Kultur

Also. I know I promised pictures, but I lied. Tomorrow (probably).
Today's discoveries, or I should probably say re-discoveries, were primarily of the Kultur inclination.
I've actually been pretty sick since I got here, so I've spent more time than I'd like attempting to sleep, but between sleeplessness and boredom, I have had my go at the plethora of German television stations that come in on my TV...
1. My first observation is that half of the stations that I receive provide only news and/or non-fiction programming. Either Germans care a lot more about what's going on in the world, or they just aren't as clever as Americans (sarcasm).
2. German music videos are insane. If you think American music videos are a little "off", look up some random German videos and prepare to be amazed. Here was my favorite from today. Note the monkeys everywhere--I especially appreciated the monkey drum line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=DD0A2plMSVA
3. I have completely forgotten how complicated garbage is here. It's really not that complicated, actually...it was just nice in the USA to decide that something either needed to be recycled or was trash. I have four types of trash bags, and only one trash can. I think it's clear that the math is not working out, and I really need to make some purchases.
4. Soccer is not a sport; it's a religion. Enough said.
5. Everything closes in a small town by noon on Saturdays. Whoops. Since I was busy trying to sleep away illness, I slept till noon, and then attempted to go grocery shopping for the weekend. I could have survived, but I decided to take a train to Göppingen to explore and grab some things there. Göppingen is twice the size of Eislingen, and has an actual town center with stores and people--young people--the kinds of people I am still trying to find here in Eislingen, the land of the old. Hopefully when I start working I will meet some more people who could at least lead me to people in the vicinity of my own age. I do love and appreciate everyone here, and the amazing hospitality they have shown me, but it is getting a bit...old. (sorry, too much)
6. This is not at all cultural, but entirely common sensical: if your place is freezing, and you decide to turn on the heat in a room...it will do no good if you leave the window directly above the heater open (and I mean swinging door, wide open).

That's all I have energy for tonight. I need to get to bed so I can wake up in time for swimming tomorrow. My landlord Leni and I are going to the swimbad and breakfast. Good thing I brought a swimsuit!
I might not post for a while, I'm off to Cologne for a few days, and maybe a detour in Stuttgart on the way home...Who knows!

Bis bald--I'm sure I'll start missing home eventually.
xoxo,
Sara