Yesterday, Wednesday, we took a group excusion to the little town of Trier. Its about a 3 hour drive, so we left pretty early for a very crammed day of sighseeing. We saw St. Paulin church that was not too exciting from the outside, but the inside is probably about 45% gold! It was amazing! We walked around most of the time with one of our professors, Dr. Lerner, who told us the history of everything. In the main square my favorite part was all of the flower vendors! There were flowers of everykind for so cheap, it was so fun to look at all of them! We then went on a tour of the Church of our Lady (a huge huge church...it took us about an hour to get all theway through).
We had a fun day, but then as we got back on the charters to head home we made it about 2 hours and then came to a dead stop. There had been an accident on the Autobahn...so we sat in the exact same spot for 1 1/2 hours. We ended up making the best of it--we split the bus in the center and played a song war game (one side sings part of a song..the other side has to follow with a song from the same artist)..it became so intense! We played this for the whole time we were stopped...and then we decided to have wednesday night worship on the bus. So we sang about 5 songs and finally we started moving! So we were convinced it was our singing that helped us move! haha..whoo knows...but then we ended up singing the whole last hour home. We sang for a total of 2.5 hours straight! It was soo much fun!
The best part was that our German classes were cancelled for this morning because we got back so late! So we got to sleep in--what a blessing! It ended up being a greatt trip!
Now i'm off to the MOVIES! yes, an english movie theater! I dont even know what movie we're seeing, but as long as its in a theater i'm there! I'll post pictures soon!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Pictures!
Our hostel room! 
We are all three obsessed with coke. An addiction that is okay because there are no refills!
We are all three obsessed with coke. An addiction that is okay because there are no refills!My NAME! move over Mt. McKinley! (too bad it means cheese...and thats now my new nick name...'cheesy' musgrave..i also get guta, bree, cheese bread, and swiss)
There were cows coming down the steep road up to the Eagle's Nest...apparently just a normal daily routine in the Alps!
The Sound of Music group at a stop that had nothing to do with the movie? but it was gorgeous none the less!
This pic is more for my parents who just thinkk i'm a picky eater:
My new FAVORITE thing in the whole entire world. Apple Strudel! (i had to sneak a picture in the midst of devouring it...it was completely gone in the end)
the hills were alive...
This weekend a group of 9 of us went to Salzburg, Austria! We arrived Friday afternoon, went to the hostel, and then walked around the town. This was my first time to see real European mountains(aka the alps)! Sometimes I talk up mountains so much that I get myself too excited that when I see them i'm not too overwhelmed. Wow. That did not happen this weekend! They were incredible! Some were snowcapped..I was just about in heaven!
Saturday we toured ourselves out. We went on the Eagle's Nest tour in the morning with our tour guide 'beatrice' (crazy lady), and we went on the Sound of Music tour in the afternoon. My favorite part was the fact that our guide, Andrew, talked just like Frank on Father of the Bride. You can only imagine my glow all afternoon: surrounded by mountains...listening to 'frank'...it was brilliant! Bri--I think I saw the lake and village I was so obbsessed with in your pictures of Salzburg! Its so awesome to get to experience something, and then find out that Brianna did the same thing! Ex: I tried my first apple strudle in Mondsee and LOVED it..and brianna ate it too! I love being so easily amazed.
I almost forgot..we ran into some of our friends who are studying in Switzerland at our hostel! It was amazing to be reunited so unexpectedly! We talked and compared experiences as we watched the Sound of Music in our lobby.
Saturday night we walked around the little St. Ruperts Fair that was taking place in the middle of the main square of Salzburg. I ate a HUGE chocolate covered pretzle...mom you would have loved it...sweet and salty! okay so I didn't eat the whole thing...we had some help from the boys. Our group consisted of me, austin, and 7 boys! We didn't plan to be the only girls, but thats just how it ended up. It was so much fun--no drama! We had an amazing weekend!
Life has been extremely crazy this week. Trying to juggle my school work, social life, and me and God time is really hard right now. Living with 47 other friends makes it really hard to find or even want quiet time. I went to Starbucks with all of my roomates today, and we had an amazingg time just talking and letting things out. We decided we're going to get together once a week somewhere outside the house so we can slow down and talk--just the 5 of us. I love these girls to death!
