Only in Germany

Well, my week started off on an odd note. I went to Choir, and they've hired a mad man to warm up our voices. I'd say we did maybe 3 scales and that was it. The rest of the time was spent hitting ourselves and each other. I know what you're thinking, but I haven't lost my mind yet. We were instructed to standing in comprimsing strecth positions and hit our ribs cages, arms, legs and beat our chests like Tarzan. After self-inflicting pain, we got to turn around to the person next to us and hit them on their backs. Germany is a confusing place to be...

When buying milk I came across the Lego exhibition. The above picture is entirely made of Lego. There were also Roman and Greek Temples in Lego, Freiburg Ciry in Lego, New York in Lego and needless to say a lot of people with time on their hands. But it did make my trip for the cheapest milk (61c) worth my while. I've yet to beat 61c for milk but I hear there's a Penny Mart where it's 60c, How exciting!

Thomas's wife has visited him, she looks about 14 so they are well matched. Ian asked if I knew if it was a "shotgun marriage", we haven't asked out of politeness but now we're curious. It's nice to have a girl around the place. We get on great even though we have no common language, which is probably why we get on so well...there's a thought.

The bells are tolling! (the bells, the bells!) It's wonderful to hear them...even at 2am but you get over it pretty quick. The sound of them is awesome when you stand in the Rathaus Square or at the Munster (The Cathedral). Here's a smaple of what you hear most of the time when it's on the hour. Ok, so I wan't born a professional camera man, I don't quite get the whole taking a video thing (Ask Jenny) but here's what the bells sound like and how bad I am with a camera. Enjoy!

Just a general update!

Well, that's the state of my elevator! It's scarier in real life but here's just a taste of it's scariness!

Life is good in Freiburg at the moment! All been college related but it was Jude's birthday on Saturday, so we headed out and celebrated it in The Stusie! It's the club next to my apartment. It has three floors; popular floor, punk, rock and techo floor and mellow floor! It's a bit of an odd place. The main dance area is like a town hall with a projector screen in it. They have an...ecletive taste in music from wedding floor emptiers, the not so hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s, German anthems and then the odd recognisable song.

As some of you know the clocks changed on Saturday night (when we were out) so when it came to 2am the clocks were put back to 1am, therefore the club was open until 4am (previosuly 5am). I got home around 4.30am(5.30) and decided it would be a good time to decorate the apartment with the Halloween decorations that Mum sent me. So after Halloween-ifying the kitchen I went to bed and slept til 2pm.

I came into the kitchen to find me floormates staring with awe at the kitchen (that kind of awe that you can't tell if it's good or bad...it turned out to be good) They called me crazy and then said I was mental when I toldthem when I did it.

I found out I was on bathroom duty *shudder*. I share with three boys who cleaning is an alien concept to. So I scrubbed the tiles, showers, three sinks, two toilets til they bled and until I semlt like bleach and lemony fresh. The place gleamed. I cannot find the words to describe my horror when I saw the bathroom an hour after I cleaned it. Boys are monsters!

After doing the bathroom, it turned out I was on cleaning the kitchen duty. I mopped, scrubbed, bleached, brushed, disinfected, shined, washed, scraped, sponged and made the kitchen sparkle. The oven caused gagging and the maggot (Singular, I know there's more of them out there) I found; I befriended in hopes of him telling me where the rest of them are. The kitchen looked great, then the 7 monsters came in and began cooking; the aftermath looked like they had a food fight with some apes. So I stormed in and "Mother Goose"ed them to bits, they began cleaning slowly with pouts while I watched over them *whipcrack!*

In other news, there are NO nice dresses in Freiburg. The dresses I could find are frilly, frumpy, floor length, neon lime, retine burning, poufy, sequined, shoulder padded disasters! I thought I could buy one in hope of making a "statement" with it...but...even I couldn't pull that off! So I went and bought a dress off the net

http://www.warehouse.co.uk/fcp/product/fashion/Dresses/GRECIAN-EMPIRE-PROM/11059w.warehouse.co.uk/fcp/product/fashion/Dresses/GRECIAN-EMPIRE-PROM/11059

It's beautiful! (oh and if you're wondering, this is for my 21st birthday, I'm not just spending my food money on dresses)

That's pretty much all my news; off to choir in an hour!

Talk to you soon,

xHx

The First week in College.

Well, That was fun! I've made friends (go me!).

