Not Such a Bad Day After All...

This morning we had grammar class for two periods. We started at 8:45 and ended at 12:30. I really don't like the days when we have both time slots for grammar, but I know we need it. Class was so hard for me today. We went over everything really quickly and I got lost even faster. At the beginning, I knew what I was doing and was able to answer questions and give the various forms of certain verbs. But by the end of the second period, I couldn't get anything right and could hardly follow what we were doing. It was so embarassing. Even though I know that everyone else is confused, I just felt so on the spot and like my teacher was making it even worse. There were even a few times that I almost cried after I couldn't figure it out. I just hate that feeling of not knowing how to answer a question or really even what you're doing. Then, to make it worse, Herr Doerr asked me, in front of the whole class, if I would talk with him after class. So I was almost crying when I went to talk to him. He said that I shouldn't stress out about it so much and wanted to know if I wanted to switch to the other class. At that point, I really didn't want to switch because I thought that would be even more embarassing. But I held back my tears and we decided that I'd wait and see how I felt about the homework and that we'd talk again on Monday morning.

I couldn't wait to get out of the study center. Katie walked with me and I explained to her that I was just so confused because I had never learned in that way before. She told me that getting upset about it wouldn't make it any better and that it would be ok. Even though I knew that was true, it didn't really help. As soon as I got back to my apartment I just bawled in my room. I was so upset! I can't even explain the feeling. I just felt so bad and like I was letting myself down. Julia came home about 15 minutes after I did so I wiped off my tears and went to wash my face in the bathroom. I was sniffling and she asked if I had a cold. I explained to her why I was upset and she also said that it would be ok and that she also gets really confused and frustrated.

Now I think I want to change to the other class. I like Frau Heckmann so much better and feel very comfortable around her. I think the other class is a little too slow for me, but it will be better than the one I'm in now. I liked the challenge at first and felt like it would be a good one, but instead I think it will just stress me out too much!!

Earlier, during the break between our classes, I went to this little store right outside AJY called McPaper. They have lots and lots of yummy school supplies. I needed a calendar for 2007 so I could write down things that I'm doing. They had them on sale and I also bought 3 pens, a highlighter and a notebook. I LOVED that store! It's right up my alley! Have to go back!!!

At 1 o'clock I had a meeting with a woman who is in charge of the DAI Kindergarten (Deutsch-Amerika Institute...I think!) I emailed her about volunteering there once a week. The meeting was very informal and I got to meet a lot of the teachers and some of the adorable kids. I will go for an hour once a week and read stories to them in English. I realize that this isn't practicing my German, but I will get to hear them speak in German and then can help them figure out how to say it in English. I think it will be a fun thing to do! I'm really excited!!

After my meeting, I went back to AJY before another meeting I had. Heidi came in not too much later than I did so we talked for a little bit. My next meeting was with my Hausmeister (house manager). I had to sign a form because AJY had not yet done that. My Hausmeister's office is in Heidi's building so she went with me. THANK GOODNESS SHE WAS THERE!!! The Hausmeister was so confusing and when he talked, he mumbled. It was really hard to understand what he wanted me to do/what he was asking me. His office was also really smokey smelling which made it hard to focus.

When I finally finished with that, Heidi and I went to her place and just talked for awhile. It was a little rainy outside so we didn't really want to walk around. She showed me a Bayern (Bavaria) poem book that had Bayerische Deutsch in it. They have a different dialect in Bavaria and Heidi just loves it. Pretty interesting!!

I hadn't had ice cream on the Hauptstrasse since I've been here, so I really wanted to get something! We stopped at an EisCafe and I got Spaghetti Eis! It's one of my favorites! They make the ice cream look like noodles and then they top it with strawberry sauce and coconuts. It really looks like spaghetti, but without the meatballs! YUM! While we were sitting in the ice cream shop, we noticed another man was there too. Turns out, it was the guy who dresses up in all gold. I actually have a picture of him from a few years ago. Pretty cool! I guess you can't really do that job when it rains because then your paint would get everywhere! It was cool because he had on normal clothes, but his feet, arms, hands, and face were all really gold!

When I got home, Julia was fixing dinner and asked if I would eat with her. Of course! It was free! She just made pasta with cheese and tomatoes. I thought it was really yummy. Keith ate with us too, so it was nice that we were all together! I took a brief nap after dinner. I was exhausted! I tried to read Sisterhood of hte Traveling Pants, but couldn't keep my eyes open!!

The place where I live (Europahaus III) had a little get-together at 9. We were all going bar hopping together. I was really excited to meet some of the other people who live where I do. There were more international students than I had thought! Keith and I only stayed long enough to go to the first bar. We were both so tired! It was ok though, because we stayed at the first bar for quite awhile. I got to talk to a few guys and one is from California but is now living in Germany. Last year he was an international student, but now he's a German student! I also saw two girls from AJY at that bar and I got to talk to one of them for awhile. I felt so awkward at times because I was the only one not drinking, but I didn't really care. I am waiting until Saturday when I'm 21!!!

On our way home, Keith asked if I wanted to get something to eat. I wasn't really that hungry, but he suggested Pizza Hut and it sounded pretty good! So we stopped in and ordered a pizza. It was nice because we just got to talk and hang out. I ordered water (without carbonation) and it came in a huge bottle that cost 4 Euros! Never again!