First few days in Deutschland

After getting through security rather easy, I boarded the plane and was seated next to two strangers, though close to the other students in my group. Turned out I was seated next to a girl named Lacey who is about my age from Texas. She's stationed with the military in Germany. The other girl, Sabrina, is a German who married an American and now goes to school in Colorado. She was coming back home for her winter break. We all got along well, and they invited me out next weekend in Frankfurt. Lacey offered to pick me up and drive me there, which is necessary because I have not mastered the train or bus systems yet. I haven't decided for sure if I'm going to go because I might just want to explore the city of Marburg, but I can do that any other weekend. I am here 5 months...

I bought a cell phone yesterday at Media Mart for 9 euros and 25 euros worth of calling minutes. I still have to call the number to activate the minutes, though it's all in German so I'm waiting for my friend Marcel to arrive here from Magdeburg to do it for me. I sort of wish I had brought shampoo, conditioner, those sort of things with me because I reallllly wanted to take a shower last night. I ended up buying shampoo and conditioner so I could wash my hair in the sink in my room. I'm going to the store again with some friends after I get offline to get a towel. :I

I feel like I'm spending a lot of money, but that's just because I have to pay for all of these up-front costs like my visa, student id, housing deposit, essential food and beauty products... I hate that feeling though. Especially knowing that all of the prices I'm looking at aren't US dollars, but more. Conversion rate is 1 to 1.3.

My room is nice, small but tucked away in the corner by a little deck. There's a community kitchen which is ok, I'm nervous putting my food in the fridge. I don't want anyone to steal anything so I'm keeping the rest in my room. Eventually I'll put my insulin in the fridge... I don't know why anyone would steal it. I'm just so protective of it.

I haven't been able to use my credit or debit card anywhere! I have to just keep taking out money from the ATM. I still have the euros I brought with me. I'm glad I did that.

I had class this morning. I was placed in the lowest class along with 2 other people from Eau Claire. It's insanely easy, so I might move up to stufe 2 next week but we'll see. For most of the students in the class, our common language is German. Kind of cool. Most of them are from Oman. There's only 13 students in the class, it was split in two. I wouldn't really mind I guess if I don't move up, but some people who were in my class in Point who I thought did worse than me in class are in a higher class here, so I just want to be wherever I'll learn the most. I didn't do well on the placement test obviously, but it was retarded anyways. I'm impressed though... almost everyone else from WI placed pretty high. I'm trying to not let that effect my pride haha. I know it doesn't really matter though, because i'm here to improve MY German. I shouldn't compare myself to others. My teacher is nice.

The bus system is nice, but kind of complicated (for now). All of us took the wrong bus last night because it switches at 8pm, so we were out in the country. Not really, but it felt like it. Thanks to two people in our group who talked to the bus driver, he told us where to go from there. I did SO MUCH WALKING yesterday! A few miles atleast. I'm sore all over. Oh, and I live on the 5th floor of my building. I will lose some weight, for sure. haha

My friend Marcel from Magdeburg is coming to stay the night in Marburg tonight. Maggie and I worked with his group of exchange students this summer. I'm going to have him set up my german cell phone for me, thank god. Can't wait to have that. It's really hard getting around without internet or a phone! We had to all agree at a time to meet this morning at the bus station. Everyone who wasn't there was left on their own. It's kind of scary! I almost got left behind the first day when we were all going to dinner downtown because no one told me what time we were meeting. I was on a separate van because there wasn't enough room for me (when we got off the train and were getting dropped off at our dorms). I thought we had to meet at 3:30 when we had to meet 10 to 3, so I was going to go for a walk. I ran into one of our tutors, who was going to come to my room and see if maybe I was sleeping. If I was left behind, there was no way I could've found that restaurant downtown. :I Complicated.

They sort of threw us out at the dorms and we've all had to figure things out ourselves. Staying in groups has been essential! I kept laughing when I got off the airplane, when everyone around me was speaking German.

Ok, well I'm getting kicked out. I hope to write soon. Thanks to everyone who's read all of this, or even skimmed. Love you all!