Well I have to go change my sheets for the first time...joy...and then I could possibly be watching Star Trek. joy once again.
We're going on an excursion to Trier tomorrow so we don't have classes! Woo hoo! I'll post pics tomorrow from this past weekend. Tschuss!
Saturday we toured ourselves out. We went on the Eagle's Nest tour in the morning with our tour guide 'beatrice' (crazy lady), and we went on the Sound of Music tour in the afternoon. My favorite part was the fact that our guide, Andrew, talked just like Frank on Father of the Bride. You can only imagine my glow all afternoon: surrounded by mountains...listening to 'frank'...it was brilliant! Bri--I think I saw the lake and village I was so obbsessed with in your pictures of Salzburg! Its so awesome to get to experience something, and then find out that Brianna did the same thing! Ex: I tried my first apple strudle in Mondsee and LOVED it..and brianna ate it too! I love being so easily amazed.
I almost forgot..we ran into some of our friends who are studying in Switzerland at our hostel! It was amazing to be reunited so unexpectedly! We talked and compared experiences as we watched the Sound of Music in our lobby.
Saturday night we walked around the little St. Ruperts Fair that was taking place in the middle of the main square of Salzburg. I ate a HUGE chocolate covered pretzle...mom you would have loved it...sweet and salty! okay so I didn't eat the whole thing...we had some help from the boys. Our group consisted of me, austin, and 7 boys! We didn't plan to be the only girls, but thats just how it ended up. It was so much fun--no drama! We had an amazing weekend!
Life has been extremely crazy this week. Trying to juggle my school work, social life, and me and God time is really hard right now. Living with 47 other friends makes it really hard to find or even want quiet time. I went to Starbucks with all of my roomates today, and we had an amazingg time just talking and letting things out. We decided we're going to get together once a week somewhere outside the house so we can slow down and talk--just the 5 of us. I love these girls to death!
Well I have to go change my sheets for the first time...joy...and then I could possibly be watching Star Trek. joy once again.
We're going on an excursion to Trier tomorrow so we don't have classes! Woo hoo! I'll post pics tomorrow from this past weekend. Tschuss!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
pictures!!!!
okay heres a bunchhh of pictures of just random stuff! more to come laterr! They are in opposite order because i dont know what to do. And the entire blogspot world on my computer is in german so i can't figure out how to do much haha..but here they are...sorry if this makes no since 5 people just came and bombarded my room so I can't concentrate...oook enjoy!
The boys playing football at the castle!
The boys playing football at the castle!
Austin and I at our first trip to the castle!
Our group as we toured the gardens at schwetzingen castle.
The Heidelberg Castle!!! Its amazingg!
Me, Danielle, and Natalie...it was freezingg and windy up there...but i loved ittt
On my birthday..we hiked up to the top of a church tower to see this amazing view of our city!
The festival in Ladenburg. It was like a huge flea market...the streets were crammed with vendors.
Our group waiting for our train (the one I got off of by myself) haha
Austin and I in Ladenburg at a festival...eating our first bratwurst! yummmm:)
Me and Danielle eating gelato our first night out! (my first gelato...schokolade..amazing!)
One of the castles we hiked up to! There were kids just playing and having picnics...can you imagine this being your playground?!
This is Chelsea and me after we hiked up to a castle in this small little village on the Neckar river. We took a boatride with the whole group to get there...it was a gorgeous ride!
This is Moore Haus! I know its really dark...i'll try to take a better picture later. Its especially hard to take a picture of it because is on a hill and there are stairs and you can't just look at it straight on. Its absolutely amazing though!
Walking down the Hauptstrasse (main street)! This is street that our classrooms are on. Its a gorgeous walk...about 1 1/2 miles long. Its the most toursity street in Heidelberg...but it remains fairly quiet because Germans aren't loud like us haha. 
Okay, i'm trying to get the hang of this..guess i'll just comment above each picture! These are my wonderful roomates in our room! We have the biggest room in the house because we share it with 5 girls. 
Austin and I on the bus to Heidelberg...we made ittt after 24 hours of traveling! (literallyy..)
