So Far So Gut

It's been a week since we got here and it's going pretty well so far! I'm better at knowing where I am now, but public transportation is still a work in progress. I've already gotten on the wrong bus a couple of times and completely missed a train to another city...hopefully that gets better. The weather actually isn't as bad as I thought it would be; I think I was expecting more ice and snow. When it does snow the flakes are tiny and really pretty, especially at night. I also love that you can be at a bakery, walk ten feet, and there's another bakery. I will eat literally anything made of bread. I was surprised and excited to find that every single food I've tried here (besides liverwurst) I liked! And I've basically been eating since the moment I got here so that's saying a lot. Among the things I thought I wouldn't care for but actually loved are: Indian food, some kind of fish my host mom made, Turkish stewed vegetables, and coffee (usually reserved for finals week but now I drink it almost every morning). 

Speaking of host families, I'm really impressed at how well I was matched with mine. At home I have two sisters who are 13; here I have two sisters who are 11 and 7. They're both adorable and really sweet. I also have cats at home, and here there is a little Siamese cat who has apparently accepted me into the family already, judging from where she slept by my side last night. My host mom is super nice and upbeat and willing to help and chat about anything, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them all better. Hopefully, between class and my host family's help, I'll get better at communicating in German and we can have some of those chats in their language. 

It's been a pretty packed week in terms of traveling and activities, and I know this is just the start. The vineyards we visited were beautiful even though the weather was drizzly, and the woods around Bonn are also extremely pretty. I really wasn't expecting all this hiking, but I guess it's a good way to burn off all the carbs. I also visited a church in Dusseldorf, and one of the members was nice enough to show us around the town and this castle thing that was pink and full of statures and very picturesque. I still haven't been outside Germany, but that will change this weekend when I visit Brussels after our trip to Aachen. I'm looking forward to waffles and chocolate! Tschüss für heute!