Autumn days

It was sunny outside today! It was so nice walking through town in my layers and layers of clothing without freezing every time I stopped moving. I'll be readjusted to the cold soon, but the few weeks after the end of summer are tough. Here are a few updates, it really has been a while since I last posted regularly.

A new beginning

The first week of the new semester is done, and it’s been a surprising time. For the first time here, I can say that all of my classes seem interesting. A few might even be relevant for my later career, but that’s a problem all teaching programs have. I’m still fighting through the bureaucracy for some papers I need (they make it very difficult for someone without an Abi to study Lehramt), but I’m resigned to finishing it without being frustrated anymore.

Every stereotype about bureaucracy is Germany is true except that you’d think with this kind of time investment, that the system would work (smoothly). Nope. Germans realize this but don’t know how to change it. At least I’m not alone?

In other news, some fun things Schatz and I did in the weeks before this include:
Visiting a hemp labyrinth (an exhibition about climate change)
Mushroom hunting and IDing in the forest
Discovering a new place to jog along a pretty river
Aaaand… booking tickets to visit AZ! It’s been so long since I’ve been home…

It’s also gotten colder (yes, I think anything under 20C is freezing) so I need to finish knitting my hoodie.

Frustration is a good place to start

I had another blog, but I just prefer using blogger so I'll be copy-pasting some older posts. I think instead of attempting to limit myself to a fashion blog, I'll just post what I feel like and see what happens.


Let me start off by saying a few things. I’m prone to exaggeration, but probably not as much as you’d think. I love Germany, otherwise I wouldn’t be here, and I am about 95% integrated – as much as I ever can/will be. I speak German fluently and very much appreciate being able to study here for free and having health insurance. I don’t like it when people hate on Germany, but I do understand needing to let out frustration.
But back to the fun part, the things that make me want to tear my hair out!

• Stores being closed on Sunday/crap store hours in general
• Bureaucracy in everyday life and at the university
• Professors/teachers not being there during their office hours unless you make an appointment. What’s the point of office hours then?!
• Lack of internet (Angie, you did not give all people access to at least DSL by the end of 2010, which you promised)
• All food advertisements mentioning how ‘creamy’ everything is
• Crafting supplies being too expensive D:
• Dubbing instead of subtitling
• Apartments not coming with appliances
• Lack of access for the handicapped

I wonder what initial/on-going annoyances other people have had here.