so... uni

So, just in case yo'll think that it's all travel and partying that i'm doing here, I thought i'd update you on the fact that I also have to study (a little bit) and the progression of learning.

There's only one week of classes left. My research for my big essay - 'Hausarbeit' is making my head hurt a little. It's to be 15 pages written in German for my Sociolinguistics subject, on the topic of German Youth-Speak, due early Feb. I'm finding trying to write and express ideas in an 'academic' way is difficult, however i'm going to a workshop next week that helps international students write Hausarbeits- hopefully that helps in terms of expression, referencing, and just everything overall. I only have one exam- for Economics, and study is progressing well. The exam is on the 2nd Feb, I'm feeling okay about it, our teacher says that it's never too difficult and students usually finish it quickly. It's still bizarre learning economic concepts in German, nevertheless I've really enjoyed it.
Next week I have a grammar test and essay due for German Language Course. Thankfully the weekly tests and assessments for that class add up to our final mark, without having a big weighty exam at the end. So i'm looking forward finishing off that course.
My reading comprehension especially has certainly benefited from all the study, and in my spare time i'm also reading a german novel- it's reasonably basic in terms of vocab, so it's understandable, and a really good book as well.
Well, I feel better about clearing up that i'm also learning stuff here ;)
Only 5 weeks left!
I love and miss you all!

Christmas travels, Dec 22-Jan 7

My uni holiday adventures began at the home of Sonja’s family in a village ‘Zusamaltheim’, in Bavaria Germany. I stayed there from the 22nd-27th Dec, and enjoyed my second German Christmas with whom I like to call, my German family. I was very, very well looked after by Sonja’s mother Lilly, and enjoyed eating titanic amounts of good Christmas dinners, cakes and cookies. Yes, I soaked it up, literally, I may have gained a few k-gees after such a luxurious stay. After Christmas dinner and present sharing (celebrated on the evening of the 24th over here), it was off to the local church for good ol’ Catholic mass, followed by hot wine and Christmas cookies with the congregation. After a quick skype home to some available and greatly missed family members, I packed myself into bed whilst you were all celebrating Christmas lunch. The rest of my stay was very relaxing and enjoyable.

German Family for Christmas

Christmas Dinner, Raclette

Very early on the 27th Dec, it was off to the Switzerland Alps for me. I had been invited by a German friend Anke, whom I got to know in Australia, to come and spend a few days with her and her family at the snow cabin in Switzerland… ‘yes, I think I can make some time for that’. Her family were very welcoming, but honest to be themselves, and I enjoyed the hectic ness of being around a big family. Dieter, Anke’s father has attended BBQ workshops run by a BBQ World Champion, so I was treated to a few of his specialty bbq cook ups, and after those great experiences, I think I would also attend a bbq workshop. The cabin was very big, certainly enough space for all of us. It stood about halfway down the middle section and base of the mountain. It was so cool, being able to wake up, walk out the door, strap into the snowboard, and off we go. The runs certainly had enough snow, the first two days were the best, with deep snow on the edge runs was great fun, and the 3 days of sunshine was also enjoyed by us all. I found it a little hard to keep up with all the skiers, they’ve been doing this for years, and skiers can generally head down the hill and carve a lot faster… that’s my excuse anyway. The scenery was striking, as you can see, a great experience that I am very grateful for.

Savognin, Switzerland Alps (Eastern Switzerland)

The plan was to meet some aussie girlfriends in London for New years, so I had 2 days to get from Switzerland to London before the 31s. I left Switzerland on the 30th and headed to Paris to stay overnight. On the 31st I was unable to get a seat on the Eurostar with my ticket because of limited seats for ‘people with those tickets’. 'Well that’s okay, I have all day, I’ll take the ferry'. A call home and get some help from my always helpful mum, as I couldn’t figure out the arrogant French computers who wouldn’t change to English at all. Mum sent through an itinerary to get to London via train-ferry-train, so that I would get to London by about 9:30pm. However it turned out that the internet site that had the itinerary was mostly random and false, that by the time I’d changed trains a million times, and got on the ferry, it was already 8:30pm. ‘Well’, I thought ‘I might be a bit late for the big countdown, but I do get to see my friends tonight either way.’ When we arrived at the Dover Port of Great Britain, the other 9 foot passengers and I were soon informed that there are no trains or buses running to London from Dover. It was either hitchhiking with ferry passengers with cars, or wait till morning. Three of the German boys managed to get a lift to London with a compassionate driver, but the rest of us were stranded, in the arrival lounge of Dover Port at 10:30pm, New years Eve. Although it sounds a little grim, we were all aware that we had to look on the bright side. The French couple got high, the Lithuanian hitchhikers talked philosophy and politics with everyone, the middle aged Lebanese man had some Lithuanian liquor, and I sat there and played some guitar. So there was no huge countdown, but what a way to bring in the New Year. We had a great time.
After being in transit for 22 hours from Paris to London, I was glad to get to my friend and hostel in London where I stayed from the 1st-4th Jan 2010! Liz, a uni friend and I walked around Hyde park and then went to a show downtown followed by dinner. The rest my time in London involved walking around Albert Park, seeing the streets of the Earls Court, looking and pointing at squirrels, doing a walking tour to see the main sites like Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey. Apart from the fact that London just made me want to play Monopoly, I really enjoyed being in an English speaking country, where it seems that everyone is quite polite. The subway was definitely cleaner than Paris, and I think that all up I’m quite a London fan.

Buckingham Palace

On the 4th I left London mid morning, all to get back on a train-ferry-train connection towards Belgium. The polite English men at the Dover Port ticket desk asked me how my new years was, and after I told them, they had a good laugh, with me of course.

I stayed in Brussels for two nights, during the day I just wondered around to a few various sights including ….. well I could name them but no one has heard of them, who goes to Brussels anyway? Well it is a typical European city where
- the architecture is truly beautiful,
- there are too many people around
- there is good food available
But what sets this city apart is the waffles, beer, and chocolate. All of which, I did indulge in. I’m sending some chocky home so make sure you’re in Cambrian Hill in about a month’s time, and you may just score a bite. The waffle I had was crisp and delightful, the beer was also truly art. On the evening of the 5th, I went with a big group of about 20 from the hostel to some bars, half of which were aussies. We visited Delirium, which holds the Guinness World Record for having the most available kinds of beer,- over 2000! It’s in Brussels where I think I truly discovered art is a good beer… or that beer is quite an art. Check it out if you go there… (I’m sounding like a lonely planet researcher.. sorry!)

My last stop was Strasbourg, the French city bordering Germany where I stayed for just one night on the 6th Jan. By that time I was feeling very tired and unable to appreciate much more architecture, people or food. It’s certainly another beautiful city, but my stay was brief, and I was ready to head home to Heidelberg.