I know I said that I would write two parts about the last couple weeks, but as it turns out, I am going to have to write three, because I absolutely cannot condense everything else that I want to say in this post.
On Wednesday (the 19th), after two whole weeks of showering in cold water, my shower was finally fixed by the Hausmeister, and I was able to take a warm shower. Two weeks of cold showers was not a fun time. The next day my friend, Keera (also from California) and I went to the little hippie market and bought some cheese and fruits. I ate some for dinner, because I wasn't feeling very well, and didn't want to have a heavy meal. I actually have been feeling a little unwell from time to time all week. I have nausea that comes and goes, and it makes me feel awful.
Luckily by Friday I was feeling a bit better, because my Startkurs (the preparatory language course I am in) went on a trip to the Bodensee, which was two hours away! We visited a church first, and then later went to a museum called Pfahlbautenmuseum Unteruhldingen (try saying that twice!). The best way to describe the museum is by comparing it to those little huts with thatched roofs that you find in places like Bora Bora, that are right on the water. Except they are German, and really really old. I also should mention that I spent most of the trip with the tutors, because they were helping me get around some of the inaccesible places that we went to. It was really fun being with them too, because I love being able to speak German with native speakers, because it just helps so much.
Later that day, we went to Meersburg and had some free time, so my friends and I decided to get lunch together. I had fish and chips at an imbiss, and they were playing Matisyahu in the background, so I knew we were at a good place. After that we took a ferry to Konstanz.
Konstanz was AMAZING. I kept telling myself that there must be some place in Europe where all the wheelchair users moved to, because I rarely ever see anyone else in a chair, and I think Konstanz is the place! I saw at least six other people there using wheelchairs, and practically every place was accessible. I was so happy about the accessibility that Konstanz might be my new favourite place in Germany. It was so nice to be able to get inside almost any building I wanted to without needing help. I miss that about the United States. The American Disabilities Act is so important. I think every country should get on board with that and make all spaces accessible. I should not be left out or unable to experience something just because my body decided it would be fun to attack itself. I should have equal opportunities.
Anyway, before I get side tracked and go on a long rant about why accessibility is important (which, by the way, I will never stop advocating for myself and for others with disabilities), let me get back to my story. In Konstanz, Abby and I went to a gigantic cathedral, and afterward we got hot cocoa in a small café. It started raining, so we decided not to go anywhere else, until finally it was time for us to meet up with the rest of the group for dinner.
After that, we all piled in the bus for our two hour ride back, and I had a very interesting conversation with the guy I was sitting next to. It's kind of hard to explain all of the details, but I'll just say that I don't think he is used to being around strong women who are willing to speak out when someone is being sexist or homophobic etc. We didn't argue or anything, but he definitely said some things that made me realize that our cultures are very different. Also, I tend to make jokes/comments a lot about checking out hot guys when I am with my friends (I mean what is wrong with noticing someone's beauty? It's not like I am harassing people), and since he was with us he got to hear them. Get this, he said that I am NAUGHTY for talking about hot guys a lot. I wasn't even being weird, I literally would just say things to the other women like, "oh did you see that hot guy?" or joke and say that I was going to find myself a hot german man (which may not actually be a joke). I just don't understand why men can literally sleep with a different person every night and nobody bats an eyelash, but if a woman starts talking about a bunch of different hot guys then she is "promiscuous" or "naughty." It's such a double standard and people need to change that.
All I can say is whether I am a naughty woman or a nasty woman, it doesn't matter, because I am an empowered woman who doesn't care if men want to judge me for being me. Let your freak flag fly. And on that note, I think this post is done, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out all the actual naughty things I've done lately (drinking? What's that?).
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