greenery

I bought this new coffee and it tastes...minty. Very odd. Since I have no idea what kind of coffee I like or what half of the German adjectives mean, I am selecting my coffees based on what color the packaging is and whether or not they say 'klassisch' because I don't want any of that mild junk. And I'm trying not to repeat colors. So, right now I'm using the green kind. And it tastes minty.
Anyhow, guten Morgen from Freiburg! It's a glorious Sunday morning, complete with sunshine, chirping birds, and church bells. I woke up about an hour ago (around 10) and have been laying in bed daydreaming and reading since then. Now, I am enjoying some apricot Special K and a banana with bio-forest honey. And I'm writing in my blog, so as to procrastinate my homework some more. I also have much to talk about, since the past month has been brimming with exciting adventures. And to think, I was bored during the last entry....PSH.
But first, I will talk about right now, and then I will do my best to rewind and recapture all of the excitement for ya'll.
My second semester officially started on April 16th, so I am officially back in school now. It's odd going to class when it's 75 and sunny outside, but it will also be really cool being in a busy college town in the middle of summer. Over the past two weeks, Freiburg has had the most gorgeous weather. Every single day it's sunny, in the 70s, and there's a slight breeze. In addition, the city is fully in bloom and is unlike anything I've ever seen in the US. Granted, we have a Green major and the Germans love their plants, but the whole city smells like flowers. I also spend a lot more time outside here than I do at home, so my spirits are continually lifted by how beautiful it is around here. Every day I go lay out in the grass in front of my Wohnung and read in the sun. Yesterday Alex invited me over to StuSie and we hung out by the lake for hours. KC also stopped by with free cheesecake.
Really, I can't complain about much these days.
I have class Mon-Wed, a total of 12 credits, and they're all "read books and write about it" classes. So, totally my thing.
- Die deutsche Teilung und Einheit in Text und Film - (German Division and Unity in Text and Film) - this is my only AYF course, which is all about East and West Germany and Berlin. So, we're reading some good stuff AND I'm getting more history. The professor is absolutely adorable, very organized, and knows what she's talking about. We also are taking a trip to Berlin May 24th-28th, so I'm excited.
- Erzaehlungen der Romantik - (Stories of the Romantic) - this is an actual Uni course, but one designed for foreign students, so it's just read 30-40 pages of German text and then meet and talk about symbolism and historical context. Easy enough.
- Publikumbeschimpfungen? Deutsches Drama der Gegenwart - (Abusing the public? Current German Drama) this is another foreign student course, but we're reading a bunch of modern German plays that are...different. Luckily, the professor is awesome and really does well to engage the class, so even weirdo German drama makes a little bit of sense.
- American Modernism - and finally, my English class. We're reading T.S. Eliot, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, etc. so this is my blow off class because I could very easily be taking it at home. And I've read all of those authors before. Molly and I had a love-hate relationship with Faulkner's "Light in August" in high school. The professor moved to Germany from America 5 years ago and makes it quite clear that he's very happy about his decision. He's funny and very professor-ish.

So, that's my schedule, which hopefully won't be the death of me. I really have very little work to do but it seems so hard to do, considering I've gotten used to being a total bum. However, I have become a very healthy bum. I'm doing my best to eat a lot better, which means eating a ton of veggies, fruit, and toast with Daddy's Apple Butter. Gala apples, strawberries, bio-bananas, and pears are all cheap. I splurge on red peppers and avocadoes, though. Mmmm.
I'm also running 3-4 miles a few times a week, which really is agreeing with me. It's gotten to the point where I can outrun the mosquitoes, which is a good sign. Running alongside a river at dusk is just asking for trouble. I guess my latest goal is to outrun my dad up at Mackinac Island in September. Mwahaha.

As for my travels, I am going to go one trip at a time over the next few entries so as to not totally overwhelm myself. Really, there have only been 3, but the middle one was 11-days of madness in Eastern Europe. I could write a doctoral thesis on the ridiculousness of that venture, so I'll break it up by country.
-Munich
-Budapest
-Brasov/Bucharest
-Istanbul
-Spain
Here goes.

