Back By Popular Demand

Ok, I must apologize to those of you who check my blog obsessively. I didn't realize that regular blog updates were a must, but according to Hilary, it has been much to long since I last geupdated mein Blogspot.

The only reason I haven't updated recently is because I am in Germany and there are so many exciting things to do. Haha. Don't you wish you were here right now with me? I thought so.

Since my last update I have managed to do quite a bit. We are now almost 2/3 of the way done with our language program. Two more weeks left after Friday. Classes are still going well. We've had two lectures by actual professors to see what it is going to be like in October when we really start classes. The lectures were good, but I didn't understand all of it so hopefully my language skills will improve dramatically in the next few weeks. Other than practice lectures, we've also worked on some grammar, discussed Germany's political situation (Parties, Government, etc.), and gone on a few excursions.

Two weeks ago we visited Goettingen's Stadtgeschichte Museum (City history museum). It was surprisingly big considering the size of the city, but I guess having a major university helps a lot. Last week we went to Eisenach in Thueringen (the neighboring state) and visited the Wartburg, where Martin Luther translated the New Testament from Greek to German. We also spent the afternoon in the city of Eisenach (Melis, Brandon, Zane and I ate Thueringer Wurst and had Bier from the Eisenach brewery for lunch) and we visited Johann Sebastian Bach's house. It was a cool tour because the guy played some of Bach's music on the instruments in the first room. Then we got to walk around upstairs and in the garden. It was a really nice day except for the giant rainstorm that rolled through right after we bought ice cream.

Then yesterday we took a little trip to Teistungen and the Grenzlandmuseum (Border Museum) between East and West Germany. Our tour guide told us all about the border and how Germany was split up and occupied after the war and how the border patrol worked. We also got to climb up the watch tower that the Stasi (East German Secret Police) used to control the border. Then we stopped by Duderstadt to see the old Rathaus (City Hall) and the churches. Then we got some ice cream (amazing sundaes) and went back to Goettingen.

[Fun little extra: So Brandon, Zane and I went back to the Baptist Church (where we met the really nice people) two Sundays ago. One of the families we met invited us to their house in Duderstadt after church that day. We had nothing else to do and they seemed nice to we went. They made us the most delicious toasted ham and cheese sandwiches and Rote Gruetze (like vanilla pudding and berries). Then we walked around town and saw the Handwerk Festival that was going on that weekend. To top off an already wonderful day, we walked back to their house and had coffee and cake before they drove us home. They are incredibly nice and it was an amazing day.--So the point of the story is that we had already been to Duderstadt so we felt pretty special when we went back.--Haha]

Last weekend I visited Tina and her family in Braunschweig. (Tina lived with my family, as a German exchange student, for a year while I was a senior in high school.) It was really nice to see her again after 2 years. We had a great time hanging out. I met a few of her friends, we checked out the Braunschweig night life, and I went shopping. It was a fabulous weekend.

Those are the big things that have been going on. In the meantime, we Americans have been keeping up our Sunday evening potluck tradition. I have successfully made mashed potatoes, fried rice, banana bread and not so successfully made chocolate chip cookies (the different ingredients really do make a difference), but we were resourceful and heated up the cookie crumbs and put ice cream on top for our own version of a Pizookie. It was delicious and everyone loved it. We have also played some Kicker (or Foosball as it is called in America). I think with regular practice I could be a Kicker world champion. All in all things are going well and I am loving Germany!!

Oh so the weather during the World Cup was apparently really nice in Germany--warm and sunny. Then as soon as we get here in August the weather decided to get cold and rainy. It rained almost every single day. We've also had some pretty good thunderstorms which made me very happy. Then come September 1st the weather starts getting nice again. We've had some really nice days lately, sunny and mid to upper 70s. Not bad. I even wore shorts and a tank top today, but now it looks like another storm is approaching. Anyways the weather is always a surprise so that is kind of exciting. :-)

Hope all is well with you! Oh and if you feel like writing to me that would be most appreciated.
Alison Connell
Rosenbachweg 2-311
37075 Goettingen, Germany

Love and miss you all!!!