Monday, March 28, 2011

Berlin Berlin Berlin

Just got back from my 3rd trip to Berlin since I've been here.  I'm planning one more trip before I leave.  I need to move there or something.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Holy crap!

I haven't updated this with a substantial entry in forever.  I have failed as a blogger utterly and completely.



For this I apologize. 


Anyway I'll try to sum up as much of my life as I can.  I realize that most of you probably gave up on my blog a while ago so I'll try and get you up to speed!



Heidelberg is a gorgeous city in the south of Germany in Baden-Württemberg.  I spent a weekend there with some Fulbright chums.  Most of them went to a ball where the music was lame and the people were dressed up.  My friend Christine and I, being Grinnellians averse and naturally averse to such things, decided to go wondering instead.  The city is gorgeous and there are many beautiful sites, some of which I managed to photograph.  I will post these IN THE NEAR FUTURE.  They include a crazy beautiful church, a crazy charming statue of a monkey and a majestic bridge.



DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRTMMUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNND




Yeah I'm pretty much a BvB fan now.  My roommate is a Gladbach fan.  This means nothing to most of you, all you need to know is that we are rivals.  Except his team is probably getting relegated to 2.Liga next season as they've been in dead last since, well...forever?


I went on a class trip with one of my classes.  They did a model UN type game where they all had to pretend to be various regions of the world and try to work together.  I think Arabia ended up petitioning to join the EU.  It was pretty nonsensical but the kids seemed to have a good time doing it.  During the evenings we played Schocken (a dice game that I am now addicted to, it is like poker but easier to move through) and the students bought me beers and asked me about America.  I told them the truth, that it was full of monsters the size of Godzilla.  I might have mistaken it for Japan.  I have been gone a long time.


This past weekend was Karneval.  It's the German version of Mardi Gras, except that for the biggest parade happens on Rosenmontag, which for those of you who don't speak German means Rose Monday.  It is basically an opportunity to dress up in silly costumes, drink beer with friends throughout the day and ultimately regret doing both of those things by the time you have to go back to work.  I unfortunately was to worried about the crowds to take my camera with me.  Suffice it to say that through my own obliviousness I almost got run over by several floats and I got hit in the face by a candle.  I thought it was a stick of caramel so I tried to take bite out of it.  The Germans thought it was hilarious.  I also screamed so much that I lost my voice.  Here is my costume (minus the banjo, I just thought it looked cool):


My t-shirt says "Ride the Tiger," which is a nickname I acquired through a pretty long story. 


Anyway my roommate made too much delicious Moroccan food, so I have to eat it.




Happy Ash Wednesday!