MUNICH -
I will start of this chapter with the Story of Lizzy. Thus spake Rebecca.
For those of you who don't know, Lizzy and I met during a church road rally when we were in 6th grade. When we first met, we didn't like each other at all, which was actually a promising sign. She was smart, musically inclined, fun to be around, came from a good family, and was insanely mature for her age. Naturally, I hated her.
Eventually we got past all that and became good friends. We spent most of our time together on Sunday afternoons after church, since we went to different middle schools and rarely saw each other. The spring of 7th grade, she called me in tears and told me that her dad had gotten a new job and they would be moving to Missouri that summer. Of course, we swore to stay in touch and always be good friends. I really don't think anyone took us seriously, because middle school girls are always saying that and then they get busy and get boyfriends and blah, blah.
Well, we were different. All through high school we saw each other one or two times a year. Many of my birthday presents were plane tickets to St. Louis. We sent packages to each other, countless letters, and talked on the phone every few months. Before she came to visit, I used to frantically clean my room. Mom asked me if Lizzy could visit more often.
We had really only been good friends for 2 years in Michigan, but our friendship only got stronger over the years. We often wonder if it would have been the same if she stayed in Michigan. I really doubt it, which is a very weird thing to think about.
I think a lot of our friendship has to do with how independent she and I both are. Our egos are evenly matched, so when we need reassurance, the other knows exactly how to react. We also didn't need to constantly be in contact, because we were both busy and doing well in high school, but if something big ever happened, she'd be the first to know. But when we're around each other, it's just as if we see each other every day. I'm completely comfortable in my skin around her.
Granted, we are a lot alike, but we do differ in big ways. For example, Lizzy is a conservative sorority girl going to school in the South. She's had a lot of serious boyfriends. She enjoys waking up early. She doesn't like cats. (Cleo has tried to eat her several times) She likes The Da Vinci Code. (Oh gosh. That hurt me just to type.)
But, even after all of that, we think alike about most things. She's one of my closest and dearest friends, and probably will be for the rest of my life. And I'm incredibly lucky to have that...and to have figured it out when I was 11-year-old.

Anyway, Lizzy spent her Spring Break here, since her dad's Frequent Flyer Miles paid for the whole ticket. Brat. But otherwise, everything else she paid for herself, so she really does love me. I got a frantic call at 10 AM from the Frankfurt Airport about how to work the machine and some old lady who didn't speak English. Haha.
It was great seeing Lizzy reacting to Germany, since I knew it would be paradise for her. The girl is a clean machine (hence the frantic cleaning before her arrival) and loves organization. She saw Kathinka vacuuming her room and whispered to me "Now I know where my parents get it!" We spent the first few days in Freiburg, which she fell in love with too. She got to meet my friends who were in town and get a glimpse into my everyday life. Most of the people were from Wisconsin, which lead to the Miller vs. Budweiser debate. Lizzy gave tours at the brewery in St. Louis for two summers, so she wasn't about to put up with boys from Wisconsin putting down her favorite beer. I just sat back and laughed.
We also went out to Munich for 2 nights, which was a nice little getaway. The trip also made me realize that I could see myself living in Munich someday. It just had a really great feel to it...and happens to be insanely expensive. Of course.
We went on a tour of the city and got to see all kinds of historical landmarks. We went and had a beer at the Hofbrauhaus and chatted with guys from Brazil. We took a stroll through the Englisher Garten and saw naked old men sunbathing. We took the S-Bahn up to Dachau for the day. Once we got there and got off the bus, I didn't notice the gigantic concrete block in front of me, fell over it, and ended up in a pile on the ground. Lizzy, being the nice girl she is, took a picture of me sprawled out on the ground. The bruise actually wasn't too bad.
And, sure, we saw a lot of really great things in Southern Germany, but the nicest part was spending a week with her and just talking. We talked about our families, politics, spirituality, plans for the future, our choirs, being young, her dog Ted, and on and on. Niiice.
We also talked about bridesmaid dress colors. She's thinking brown or moss green. I'm thinking I need to actually date a guy for more than 4-months before even entertaining that idea.
Saying goodbye to Lizzy was the easiest goodbye to do, probably because I've gotten so used to it. I know she's happy and taken care of. And I know she's always there.
I am so cheesy.

Alright. The sun is out again, I have reading to do, and I drank too much coffee. I also have to get ready for Amanda to get here tomorrow and invade my room for a week. I have no idea what I'm going to do with her while I'm in class, but she took German for two years in middle school and she's a big girl. I have to blow up the air mattress again, though. Bahhh.
But with each visitor I have, I get to see the city anew. This place really feels like home and any time anyone asks me what my favorite city in Europe is, I am quick to say Freiburg. I could not have possibly ended up in a better location. I just need to make the most of these last 3 months.

Luckily, I'm blooming right along with Freiburg.