Oktoberfest in November!

It took me till November before I went to an Oktoberfest. It wasn't the greatest party in Germany, but it wasn't bad. They went a little overboard on the blue and white diamonds. There is more to Bavaria then the blue and white diamonds. I was hoping to see a Glockenspeil or two.

This week wasn't the most exciting week I have had in Germany. It was the second week of the fall break, which means I have school tomorrow. I spent this week sleeping. Petra made fun of me because I would sleep in till 11:30, except today that was 2. All my friends had to work this week so we didn't really do much during the week. German kids only work during the breaks from school, that kind of sucks because there isn't really a source of income.

It was a family week, my host cousin Helena came over Monday-Tuesday. On Monday we went to Enschede, its a small city in the Netherlands. It kind of makes me laugh sometimes, I am an exchange student to Germany, but I spend enough time in the Netherlands. I am really an exchange student for both countries, although I won't be learning Dutch. Anyway, Monday night, Rotary had a Halloween night Statlohn history tour. It was interesting for the Rotary people, I spent the night people watching. I have noticed that, I have perfected the perfect fake laugh. I got home around 11 and everyone was asleep. The next morning, Petra told me that last night Helena kept asking when I would be home or when I was getting up. Helena and I played a lot of board games to keep her occupied. Helena is 7 and scared of dogs, I felt like I already knew her.

Tuesday was my Two Month Deutschland Anniversary. It wasn't spent at the Kooks concert because the tickets sold out, and Niedersachen had school the next day. Instead it was spent with petra's side of the family. Helena and I made waffle batter earlier that morning, so we ate waffles. Then we biked to Alstätte and talked some more with my host aunt and uncle. I will never forget "Hi hUntair" that is how my Host uncle says my name, and it's always loud enough you can hear it a block away.

When Rotary picked my host family, they picked right. This family and I just get along perfectly, it's like my own family. Petra's parents are like my mom's parents, and the family on both sides is like how my family is.

I can't believe it has been two months. Time is flying by and it needs to slow down. I have learned a lot in the two months. I love biking, that isn't something I learned, but it is something I knew I liked. It really isn't easy to bike places in the US. They don't have endless bike paths like they do in Germany. I have learn sliced bread is only good for toast. Effing Bakery is the Starbucks of Ahaus, Wessum. I am going to miss rolls everyday. I have learned that less is more.

My house here has a smaller foot print than my house in the US, but the house here is bigger. We have four floors including the basement. This is a seven bedroom, 4 bathroom house. Everything is smaller and yet somehow bigger.

I like having a smaller fridge. Unlike America, grocery shopping is done every two-three days. It's nice because food doesn't go to waste, ok thats a lie, we were throwing out yoghurt yesterday. You don't put your leftovers in the fridge, you put them on the counter or in the oven, so that they will get eaten. Food safety in the us is too strict. I had day old lasagna that stayed in the oven for a day, and I am not dead.

I was an SUV person when I left. I am still an SUV person, but I have learned that you don't need a big car for the one time you will actually use it for the purpose. I have learned that you really only need anything for what will actually use it for. I europe a tiny geo looking opel can tow a horse carrier. When I saw that I pretty much shit my pants. Why can't cars in the us do that. Then we wouldn't need so many trucks. I hate my Truck, I did before I left so nothings new there. Opel has made a dent in the Germany auto market, and I think they need to bring Opel to the US. Yeah Opel is GM, and they are in the US, but you want more people to drive a Buick, drop the Buick name and make it Opel. The Buick Regel definitley looks better with an Opel emblem on it.

Finally. The best thing I love about Germany, there are no classes. My host dad is a surgeon, but he said that a dentist in Germany makes more than surgeons. My host grandpa is a blue collar worker, i think, he has a Mercedes E-class and a giant house. It is not like that in the US.

I am not going to lie, I am not missing home. My friend Suchi and I were talking about how we both feel the same way. Suchi is an inbound from India. She can speak three indian languages but english is her first language, that is cool. My family here and everyone I know have bonded so well, that Germany is my new home. Germany is how I wanted/want America to be. I am an American but I am by no means in love with America.

I Drank Something Delicious

I am not sure what it was, all my Host-Grandpa said it that is was red christmas berry. I am thinking cranberry, but it could of been pomegranate. It was bitter and way to hot, but once you added the rum, it became one of the best none-beer drinks I have had. Best beer tho, goes to Kölsch. It is only brewed in Köln, so you must make a special trip there to get it.

Köln was a cool city. I am not sure if I liked better than Berlin or not. October is the month to see it in because all the trees make the city look a lot better. Köln is known for its churches. They have nearly as many churches as people in the city. The main church that everyone can recognize by the infamous photo of it with the Rhine and train bridge in the foreground. The walk up was a total of 1.066 steps. 533 up and 533 down. I was surprisingly easy. It was a spiral stair case maybe 2 1/2 feet wide, and it carried up and down traffic. Ever try passing some one and the narrow end of a spiral staircase? Its a lot of fun. That wasn't the worse part, to get to the top, you must climb up a cone shaped roof piece. To get up this cone, you must walk up a cheap, metal scaffolding staircase. That was the worse part for me. You were at the top and this staircase isn't attached to the walls and it wobbles to I felt like I was going to fall over. I recommend going in the morning when foot traffic is light. The old city was converted into a pedestrian  zone with an endless shopping center. That was cool except for all the people. Köln is Germany's San Francisco, according to Daniel, but I saw more gay people in Berlin. I was also only in the old city, and I was all over Berlin.

I finely played a full game of Monopoly for once. This week Albert and I have been playing every board game in the house. Is it weird that I enjoyed watching Albert go into debt to afford a stay at the Berliner Strasse Hotel. I found that the trick to winning is to buy the foreclosed properties from Albert and flip them. I need to go spend 150 years in Prison with Bernie Madoff. I was on a winning streak until yesterday when he beat me at some medieval build a city game.

I got spend Halloween, what that's tomorrow Hunter, in Germany's biggest club (Index). It was also the biggest Halloween party in Europe, so that is pretty cool to be able to say. This club was huge. I remember that the one part we were in, I think it was called Tender, had at least four levels and nine bars. Index was pretty much all stairs, and home to the worlds largest Ice bar. I didn't see it, because I wasn't dressed appropriately for it. My flannel would not have been warm enough.

I need to learn to drive manuel because right now I am the equivalent to an old man. That doesn't matter because all old men here have Mercedes so I'll be an old man with my Mercedes.