Immer lernen

So, since I have been here, class is definitely not the only place I have been learning!!! This is one of the things that I enjoy so much about living here so far...every new day brings something new for me to learn from others! The things I have learned outside of the classroom vary greatly and might surprise many back home...

For example, one of the first days I was here I was asked if I was married!!! This, of course, really caught me off guard...I mean I am used to people asking me if I have a boyfriend (which I do not), but to jump right to marriage & to be asked by a guy I had barely known two days made me wonder what had prompted the question. I tried not to show my shock and simply answered "No!?!" and asked what prompted he to ask me that. He pointed to my class ring that I wear (often backwards as it turns by itself quite frequently) on my right hand. I later found out from a little bit of research that in many eastern European countries, people wear there wedding band on their right ring finger. Then everything clicked, as he is from Poland!

I have also learned that while a number of us currently are suffering through the vast quantities of smoke when we go out to eine Kneipe (a bar), are suffering will be short lived!!! As of 1. Oktober, Germany's bars will be Rauchen-Frei (Smoke Free)!!! Thank God for the small things (especially since I swear that at least 1 out of every 2 people smoke)!!! Hopefully, this will reduce the number of smokers and the number of times I must reach for my inhaler or leave the room in order to breath.

One final thing (for the time being anyway), living in such a diverse community amazes me daily! As I sit here and actually reflect a little bit, for once in my life, I am actually a minority (and not just because the government has included women in affirmative action). I am the only American on my floor and I am one of only 12-13% of the student body that is an international student. This and the fact that a number of us from orientation from countries near and far keep in constant contact and often meet up to cook or go dancing or grill out or whatever the day might bring, is a great learning opportunity for me! In fact, this weekend, I visited Elisabethkirche (Elisabeth's church) here in Marburg, I washed my laundry with a close friend from England (which we were assisted with from another great friend from Canada who had already ventured a load himself); attended a multi-cultural gathering with friends from England, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Canada, Italy, and France; had a BBQ with many of the same people; cooked homemade pizza with a close group of friends (including the North American dessert Fruit Pizza); learned how to bowl when playing Cricket; went bowling down town; and finished off the weekend by baking a birthday cake for a friend whose birthday is Monday. All in all, I have been keeping pretty busy (as per usual I suppose). Life is good and now, I need to get to bed as I the morning and my linguistics class will be here in no time!

Love from Deutschland!