Austin and I on the bus to Heidelberg...we made ittt after 24 hours of traveling! (literallyy..)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
I survived my first 10 days in europe!
I guess I'll start with the bad news. I still can't put pictures up. I mean I could, but I'm just being somewhat lazy haha. No worries. I will start uploading all of them tomorrow! Well, obviously things have been extremely busy over here! I just got back from my first weekend of traveling--we went to Berlin! It didn't have a gorgeous view, but it was full of history and sights that I couldn't go without seeing while in Germany. Okay, so just to update you on the highlights I'll just pin point interesting/favorite things/funny stories.
1. I believe I was the first person out of all 50 to get lost. Yes. On my way back from a festival in Ladenburg (a 20 minute train ride), I was the first of my group of 5 to step off the train to which as I turned around the doors shut and my faithful group was still on the train. I stood and laughed and waved for a minute, until I realized that trains don't usually stop and go in reverse due to the quick shutting of the doors. They have no mercy. So not only was I by myself, it was my first time on a train...3rd day in Europe...there was no building in sight...just tracks and stairs that led up to the streets (none of which looked familiar). As I 'calmly' walked around not having the slightest clue what to do, I found a woman (the only one out to the 10 people roaming around). I asked her in broken german if I was in Heidelberg and she laughed a me and continued to explain that I got off too early. I think she was my angel because she ended up being able to speak english and help me to the Hauptbahnhof where my friends were waiting for me, thankfully!
...and to continue on that note...this weekend on our way to Berlin me and 2 other girls I was traveling with got off at the wrong stop (I'm sensing a pattern here). We didn't even realize it until we were outside looking for the other 10 in our group and saw them through the window of the train freaking out. But we made it to Berlin all the same...and once again we felt more accomplished than if we had just done the right thing! None the less, I've worked myself up a little reputation (I will never be in charge of traveling plans)...and I do pay for these series of unfortunate events often!
2. As different as life is here in Heidelberg, I haven't once been homesick! I feel so at home here...its wonderful! This weekend we referred to coming 'home', and we all got very excited.
3. Bathrooms here are so clean! Its amazing! I'm not sure how I feel about stopping off of I20 to use a gas station bathroom anymore!
4. In restaraunts, the waiters don't bring you the check. You could stay all day, and they will never bother you. You have to ask for it! I didn't realize it at the time, but in america it seems as though as soon as your done eating you leave. Thats not the deal here! (And starbucks actually serves you in real glass coffee mugs rather than togo cups! Who would have thought...sitting down to enjoy your drink!?)
5. This weekend in Berlin I...
...stayed in my first hostel!(not too bad...having boys we knew with us made us feel much safer!)
.....went to 4 museums (the egyption museum where we saw Nofretete-- I have no clue how to spell that...the Pergamon...the Bode...and the Jewish Museum) I probably just butchered all of those names but I experienced them all none the less!
....walked about 20 miles (no joke) all around Berlin
....ordered my first drink haha
...spotted a Scholtzkys from about a mile away and ate an amazing lunch!
...my favorite part was seeing Brandenburg Gate! It was overwhelming! We also saw parts of the Berlin Wall that were still standing. It was amazing to be surrounded by so much history!
6. I've become obbsessed with cokes. I already loved them, but now its a huge treat to get one! Especially cold...and with refills. The only place with ice and refills here is Subway. Its our new favorite hangout...seriously. Two of my friends and I are now known for our obsession with Subway. Simple pleasures!
Okay so thats just an update...i'll try to be a better blogger in the future! I am about to head to bed...we start school in the morning! We're planning our next trip already...Salzburg it is! I will be practicing my singing for the Sound of Music tour all week!! joyyy:) Gutennach!
1. I believe I was the first person out of all 50 to get lost. Yes. On my way back from a festival in Ladenburg (a 20 minute train ride), I was the first of my group of 5 to step off the train to which as I turned around the doors shut and my faithful group was still on the train. I stood and laughed and waved for a minute, until I realized that trains don't usually stop and go in reverse due to the quick shutting of the doors. They have no mercy. So not only was I by myself, it was my first time on a train...3rd day in Europe...there was no building in sight...just tracks and stairs that led up to the streets (none of which looked familiar). As I 'calmly' walked around not having the slightest clue what to do, I found a woman (the only one out to the 10 people roaming around). I asked her in broken german if I was in Heidelberg and she laughed a me and continued to explain that I got off too early. I think she was my angel because she ended up being able to speak english and help me to the Hauptbahnhof where my friends were waiting for me, thankfully!