<----- That's my student booklet ---->

Romantic Poetry = amazing

Renegotiating American Identity = Run by a scary woman who spent an hour explaining how coutries, even though they are invaded by another country still are their own nation and that they are individuals. Then she askes if there were any British people in the class. I didn't move, she looks confused and says "we do have a British person here, where's Helen Regan from Ireland" I said I was Irish not British to which she replied "Yeah, you're part of England" I think she's missed the point of her own lecture.

How to Read Images: is also pretty awesome. We look at different ads, films and TV shows and see how images and themes are portrayed in them. I made a comment on a ad that was disgustingly sexist and she cut across me during my main point and said "Here, Ladies and Gentlemen, is your class raging feminist". She is also a "raging feminist" so we seem to get along. The boys in my class are now petrified of talking :) I like when I make some sort of impact.

Baby German Lessons: Ich Heisse Helen, Ich komme aus Irland, Ich spreche englisch. And I can also name parts of the classroom. My homework for next week is to be able to say lamp in German (Die lampe...if my article is wrong, I don't care...I face death next week if I don't know the article by then..until then I shall tempt fate)

The International residence association: full of third year, medicine students there for the booze and the free food so not many international students hung around as all the old residents formed groups and wouldn't talk to anyone. Awkward. I lasted an hour of talking to three French boys that were nice when they spoke English but when they spoke French they weren't as nice; they talked about my long legs, and appearance of other body parts...all very nice comments but awkward as hell. People should really ask about what languages I speak before they start talking in another language) but the last straw was after trying one of the cold-ketchup-filled-meatballs...I left.

Overall, a good week; I made friends, I spoke German. I bought a clock that ticks so loud I can hear it from the kitchen. So all in all....yeah, fun times

My First Day In German College!

Hallo!

I feel like I'm five again! I am beaming with delight at the day. First of all, I had to go to sign up for my German classes, and also my German test. Which is another story! So I'm all sorted German wise, the advice I was given for the test was "just write you name". So that's what I'm doing for every question.

I met a nice Romanian girl outside my lecture room who lit up when she heard I was Irish and talked about green fields for the next ten minutes. She said she was doing my course but when we all went in so waved at me and walked away.

Our lecturer is fabulous! And started off the class by pairing us together and making us find out each other's name, what we study and somethign quirky about us. I was paired who a girl called Jenny whose quirk was that she gives things so owns names; her coffee maker Dell, Her Ipod, Joey and Peter...her sponge. She decided that the quirkiest thing about me was that I was from Ireland. I dunno.

The other students are a mixture of those who lied about their English language skills, those who are fluent (me and two australians) and Germans who find the most obscure images and metaphors hidden in the poetry we're studying. For example, "abortion" is the most prevalent issue in Blake's "London". Our lecturer stood with his mouth open scanning the poem and just looked up with a confused expression and in a squeaky voice said "no". Much to the amusement of the class.

My lecturer loves me cuz I'm great (Modesty was never something I counted amongst my traits). Jan (We're on first name terms) asks me my opinion on everything he asks because I've "very good at analysing" and I have "unique input". The Australian Girls don't like me so much as Jan corrected one of them and said they should follow in my footsteps and stop translating the poem literally. Jan asked me to attend his Experimental Drama course to provoke debate in the class. See! He really does think I'm great :)

The German test. Well, I actually didn't have to take the test, thanks be to goodness! But the "absolute beginners" (Nothing to do with vodka) were taken on a tour of the SLI buildings and room which are the language rooms. After this we were seperated into different groups, my group consisted of Spanish girls and smelly boys, they actually smelt, I'm not just being immature. So we spent an hour and a half learning how to say our names and where we came from. There was no common language, not even German so it was pretty difficult. After the hour and a half, the teacher became so confused she just told us to leave. A good start! So I'm surprisingly ahead of the class, I know, me! Thanks to Kinnie's help I am the top student! Yet, I still haven't advanced beyond saying my name but we all have to start somewhere.

It's bucketing outside now. I confused an American girl by saying it was spitting outside as we were leaving to which she ran out of the buiding shouting "CUT IT OUT THAT'S DISGUSTING". I had to explain no one was actually spitting on her. She smiled and said "I love the Irish"

God knows.

x

Ok, so...

Well, I am wide awake and this is probably the latest I have been up in Frieburg (Ok, so it doesn't have a booming night life). I've butterflies which presumably is due to the fact I finally start classes tomorrow (well in 9 hours). Also, I have to take my German Assessment Test which I have to pay for to find out that I really don't have a word of German.

