Tag Eineinhalb - Day of Enlightenment

            Howdy again friends. It’s currently 10:57 PM in Bonn, and well, I should be sleeping because I need to wake up to be at the HBF (Hauptbahnhof A.K.A. the central train station) at 10 AM tomorrow (Freitag). Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, but in the last 24+ hours, I’ve slept about 30 minutes, so YES! I should definitely be sleeping right now and not writing this blog post; however, I was enlightened as to just how different other cultures might be (and the fact that I might not be able to comfortably make it through this spring semester). ß I’ll get back to this point at the end of this blog. So, in the past few days leading up to my departure from Texas, I learned that I packed way too much, and well, even after rearranging and reducing the number of clothes I would bring, I still managed to find myself several pounds overweight in terms of luggage weight. I ended up having to bring an extra luggage for a fee (potential L, but I guess the extra luggage that I paid to bring can help me bring more souvenirs/items/clothes back from Europe?). After checking my two luggages and carry-on items, I found out why my parents always say to come early to airports because well, you never know what could happen. Today, it took us about 45 minutes to get through the entire customs line (we kind of cut it close for the flight, but luckily, the flight was delayed). 9.5 hours flight, here we go!!! So, I probably should have slept at least for a few hours, but I ended up sleeping 30 minutes and watching 3 movies: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, The Legend of Tarzan, and The Prestige (which was amazing; oh and pre-Black Widow Scarlett Johansson stars in it). I told many of the other students going on that trip that because I was running on 30 minutes of sleep, I would be super duper hyper on the way from Frankfurt to Bonn; well, guess what? I was. I’m pretty sure most people were annoyed of my inexplicable hyperactivity (I would have/did). On the 2+ hour drive to Bonn, I decided that I should probably start learning some German since I was going to be living in Germany for the next 4 months, so now I know Monday through Friday, 0 through 10, hello, goodbye, how are you, and excuse me/sorry (that’s a hard on to say though). The only thing I can say about this is that my German host parents’ 3-year-old daughter schooled me when I tried to speak to her in German. When we arrived in Bonn, the bus dropped us off at one of the streets nearby the AIB (the building where classes will be held)…..2 minutes away to be exact. Well, at least that’s what we were told. It turned out to be closer to 10 minutes. Of course, I’m probably exaggerating the slightest amount, but it was a struggle to drag 3 luggages through the narrow & bumpy sidewalks of Bonn. 30 minutes after we arrived, I met my host family, and they are AWESOME! They’re extremely social and nice to Kyle Cooper (my roommate) and I. They also have two younger daughters (3 and 5 years old), which were both extremely hyper, so I’m sure there won’t be a dull moment in the Marx household this spring semester. Now, for the moment of truth..the reason that this blog was written at this time of night.  For the people who don’t want to hear something rather disgusting, stop reading NOW! Okay. That was my disclaimer. To those who have lived in Germany before or to my fellow students currently studying abroad with me, can you explain something to me? WHY ARE GERMAN TOILETS MADE THAT WAY THAT THEY ARE?!?!?!?? CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME PLEASE! LIKE I DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW I’M SUPPOSED TO USE THE TOILET COMFORTABLY (#2 OF COURSE). ***If you have never lived in Germany before, well, just google image “German Toilets,” and look for the 2^nd, 3^rd, or 5^th picture, and you’ll understand it all.*** I KNEW IT WASN’T GOING TO WORK OUT; AND AFTER THE INCIDENT. WELL. IT’S CONFIRMED. GOOGLE CALLS IT A POOP SHELF!!!!!!!!!!!! Aoiwrnioaenruaeateatjkan Yes. You heard that right. And if you still don’t get what I mean, ask Google. I’m not trying to get too graphic, but. It stacks and it gets too close. Like maybe I should mount it in reverse? ß I highly doubt that’s the case though. OKAY. ‘nuff said. You get what I mean. I guess this is one of those “venture outside of your comfort zone moments.” But…really? If I somehow get used to this, then maybe I’m no longer KennyLimmy, and study abroad has done its job in making me grow, broaden my understanding of other cultures, and getting me out of my comfort zone.