...I went to a birthday party last night for someone at the Institute; there were around 12 people there, and I believe the final tally was 9 countries being represented- that's even more international than the parties I went to at Wits. The number of languages being thrown around was, as a rule, many fewer than 9; mostly it was German and English, with some French and Spanish thrown in, but it was definitely an interesting night.

Now that I'm on my own in my apartment, I'm finally getting properly settled; tomorrow I'll work on moving all my clothes from the drawers in the living room to those in the bedroom. I've noticed that Germans, like many Europeans, don't believe in sheets, which is really perplexing. There is a bottom/fitted sheet, and then a heavy comforter. And that's it. And while it's been cool, it IS still summer. So, for the moment I'm actually using my sleeping bag, which is a sheet on one side and a light weight blanket on the other side. I suppose I really ought to get myself to the store to find a proper sheet, though, presuming such things even exist here.

I continue to be impressed with how environmentally conscious people are here, and how good they are about sorting their trash (there may be heavy fines if you don't do it properly??)- they even compost at the university; but I guess part of this is because Tubingen is currently run by the Green Party. Speaking of being green, I need to figure out where the composting box for my house actually is- might be time to explore the yard, which is a bit of a jungle, with plants every which-a-where...

...I took my first ride on a motorcycle today. Zipping along the streets of Tubingen on the back of Helga's bike, I caught our reflection in a shop window, and I had one of those "this is my life?" moments... I've had a lot of those moments this year; lots of unexpected things have happened. Things I could never have pictured even a year ago. On the bike, I was mostly terrified, and hanging on for dear life. Given how recently I have recovered from my driving phobia, perhaps this fear is unsurprising.

I'm hoping to be able to get out and about this weekend; start orienting myself to the larger region, and to the train system, as I would presume that most of my traveling will be done via train. I know that I am going to have to force myself to get out and do things; it would be very easy for me to live a circumscribed life, but, really, at what other point in my life will I have the opportunity that I have now? I can't (or shouldn't) take it for granted. But I can be so timid, and it's easier to stick to what is comfortable. I still have a lot of work to do in order to really come out of my shell...

Homesickness?

I'd like to say that I'm homesick, but since I don't have a home, that doesn't make a lot of sense. But how would one describe the feeling of wanting to have a home? I am longing for a place I can call home- a place where I feel safe, and comfortable. A place where I fit, and that fits me.

I wonder when a place begins to feel like home? Obviously, I can't expect Tubingen to feel like home just yet- I haven't even been here a week. But I wonder what it is that makes a place feel like home? Is it the physical residence? The region? The people? It's probably some combination of these, although I rather suspect that the latter may in some ways be the most important. I can say that Boone never really felt like home to me, and in a lot of ways, Dallas didn't either, even though I was there for a longer period of time (but still less than a year). I think with Dallas, I was just so busy, and I didn't have a car, so I never really got to explore the area- my life was so small there- I rarely moved outside of a five block radius.

...I find it curious that I almost immediately felt at home when I visited my friend's family farm in SW Virginia. I've only spent parts of maybe 6-7 days there, and yet when I'm there, it feels like home. Why is that? And, really, when I visited my sister in DC, her house also felt very home-like (I certainly made myself at home, and made a huge mess of her guest room :) ), and, again, I was only there a week.

I guess, then, home is about being with or near the people you care about; living in close proximity to them, if not in the same building. I am curious about what kind of life I will build here, even if I'm only here temporarily. I hope that one day I will wake up, and realize that this place feels like home.

I continue to discover that it's a bit of a hassle to move to a new country. Who would have guessed? The fact that I am at all surprised by this only goes to show how unprepared I was for this move; how little I allowed myself to think about it, which is strange, given that I'm usually such a type-A personality. However, I now have an empty German bank account, and I've registered with the town, which is the first step towards getting a visa for the year. I remain frustrated because I have not gotten reply emails from the people from whom I tried to purchase health insurance, nor from the Humboldt foundation, who I emailed about my language course. Sigh. I suspect I will have to make phone calls, but I also suspect that will not be easy, given my lack of spoken German.

In more positive news, we've gotten a bit of sunny weather, at least. And walking up and down these hills is going to have me in great shape. :)

Pluses and Minuses

So, I am in Germany. Feeling very alone and overwhelmed. Here's a breakdown of pluses and minuses in my first two days in Deutschland.

+ Got picked up from the airport, and made it to my apartment in one piece
+ Despite a cold/grey/rainy start (minus), yesterday ended up sunny and mild
+ Met two people at a party last night that I really should have met long ago.
+ Unexpectedly ran into some friendly acquaintances at the same party
+ Bought a smartphone (my first)

- Feeling very isolated and out of place because I don't speak German. This won't really be remedied until my German course in September.
- Things are really expensive here, and I can't use my credit card anywhere because they require cards with some sort of chip, which US cards lack.
- Found out I can't apply for permanent residency without certain paperwork which I won't get until September.
- Even sorting trash is confusing here (5 separate bins!)
- Was supposed to get 6 months free internet on my Smartphone, but only was given one.

And so it begins...

Depending on how things go, this will be where I document my year-long adventure in Germany. For now, I need to get back to packing and general trip prep.