Today, I was given great news! Felix has moved out of our floor, that's not the good news; he was an excellent cook. The good news is that his bitchy girlfriend went with him! YAY! So now I can go into the kitchen without feeling her icy glare on my back! However, this means that my floor mates are now: Tomas, Konstantin, Ian, Adrian, Terry, Stefan and Daniel. Anyone else notice what I'm getting at? Yes, I am the only girl (eep) and Konstantin has given me the nickname of "Mother Goose" even though I haven't been in any way motherly to any of them! Konstantin said I should look on the bright side that (he yawns, stretches and looks around the room) I'm surrounded by 7 good looking men. A sweet but perhaps dillusional thought...

Also, I came into the kitchen to met my new floor mates Stefan who greeted me with "You must be Helen that everyone is talking about" I'm never too sure how to respose to that sort of statement...

I spent my day reading whiny novels written by angry lesbians and angry women who want to be lesbians, they've even written books about it (the dedication is however to their husbands...God knows.) Then I went to Choir, which was fabulous! We're doing a version of a Laudate Dominum, and Agnus Dei and something else which has slipped from my memory. I met a nice girl who's perfume made me sneeze so I think a distant relationship with her will be for the better.

We're performing in November in a church somewhere, also in January I think. They speak German to me but I get the general jist of things. But I heart my choir. There's a guy that looks like Friar Tuck with a nervous twitch where he tries to suck in the room through his teeth. The conductor is a fabulous character, very passionate and looks to be at least 8 months pregnant but is in fact a man. So overall, a thumbs up for the Romanische Choir!

Right, I'm going to inject some sleepy tea into my system, cold sleepy tea as someone has run off with the kettle. I'm going to put up missing posters around the floor until he comes back, Tea just isn't the same without him...

I met a cat today, that is white and looks like was hit woth black and orange paint. He's going to be my Coco incarnate, I have named him Herr Coco. I thought it sounded authentic.

Good night!

SURPRISE!!!

As few of you know, I arrived home for a surprise visit. What can I say people just can't live without me and were falling apart. So once again, I saved the day. Ok, I might be exaggerating just that little bit but you're all too far away to give out to me!

Most interesting and shocking thing about arriving home would have to be the 184 bus driver buying me a cup of coffee, cuz I "look like i needed it". Compliment? I think not. But FREE coffee!

There was tears, laughther, confusion and door slamming (Thanks Ciarán) at my arrival. I'm really sorry if I didn't get ti see you, I had a bit of a hectic time trying to organise everything! If you did see me, please don't tell UCD that you did!

Ryanair has out done themselves, the flight to Dublin, had ads playing the entire time and the new "Ryanair" jungle which has suicidal side effects. It's awful! Then ads for the Ryanair lotto, their new sexy girl calender with girls lying on airplane wings,Ryanair wine, duty free, free flights, girls, rent-a-car, the jingle, lotto, girls, wine, duty free, jingle. By the time I got off the plane, I was an alcoholic, road raged, high flyer, girl crazy, lotto manic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e6v8JvQWzA There's a terrible recording of it but you get the jist

The Flight from Dublin was eventful, My crotch zip set off the mental detector, which lead to some unpleasant and unwanted touching. I also had a at least had half a pig in sausages from Hick's (thanks mum!) which induced a bag search which they found my sandwiches which they claimed were the "suspicious" items.

I arrived back to my room about 12.30 a.m. I was greeted by Pharoah (My fish) at the door. I didn't know fish were homing pets but he was outside my door, asleep (Not dead, which I had initially thought). Konstantin was minding him, and had changed his water twice which he was quite happy about. I refrianed from telling him that this fish doesn't like his water being changed (The pet shop woman told me...I'm trying hard not to kill this fish)

Isn't he Pretty? --->

Freiburg is the same as I left it. I have a new floor mate who is lovely. Honestly, lovely. I wanted to hug him the minute I met him. I wants be a primary school teacher. But...BUT...he is MARRIED and I am older than him. My mouth dropped when he told me (clearly, I was coming on too strong, lol), I had to turn the mouth drop into a very forced yawn. So now all the roomsare full...I am the only girl, who is meant to be here. I'm really hoping I've miscounted the rooms as I would LOVE to have another female in the place. Other than the bitchy girlfriend of one of the guys.

