are going to (how you say happy birthday in German) "We wish you all goodness on the birthday." Of course in German, this is all just one long unpronouncible mess.
First day of classes Monday....till then!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Just when I thought I was running out of ideas, yesterday blessed me with too much to write about. After writing my update yesterday and leaving the library, I returned only to discover that my long awaited roommate had finally come back to Cottbus. His name is Xing and he is from Eastern China. He was really nice, and very open to speak with me (in German though), and I did my best to talk with him. I did not talk with him for very long, but it seems as if things should be all right with him.
After this encounter, I was off to a semester greeting thing from the BTU (my university...check out the link www.tu-cottbus.de), but it was all in German, and I did not understand anything. Then at 6, I had a meeting with my program, WHS (www.tu-cottbus.de/whs, for those that didn't check it out the last time), and it was pretty routine. Afterwards though a bunch of us went out for a drink and had a blast. I talk with a couple of guys from Germany, one guy from the Netherlands (who speaks five languages fluenty "but only enough Chinese to get by" as he says), and a girl from Colombia. These are all people that have not begun the program yet, but I did speak to a guy from Colombia who is in his fourth semester, and he is working on endangered languages. He is going to Scotland to learn Gaelic. That is so cool. There is one American in the program, and she is from Texas, but other than her and I, of the 18 newcomers, everyone else are not native English speakers, but they all speak well.
It was so great to finally meet everyone, to discover that they are really cool, and that we are interested in similar things. What a great evening!
After this encounter, I was off to a semester greeting thing from the BTU (my university...check out the link www.tu-cottbus.de), but it was all in German, and I did not understand anything. Then at 6, I had a meeting with my program, WHS (www.tu-cottbus.de/whs, for those that didn't check it out the last time), and it was pretty routine. Afterwards though a bunch of us went out for a drink and had a blast. I talk with a couple of guys from Germany, one guy from the Netherlands (who speaks five languages fluenty "but only enough Chinese to get by" as he says), and a girl from Colombia. These are all people that have not begun the program yet, but I did speak to a guy from Colombia who is in his fourth semester, and he is working on endangered languages. He is going to Scotland to learn Gaelic. That is so cool. There is one American in the program, and she is from Texas, but other than her and I, of the 18 newcomers, everyone else are not native English speakers, but they all speak well.
It was so great to finally meet everyone, to discover that they are really cool, and that we are interested in similar things. What a great evening!
Monday, October 10, 2005
As I sit here, I am really struggling to figure out what I have done since Wednesday. When there is nothing to talk about with someone, or you have about as much interest in their hobbies as the desire to surgically remove your own lips, I usally talk about the weather. So, what I can tell you is that the weather in Cottbus has been quite lovely. After being raining and cloudy most of the time till recently, it has finally become fall, and the leaves are changing their hues, the days are getting shorter, and a cool breeze is making this the perfect weather.
On Friday, Daniela and I celebrated our one year anniversary together. For all those romantics out there, we had a fine day, with a picnic in the park, flowers, the whole nine yards. It was all warm and fuzzy, etc. She started school last week, and is having some trouble in getting into her classes. You see, in Germany, you don't register for classes, you just show up the first day and hope for the best. Sure they have six different bins for sorting your recycling, but it is chaos when organizing your time. Personally, if it is between saving the earth and perfecting my timetable, I say "Does it matter what bin I put my uranium deposits?"
My German class is still going all right, though my grasp on grammar is still shaky at best. I am learning a lot of random words though, and am slowly proving to my classmates that I'm not a complete moron (hold your remarks).
This week is an orientation period with the school, with meetings from various people, and beer drinking. There is probably important information in there somewhere too.
In this weeks kitchen corner, I would like to explain why I chose to buy a bread maker. Sure you can buy bread anywhere, it is a lot cheaper to make ones bread, and it can be anything I want it to be. It is also incrediably simple and delicious.
On Friday, Daniela and I celebrated our one year anniversary together. For all those romantics out there, we had a fine day, with a picnic in the park, flowers, the whole nine yards. It was all warm and fuzzy, etc. She started school last week, and is having some trouble in getting into her classes. You see, in Germany, you don't register for classes, you just show up the first day and hope for the best. Sure they have six different bins for sorting your recycling, but it is chaos when organizing your time. Personally, if it is between saving the earth and perfecting my timetable, I say "Does it matter what bin I put my uranium deposits?"
