A lot has happened since my last post… Ive successfully located all of my classes, made friends with an amateur bodybuilder (he happens to live next to me), Ive probably eaten an entire pig in total since Ive arrived, and conditioned my body to require water equal to that of a camel.

Seriously though, things are going really well. I started volunteering at the refugee center a couple weeks ago teaching German. Most of the refugees are from Syria, but I taught a couple men from Iraq two weeks ago. They are all so motivated to learn the language, and their progress week to week is unbelievable. Some of the men are in their 70s– imagine trying to learn another language and culture as a grandparent. Some of them are my age, in their early twenties, but most of them are middle-aged fathers who bring their sons with them to class. As you’ve probably noticed, the classes consist of only men. Although the women are more than welcome to participate, none ever show up. Eventually, if I ever feel comfortable enough, Ill ask the husbands to bring their wives and daughters to class as well, but I do not want to overstep a cultural boundary.

This morning we went to the top of my dorm, the “Goldener Turm”, just in time to see the sunrise. It is amazing to think that my dorm alone is older than America…hahha im running out things to talk about..

After coming to the realization that i have probably eaten an entire pig so far, Ive made an honest effort to become a vegetarian. Ive been somewhat successful, other than the couple of times the Uni Cafeteria lied (or maybe vegetarian in german cafeterias means less or well-hidden meat).