I made around 10 potato cakes today, it took me two hours. You must be confused as to why. I had to mash the potatoes with a fork, a dessert fork. The only clean fork I could find. So, after two hours, I had pretty much gone off eating them. So a salad it is!

I'm off to try shove my potato cakes into the crammed freezer. Fun times.

x x

Reasons Why I Love My Family

I actually couldn't find a photo with all five of us in it! (Sorry Mum). I came home to find a package sticking out of my letter box, with perhaps a quarter of it actually in my box.

A PACKAGE FROM HOME! They remember me!
Oh the excitement was unbearable!

I love my family.

The parcel contained:

1) 4 Yellow Clothes Pegs, 2 white, 4 red, 2 green and one blue.
2)A green Ribbon!
3)Leather gloves
4)A hat
5)A reflective belt for my bag, let's just face facts, I will be hit by a bike. So let's not be too surprised when you get a phone call from A+E.
6)Lovely little notes and a threatening one from Beast :)
7) A Yellow Highlighter
8)Two pairs of tights (Thank God. As I've destroyed at least three pairs already)
9)A Blue biro
10) A little wooden rabbit
11) And a spot light that plugs into my Laptop. Which I'm pretending is a wand.

I'm wearing all that I can, including the clothes pegs.

I.love.my.family.

oh! I just put my hand in my glove to find sewing thread! They know me too well :)

Things I've noticed...

I enjoy making observations while I'm here. Such as my municipal library has four copies of "Das Boot" in their DVD collection, rather than the measly two copies of it in their VCR section.Germany is a fascinating country. There's three things that have recently caught my attention; Germany's population of odd people, Germany's vast range of questionable fashion and Germany's sadistic water system.

I'm not one to judge "odd" people but Germany truly excels in the range of odd people.

There's the "forever young" rockers that sit on grass with their dogs, usually vicious looking pitbulls or alsatians. They usually are coverd in piercings and must be a delight to deal with at the airport mental detector. They usually mumble, or shout at passer byers or just take drugs right in front of you which is always that little bit unnerving when you're sitting on the tram with them.

There's the "Bin scavengers". These people are middled aged, well dressed people who poke in bins and eat what they find. I have seen this in all age groups. It seems perfectly normal and no one seems to bat an eyelid when people take things out of the bin and then proceed to eat whatever they find! Perhaps it's out of politeness or fear, I have no idea but my eyes are still out on sticks. People also collect cigarettes off the street or bins which are still lit...I think bin scavenging is an acquired taste.

The "Head Shakers". This group is mainly women who can be offended by anything at all. You know when you have offended when they start to shake their heads at you and loudly tisk you.

It's funny but when you smile the shaking increases with heart breaking scolds.

Then there are just crazy people. I mean this in the nicest way possible. These people are the ones that ram people with the shopping trolleys, make noises behind you like the dead woman form "The Grudge", bang sauce pans in the street (wherever they get them) and shout at people in wheelchairs to walk. Luckily, for me, these people mainly use a mixture of French and English so I can understand fully what they are saying. And rightfully be scared the hell out of.

Fashion:

Fashion is something that seemed to have missed Freiburg entirely. If you can see that photo it's a picnic blanket that has been fashioned into a pair of trousers. You can only guess the horror I see everyday if this is what they sell in shops!

The 80s came and stayed here. Though this isn't the "cool" revival of clothes from the 80s that Dublin is currently going through. These are clothes that were kept from the 80s and are still worn. The clothes that have survived from the 80s are retina-burning tracksuits and hideously eye tricking patterns. Pop socks are also wore with short skirts so there's smooth, tanned legs up until there calf and then it's bare leg up to the thighs, when the skirt occasionally begins, but we are not always so lucky.

Skirts are either long or like belts. I get distasteful looks for wearing my knee length skirts and dresses but then again I can never tell if they're just judging me and remarking to themselves that I look like Heidi. Which has happened!

The Sadistic Water System:

Ok, I am very much pro-a nice working and efficient water system. It gives cold, lukewarm, tepid, warm, hot and scolding water depending where you move the tap to. There is no medium. You must choose what you want and it provides the temperature immediately. This doesn't work so well with me. I've been scolded by all the taps I have come across in Freiburg!

My shower is a cruel mistress. It chooses to be very warm and nice but at rapid intervals it goes scolding hot or freezing cold for 2 seconds; giving you time to scream and then realise it's all back to normal. It'll do this for the duration of your shower. Also the air in the bathroom moves the shower curtain so it sticks to you! So I devised a plan to keep it down by placing shampoo bottles. It works but when you get shocked by the shower, i usually end up out of the shower or tangled in the shower curtain. Life is hard.

