Things That Happened: Part One

A lot has happened in the last two weeks. Because of this, I think I will write two separate posts to cover everything. I wanted to write last week, but I got extremely busy, and decided I would rather get some rest instead of trying to write a long post, but today I have time! So this is my part 1 (things that happened Sep. 12-18):

First of all, I went to this amazing Monastery in Bebenhausen. It was extremely old, and very beautiful, and there was a cute little market nearby where my friends and I purchased some fresh fruit. That was my first big historical excursion, and it was accessible! Unfortunately it was not 100% accessible, so I couldn't get everywhere, but I was able to go to the main areas, which were breathtaking.

That Friday (the 14th), I went to an international dinner. It was potluck-style, and everyone brought dishes from their home country. My friend Abby, who is from Oregon, and I made a pastry in the shape of the American flag. We weren't sure what to cook, but we figured, what was more American than the flag? The dinner was great, and our dish was a hit (although personally, I thought the other dishes were tastier).

The following day was even better. Abby and I decided to go to the Altstadt for dinner, and it just so happened that there was this Italian/French market going on, which we had completely forgotten about. We decided we would explore all the booths, and we ended up splitting this huge plate of bruschetta. However, we didn't have a table, so Abby sat on a step and we used my lap as a table. A lot of people stared, but one woman told us we were creative, and she gave us free cheese! It was so fun. After that, we decided to get some churros and some really thick hot cocoa to dip them in. Honestly, I am still dreaming about the churro-cocoa combo to this day, because it was one of the best things I have ever eaten.

I also went back to the market the next day with my buddy, Aysel, and her grandma and mom. They were so sweet, and they even took me to a little Mexican restaurant beforehand for lunch. I would call it more Tex-Mex, but it was actually pretty good for being in Germany. There also happened to be a marathon that day, which really made life hard, because all of the buses had to change their routes, so I could only get to my dorm from the bus stop at the Hauptbahnhof (where the train station is), so it took me quite a while to get back to my room at the end of the day.

The last day was kind of a rocky one. I was in a really bad mood, because it felt like everything was going wrong, but it ended on a good note. What happened was that Abby and I went to try currywurst, and let me tell you, it was the curryWORST. To everyone that told me it tasted different than just ketchup and curry powder on a hot dog, politely PISS OFF you liars. It was the most atrocious thing I have ever tasted. Apparently a lot of my friends like it, but it is absolutely not for me. After that, Abby and I got gelato to cleanse our palates, and as it turns out, no food is allowed on the bus, and before I could tell Abby that we should just finish our gelato and wait for a different bus, she had already thrown it away. Needless to say, I was bummed.

Later I had to get to my first German doctor's appointment. It was not easy to get to, but I ended up learning that there was actually a very close bus stop, so it was easy for me to get home. The doctor was very nice and spoke perfect English, which made me feel a lot better, because I was very nervous that something would get mixed up if I tried explaining things in German. It took some time, but he was able to find the medication I needed, and I finally got a prescription. There also was a very cute little hippie market right next door to the Apotheke (pharmacy), which I explored. In the end I felt accomplished, and it made me feel a lot better.

There have been a lot of challenges for me here in Germany, but I am continually showing myself that I am stronger than I ever thought, and that I can always push through (no pun intended). Now you will have to wait for part two to find out what I did this last week (spoiler, it was possibly the most fun week ever)!