Heimat in Freiburg

Liebe Freunde und Familie,

I am so sorry that's it's been so long since my last post. Life here has been...busy, to say the least.
Since my last post I will briefly say that I have spent a week in Berlin, a weekend in Köln, and have discovered that Freiburg is a place I am glad to call home.

I'm just going to take the 10 minutes I have to let you know how life here is going, and next time I will post about my trips to Berlin and Köln (pictures included, natürlich).

When I first arrived, I wasn't sure whether Freiburg would be a place in which I would permanently feel like an outsider or a place I could eventually call home. It's taken some time, but it's clear that I am falling in love with Freiburg.

I'm now taking courses in German, and discovering that it's not the struggle I initially assumed it would be. German becomes a little more natural each day. Some days I wake up and speak an English-German hybrid ("Denglish," if you'll humor me), and it takes some time before I figure out which language I am speaking.
Classes are mostly fun: they include trips to the local theater, trips to Cloisters, churches, and hiking (rough, hey?). Don't get me wrong, I'm writing papers and doing the occasional reading and studying, but it's certainly no Lawrence. It gives me the opportunity to really spend time here doing what I want. Everyone deserves a term off, right?

It's also getting much better in my WG. I know all my roommates, and occasionally spend some time talking with them. We had a WG dinner last Monday. Feli cooked a delicious soup and we all "helped." I cut up some peppers for the salad... We talked about the WG theme party we are planning for a few weeks from now. And then we ate...and then we ate some more. Thorston cooked some delicious dessert Pflammkuchen. Our dinner began at 8pm and lasted until I excused myself and went to bed around midnight.
I also get made fun of a little less each day as I attempt to cook in the kitchen, which is nice. They laugh occasionally, still though, because mom sent me some much appreciated Mac 'n Cheese, among other things. It's nice to just hang around the kitchen and talk with my roommates every once in a while, but I am also learning to really enjoy the time I have to myself. It's easy to get lost in trying to be, speak and feel German, so I've been going through books like it's nobody's business in the free time I have to myself.

I've gotten to know a lot of really great people here, too. I really like the people in my program, and it turns out there are a lot of other Americans in different programs who are great to be around. Although I am beyond sad that I could not be at Greg and Kerry's wedding, it has been so worth it to be here experiencing everything with other people who are as excited to be here as I am.

Trips to come:
London (Dec 5-7)
Paris (november, not sure which weekend)
Vienna (first or second weekend in Nov.)
I'd still love to go to Italy, but it looks like it may be too expensive. Either way, I've got a lot to look forward to.

I have to go to class, but I will post later about my trips to Berlin and Cologne.

Miss you. Love you.