Out with the old and in with the new

Now that I am more than half way done with my study abroad, I find myself more and more excited to be back on American soil (41 days and counting!). Which also means only 24 days until I get to see my dad and then only 30 to see my mom! I am counting down the days. Literally. There is a countdown timer on my phone in case I forget.

Germany has been amazing, don't get me wrong. But there are certain things you start to miss; being able to drive a car, being able to grocery shop on Sundays, being able to stream videos (most of the streaming sites don't have rights in Germany yet), and last but not least a good old American milkshake that is so thick it sort of hurts to suck through a straw. Yeah you know what I'm talking about... but when it finally reaches your mouth it is soooo good. Oh and In N' Out cannot be forgotten, aaand Mexican Food. And fruit that isn't shrink wrapped for freshness because it had to be shipped from very very far away.

Phew. I didn't take a breath while typing that entire paragraph, good thing I'm a fast typist huh?

Needless to say, the list does go on and on. But all of those things I could probably learn to deal with. What I miss the most is being able to talk to my mom on the phone every day when I need to, my bed at home (in a room that actually has curtains that block light), hugs from my dad, that no one else seems to be able to best, and most of all that sense of peace that comes from just being able to sit on a couch with your family and watch a movie...

So in homage to the homeland, I decided to spruce up the ol' blog for the final stretch. Reminded me a little bit more of home :)

P.S. Family members; feel free to write or skype at any time. If you didn't catch it; I MISS YOU

Quaint towns in France and the impending doom of finals week

That moment when you realize that studying abroad might actually require some studying... it's shocking and terrifying. This woman who has been reading me stories for two months expects me to write a five page paper in German about the stories? What?!?! And then she is going to give me a grade for it that will be on my transcript for the rest of my life? Let the panic commence.

Unfortunately it is getting to be that time, when I have to start to part with my life in Germany, one final exam at a time. The German education system is the sort that likes to lull you into a false sense of security with a semester sans homework or any apparent sort of grading system. Then BAM! Final exams are here to ruin your summer, and also possibly your impression of the German culture. Despite the fact that we still have a good four weeks until that dreaded time (thank God), I am finally realizing that maybe it's time to actually hit the books for the first time since I've arrived in this beautiful land of beer and brezeln. But I have been (and will continue to be) determined to get as much out of my study abroad as possible, despite that annoying studying bit. Enter; casual day trip to France.

Hopped on a train with some new (and old) buddies and approximately 2 hours later (and no train fare either woot woot!) we were in the (very) quaint town of Wissembourg. It's a charming place nestled in Alsace, just over the German border, with about 8,000 inhabitants on a good day. Despite it's small stature, it was definitely worth a free train ride to go see. Full of picturesque French cottages and a lovely little river, it definitely gives one the impression of true French countryside.

We spent some time, did some exploring, ate and drank (when in France...) then ate and drank some more. I even managed to order E'claires all on my own, it made me feel like a true Francophile. But after a long and lovely day it was back to Heidelberg and my own current version of "real life". Hopefully going to make it to Zurich soon, and only 27 more days until the fam begins to arrive! Can't wait to see their smiling faces. Oh and you know you've been in Germany for too long when you have dreams about eating Mexican food (which is illegal here). That is all. 

Au Revoir!

To Scotland and back again

To my more faithful readers; I apologize sincerely for the long wait between posts. I know that my titillating tales are the highlight of your respective weeks. But life has been busy overseas and blogging is hard on the move.
I finally made it to the ancestral home of the Montooth clan; Scotland (Edinburgh to be exact), and I must say it really did fee like coming home again. The Scottish people remind me of the fam; chatty, friendly, and a little bit inappropriate from time to time. I must say the entire trip made me feel quite adventurous. I traveled out of only a backpack (due to RyanAir's strict baggage regulations) wore one pair of jeans for four days, and stayed in a hostel for the first time. Much to my surprise (and relief) the hostel was amazing. It was cozy, the staff were helpful, and there were a lot of really interesting people to meet from all over the world.  The first night I arrived, I ended up in a pub (big surprise) for (super delicious) dinner. Anyway long story short, the bartender took a liking to us and we ended the night with about 14 free pints from the tap lines being cleaned out. Needless to say, it turned into a fun evening, and the perfect welcome to Scotland. In the morning (despite the hangover), it was off to the castle, to see the stone of destiny. Coolest thing ever. It's like the stone King Arthur pulled his sword out of, but real life version. I also visited the war memorial and found some (possible) distant relatives in the memorial books who gave their lives defending Scotland. I even found my family crest which was pretty neat. The next day it was off to Loch Ness and the Highlands to try and wrangle myself a monster. Unfortunately no Nessie, but I did see some unbelievable things, like these mountains;

Which are unfairly beautiful, and definitely helped to contribute to what I think might become a life long love affair with Scotland. On the last day of my trip I climbed Arthur's Seat, an inactive volcano, that overshadows Edinburgh. The views were breath taking of course, and cannot be done justice by a simple photograph. But here's one for trying's sake

It is a pretty high mountain it turns out, and I have to say that I was pretty damn proud of myself for making it to the top, so I asked a nice German man to snap a photo. 

On top of the world(ish) WOOHOO! :)

After that climb, I needed a pint and some food so I bravely ventured where few American's have gone before and sampled a bit of the local cuisine, a.k.a haggis. It. Was. Delicious. Must be my Scottish blood craving for it's mother land's food. Sadly in the morning, it was back to Germany and reality. Have to say though, being in an English speaking land where the people weren't so closed off really made me miss the good ol' US of A. So to cure my homesickness I made another little trip last weekend to Kaiserslautern to see our old friends the Birdsong/Doulaveris family. It was just what I needed. After catching up with (really) old friends, who I seemed to not skip a beat with, eating some home cooked meals and some good old fashioned American junk food, and holding a crisp new Jackson in my hand I feel much better. But I still can't wait to see my family again (49 days and counting) and set foot on American soil. In the mean time though I plan to make the most of my time here, and remember that I will most likely miss it a ton when I'm not here.