Vasculitis is just a symptom of something. I say something because the true illness is hardly ever known. It could range anywhere from an allergy to an immunal disorder. So now I’ve been trying to make appointments to various other doctors to get my organs checked for infections. I might as well get the curable causes out of the way while I can.

All I can positively say is that if I become suddenly healthy when I go back to the states, I will never come back to Germany.

What do I really want?
&
Who am I?

That week at work was also pretty physically hard because I was working with a new rubber with a super high viscosity. It caused a lot of blisters and bruises from mixing the formulation. I put a lot of hours into work because I was avoiding going home. I had nothing to really look forward to at home except the internet, which has been disobedient. I had a lot of unhappiness that week and slept really poorly.

Last week, I was very sick. My sleep totaled 15 hours during the 5 work days. I stayed up to about 10 pm, would go to bed, and never really fell asleep until about 5am. I was rather cranky and had no idea why I couldn’t sleep. I even started taking sleeping pills, but nothing was working. I found out a few days later that I was sleeping poorly do to some pretty severe allergic reactions. I had recently been eating a new yogurt, which was a rather peculiar flavor: Weisse Traube mit Cerealien – white grapes with.’Cerealien’. I was eating it with no real idea what cerealien was. I thought it was wheat or something. Apparently it was a mixture of different grains, one of which was barley. I had spent the whole week sleeping poorly due to yogurt. I also found out I was allergic to Kinder Country (a candy bar) for exactly the same way. I’m not allergic to barley according to blood tests, but every time I have something with barley in it here, I end up with really bad reactions. I think I might have problems with processing barley, or perhaps a side reaction of digestion of barley.
Anyways, I’ve been sleeping much better since I figured out the yogurt thing.

My new apartment is really big. It has far too much space and feels really lonesome. My roommates are drastically different than my last apartment. I have 5 roommates, 1 male, 4 females. They are all Christian. I found that out after being thrown into a dinner of them and 5 other people. They had a bible study at the dinner table after we had all eaten. It was sort of awkward because I was not expecting it and the fact I was the token American to the new guests. It’s always sort of awkward meeting new people. As soon as they hear your American accent or somebody tells them that you’re from USA they start speaking in English or REALLY slow German. Then you have your elevator speech about why you’re in Germany. I guess that doesn’t quite capture the awkwardness. After that encounter, if anybody speaks in English or talks about the United States, you can expect they’re all going to stare at you.

My roommate invited me to church for Easter. The church was very similar to the ones I’ve gone to in the United States, which was quite a surprise. I don’t know why, but I always expected German church services to be really scary and awkward. Apparently, my roommate is very involved in the ministry, so I met a lot of people. I also went to that church last Sunday and spent even more time at the church because they were celebrating the conclusion of a bible school year or something.

Sadly, these were the first times in Germany that I had attended a full service. It feels good to be back into some of the similar activities, but it has also been a huge change from the normal routine. Now I go to church, all of my roommates are actively Christian, and I keep getting invited to more church activities. I think it’s been a bit of a churchy overload.

My new roommates have other differences too. Instead of having a shelf of a fridge to call your own, they sort of just shove everything in different places. Also, it’s apparently cool to take whatever out of the fridge an eat it. One time I was sitting down and eating my dinner when my roommate and his friend decide to eat yogurt. They grab 2 random yogurt containers, but one was mine! I told his friend that that particular yogurt was my breakfast for the next day, and everybody stared at me like I had just killed a young animal. Reluctantly, I gave back the yogurt. The next day I had no more yogurt, so I took some random one out of the fridge (and felt terrible about it). They told me if I didn’t want anybody to eat my food that I should label it as so. I’ve so far labeled everything of mine, but they keep eating it anyways. I have already lost sooo much yogurt, pizza, juice, cheese, milk, and eggs.

Also, dinner is something they like to do together. Any time I decline to eat as a group they act as though I’m stuck up. Sometimes I just don’t want to talk or eat with other people, sorry.

Oh well, I will get used to it soon enough. I only have 2 more months before my vacation around Europe and my trip back to the states. Time to get those plans in concrete. Where should I visit during those 2 weeks of vacation in Europe?