Wedding Friday

Ok, so seeing a wedding is always an impressive event, even if you're not invites. Today, I saw not one, not two but 6 weddings. Each wedding was..unique in it's own right.

The Greek Wedding:

We arrived too late but we met this wedding as they were having their champagne reception under some trees in the sunlight. The Bride was wearing white, however they were all different types of white. Her shawl was pure white, her boddess a creamy white and her skirt was a yellow white. It was an..interesting combination. The Groom wore a suit that was a least two times too large for him, but he had immaculate curls so that forgave everything. They had hired a woman to play an accordian, she wore a head band and looked like something from Braveheart and sprang about. Half way through a song she started shouting and another woman appeared , put down her shopping basket and took the accordian. The Groom was smoking constantly and the Bride kept burning her hand off his cigarette when she wanted to hold his hand. His cigarette was nervously close to her dress, however I still haven't decided if it would have been a good thing or a bad thing if it did catch fire....provided she wasn't in it.

The Red Wedding:

This couple did not vote for the champagne reception so they were quickly marched out of the Rathaus(Town Hall) and into their cars. The bride wore a bright red dress with a red veil which made the whole outfit look rather sinister. Her Groom was difficult to recognise and she marched out holding hands with two men. I don't know what's legal in Germany but I was impressed. The Mother of the Bride wore a long white dress which looked much like the Greek Bride's dress but all in the same colour. That wedding was a bit confusing to observe.

The White Wedding:

The Bride of this wedding wore traditional white and a nice long dress, the Groom was identifiable. But the Bride or Groom did not win the prize. A small boy at the reception got more attention than the Bride or Groom. And rightly so, He ran about the place with a heart shape balloon and he was wearing pixie wings. The photographer ignored the couple and ran after his cupid-pixie.

The Second Red Wedding:

Don't you hate it when you turn up to an event and someone is wearing the same thing as you? Especially when it's your wedding. So we had a second wedding with a different bride but the same red dress. Oh dear. Again, the Groom was not clear to the eye but presumably he was in fact there. The wedding came and went pretty quickly like the red wedding before. All very suspicious.

The Silk Suits Wedding:

Everyone down to the two mothers of the Bride and Groom wore silk white suits. The Bride on the otherhand arrived wearing a meringue which she let trail around in the gutters. The Groom wore black and looked out of place. The Bride needed a two small boys in white, silk suits and one small girl in a sil, white dress to carry her trail and also to help her into doors by holding up the hoop of her dress.

The Teacher's Wedding:

Once the Meringue Bride disappeared into the church, 30 children arrived to the courtyard. One of which I wanted to steal, he wore a navy knitted vest, white shirt and the smallest tie I have ever seen in my life. But the sweet thing was he was carrying a small guitar which strummed as he walked. Every child had a sign with writing on it: "how many legs does a catepillar have?" and other questions. Their pockets were bulging with poppers. Two women organised the children into lines and sent in two boys into the Rathaus. The boys came flying out, shouting "they're coming! they're coming". Out of the Rathaus comes a Bride who is wearing knee high, brown, suede boots, a mini, skin tight wedding dress and a long white trench coat. The Groom wore a morning suit. The children erupted in cries, cheers and bangs (the poppers). And my favourite little man stepped forward and started strumming away on his guitar, bless.

So Friday seems to be a good day to get married. I looked it up but there doesn't seem to be a tradition to get married on a Friday but I'm going to ask locally and see if they say other wise!

Part 3

Yesterday started off as a bad day but greatly improved! I got up terribley early to go to my appointment with my Erasmus English seminar co-ordinator. I knocked on her door and wait, no reply, I try the door, locked. So I hang about a little while and I see a teenie-tiny note on her door saying "Something in German but amounts to that she won't be in today". So off I go to an internet cafe to try sort out my courses, I've gotten 4 out of the 15, I need to take. Yes, 15. I think I need to talk about that to the Co-ordinator as there aren't 15 lectures that i can take.

Orientation was boring yesterday, I got to sit through 2 hours of German instructions on how to use a computer. But Iwaited as afterwards there was a tour of the city. Finally, it ended and I got talking to a nice girl called Anja.Who couldn't believe I was Irish and started laughing hysterically and told me to speak in Irish, which I did and She still wouldn't believe me as I didn't sound like I came from Kerry. Luckily enough, A man from Laois came over and asked a few questions and verified I was in fact from Ireland. Our city tour was in english, thank goodness.I met a girl from Scotland called Jude, again I met someone who has some sort of song reference to do with their name.

