Things that have contributed to making this place feel comfortable/more like home (it's amazing how many of these have to do with food):

1) Finding processed/pre-sliced wheat sandwich bread that stays fresh for more than a week, allowing me to return to my usual packed sandwiches and a piece of fruit (this also saves me a ton of money).

2) Finding a toaster stuffed away in one of Helga's cabinets, allowing me to have toast for breakfast.

3) Finding tasty crunchy peanut butter to go on said toast.

4) Finding proper orange juice (although this requires trips to REWE, so I don't have it as much as I'd like).

5) Having my hammock hanging in the living room.

6) Getting the mattress topper, so that I get normal/full nights of sleep... although now I have to fight my way out of bed in the morning.

7) Being able to understand the language well enough to follow things on TV (also good language training).

8) Having a social life.

9) My Christmas ficus- no proper Christmas tree, but I've made due.

10) Having the Airport Express, so that I can have an apartment full of music (whether that is bad American pop, Christmas music, or acoustic folky-bluegrass from my limited music collection).

11) The fact that my internet phone is functioning again, meaning that I am only a (free) phone call away from many friends/family in the US.

Although I am going home for two weeks over the holidays (a trip I am looking forward to a lot!), I am also looking forward to settling in here for the winter. Hopefully it will be a happy and productive season- I certainly have a lot to do!