Anyways, we spen the week touring Wiesbaden and Frankfurt. I took him to see Neroberg, a symphony concert in the Kurhaus, to the Irish Pub for Karaoke, around the spa gardens, to Biebrich castle, to many places in Frankfurt, and so much more. Instead of renting a car for the weekend or buying a lot of bus passes, we decided to walk around and enjoy the beautiful weather. We cooked a few dinners and ate a few fancy ones out. One thing’s for sure is that we were definitely disgustingly cute.

I took a few pictures from last week, which I’ll upload much later. I still have to get through my London, Hamburg, Koeln, Salzburg, Munich, and many other city pictures first. I’m way behind.

It was so great to see Chris. It reassured me and definitely showed me that we can make it through this year. He will be back in 3 months so we can tour Europe together. 3 months isn’t so long, we’ll make it for sure.

It was very hard to see him go. As much as I wanted to be happy about having the chance to see him, I was also very sad that it was not longer. I’m glad that I had to move into a new apartment because I was having a really hard time in the old one because I could only think about him.

Overall, I’m still very happy Chris came to visit me. My parents sent a gift for me with him, which also cheered me up (my Christmas package was eaten up by mysterious Grimlins somewhere in the world). Now I look forward to traveling this summer and finally getting back to work/school in Seattle. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job here, I’ve been happier than ever, and Germany is totally awesome. I just finally feel able to be excited about coursework again, even if it’s my chem e courses. I’m mostly excited to see my friends and family though. It’s been a while…

Have a great day everybody!!

I really should emphasize how happy I’ve been lately. The lack of stress has been such an uplifting experience. I feel like a new woman. At least I know one thing for certain, when I get back to the states I need to lighten my stress load. Funny how I’ve lost so much weight without really changing my diet, and not exercising (I know I should pick up on that again). It’s just so interesting to realize how much something like stress affects your life. I had gained almost 45 lbs since starting college. Mostly due to stress of getting good grades and working all year long to afford school.

I’m just excited to see that I can enjoy a vacation for once. And it’s not because I haven’t had vacations, but that I’ve been too stressed out during them to enjoy them.

Anyways, I have to go get my keys for my new apartment. Later tonight I will be celebrating St. Patrick’s day with the Spanish exchange students. It will be fun!

Chris will be coming here on Friday. He will be staying for a week and I’ve already got the confirmation for the time off. We will spend the time trying to recognize each other’s presence. I’ll be taking him on tours of nearby cities, to places I frequent, and out on much needed dates. I’m so excited to pick him up from the airport. I know the first few hours will be awkward, but I’m also pretty sure that this will be one of the best visits in my life. soooo excited.

That’s it for the update today. Tomorrow I’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s day with the Spanish, and the day after that Chris will be here!!!

Tschuess!

My daily routine so far has included waking up at 7 so I can get to my bus at 7:35 to get to work by 8:05. I then prepare a high voltage test, mix silicone formulations, make test sheets, test those sheets, run an assortment of other equipment, document it all, and go back home around 4 or 5PM. It has been pretty lab oriented so far, but that’s just so I’m trained on the equipment. During the first week I was basically job shadowing somebody, but they ended up sick the second week. I basically took over their position last week and it was sort of nerve wracking. I was so afraid of making mistakes (and mistakes were made), but I think my bosses were very impressed with my capability and endurance to get the job done right.

I have 3 managers/bosses. 2 of them work with me regularly, one is a Frenchman and the other is a German. My supervisor is also German. The German used in daily work is pretty different than in my schooling phase. It is much easier for me because it’s strictly the stuff I’ve been familiar with, such as the laboratory vocabulary. Not to mention that most of the German in the lab setting is just the German accented version of the English word.

The cafeteria, aka the Cantin, is actually pretty good and really cheap. I eat there everyday because I know my schinken sandwiches (ham sammiches) are getting pretty old. Ooh! I get free heise schokolade (hot chocolate), and that makes me happy.

My coworkers are all really nice to work with except for one woman who seems to have this hatred for me because I took up space in her office. Everyday she asks my bosses why I had to take the desk next to her, they basically let her know that’s how it’s going to be, and she becomes quiet until the next time they stop by.

