The first of 2009

Happy New Year!

I haven't blogged for a long time because I have been intently focused on preparing to return to the US for Christmas, being at home for Christmas, and being in denial about return to Germany. However, I am currently back in Germany, so I guess all of that is in the past now.

First and foremost, I must mention the current situation. I did not want to come back to Germany because overall, this has not been the most positive experience. It's lonely and Brandenburg is a rather bleak place to live. I arrived to snow and cold weather. Then the weather decided to show what it could really do. Yesterday was cold and we had 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. By cold I mean about 15-18 degrees Fahrenheit. Last night it got to 2 degrees F. This morning on my about to embark to school walk, it will be a balmy 10 degrees F. There is sun currently, which makes it better, but GEEEEEZ. It's COLD! Oh, and my heat in my apartment is rather sucky. I've spent the past 2 days hiding under blankets and fighting off jet lag (oh, and going to school). Whee.

Christmas at home was lovely, except for the travelling to get home. I made the mistake of trying to fly through JFK on December 19 when they cancelled essentially every flight out. So I landed in JFK and could not get out that night. Delta payed for me to stay in a hotel room, which was nice of them. Sucky hotel room, but don't argue. Then I arrived to attempt to fly again to Nashville. No go. That flight was cancelled too. My brother is one of their elite members and luckily got me on a flight to Atlanta. Supposed to leave at 5:40 pm and actually left at midnight. Got to Atlanta around 2:15 am and slept in the terminal and then took a flight to Nashville the next morning. Instead of a 20 hour trip, it was 60 hours door to door. And I missed out on 2 days at home, which sucks when you only have 2 weeks. Oh, and they lost my luggage. That didn't show up until Christmas Eve, but at least it DID show up and I did have presents for people.

I got to see my entire family including Ellie, my 5 month old niece. She's endearingly cute and makes cute gooing and gurgling sounds. We bonded rather well, I think. Let's hope it stays that way as she gets older! Also got to spend some time with friends and travelling around BG doing great things like going to Barnes and Noble, Target, and Walmart. All things that most definitively do not exist here. I would love for there to be a Barnes and Noble in Brandenburg though (as long as it had some English books too!)

I am already counting down to the next break in February and I think I might be heading to Italy for the first time. I'm not sure yet. Then there's a Fulbright conference in March, break in April and hopefully some other travel in there as well. I'm also working on a theatre project with a theatre in Berlin during March I think. As long as I don't stay in Brandenburg too long at a time and also, it better warm up someday soon! The sun is shining for now--let's hope it stays that way.

Until then, I'm sitting in a blanket RIGHT next to my heater with a cup of hot tea.