Unterschiede (Differences)

I've been feeling like this blog is reserved for big events and adventures. I can't post unless something super awesome and foreign happened!

But life and experiences aren't always about the big things. In fact, the big things are shaped by the little things that happen every day.

I've been waking up at 7 every day and saying "Guten Morgen"  to the very nicely dressed old man cleaning the floors of the bathrooms and showers.
          You see, in Germany, with their school system they have lots more people who go through vocational school so they have people whose career path is janitor, waitress, or anything else along those lines.

Then I get ready for school by grabbing an apple to throw in my backpack because I really don't have the motivation to cook something in the morning. I hop on my bike and ride to class.
along the way I see places like this:

Can anyone say Arthur Dent?

This vine will be so beautiful in the summer!

Isn't that beautiful? And all the houses are that level of interesting! Then I cross a river to get to the Uni:

Then I make sure there are no cars coming, stick out my arm and cross the street. The cars here aren't afraid of bikers. And by that I mean that they aren't afraid to hit you. Biker here need to have balls of steel. DRIVERS CAN SMELL FEAR! So then I park my bike, lock it up (unlike everyone else here) and head in to class. Here are just a few pictures from my campus:

I sit in class for a few hours and have my brain crammed so full of German words, grammar, and culture I feel like it's going to dribble out my ears at any moment. At about noon, we head off to lunch, which is also cool and different. You walk across campus and cross this street:

Then we go through the rows of bikes you saw earlier to get into the building. Once inside you have three different staircases to choose from. It's like one of those Choose Your Own Adventure novels, but in real life. Go up staircase B and you get meat. Go up staircase A and you get "alternative" options. Go up the center staircase you get more expensive but nicer food.

Choose wisely!

Once you're in the seating area you get this view:

Now isn't that just beautiful? :)

Then I go back to class for about an hour and a half more before we break at 2 and go our separate ways. We might meet again later for something, other than that we just do our own thing. Some of us go to the Innenstad, others do homework, one or two Skype their girlfriends, and even others go to a bar. All in all it's a good day.

And then when we do get together and study (to avoid getting into Deutsch kurs 2 with a teacher none of us like) we bring chocolate, beer (or wine), Hollander cookies, or cheese and bread.
Yup. Life's pretty sweet here. :)