Wurzburg, Germany

Erg!! This post got deleted. So not good for my OCD...now everything is out of order!

Mom or dad, could you do me a favor and back up my posts onto the computer?? You know, like copy and paste into a word document and save them in a "Casie Europe 2012" folder?? Same with the pictures if possible...just in case something happens to my iPod. This is the second blogpost I've lost, likely by user error, but still. I'd greatly appreciate it!! Oh, and dad, if you do it could you be sure and capitalize things that should be capitalized? Thanks :)

January 31, 2012
Guten Tag!! I stayed up late last night learning German. Late as in 10:30. Emma gave me German for Dummies, and I have enjoyed it thus far.

My watch alarm went off at seven. I turned it off. The house was quiet. I fell back asleep. I woke up to Emma yelling down the stairs to Cameron, "Oi!! Cameron!! It's 7:30!!" All five boys, myself, and Emma were running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get ready as quickly as possible.

I got ready in my room. Luckily my hair looks okay when I sleep on it when it's straight. As i was getting dressed i realized i had lost my leggings! I bet they got left on the overnight train to Munich. I kinda panicked because that eliminated more than half of my wardrobe-leaving me with one pair of pants for eight weeks. Not gonna happen. U wore my black under armor long johns under my tunic and called it good for now. I ate a banana, got Jonah and Darwin in the car, and we were in our way.

We dropped the three youngest off at their schools and then Emma dropped me off at the station. That all took 30 minutes!! I don't know how this lady does all the things he does. She told me the bus number to catch to get back home, but I told her I wouldn't be long so she could just pick me up after work at 2. I hate buses. I never know which stop to get off at and I just feel so out if control. I'll probably have to ride one when I get back from Rothenberg later this week though. :(

I saw a shop advertising leggings right when I got to Wurzburg, so I went right in and bought me some new ones for 7 euros. Not too bad!! It was freezing today, -5 Celsius, so I needed the extra layer for sure!! My face got windburn from the cold air throughout the day.

I explored Wurzburg for three hours. I'm the master of speedy sight seeing. It's not too hard when you're alone and can come and go from each sight as you please...definitely one of the joys of solo travel! Honestly, everything is kinda starting to look the same to me. I did see two palaces today though: Fort Marienberg and the Wurzburg Residenz. I took a tour of the Residenz and it was amazing!! No pictures allowed though :( I hate that!! How am I supposed to remember what I saw?? Or show it off?! Two rooms were unforgettable though...there was the Mirror Cabinet which was all mirrors, obviously, but they had gold decoration and paintings all over them. The staircase was the most grand thing I've ever seen. On the ceiling is the largest fresco in the world. Really, I can't explain the place so you're just going to have to look it up. I wish I could make links on the blogger app, but I don't know how...

I got a great view of the fortress and Alte Mainbrucke (Old Main Bridge). It was one of my favorite views so far. I like pretty views, landscapes, and scenery. I'm exited for Switzerland next week!!!

There are a million and one cages here. Every other shop is a cafe with a display of a wide variety of beyond delicious looking pastries. I tried a "vanille brezel" today and it was mmm mmm good. I want to try every pastry in the window. The people here walk by the beautiful churches and even the castles no problem, but their heads turn at the cafes as much as mine does. Sometimes giving in to temptation is a good thing ;) the people here also drink a LOT of coffee. Like six cups a day..Emma told me. Their cups are half the size of American coffee cups but they contain just as much, if not more, caffeine. So many people stand outside the cafes at a table and just sip away. Most cafes provide the coffee in a nice little teacup if you stay to drink it. It's cute.

I used self timer a few times today. It was embarrassing, but after one night of German for Dummies, I wasn't quite ready to start asking the Germans to take my picture. I have started saying danke though!! And hallo...not hello or hi. It is strange to me that people see me on the streets and really have no idea I'm American. Send me to Africa or Asia, and yeah, the people would know I was different. But here, until I speak, I am one of them.

I only got lost once today!! That's a new record!! Thank you, thank you very much. I say that because I know you're applauding me and also because all four boys are showing me their best MJ moves at the moment. Darwin, the two year old, is some tough competition to the King of Pop when it comes to the crotch grab. Haha whoa wait a minute. I'm totally mixing up Elivis and MJ. How could I do such a thing?! I'm so embarrassed, but I'm laughing too hard to delete it. Hahaha...so blonde sometimes.

