So I tried to get this across in my last post, but as usual
I didn’t use my words very well. It’s something that I struggle with,
expressing what I’m thinking/feeling in words (that’s why I love pictures).
Anyway, another thing that should be said is that this blog isn’t going to be a
documentation of my day here in Germany…that’s what I keep my journal for.
Instead, this is going to be a documentation of my thoughts and tangents that
go on in my head.
The nice thing about living here is the public
transportation and accessibility of the cities. In a typical day I walk a half
hour to and from work, and then if I go to visit people in Heidelberg then I
have a 20 minute walk to the train station, a 30 minute ride to Heidelberg, and
then a 10-15 minute tram ride to wherever I am going…and I have to do that
again to get home. That being said, I have a lot of time to myself…to think,
ponder, and go on tangents.
The other day on my way home from work I was thinking about
how it was not impossible to be happy here. How could you be upset walking home
to something like this? …
…Pretty awesome, right? It’s just such an awesome culture
here. Surrounded by so much history and yet new developments everyday. It’s
also easier to enjoy the small things here. It may just be because I’m not used
to it but how could you not enjoy just walking down the streets taking in
everything. As I walk I survey the buildings, advertisements plastered in
obscure places, people on their way to work or school, and listen to the many
sounds of the street.
Another tangent…my internship. So it’s been great so far! I
have a great boss; he scared me at first and I thought he thought I was dumb,
but it’s gotten better now that I can communicate a little bit better. But
basically for him I have to write a report about a project he has been working
on since 2001…all in German. Yeah, so I can barely have a conversation in
German, I can read all right in it, but to write a report…good luck me. So I
started my report and about a week later I have about 2 solid pages
double-spaced. So I show it to him… and this is what I get back.
Covered in RED!!! But you know what he said…not too bad.
Yeah, it’s nice to get back a paper smeared in red and still be told not a bad
job. One of the pluses of a language barrier!
Another thing at work.
Today my boss to another intern and me to see some of what we are researching.
So we went to a nature conservation and he pointed out some really cool things!
There were two different types of really small plants that he said was unique
to the Mannheim area. I was really tempted to steal some and send them back to
Zettler, but my conscience got the better of me. He also showed us a rabbit’s
burrow and a wasp hive. It was also so unique and I loved it. The whole hill
was mainly sand, which felt out of place since it was forested area and not a
beach. Also the weather was not beach weather at the least! It wasn’t too bad
temperature wise. A little cold and a little chilly, but it’s been worse.
However, the sky started getting darker and we could just see a storm coming in.
We made it back to the car just as it started poring down. And it didn’t come
slowly like it does sometimes with a precursor drizzle…nope just a downpour. It
was at that point that I was glad I wasn’t driving. Then about five minutes
later the rain gets harder and is clumping together…and you guessed it, it was
snowing! It was the craziest thing ever. Rain and then snow all within a few
minutes! The storm only lasted about 20 minute total, but it was a great storm.
I know that not everyone loves storms, but I find them fascinating. I guess I
like anything to do with water…swimming, oceans, lakes, rivers, swimming,
boating, showers, bubble baths, swimming, snow, rain…anyway you get the
idea. So, because of the storm it
made me think of how storms are used metaphorically to describe life. It’s such
a great image. Sometimes life is going great and you have no cares in the
world. Then either suddenly or slowly things start to go downhill. However, it’s
how you face those storms. You can be afraid of what is to come and attempt to
hide from it. Or you can embrace it and know that like all storms, it too will
have an end. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself; accept your fate. Don’t
run, don’t hide. Accept that crappy things in life happen and the only thing
you can do is make the most everything. Turn something negative into something positive…learn
to dance in the rain!
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