We're Off To See The Mayor!

No, we didn't go there at night.
I just thought it was a pretty picture!

After getting our semester tickets (finally! Free buses!) a whole group of international students went to see the mayor. The Rathaus (mayor's building) is a simply beautiful building. I've been itching to get into it since I first walked down the street and fell down to the cobblestones in awe at this building and the church next to it. We all file in and I get dizzy walking in spirals up the central stairwell with the gleaming jewels of stained glass windows staining our skin is luminescent colors.

I really wanted to stop a friend and get a picture of them in the different colors, but we were so busy being ushered from one place to another, I didn't want to stop the herd.

So up and up and up we go until we get to a beautiful chamber with an old balcony above us in stark contrast to the projector screen that was posted on the opposing wall.

Once we take off our jackets and settle in, the mayor steps in and starts his presentation on the city of Oldenburg, what it was, and what he hopes to make it. What I found most interesting was one of his slides that had each state in Germany rated on their happiness.

All I wondered is....how do you even get the information for this map? Do you judge it by the amount of smileys they use in an average text message? Do they just ask people on the street?
"Hello sir, on a scale of 1 to I-can't-stop-smiling, just how happy have you been feeling lately?"

Either way the map clearly shows that Bayern and Niedersachsen are both the happiest places in Germany as of last year. (Spoiler, I'm in Niedersachsen).

So after his fancy presentation with a lazer pointer and everything, he invited us to have a drink with him, talk to him, ask him any questions we could think of and sign the guest book.
The classiest part of this whole thing? We got champagne. WE'RE THE COOLEST!

Dominika (from Poland) signing the guestbook

Daniel (Michigan) and Bear (Washington DC)
being super classy. 

Later that night we all met at a bar called Between the Sheets. I know, sounds super dirty. They have very cushioned, deep benches all over the place with lots of pillows and a candle sitting on a nice tray in the center of each. It's far classier than you'd expect. On top of that, it's also far more expensive than you'd expect. €7,50 for a Long Island Ice Tea? COME ON! But all in all it was a good night. Lots of talking with other international students. I was in and out of German all night long.

Michael (Germany), Anne + I (Colorado), Bear (DC) Rebecca (Germany)
Look! An American sandwich on German bread! ;)

P.S. I love putting the places people are from after there name. :D