My German class is still going all right, though my grasp on grammar is still shaky at best. I am learning a lot of random words though, and am slowly proving to my classmates that I'm not a complete moron (hold your remarks).
This week is an orientation period with the school, with meetings from various people, and beer drinking. There is probably important information in there somewhere too.
In this weeks kitchen corner, I would like to explain why I chose to buy a bread maker. Sure you can buy bread anywhere, it is a lot cheaper to make ones bread, and it can be anything I want it to be. It is also incrediably simple and delicious.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Monday was Germany Reunification day, but if you asked your average German what was going on that day, the answer would probably be: Three day weekend. You see, the Germans aren't particulary patriotic. I cannot say that they are ashamed to be German, it is just that they are not going around with flags and shouting about national pride. So instead, on the day that brought East to West once more (not Kung Fu styles), they spent the day shopping and drinking. Alas, so did I.
On Tuesday I started the long promised German language program, which, in a word, is impossible. The only teacher that would accept me is the middle level one, and basically the highest one in the program now. Indeed, I am with students that have a firm grasp of the language, and actually understand what the text book says. Surprisingly, I am not completely lost, and I can basically get what the teacher is saying most of the time, and I can even talk a bit. But when it comes down to grammar, I am about as lost those people from that one show (a shout out to Mike K, if he is checking up). Right now we are learning about the Konjuctiv...2. Not that I even know what the first one is about.
Yesterday I played pool with the Mormons, and that went pretty well. They still haven't given me their pitch yet, but I am smelling it around the corner. Next week there are some orientation events before the semester starts up, which is evidently also coming up soon. Oh Yes! I nearly forgot, I bought a bread maker from Walmart. It is breadarific.
On Tuesday I started the long promised German language program, which, in a word, is impossible. The only teacher that would accept me is the middle level one, and basically the highest one in the program now. Indeed, I am with students that have a firm grasp of the language, and actually understand what the text book says. Surprisingly, I am not completely lost, and I can basically get what the teacher is saying most of the time, and I can even talk a bit. But when it comes down to grammar, I am about as lost those people from that one show (a shout out to Mike K, if he is checking up). Right now we are learning about the Konjuctiv...2. Not that I even know what the first one is about.
Yesterday I played pool with the Mormons, and that went pretty well. They still haven't given me their pitch yet, but I am smelling it around the corner. Next week there are some orientation events before the semester starts up, which is evidently also coming up soon. Oh Yes! I nearly forgot, I bought a bread maker from Walmart. It is breadarific.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
All right. I went to the test on Wednesday, took it, no problems. I came back at 9am the next day, only to discover that they have no room for me. I immediantly went to the international office and later to my director to find out what I could do, but the results were not promising. After the head of my program talked with the language program, they were insistant that I couldn't join it. Well, I talked back with the international office and they were a little more successful, and I am now officially in! Good times.....
I also finally have my student ID. I only had to go to the office five times, but it finally worked out.....
In religious news, I had met some Mormons here at the internet cafe before going back to Daniela's, and wouldn't you know, they were knocking door to door in my building, and the first door they chose happened to be mine. We chatted for awhile, and they came back the next day. We have had some very interesting conversations about alcohol, marriage, and speeding. So they will be coming back one of these days to give me their little speech about how some wandering guy found some gold tablets and found the true church. If nothing else, maybe it is a good story.
Gotta go.....take care.....
I also finally have my student ID. I only had to go to the office five times, but it finally worked out.....
In religious news, I had met some Mormons here at the internet cafe before going back to Daniela's, and wouldn't you know, they were knocking door to door in my building, and the first door they chose happened to be mine. We chatted for awhile, and they came back the next day. We have had some very interesting conversations about alcohol, marriage, and speeding. So they will be coming back one of these days to give me their little speech about how some wandering guy found some gold tablets and found the true church. If nothing else, maybe it is a good story.
Gotta go.....take care.....
Saturday, October 01, 2005
There is a lot going on here, and I will have to update you all fully soon, but I am afraid that the library is closing here and I have to go. I would instead like to devote my limited time here to the website that has been created in my honor. If you have not yet been to http://justinsadoringfans.blogspot.com, I highly recommend taking a gander on over. All right, I will get back here as soon as I can.....
