Second Blog Post (These titles are really testing my creativity)

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So, I’ve been rather reluctant to write another one of these, because really I am not so sure I can outshine my last post; it is very possible my blogging career has peaked, and from here on out I’ll be just a shadow of what I once was. Alas, with some Milka chocolate to guide me, (and my wit) I just might make it through yet. Forealdoe, I have 10 different chocolate bars next to my bed right now. It’s only .69 cents for a huge bar and there are so many options; I’m currently sweet on (pun intended) the Oreo and Chip’s Ahoy bars. The chocolate here is so incredible, it’s like this; the German reject chocolate, a.k.a the stuff you get in the States when your parents are too cheap to buy you real Easter egg candy (this was my entire childhood-shout out Dad), is still better than our finest Hershey bar out there. Not to mention how much better Nutella tastes here and how much cheaper it is too.

As of late, I have been strongly considering starting a game show entitled “How Many Basic Things is it Possible for Cat to have no Idea About”. Last blog, I told y’all I didn’t know Portugal had beaches (humiliation at its purest form-my readers deserve the truth), well, this week, we have learned yet another great thing. Turns out that Lord of the Rings was in fact not filmed in Ireland, but rather New Zealand. Who would have known? On the subject of Ireland, I have booked plane tickets to visit there for the week of St. Patrick’s Day and I am overwhelmed with excitement. You mean to tell me that I get to experience St. Patrick’s day with real Irish people (one’s that have great-grandaddys AND daddy’s that are both Irish) ?!?! That will definitely be a fun blog post to write about J.

I feel as if my honeymoon period has to an end. The orientation course ended, which means it’s time to start real classes that count for real grades (shout out LSU College of Business for not allowing pass/fail but rather hard earned grades). I have managed to keep my Monday’s free, which is awesome. I’m taking 3 classes for a total of 18 hours each week. Wed- Fri I take an intensive German language course. On Tuesdays I take a class in German consisting of topics each week that have to do with different components of Germany and directly after that class I am taking “European Integration” in English. That class consists of student presentations on various topics that center around Germany’s involvement in the EU and the UN and NATO and such. Really working towards shedding my ignorant American persona. I am playing Fußball and taking Zumba and Salsa dancing through the University this semester. I’m actually doing the salsa class with two friends from Spain, which seems a bit unfair if you ask me; I think their hips are born more flexible than mine.

We got tons of new “international” students recently, about 300 or so from different countries in Europe. The Italians and Spaniards are officially taking over Bonn. Everyone is really friendly and actually wants to talk to you for purposes of getting to know you while you’re in a bar having a drink (or eating a huge cheeseburger with your hands while your polite friend from Paris uses a fork and knife to cut her cheeseburger). I saw that happen, it wasn’t me, I’m just sayin.

It’s been really important for me to recognize the differences between my culture and the cultures of my new friends, while realizing the real treasure comes in finding the similarities we share with each other worldwide. Different does make one better or worse; it simply makes one different.

As of now, I find myself missing vegetables, so far it’s been freshman year all over again with double the amount of beer and bread and cheese and chocolate. Also, we are the headquarters of Haribo gummy bears, so this does not help out my situation. Whereas I am slowly learning how dependent Americans are on their cars, no amount of walking can account for the Kölsch or Döner intake. But seriously, I had to walk to the post office the other day, and the whole time I couldn’t help but think, “wow this would be so much faster with my car”. So it’s a different pace of life here, time is spent in ways that I never would have considered back home; but its been nice, to reflect on things and all that grand jazz.

For my signing off note I would like to say that German men certainly cannot dance, really, holding a beer in your hand and kind of bopping your head is a universal cry for dance moves help. Also, German music tends to be a buzz kill after a good throwback of Sean Paul or the Spice Girls in the club. AND people really do know all of the words to Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” it makes you feel like you’re instantly in a music video.



Coming up we got my 21^st bday (finally gonna see Cathi and Lukas), a trip to Berlin, and more Döner. #thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles #doyoumissmeordoyoumissme

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