I really like my work and I’m super glad I got this internship. My bosses are really chill and love to teach me ‘why’ something works the way it does. The work is exciting and there’s something new everyday. Now if only I didn’t have to do those same training monologues on why you don’t download viruses or accept contracts from shifty people, haha.

I have exciting news! I just got a job offer for Dow Corning starting next Monday. It will be full time, I will be paid 600€/ month and will be doing some Material Engineering on plastics!

Other good news: it seems that I have found the apartment I will move into during April – July. The space is huge, conveniently located, and is offered for the exact time I need it for. It will be fully furnished, 28m2, and costs approx 350€/month.

And the most amazing news of all….

I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my whole life… Or at least my whole adult life.
When you see me next in the US, you’ll see a changed (for the better) person with a high affinity for gummi bears.

My week in London was fabulous.  I saw most of what the city had to offer.  I did have a problem at one point with one of the London-ers, which still haunts me till today, but I’ll put that in a separate blog.  I stayed at a lovely hostel just outside of the Hyde Park.  I was within walking distance to several castles, and just a skip away from the Underground.  I really enjoyed this trip because I was allowed to do whatever I wanted, when I wanted.  I had slept in the first few days so my exploring was left at night.  The explorations usually consisted of me just walking aimlessly around with no intention in mind.  The first night there, I went to the center of London, ate a delicious Pho’ dish, and walked down the street in the shopping district.  The stores were beautifully decorated for the Christmas season (there’s no Thanksgiving in London… surprise!).  I wandered into a park and found a Christmas Amusement Park. There were tons of rides and lots of little stores similar to the Weihnachtsmarkt in Germany.

This is where I had my first glass of Glühwein.  This is also commonly known as “Mulled Wine” in the states.  It is a glass of wine with the addition of a ton of sugar and spices that is heated up.  It is probably the best thing you can drink during the cold.  I’ve had so many cups of this since then, but don’t worry about my alcoholism, this has approximately 5% alcohol, and is far to sweet to drink too much in one sitting.

The second day I went out late again and covered a vast majority of what London is.  I went through St. Paul’s Cathedral, which had some beautiful hymns that I tried to record.

Video will be added soon.

Then I walked across the bridge to see Shakespeare’s Globe

It was down-pouring, so I decided to eat at a London pub.  I ordered Fish and Chips and had a lovely time with other Englanders. I had to explain what ‘utensils’ meant, because they eat with cutlery.  And I also had the joy of eating mushy peas.  I don’t understand why anybody would prefer them mushy, but yeah.

I’m really really tired, so I’ll try to update this tomorrow.  Sorry it’s not as long as I wanted it to be, but eventually you’ll be caught up with what I’m doing now.

Jedenfalls, my German has gotten a lot better.  I can almost read a legit book, but I still speak like a kindergartner.  That has probably been the most frustrating thing about learning a foreign language.  Try convincing somebody that you understand what they’re saying without being able to say it!  It’s been a fun set of weeks, slowly conversing with my roommates and reading dorky chemistry books.

The anemia medication seems to be working a whole lot better than I ever thought it would.  I’ve had the energy to keep my room clean for almost a week.  I’ve made dinner every night.  I’ve actually read my email AND responded.  I started hanging out with Germans.  Things are looking good.

And something even more exciting… On Tuesday I will be in London, starting a whole book full of adventures!  I’ve booked a really cheap hostel in the middle of the city, and I expect to go on an adventure every day.  I’m going to fly there, but I haven’t planned out my trip back.  I initially thought I would just buy some tickets from London to Frankfurt for 50 Euros, and just watch the countries outside my windows, but that thought has changed.  I spoke with my roommate this morning and he was wondering why I wouldn’t visit the other countries in between for at least half a day.  I told him that was an excellent plan.  So, I’m doing something really new to me, not planning the trip at ALL.  I’m going to leave my hostel in London and buy train tickets that day, and wherever I feel like going that day, I will adventure to.  This is exactly the kind of adventure I’ve been needing!

I finally finished writing all of my postcards (Hah, I lie, I still have a bajillion), but I will start sending them out soon, sorries!

PS: I’m totally addicted to the gummi bears and chocolate here.  Strange to say so because I pretty much dislike chocolate in the States.  Hershey needs to pick up the slack!!!