Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Heidelberg revelation of the day...

Have you ever found yourself having a hard time paying attention to your own conversation while out to eat or getting coffee because you are distracted by conversations around you?
Of course, I'm guilty of it. Well, I can honestly say that I have carried on a whole conversation by being prompted by listening in on another. One time while my mom, sister, and I were at Hickory Street, we sat at our table, and scarfed down our food without any time for coming up with our own conversation. I happened to be listening to the ladies next to us, and I would take what they would say and add onto it at my own table. Then, we would be quiet again until something else they would say would spark my thoughts on something. It was absolutely hilarious that our lunch conversation was based off of listening in on the other table. (Maybe this doesn't happen to everyone? But you have to admit that you sometimes try to catch on to what others are saying.) But come on! Our lives are just as interesting, and sometimes even more interesting when we stop and put all of our focus into the person or people we are with!

My roommates and I made this discovery today as we were out to lunch. We were talking about how much we loved the atmosphere at Starbucks here, and then it occured to us: We can sit in starbucks here and actually either think without any interuptions or carry on a conversation without being sidetracked by what others are talking about. How you might wonder? Because EVERYONE else is speaking a completely different language! Of course thats not the first time we've noticed this haha but we didn't realize how sidetracked we can get when we are 'listening' to others. Back in America, I would be in the middle of a sentence while trying to listen to another conversation, and I would completely stop talking without even realizing it! SAD!

We are surrounded by noises, but at the same time the only ones that matter to us are what is happening to us right then. I mean, granted I have learned German, but come on, I can't actually multi-task that well (speaking in english while listening and comprehending German). So, we decided that we LOVE living in our little fishbowl here. We are able to give our full attention to those we are with (aka the most amazing people in the world!) and not feel guilty about only 'half' listening.

Of course, we realized how lucky we are to get to experience this. While walking down a street full of people its like being in your own little world, like part of a movie where everyone is walking fast but you are just walking slowly and peacefully. Okay, that was corny. But anyways, we will take advantage of not being distracted for the very small number of days we have left here (we don't dare mention the actual number here), and be thankful that we can sit in starbucks and appreciate the calssic SB music, sounds of coffee machines, and the universal language of laughing instead of there being just a sea of others voices trying to talk over one another. With all of this, our (starbucks) cups runneth over!

**here are some random pictures I've taken the past few days trying to document our every moment! enjoy! (I'll leave out the pictures of Austin and I acting like we were pregnant haha our point was to give ourselves a laugh 10 years from now...)

Look familiar? We reinacted our first night we all met in Moore Haus Zimmer 10 for our themed room check of 'favorite heidelberg memory'...of course we WON! and got a cookie:)



Chelsea and I at the castle for the sunset.


The crew watching the sunset over the castle wall.



Hanging out and playing football before the sunset.



Eating our subway outside on the hauptstrasse on this gorgeous day!