...and to continue on that note...this weekend on our way to Berlin me and 2 other girls I was traveling with got off at the wrong stop (I'm sensing a pattern here). We didn't even realize it until we were outside looking for the other 10 in our group and saw them through the window of the train freaking out. But we made it to Berlin all the same...and once again we felt more accomplished than if we had just done the right thing! None the less, I've worked myself up a little reputation (I will never be in charge of traveling plans)...and I do pay for these series of unfortunate events often!
2. As different as life is here in Heidelberg, I haven't once been homesick! I feel so at home here...its wonderful! This weekend we referred to coming 'home', and we all got very excited.
3. Bathrooms here are so clean! Its amazing! I'm not sure how I feel about stopping off of I20 to use a gas station bathroom anymore!
4. In restaraunts, the waiters don't bring you the check. You could stay all day, and they will never bother you. You have to ask for it! I didn't realize it at the time, but in america it seems as though as soon as your done eating you leave. Thats not the deal here! (And starbucks actually serves you in real glass coffee mugs rather than togo cups! Who would have thought...sitting down to enjoy your drink!?)
5. This weekend in Berlin I...
...stayed in my first hostel!(not too bad...having boys we knew with us made us feel much safer!)
.....went to 4 museums (the egyption museum where we saw Nofretete-- I have no clue how to spell that...the Pergamon...the Bode...and the Jewish Museum) I probably just butchered all of those names but I experienced them all none the less!
....walked about 20 miles (no joke) all around Berlin
....ordered my first drink haha
...spotted a Scholtzkys from about a mile away and ate an amazing lunch!
...my favorite part was seeing Brandenburg Gate! It was overwhelming! We also saw parts of the Berlin Wall that were still standing. It was amazing to be surrounded by so much history!
6. I've become obbsessed with cokes. I already loved them, but now its a huge treat to get one! Especially cold...and with refills. The only place with ice and refills here is Subway. Its our new favorite hangout...seriously. Two of my friends and I are now known for our obsession with Subway. Simple pleasures!
Okay so thats just an update...i'll try to be a better blogger in the future! I am about to head to bed...we start school in the morning! We're planning our next trip already...Salzburg it is! I will be practicing my singing for the Sound of Music tour all week!! joyyy:) Gutennach!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Ich bin zwanzig jahres alt!
I'm so sorry I've been horrible at posting! I've been completely overwhelmed with moments to write about, but there's no way I could compile all my emotions into words. I'm absolutely LOVVINGG it here in Heidelberg! I live with 4 other amazingg girls in a room that overlooks all of Hberg. It's amazing! It's only been about 4 full days, but I'm already so much better friends with most everyone in the house! I literally showed up at the airport wednesday afternoon not knowing peoples names. It's amazing to see how much we've all grown together already!
Well quick catch up...today's my birthday! (or meine geburtstag!) It's been an amazinggg day! As we all know I'm not into crazy birthday parties and such, so today was just perfect. We had head start german all morning (not the highlight but my professors are so nice and hilarious! german sense of humor really is funny.) Then my group spent the rest of the afternoon touring Heidelberg with my humanities professor. We went to an extremely old Lutheran church and climbed up to the tower where you could see all of Heidlelberg. It was soo cold and windy, but for those who know me thats my kind of weather. I was basically in all of my glory there! We continued touring the restof the afternoon, and then I had to painfully retake my visa pictures for the THIRD time. Luckly they were better (by the way you can't smile which is extremely hard to do when taking a picture) and so thats done with! Then the whole group met at this place called Essig Haus to eat dinner. I got sung to and got to blow out a candle and eat a special dessert! (but I dug to only eat the vanilla ice cream haha surprise surprise!) Then it started POURING rain as we left for our mile hike back to Moore Haus. Of course once again i LOVEd it...I love the rain so it was amazing! Now its about 8 pm, and as we were going to go get gelato our plans have changed due to the weather. So now I'm about to go play poker with some guys and the little boys in our Faculty family. I told one of them, Dom who I think is 7, that I didn't know how to play, and he said 'uhh we'll teach you...duhhh'. So how could I turn that down?! So as I would wish, my birthday was so relaxing and perfect weather and just couldn't have been better! Well i'm off to learn some poker, but I'll hopefully be able to post pictures in a few days...I can't wait! (by the way I just typed this really fast and didn't go back and check it so sorry for the horrible errors that I'm sure are in this!)
