Expectations for the Journey: 2 & 6

Sorry I haven't posted anything recently. It's "dead week" at school, and while I finished both of my papers for this week on Sunday, I've still been incredibly busy!! So now time for blogging... :( But now I am headed back home for the summer, and then it's off to Deutschland! So, here's a little outline of 2 of my more boring expectations for the Journey (more interesting expectations will come once I've done some more research on the topics)

2 - Horrible Weather
I suppose I should have realized early on that Germany was going to be gray and gloomy, but for some reason I always think places I'm traveling to are going to have the most amazing weather ever! This could be because my first travel abroad was from England to the North of France in the middle of the summer, and France is a whole lot nicer in the summer than England. My next big trip (a pretty huge trip!) was when I moved from England to California - again during the summer! So, from an early age I've been exposed to traveling to places with much better weather than I'm used to!

This is not the case for Germany. I'm currently completely adjusted to Santa Cruz weather, which for lack of a better word, is completely bi-polar. Even if the sun is blaring through your blinds, it's still not safe to assume it will be warm out, or even that it won't just start raining when you're walking back from class in your favorite flats that then get destroyed (not that I'm bitter or anything....). But Santa Cruz weather's one saving grace is that even after all the doom and gloom, the sun comes out for real this time, and everything is gorgeous, and warm. Hiking and going to the beach become the only things in the world you want to do, and you completely forget that you are now short a pair of shoes.

Here's a little excerpt from my program guide about the weather in Germany:

The weather in Germany is considerably more severe than in California. The summers are warm (humid to hot) and winters can be bitingly cold. The annual rainfall is about 20 inches. The first snowfall usually comes early in November, 

with alternating snow and rain lasting through March. The weather is often 

cloudy.

 And a brief list of clothing items to bring:

• Raincoat & umbrella
• Warm coat or down jacket
• Thermal underwear
• Warm Pajamas

 Now, I may be British, but when it comes to weather, I'm a California girl! I wouldn't even know where to find thermal underwear (or what the hell it looks like!)  So, the weather in Berlin... that's probably going to be my biggest problem with the city! And on my list of 10 (still counting!) expectations, this is the only negative expectation...

 According to several blogs out there, 

this is what I can expect on an average day

6 - Becoming amazing at German
 This one's sort of a no-brainer. At least you would think... When I tell people about the classes I'm taking in Berlin, I always omit my Experiential German class because it just seems so obvious that I would be learning the language of the host country! But apparently not. Several people have asked me "so, will you, like, take class in German?" To which I answer and adamant "No!!" I hardly no any German, and am not going on an immersion program. I would never be able to pass a class taught in German because the only thing I'd be able to understand the professor say is "Guten Tag!" when he begins the lecture. Other silly question I've recieved follow along the lines of "Wait, so you're not actually taking a class on German when you're there?" Of course I am! What would be the point in going to a foreign country for 4 months if you're not planning on picking up some of the dialect? So, to all these silly question out there: No, I do not speak German; Yes, I will be learning German upon arrival!


Now, I purchased a really cheap ($5!) German learning tape about a year ago, and while it's definitely not the best, and doesn't actually repeat the phrase in English, I've gotten surprisingly good at general phrases just from having them pop up on my iPod every now and again. I currently know how to say "Good morning," "Good afternoon," "Thank you," "Where is the bathroom, "One beer, please," "Ambulance," "Hospital," and "Cheers!"


As you can see, I've essentially got all of the phrases a 20 year old needs to know for traveling abroad :) I know a few more phrases, but it's early for me right now (10 a.m.) and my brain isn't quite functioning at full capacity. I plan on finding the time to learn a bunch more phrases before I go, but that will have to happen somewhere between taking two summer school classes, and working two jobs - possibly three!


I'm also hoping (hint, hint) that somebody will buy me this book before I go, so I can learn all of the fun German