Our tour guide showed us a "good" Irish pub and told us that the Irish are crazy; "They have this big Greenand they wear hats". Then I'm called upon as the token Irish person.

Tour guide: You know of this Green party?
Me: eh...yes. are we talking politics?

Tour guide: HAHA you are so funny, you Irish. Do you wear hats at this Green party?

Me: The Irish are known to wear hats occassionally.

Tour guide: Oh you are too much, you Irish.

The group was greatly amused until the tour guide found out that the Green party was in fact called St.Patrick'sday; "that is not a funny name though" The tour ended in a pub where I asked for a small coke and got a 500ml tankard of coke at an extorionate price.Jude and I got on extremely well and we met a Swedish couple who also don't speak German so we got in Swimmingly!

On the tram home, a baby started making faces at me. He was adorable and I felt much obligied to make faces back and gestures. The mum asked me a question, and the baby answered all surrounding laughed. I still have no idea what was going on.

I went for my walk and looked up at the mountains. There was a black curtain cascading down the side of the Swartzwald. Then the Thunder came, then lightening. So putting two and two together I began to run as I was twenty minutes away from home. The black curtain came sweeping in with a black mist running through the trees.Just as I got to my door, there was a massive crash of lightening and thunder and the heavens opened.

The rain was torrential; I'm very glad I'm on the 6th floor as the bottom floor is bound to be flooded

Part 2

I went to get my internet todaysurprisingly it was there, brought it home, didn't work, brought it back, the woman says "Oops I forgot to tell you, it won't work til Thursday! God loves a trier.

All good here. Lacking in sleep at the moment. Pharoah is not a good sleeper. In fact, he spends most of his time sucking at peebles, then he drops them making noise. So I'm missing my beauty sleep and looking like something from a train wreck. But Pharoah is still looking perfect.

Orientation began on Monday. Every single tricks, tips and advice are in German (Obviously) much to my disappointment. I met a nice American at a map of the city when I was trying to find the same buidling as her. Her name is Katelin and is from Oklahoma (oooooooooklahoma). I find it impossible not to sing tunes of the hit musical "Oklahoma". However, to try maintain at least one friendship I shall resist. The English Department were taken on a tour of the University's English library (the vast majority of books are written in German...just my luck), the tour was given in German so now I am expert in what most Germans are trying to say with their hands. I'm picking up on key words so that's a bonus. Being thrown into the deep end is a understatement! People love the Irish over here. Everytime I mention that I'm Irish, their eyes light up and go "awwwwh, you are Irish, I love the Irish!" In their best foreign accent they can muster. Clarice from Singpore said all she knew about Ireland was that we have leprechauns. I laughed and she asked if I had seen one, I said I've seen a couple laughing. She's telling her boyfriend tonight that she knows a girl who has seen leprechauns. I haven't the heart to tell her the truth.

I met many nice people. The English Department consists of Germans, Irish(ME!), Swedish, Iranian, Singaporean, Russia and some other nationality that I was told but his accent was so thick that it could have been anything. My Iranian friend, Goanze...or something (it's the name of a flower) and I get along swimmingly! We talked of Joyce, Shaw and Wilde. Then she asked me where I learnt my German, I said I hadn't. She still is a little confused but that. My nodding and smiling is THAT convincing. Clarice (from Singapore) said I was the nicest person she had met all day! Clearly, she hasn't known me long enough. Clarice has never cooked a meal in her life and nor has her mother. Her mother works so it's cheaper to eat out every night in Singapore. I was a tad worried about her food but she told me not to worry as she can make instant noodles...well, thank God for that.It's a horrible thing to say but it's nice when you meet other ERASMUS and International students who are struggling just like you.And here's the horrible part, the ones who are struggling more really make you feel that little bit more organised and confident.

The sunset today was absolutley stunning. I went for an energetic walk and saw a swan take on a dog. The dog lost and the swan then went for the dog's owner. I'm avoiding all German swans, just in case I encounter that one. Today, I got my non-working internet and I went off to Seebrug. It's extremely pretty but a bit empty atthis time of year as it's more of a summer town with a big lake and boating houses. The train ride was good though.We past through Titisee and one of our stops was at Aha, yes, just like the band. So for the entire day I wassinging "Take on Me". Finding Aha in Germany got rid of those internet blues!