Anywayyyy....I ate a bratwurst on baguette for lunch. Be proud. I'm not a big "hot dog" eater, and while brats are better than hot dogs they still kinda make me...I don't know...cringe??? It tasted good, but I just had to ignore what I was eating. I felt very German. It only cost 2.20 euros too. Germany is loads cheaper than Belgium.

I got on the train and headed back to Schweinfurt. Emma picked me up at 2:30 (the plan was 2:15). I was nervous about being left with no phone or wi fi to contact her, but knowing her I just knew she was running late.

I really, really enjoy talking to Emma. Because she's from England she can tell me about both England and Germany. The Germans are very pompous, and the English are proper...there's a difference. Emma's family is what I would call a "social outcast" because having four kids and five dogs is unheard of in Germany. It's actually totally crazy and "not ok." Most German families have no more than two kids and either zero or one dog. They are well put together people...lots of order. Emma's family is just crazy most I'd the time!! I like it.

We got home at about 4, and I started making dinner. Guess what I made?? Spaghetti surprise!!! My dad's specialty!!! I cooked the meat, added onion and garlic, added tomato sauce and tomatoes, and then the secret ingredient. Unfortunately, the kids are extremely picky eaters so I couldn't add much else. Haha. It wasn't much of a surprise this time, but I still like to call it that. Emma picked the kids up from school and got them ready for karate. I went with her to take them because I wanted to go grocery shopping with her.

We arrived at the grocery store and he used some sort of key to "unlock" a shopping cart. It can cost 1-5 euros to "rent" a shopping cart!! She was shocked that I was shocked that they did that. She said people steal them if they don't. The carts also go all four directions...left right forward and back. Right on!! I kept fighting her to push the cart cause I thought it was so awesome. It also had a magnifying glass in the handle so people like my mom don't have to embarrass themselves by pulling their pocket magnifier out ;) The store was very similar to the new Harmon's in Farmington. Frau Schreiber helped us check out from her cashier chair. Real nice lady. I think. Actually I really don't know cause she only speaks German. (And even goo goo ing at a baby sounds like yelling in Deutsch-pronounced doytsch! Include the exclamation point at all times.) I just liked her name I guess...

We headed home, enjoying donuts on the way because we just could not resist. Germans do not use grocery sacks...remember what I said about the required recycling?? Yeah so unloading the car totally sucked. But we got it all in and went to work on the broken dishwasher. After an hour of struggling, I messaged my dad because he always has the answers and he's fixed a million and one problems like it and we were desperate. We ended up face timing because it was easier for him to explain what to do that way. I tried to show him under the sink, but we needed a flashlight. Emma quickly corrected us by calling it a torch. He talked us through some possible problems/solutions and then we chatted for a bit before I hung up to conquer the dishwasher once and for all. The kitchen was flooded with water at this point and I got to hear Emma say "bloody hell" in an authentic British accent...it totally made my day, possibly my week.

We somehow got the dishwasher running. Emma wants my dad's phone number so she can call when she needs his services again. She also said she will be his "international reference" if he ever changes jobs ;) Pretty much my dad is awesome...even British German ladies think so!! ;)

We mopped for a long time and then finally gave the kids dinner. Spaghetti surprise=success!!

I'm enjoying my time here. Really, I am! While they are jot typical Germans, I am loving learning about the way of life here by LIVING it. What an opportunity this is...I'm so freaking grateful!!!

That's about it!! Ha. I like how I act like I've said nothing at all...

Oh! Dishwasher update. It successfully did one empty cycle. We have loaded it up. I will report tomorrow. Emma and I would both like to thank my dad for his mad skills.

Crap, one more thing. Arlie, the 7 year old, loves Justin Bieber about as much as I do. I wish I had the movie so we could watch it as my sister, Rachel, and I do. I'd include Kylie, but she's moved on...and she plugs her ears whenever I sing. I don't blame her... :/

Til tomorrow...

Auf Wiedersehen!!!