Well quick catch up...today's my birthday! (or meine geburtstag!) It's been an amazinggg day! As we all know I'm not into crazy birthday parties and such, so today was just perfect. We had head start german all morning (not the highlight but my professors are so nice and hilarious! german sense of humor really is funny.) Then my group spent the rest of the afternoon touring Heidelberg with my humanities professor. We went to an extremely old Lutheran church and climbed up to the tower where you could see all of Heidlelberg. It was soo cold and windy, but for those who know me thats my kind of weather. I was basically in all of my glory there! We continued touring the restof the afternoon, and then I had to painfully retake my visa pictures for the THIRD time. Luckly they were better (by the way you can't smile which is extremely hard to do when taking a picture) and so thats done with! Then the whole group met at this place called Essig Haus to eat dinner. I got sung to and got to blow out a candle and eat a special dessert! (but I dug to only eat the vanilla ice cream haha surprise surprise!) Then it started POURING rain as we left for our mile hike back to Moore Haus. Of course once again i LOVEd it...I love the rain so it was amazing! Now its about 8 pm, and as we were going to go get gelato our plans have changed due to the weather. So now I'm about to go play poker with some guys and the little boys in our Faculty family. I told one of them, Dom who I think is 7, that I didn't know how to play, and he said 'uhh we'll teach you...duhhh'. So how could I turn that down?! So as I would wish, my birthday was so relaxing and perfect weather and just couldn't have been better! Well i'm off to learn some poker, but I'll hopefully be able to post pictures in a few days...I can't wait! (by the way I just typed this really fast and didn't go back and check it so sorry for the horrible errors that I'm sure are in this!)
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
It's about that time...
Welp, I leave tomorrow! I've been asked about 500 times if I'm excited about going to Germany, and my response has gone from excited to nervous to 'i'm not quite sure i feel anything right now'! Maybe it's the fact that all my emotions are running together to create a numbness to the whole situation. I'm sure I'll get more feeling as tomorrow passes!
My flight plan is to leave LAX at 5:50 pm...arrive in London at 12:00 pm the 6th...and arrive in Frankfurt at 6 pm. Honestly, I have no idea as to much of what's going on. I don't even know the exact time difference! This whole traveling through different time zones and over different days is a little much for my brain to comprehend at the moment! Don't worry I should snap back into it once I get there, but until then I'll keep following the crowd and, Lord willing, end up in Germany shortly!
My flight plan is to leave LAX at 5:50 pm...arrive in London at 12:00 pm the 6th...and arrive in Frankfurt at 6 pm. Honestly, I have no idea as to much of what's going on. I don't even know the exact time difference! This whole traveling through different time zones and over different days is a little much for my brain to comprehend at the moment! Don't worry I should snap back into it once I get there, but until then I'll keep following the crowd and, Lord willing, end up in Germany shortly!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Here we go!
Hey everyone! Well, I made it to California after 3 connecting flights...blah. But my friend Dustin picked me up, and getting to ride back and talk with her while driving along hwy 1 made it all worth it! It's been great catching up with friends as well as catching up with familiar tastes (good ole california lemonade, coogies, and my favorite...malibu yogurt!). I'm still a little bit tired, but i'm hoping to be all caught up on sleep before I leave on Wednesday. It was the craziest feeling coming back to campus. It feels like no time has passed at all since April! I'm staying with my friend Dustin (a girl don't worry) who's room has an incredible view looking down on campus and ocean for miles! It was a great homecoming for sure! I'm still feeling somewhat in limbo since I can't really settle in here. I will hopefully post pictures from my few days here soon! Hope everyone has a great Labor day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)