Almost a Week

I have been in Germany almost a week, but both Lena and I agree, it feels like I have been here forever! It's nice here. I'm getting to the point that I feel comfortable walking away from Lena in a store. We can look at different things and areas without making me sooo nervous. I'm still a little nervous. I can't understand all what people say. I can understand body language and hand gestures....that's good! But like today, I was in a shop by myself and I went to the dressing room to try on clothing. No big deal, I just grabbed one when I women got done right? Well, I happened to grab the one that also contained the door to the store's backroom and it also happened to be the time that the saleswomen needed to get in there. She started talking to me soooo fast, there was no way for me to grasp all the words. I just don't have enough German vocab to have complete conservations....I mean, I've only had one quarter at college so far! But I am starting to not be so nervous to try. I can say "Ich spreche Englisch." and such, no problem. So I get by okay....sometimes.

Luckily enough the lady was very nice and made enough gestures that I knew to move out of her way. Hooray for coming from a family that talks completely with their hands! I truly mean it! I said a whole German sentence yesterday to Lena and she was so proud. She actually replied in German and then stopped, apologized, and spoke in English. She said that it sounded so correct, she forgot to reply in English anyway! Just a proud moment....made me smile.

So, yesterday. Yesterday we went to Munich for the day for shopping. When we left the train we happened across a natural store and finally got some aloe vera gel for my sunburn. (It finally is feeling a little better today! Yay Aloe Vera!) Then we proceeded on our way to my first trip on the German subway system. The student summer holiday train pass, that we convinced Die Bahn to let me purchase even as an American, works on the main subway system in Munich, as well as all the trains in Bavaria. (What a fantastic buy that was!!) We went shopping all day! Almost too much shopping for me even. (Can you imagine?!) Anyway, I got to see the huge Gothic style building in the center of town that holds the largest Glokenspiel in the world. Unfortunately, the tower containing it is under renovation to make repairs and such so I didn't get to see the actual Glokenspiel yet. In a couple weeks, maybe. From there we wandered to the old open-air market. It was really nice. I got to purchase some hand made items there at the market and had lunch at the Original Beer Garden in the very center. I also bought my first dirndl.......to wear to the upcoming festivals. It's black with roses on it. Very simple, but quite lovely. As we did our last shopping and headed to the main station in Munich a storm came our way fast. It poured! It was almost hysterical, Lena and me, runninng to the station in the huge rain drops of a thunder storm. Quite refreshing actually! I liked it. We were in the very center of the storm.....I couldn't even count the seconds between the lightening and the thunder! The day kinda ended there and we relaxed...

Today.....today was fun and kinda quiet. We kinda got up and ready slowly, while I wrote a bunch of post cards. Eventually we headed for Rosenheim, Germany. It's a town a little bigger than Prien, but no where near as big as Munich. They are having their season sales there that Lena's mother Tina told us about. (She lives there.) So we headed over and got a few things. I actually found clothing that worked for me and wasn't toooo expensive (like everything else is here...). I got a kind of dress that is really popular here right now. Now I'm hip in European terms...well, maybe. (; It was a nice day out and her grandma made Apfelstreudel for us while we were out. My first, real, German-made streudel.

Tomorrow is going to be a spontaneous day. We don't have much planned except for maybe finishing my post cards and if the weather is nice, I might talk her into a trip to the castle on the island. Who knows what we'll do! Thanks to all you who have been reading my little blog here. I'm so very glad that I get to share this whole experience with my friends and family back home.

Liebe,
Cori