I met a new floormate when I got back. He came into the kitchen holding a bleeding leg of some sort ofanimal, no joke. Then he proceeded to shake my hand...the cross-contanmination in that kitchen was unbearable.Although, he was carrying some part of a dead animal, Daniel seems lovely.

That's all from me at the moment! How's Ireland holding up without me?

Talk to you soon, Helen x

Freiburg 1

Montag: We arrived (Mum and I) to Baden-Baden Airpark at 11ish at night. We were soon to learn that everything in Baden-Baden and Freiburg closes at 9 o'clock in the evening. Which makes life difficult when you are trying to find the bus stop to take you into town or to get into your hotel. Once we (mum) established where we were meant to be, we ended up on a bus going through the pitch black German country-side. I'd love to comment on the scenery, however we could not see beyond the window pane as we drove. The bus left us at Baden-Baden Busbahnhof where we got a taxi to the hotel. The taxi was lovely but it automatically locks its doors once the engine starts up. The sound of the doors locking put quite a sinister tone to the car journey. The driver proved to be innocent and very helpful. The hotel was completely closed up for the night with a note on the door stating "Those that arrive to the Hotel Regent after 9o'clock must go to the Monti Cristo restaurant". So off I went to the restaurant where my feeble German language skills and lots of smiling earned our key to the hotel. After clambering up the stairs of the hotel and using the lift that didn't enjoy the weight of my suitcases, we opened the door into a room that would have been trés chic in the 80s but now the brown wood and peach paint decor had lost much of its appeal. However, there was a plastic flower in a small vase on top of the television that gave the room a little more je ne sais quai. The pillows seemed to be mainly pillow case but at some point I fell asleep, I only know this as mum said I snored. In my memory I was awake all night.

Dienstag: We went off on a little tour of Baden-Baden. It's a gorgeous little town with beautiful buildings. I wore a little blue dress and a pink shirt; Mum said I looked like Heidi. I ignored this comment as we left the hotel. So off we went and took pictures of boxes (they were Dolce and Gabana...don't ask) and looked at all the pretty alleys and fountains that Baden-Baden had to offer. While trying to cross a road a car drives past us, a woman's voice calls out in a sing-song tone: HEIDI!!!. Needless to say my blue dress and shirt combo will not be leaving the wardrobe while I reside in Freiburg. We hopped onto our train to Freiburg, Mum claims she saw Ikea on the journey. I'm yet to be convinced. The train journey is very pleasant with views of the agriculture and stereotypical German houses which are oh so cute.The train journey was disappointingly short. Off the train and onto the tram towards Landwasser. At Am BischofKreuz, Mum and I stood at the side of the road amazed at my ignorance to only have taken down my address and not a map. I was packing lightly! (cough) After awhile I spotted my road. Trying to find my super-intendant I came across a lovely man who kept calling me English, I was quick to correct him. Though he didn't stop calling me that...I think it's secretly endearing. Finally, we were directed to my super-intendant, Schlupp! He handed me a key and that was that. We found my apartment block surrounded by bushes and trees. The lift up to my floor is like something from the rough end of the Ghetto. However, we arrived to my white, clean floor. My room was a white room which has now be "helen-afied". Frieburg city is a mixture of modern build and stunning old buildings. The Cathedral is breath-taking and at 12p.m everyday there is an amazing 10minute bell ringing of every tower that has a bell. The sound is phenominal. We went around the shops and picked up a few things to make my room a bit more homely. That evening we had Schnitzel! I think it would only be advisable to have schinitzel once every two years as the salt alone would kill you. Mum booked herself into a nice little hotel (Am Bischofs Linden) near my accomodation. The hotel is much loved, each corrider is covered in many different types of rugs. The art work is much like what you would find in a hunting lodge. The "great wind" came which was pretty immpressive and has lasted. I slept my first night in my accomodation with the help of many sleepy floral drops which taste like you've just licked a tree.

