This past week has been just crazy busy. I've already been here 12 days, and it feels simultaneously like forever and only overnight. My summer course is finished next week already! Insanity. I have to admit, I'm a little bit concerned; after spending 3.5 weeks straight running, running, running, seeing everything and doing everything, having downtime might not be such a good thing.

But, alas, whine whine... I'm in Germany, right?! Alles ist ok.

Last week, we kept crazy busy. On Sunday, we went on a city tour of Trier, to all the old Roman monuments and buildings. We saw and heard the history of the Porta Nigra, a still-standing Roman city gate in which a monk once cloistered himself. After he died, the Porta Nigra was transformed into a church until Napoleon came to power and decided that it was to be restored to its original look, the church façade destroyed. We saw the Konstantinbasilika, which once held the throne of Constantine the Great. At one point, Trier, the oldest city in Germany, was apparently larger than Rome. We also saw the Kurfürstliche Palais, next to the Konstantinbasilika, which, in the 1700s was home to the archbishop in Trier. We then walked to some Roman ruins, the old bathhouses of the Romans. Trier also contains the Römerbrücke, a bridge built by the Romans and still used today, which is the oldest bridge in Germany, as well as many other old Roman Antike.

That afternoon, we headed to the flea market, a monthly event in Trier, at which I met a wonderful old German couple who sold me enough dishes and utensils for almost a full (matching!) set for four, all for only 10,-€! I also had a chance to test out my common sense German skills, as I helped Amanda bargain for German Batman comics (a useful purchase, no?).

Monday, I finally bought a wash machine card, so that I could stop smelling so terrible. Florian showed Mao and me where the little market on the university is, and it's so helpful; it contains a grocery store, office supply store, a couple of restaurants, post office, bank, and physical therapy center... everything one could ever need... sort of. Later that day, I joined a tour of Petrisberg, the newest area of Trier, right near the university, after which a group of us went to a small bar and hung out for awhile.

I'd heard from many people before I got here that the best way to meet people is to keep constantly doing things, trying new things (actually, one person's words were "just party, party, party!"), and they are totally right. Going out a lot not only has helped me to meet people, it's helped me to become acclimated to the city in which I will be living for a year. Additionally, becoming known as someone who is always up for anything is helpful; I'm always included in invitations to go out and am never bored.

Tuesday night, we went to a little fake beach on the Mosel River; Wednesday was Projekttag, in which I joined a group learning about wines in this region and throughout Germany (I'm putting together a PowerPoint with a group focusing on the Rebsorten, the different varieties of wine that are produced in the Mosel River region) and then in the evening, attended an organ concert in the Konstantinbasilika; Thursday visited a former concentration camp in which there wasn't much to see - everything had been disassembled in the 50s - then went strolling through the city with Amanda; and Friday, opted out of bowling to have a quiet night and get a little sleep.

Saturday, we visited Saarbrücken, the capital city of the German state Saarland, and then also visited Metz in France. France is only a 1.5 hour drive from Trier! Pictures coming soon. I found France to be not as interesting as Germany, or at least Metz; all the buildings were the same shade of brown, and it just felt a little more boring and a little more dirty. However, I do admit I've had limited exposure to Europe in general, and this is only one city! I will correct that soon... ;)

After our excursion, a group of 15 or so of us went to the Disco, or club. What fun! I danced and danced and danced... and am still sore.

Yesterday, I visited a museum here in Trier, where they house cool, giant old Roman monuments and remains, beautiful Roman-built mosaics, and other such artifacts that were found in the area. Very cool, although all the information was written in German (naturally! I'd hope it was no other way!), so I irritated a few of my friends by being the slowest through the museum, taking my time to understand all the placards and really appreciate the stuff. We have nothing like it in the USA... these things were made only a few hundred years after the birth of Christ! Beautiful.

Today, I had class, per usual, and later will go grilling and playing volleyball and soccer and whatnot with a group of students and tutors. Tomorrow, we've organized an international dinner, at which I'm bringing the Minnesota state dish - hamburger, rice, carrot, potato hotdish. Goodness, am I ever excited to make that! I just hope these weird German rices and soups will make it turn out ok...

Bis später, dann!