Over a month since my last post... that must be some sort of record! For anyone who still bothers to check my blog, welcome back and sorry for the long period of silence. I've had a productive and eventful month, and I sure hope that I can remember enough to share it all.
For starters, I've begun working at my new job, and I really like it. The work is varied enough to keep me on my toes, but consistent enough that I really feel like I'm getting into the meat of things. My boss is very nice and I can tell that she trusts me, which is a very good feeling. We speak a lot of German, although my vocabulary in this specific field is limited. All of the communication between the partners in different countries is in English, which is good for me, but internally I am trying to use German as much as possible. It's tough, though. German is a fun and fascinating language, but man is it complicated.
Apart from work, I have to remember that I am still a student. Although I have finished all of my classes, I still have 6 papers to write. Well, 5 and 1/8, maybe. I am almost done with my current paper which I am writing with a friend. We've both had spells of insane busyness, as well as pathetic laziness, but we are on track to finish this week. After that, only 5 more to go!
But enough about school and work; that's not interesting. Let's talk about life in Kassel! I've been enjoying the weather, most of the time, although Germany seems to have an annoying habit of being very hot one week, and then cold and rainy the next. It's not much fun, but maybe that gives me good reason to stay inside and work...
Kassel sort of explodes with activities in the summertime, with activities like carnivals and boat shows and outdoor concerts and movies. I've had many picnics in the park recently, which consists of bottles of wine, snacks, and free music. It stays light until about 10:30 PM, which makes for very extended evenings with friends. I've also taken full advantage of my wonderful little balcony and my soccer-ball grille, and dinner parties have been abundant.
I also attended a very exciting film premiere on campus, for a movie that I helped make. A group of international students at the University of Kassel were tasked with asking Germans what they thought of international students. The result is this:
Meet More, Mix More from Carmen Muresan on Vimeo.
I've traveled a bit this month as well, although nothing too crazy. One of the big highlights of the month was a visit from Mom and Dad. They came to Europe for a two-week whirlwind tour, and I was lucky that they stopped in to see me. We spent a few days in Kassel, mostly spent meeting my friends that I have been yapping about for eight months. After a few days here, we left for a long weekend in Berlin. It was the first time for all of us, and it did not disappoint. The hostel that we stayed in may have been more appropriate for those under the age of 65, but Mom and Dad were troopers, and we made the best of it. We saw so many incredible sights, and I'm glad we were able to pack so much in. Berlin is so full of living history; everywhere you turn is a point of interest. My dad makes a point to inform himself of the history of any place before he visits, so traveling with him is like having a tour guide. But there's so much to learn and to see, and I am quite sure I'll be making many more trips to Berlin.
I also made another trip, this time with 19 of my closest friends from the University. If you have read this blog from the start, you might be surprised to hear that the trip was to Brussels. You might be more surprised to hear that I really enjoyed it. The last time I visited Brussels was a bust, and I left with a truly sour attitude. I don't think it was unmerited, given my experience, but perhaps shunning the entire nation of Belgium was a bit extreme. This trip was a lot of fun, and I can actually pinpoint some of the reasons why it was better than last time:
1. The weather. In October, Europe can be lovely. However, the weekend that I was in Brussels was not lovely. It was crap and it made the city look like garbage.
2. The activities. I did have a semi-interesting bus tour the first time around, but I didn't visit any museums or European organizations, which is a shame. Brussels is not only the capital of Belgium, but also the capital of the European Union, and there is a lot to explore. This time around I was able to see more than the outside of the buildings. Being part of an educational group meant that we were able to visit the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European University Association, the Academic Cooperation Association, and the Flemish Department of Higher Education. This may sound completely dull to you, but to a nerd like me, it was incredible. Additionally, the Flemish Department of Education arranged a walking tour of the city that was really wonderful. I learned a ton more from our guide than I had from the headphones on the bus tour, and he took us to areas that were lesser known and far more interesting. Plus, the tour took us to four different restaurants for four different courses of a meal, and it was delicious. That brings us to the next difference....
3. The food. I had one good meal in Brussels, and I got some severely obnoxious attitudes from the service staff. Maybe their disgust made the food taste worse, but I recall a particularly disgusting steak and a noxious bucket of mussels that no one could have improved. This time around was different, because when we did eat out, we ate in places that were either organized or recommended. We were also able to save some money by having dinner parties in our little apartments a few times, and that is always fun. And that brings up the last point...
4. The company. Let me be clear: last October I was able to spend some time with my dear friend Heidi who was in Brussels on business. That was a lot of fun, but unfortunately being on business means that she couldn't wander around and get lost with Amy. I spent a lot of time wandering by myself, and that can be disheartening when you'd really like to share the experience. As I mentioned before, I was with 19 other students from the University of Kassel, many of whom I was already friends with. Those I didn't know became friends quickly, and I really enjoyed seeing the city in a new light with people by my side.
That wrapped up most of July, but I had one last treat at the end of the month when my good friend Elizabeth came to visit. She was on her way to Italy for a few weeks of sipping espresso and eating ice cream, and she stopped in Kassel for a week. I'd like to say that we toured the region and explored little known gems in Germany, but we didn't. I had to work a bit, and Elizabeth got addicted to watching the HBO series "True Blood". There were a few days when we hardly left the house. But we did leave a few times, and we had a really nice time. We had picnics in the park, bike rides, a trip to nearby town Hann-Münden, and an incredibly relaxing evening at the thermal spa in Kassel. It may not have been a jam packed exciting week, but it was a really great week. We drank wine and had a dinner party and talked like old times, and it was exactly what I needed.
August is off to a good start; I'm close to finishing my eighth paper, and my job is still interesting and challenging. I'm not going to get too comfortable in the desk chair though, because my sister arrives in one week, and we're headed for Italy. (I know, I stink.)
Until next time!