Mittwoch: I got up early and went about my business (without Mum, cuz I'm a big girl...and also that she wouldn't go with me). I went to The Resident Registration Office, where there were THOUSANDS of people. I didn't cop on that we needed a ticket to wiat. Once I figured that out, I pressed the button for (of course) the wrong line. I was called to an office immediately. Rather pleased with myself, I march into the office to be quickly marched right back out. The man was NOT understanding and made a scene using German words I had never heard, handed me a ticket, stormed away and left me humiliated with the room looking at me. I sat on the floor to wait which seemed to cause more of a stir than the man storming about the place. I was then given a form that was entirely in German which I thought I might cry at but them realised the sheet would just get uncomfortable. So I asked around and got a man to translate the form! I was finally called to an office which was covered with pictures of a dog in frames and from a4 - a1 sizes. I was told I wouldn't be a resident til Thursday and to come back. After 2 hours of waiting I wasn't much pleased to hear that. That afternoon Mum and I went on the Bus E up to the Tram-lift that takes you up into the depths of the Black Forest. Unfortunately the lift was in use due to the "great wind". We ended up on the wrong bus home and found ourselves in Horben which is like a toy town; every window has a flower box and in the distance you can see Maria from The Sound of Music springing around the hills(Yes, I know it was set in Austria). The bus took us back home and we went to an Italian restaurant where the waiter spoke to us in French, German, English and Italian.

Donnerstag: I became a resident of Freiburg! (GO TEAM). Proud of myself, I went off to college to matriculate. To my surprise they told me I wasn't an Erasmus student, then I was an Erasmus student, Then an Erasmus student for only 5 months, that I wasn't a resident, that I was one, that I was in fact an Erasmus Student for 10 months and to join this line that I wasn't meant to be in. Finally, they took money off me and gave me a student book that looks like a ration booklet from the war. Then we went to the Swedish furniture haven that is Ikea and got pretty things for my room. My room is now very cosy and colourful and is equipped with a nature table that has branches, my crisanthnum "Chris",a few gourdes, sand from Sandycove, a wooden ladybird and conkers. My roomates don't "get me". After Ikea, We went to Titisee(!) which is like a postcard with wooden house and a shop full of Christmas decorations and Cuckoo Clocks. However, it is not the famous shop with 1,000 cuckcoo clocks. But I will go there on my next adventure. Titisee has a small lake that you can rent little boats on and has very hungry ducks who liked me as I had bread crumbs(just in case I get lost!)

Freitag; Mum left today :( But we went up Schlossberg which was where there was an old French fort. You get a tram-lift up to one level of the hill, which is good fun.Schlossbeg was once massive and now the ruins are there with a viewing tower where you can see the entire city with all its beautiful spires. I gave the wrong directions to the viewing tower but luckily we ended up on a (steep) beautiful woody path. The view is amazing from this hill. The colour of the leaves at the moment are a vibrant green and a royal gold. The walk down the hill is much easier than the way up (thank goodness). We went to see the Freiburg Cathedral in more detail as there is usually a market there everyday but today was a national holiday: The reunion of Germany. Then Mum left, I went to the tram stop with her. It was not fun at all. Then I was left at the stop by myself....there's that awkward moment of "what'll i do now" and the fumbling of feet so off I went to my room to listen to one of my floormates fighting with his girlfriend(They could have just been talking but I'm still not familiar with the intonation of German. Who knows). I hand washed some of my clothes, my purple socks ran...rookie mistake of doing purple socks in with white underwear. I now know. And my underwear is a constant reminder. Samtag: Today my room-mate moved in with me. His name is Pharoah and he is a German goldfish. He lives on my bookshelf and is a bit narcissitic as he stares at his reflection all the time. There's a small communication barrier between us at the moment. He speaks German and I'm only starting to learn the language. He can say "momma", he says that a lot actually by opening and closing his mouth. I left Pharoah to settle into his new Ikea glass house with fashionable white pebbles. My room is 3 minutes away from a leisure park (Seempark) with a lake that people, ducks and swans swin in, tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds, cafes, pubs, peddleboats, a wooden viewing tower, a bridge held up by buoys and views of mountains to die for. All the windows that I have access to have a view of The Black Forest. From the kitchen, you can see the mist coming down through the trees. My room faces the setting sun so every evening turns my room golden. I'm settling in really well and I've three floors-mates Ian (American, who looks like a stereotypical German), Konstantin(German, who looks Spansih or French) and Felix(German who looks like Groucho Marx). I've orientation this week which will hopefully orientated myself a little more. I've a bus pass that can go as far as to the border of Switzerland. So I hope to get to somewhere new every weekend. I hope I haven't bored you too much with my news. I finally got internet so I got a little excited by the prospect of communication with people! Especially that most of you will reply in English!

Hope you're well, Love, Helen x