Globalsocialization: Friends in all places

I... have arrived.

Yea, it feels about that anticlimatic too. Considering how much build up there was to leaving, the trip was a piece of cake. Jess, sweetheart that she is, drove me to Chicago and Nate was able to guide us to the correct Termianl with minimal U turns. I got through security within 20 minutes and had an hour to kill at the gate. People magazine helped, thanks Mom! haha, and I bought a book which I didn't get to start and then forgot on the plane! Boo. If anyone wants to send me an english copy for Dostoyevsky's House of the Dead (I think it was called), I'd love you forever.

I got on the plane and an older man was sitting in the seat next to mine, a window seat. I told him I needed to get through and he mumbled something about 'they said this would be free' and 'there's so little room'. I mumbled back 'well it is an airplane... they're not known to be spacious'. Once boarding completed, I looked around and realized only a third of the seats or less were taken. To an experienced traveler, that means you get up, claim an entire row, and have a place to sleep without sitting up and leaning against a window (generally the best spot on long flights). I claimed around 6 spots for myself. I take up three when laying down. It was awesome. So after eating dinner and watching the remake of Fame (awful. should have stayed in the 80's. there literally was no plot line, only montages of the students 'careers'), I slept on and off for six hours and then we landed. It was about 1230 AM Wisconsin time, 730 AM German time. I was a zombie walking through the airport. Luckily, my baggage made it and I made a friend named Rosa. A student from Chicago doing her masters in Cologne, she took my email and we're going to meet up at some point. Very sweet girl.
After a skytrain ride (think the Superman roller coaster at Six Flags) to the train station, I made another friend! Kevin, an African American Frenchman, helped me carry my HEAVY bag onto the train, which without his help I would have missed. On the ride to Cologne, we passed the time discussing french politicians, attempting a multilingual conversation, and he told me about his job. He comes to Germany a few times a year, buys cheap cars that the country wants to get rid of, and brings them back to Africa where they are in high demand. He loves traveling and I was able to offer my services as a translator for his phone call with a man he was to meet at the next station. I was left with the feeling that his job is about as legal as selling DVDs and jeans out of a trunk in the mall parking lot... nice guy though.
Then I caught the train from Cologne to Wesseling and arrived safely at Lissis and FINALLY got to stop dragging my suitcase around. Awesome. Best part of the day! haha

After multiple naps to make up for the jetlag, I went out to Cologne with Jonas and friends from last summer. Cocktail lounges are apparently popular here. At 6,50€ or more per large drink, I can say I want to become a fan. Too pricey. Somehow though 3 drinks ended up being 13€. Shifty math on part of the waiter? A long post of German tipping and Americans tipping in Germany will follow for my waitstaff readers out there. I may be the best tipper in Europe and dangerously so.

I'm happy to be here, this is something I've been looking forward to for years. Since I was a little girl. Well younger. not much little-r. I am however very homesick... I cried as the plane took off, it hit me that my return flight isn't until August. I miss family, friends, my car, everything. I cried before falling asleep, as cliche as that is. When you lay down and finally think about it all, it hits you. I hope the homesickness gets better and I can enjoy every minute of this experience. The language isn't a problem so far. Without my english speaking family as a crutch (yea, i said it), I'm already finding myself thinking in German. Lunch tomorrow with my grandparents and shopping now in Bruehl with Lydia for some essentials: cell phone, alarm clock, hair dryer... woo.

Check facebook page for pictures (if my computer will ever accept the German wireless internet router as a real one and let me upload things).

that's all for now,
bis spaeter
debby