A Lot Of Things Different...

SO I'M HERE!!!!!

Thursday morning I woke up around 8ish finished packing and went to the airport around 1:30. Jesse and her parents met me, mom and sarah and we checked in and got things in order before making our way through security. It was really hard to leave my mom behind but it was a lot easier with Jesse by my side. So we took a flight from Dulles to Charlotte and then had a 3 hr layover in Charlotte. We grabbed dinner at a Mexican resturant in Charlotte and then make our final phone calls. I called Mom and then called Kir to say goodbye to her :( sooo...hard. I already miss her like crazy and it hasn't even been a week since I last saw her! Then they started speaking in German and we knew it was time to go!!!!! We boarded the plane and wound up sitting behind these two German cowboys (haha) however we wound up watching movies/passing out the entire flight.

We arrived at 10:50ish Friday morning and made our way through customs/immigration and got our bags and met Dr. Tracy and Frau Heckmann in the waiting area. We went and got on the bus and headed towards Heidelberg!!!

When we got to Heidelberg, we stopped at the Hauptbahnhof (train station) and dropped everyone except for me, Peter, Dan and Brett off (we all live in the same apartment complex). Well, Jesse got off the bus then ran back on and screamed "BECCA. OFF THE BUS. NOW!" So I ran off the bus and Anna ran on the bus and we both shrieked...it was AMAZING!!!!! So we agreed to meet at the Sparkasse (bank) next to the AJY Center (American Junior Year is the program I'm here with...and we have our OWN person center that has computers and a classroom) at 3:00. So I get dropped off and the boys help me take my HUGE bags up to my room and when we walk in my suitmate Theresa looks really shocked. Apparently they weren't told a new "mitbewohner" was moving in. Oops. Well, she talked to me for a few minutes and we seemed to hit it off pretty well and then I was left to unpack before meeting Peter and Dan at 2:50 to take the s-bahn (streetcar) for the first time into the city! So I unpacked everything in my little room and set things up and realized I had no internet cord. Sadness. So at 2:50 we went and grabbed the s-bahn to Hauptstrasse (the main street in Heidelberg) and walked the length of it just kind of exploring. We met up with Anna and Jesse and Kayla (a girl who lives in Jesse's dorm and is on the trip as well!) We all wound up getting cell phones immediately from T-Mobile for 19.95 Euro which is a better deal than anyone else has found so that's exciting and afterwards we went to "The Dubliner" an irish pub and got our first LEGAL drinks!! WOO!!! At 6:00 that night we had a pizza party at the AJY center and thats when we were going to FINALLY see Patrick!!! I have NEVER been so happy to see someone!!! We ended up going back to his place for a bit and then leaving to come back to mine with Nelly, John, Anna and Peter before we all went to bed at 9ish. It was a FABULOUS first day!!!

SATURDAY:
We had to be at the AJY center at 9:30 so at 9:00 the ringstrasse crew (Peter & Dan & Me) met at the courtyard and walked to the s-bahn. Well, we had missed the first train so we had to wait until 9:17 which in turn caused us to be late because we hadn't grabbed breakfast yet...whoops! So we went to Starbucks (haha I know!) and had coffee/muffins before running down to the AJY center. We had an orientation session then broke for lunch. Pat took us to this place called GINO'S that serves Gyros and they were UNBELIEVABLE!!! 2.50 euros for this HUGE gyro that tasted SOOOOOO good. I know I'm going to end up eating there a lot...haha. Then we went back to have a "FlohMarkt" (flea market) where I got a laundry basket, two pillows, two new blankets, a box of school supplies and bucket/trashcan all for $5.00 american cash. Freaking fabulous!!! Then afterwards Anna and I came back to my room before going grocery shopping. I bought cereal, milk, yogurt, jam and bagels, black tea and sugar and of course...vodka/orange juice. haha! I love being legal here!! Then we had a half hour before we had to meet Dan Brett and Peter for dinner. We went to the Hauptbahnhof (train station) and had Bratwurst mit Brot (basically hotdogs in buns) and then came back to my room and drank before going to Pat's at 10. Pat's was UNBELIEVABLY fun!! I met his German best friend who also happens to be a Becca (must be something about us Becca's ;) ) and all of his other female friends there. So the whole group of us and the Germans went to Becca's club that she works at which was awesome because she was able to get us in without having to wait in line! And was able to put our coats away without having to wait for that either! Love connections ;)! We had a great time dancing, altho the music was no where NEAR as good as when Anthony DJs at Travis's parties, but it was definitely a good time. Afterwards, Peter and I road the s-bahn home and I passed out.

SUNDAY:

I woke up around 10:30 to shower/get ready to leave by 12 for our meeting at 1:00. Peter and I met in the Courtyard and took the s-bahn to Hauptstrasse where I then went to Big Pommes to get fries and wursts for lunch before class started. We got to class and it was the first official day of speaking German so everyone was speaking when we got there which was kind of exciting altho made me really nervous. We wound up sitting for a while listening to the "do's and don'ts" of safety in Heidelberg and then at 2:00 we went for a walk up to the Heidelberg Castle. Dr. Tracy talked about that damn castle for 3 freaking HOURS. I was beyond done listening. At 5:00 we went back to the AJY center and then at 6 we went to Tangra for an authentic German dinner!! I FINALLY got my Schnitzel mit Pommes!!! And it was SOOO GOOOD!!!! Altho i can NOT wait to get Loni's mmmmmm!!!! After dinner, I road the s-bahn back with the boys and have been uploading pics on facebook and writing this before going to bed. Tomorrow starts our first official day of classes. We get "sorted" into good...and bad...German abilities and then we start our intense German class which should definitely be interesting. I'm hoping that I can be better about this whole journaling thing but it was hard before I was able to get my ethernet cord. However, now I should be good to go! I miss you all so very very much and I hope that things are going well at home/Elon/everywhere else! Please keep in touch!!

Love,

Becca