Czech Me Out

Czech? Check!

Seriously, two jokes in one blog post? Y'all are so spoiled.  So Prague was WONDERFUL....after a bit of bad luck on Friday the 13th.

• So it started with me loosing my black cardigan on the metro to work. 
• Then I was searching for flights to England for the next week for work, and I found a flight that would connect in Amsterdam. So I would fly to England on Monday night and fly back Friday morning. Since I already have a flight to Amsterdam for that Friday night, I was thinking I could "miss" my connection in Amsterdam, work from there for the day and then take my already bought return flight to Munich at the end of the weekend in the Netherlands with the guys. I thought that was better than connecting in Amsterdam, flying into Munich around 2pm only to go back to the airport around 6pm for an 8pm flight back to Amsterdam. I okayed it with my boss and was wanted to call the airlines. Dumb KLM. I explained that I was not going to be taking my trip from Munich to Amesterdam but wanted to keep my return flight that Sunday night from Amsterdam to Munich. They would not let me. I was getting super upset and annoyed and was yelling at the person. It's a computer thing and cannot be overwritten by anyone "supposedly". Evil. 



Ticket for my bus (missed) and train to Prague

• After that, we left work to catch out bus to Prague. We got there 40 minutes early and wanted to confirm with someone we were in the right spot because our tickets were in German and that is one language we do not understand. We asked over 15 people, and there was no official ticket place to ask at the bus station, but no one was able to confirm to us we were in the right place. bah! So there was one bus place that was supposed to go to Prague 15 minutes before our bus was supposed to leave but no bus ever showed up. The time passed and the information on the bus time schedule disappeared but no bus ever showed up. We were pretty annoyed, and decided to go to Haufbahnhof to talk to someone. When we arrrived we saw a ticket machine and after debating between giving up our Prague adventure and still going, we bought train tickets to Prague that were almost the same price as our originally bought roundtrip tickets. Bah. 

Church of Our Lady Before Tyn

We got into Prague later than expected. We took a taxi (can I just say our taxi to the hostel/apartment was 680 Koruna but our taxi back to the train station on Sunday was not even 200 Koruna. Ripped off? Most def) It drops us off because the road ends and so we have to walk from building 15 to 9. Then this guy approaches us on the side walk saying, "are you going to number 9?" kinda hesitant, we respond "yes" and he said "oh good. I was just heading home for the night". If we had arrived one minute later we would not have had a place to stay. I think that's when our luck changed. We then walked around Old Town Square at night for a bit before going to bed.

Old Town Square

We woke up and when for breakfast pretty early and walked around a bit before going on our bike tour. Our hostel was like a private apartment. It was so cute and it was literally behind the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn and the Stone Bell House. We saw pretty much all the basic must-see things in Prague. It was GORGEOUS! We saw the Astrological Clock, which I think is a little over-rated. I'm pretty sure it wasn't one of the top clock performance I've seen.  Anyways, after the bike tour we went for a traditional Czech meal at a place that the hotel guy recommended off the main streets. Czech dumplings are AMAZING! We got all the main foods while we were there. Czech food is sooo yummy but really filling. We had the fruit dumplings which were good too. oh man. so good.

Charles Bridge (no we didn't plan to match)

svíčková na smetaně

Trdelníks

After lunch we went on a walking tour of the castle. Except we had a thing that said it was at 2 in front of the tourist office, but when we got there they said it was at 2:30 in front of the Czech Philharmonic building. Since we had about 30 minutes to spare, we just laid down on some grassy area along the Vltava River. It was so nice. But the weather got a little crazy on us. It kept on going from hot to cold to sunny to rainy. It was insane. The castle tour was good, we heard good stories, and we ended up at the Strahov Monastery, where (surprise, surprise) the monks make beer. I've been to so many monasteries here in Europe where the monks make beer. I'm starting to wonder if European monks do anything else. We also met these two sisters who were travelling together and it made me miss mi hermanita who is having an adventure of her own in New Zealand. <3

Then we walked to the John Lennon wall, which is a wall of people writing things...so of course I had to write something :)
10 life points to someone who can guess what I wrote.

Venid, sin miedo, sin temor,
mas con gozo andad.

Aunque cruel jornada ésta es,
Dios nos da Su bondad

It was great. Then we headed back to the hotel to drop of something Lindsay bought only to not be able to get back into our hotel. Seriously. So we called the guy, Donald, and he came to help us. We were turning the key the wrong way. No joke. So then we went to dinner. Another good Czech meal. We had the fried cheese. Literally it was a block of brie cheese that was fried. SOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

View from Charles Bridge in the evening

We went home for a bit cuz I was exhausted then went out for a bit longer. We got home and I passed out. I was so tired and dehydrated.

On Sunday, we woke up and went to the same breakfast place. Still just as yummy. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Yes please! We went down to Wenceslas Square and the National Musuem to wander around. It was a lovely afternoon.Until it started to rain on our way home. Lindsay got a cheap umbrella which broke shortly after.

We went to the bus station early, and went to make sure were were in the right place. The information lady got super rude and attitude-y with us for asking. *sigh* Then we got to the bus and got our tickets checked and got on the bus. We decided to sit in the front of the double decker bus. We asked a lady nearby if the seats were free, and she informed us that the bus had reserved seating. We asked if she could look at our German tickets to tell us where we were supposed to sit. She looked at out ticket and told us we were on the wrong bus. Blast! We needed the bus in front of the bus we were currently on. ARGH! So we got out and told the driver that we were on the wrong bus and needed our luggage. We had to literally climb into the luggage compartment area and climb over suitcases and throw stuff around to find our suitcases. The luggage about 3 feet high. It was tiny. Lindsay found hers first and went to tell the other bus that I was on my way, but not there yet. I was starting to go into panic-mode. So what do I do in a panic? I paused, said a little prayer, and found my suitcase shortly afterwards. YAY! Prayers work! I got on the correct bus and shortly began a nice 3-hour nap on the bus. We were supposed to be dropped of at the Nuremberg bus station with a 10-minute window to get to the bus station to catch our bus, but instead, the bus driver made a stop at the train station. We had half an our to get fed and some water for the train back into Munich where we managed to catch it with plenty of time to spare and get into Munich around 10pm.  It was an epic adventure of twist and turns. 

A few parting comments:

• I miss USA customer service. We tried to get our feet eaten by little fish for 10 minutes, but they wouldn't let us. The lady was saying that only at 25 minutes would you get the whole relaxation aspect. Trust me, that conversation alone ruined any chance of 25 minutes relaxing me. Later, we went to get some hot chocolate and asked if we could get it in a cup to-go. They said no. So you're saying you can put coffee in a cup to-go but not the hot chocolate? Then add that to the KLM problem I had on Friday, and I was pretty annoyed. 
• Prague is way more touristy than I thought. EVERYONE spoke English. I also realized there is something nice about not having to understand/overhear other people's conversations when I'm in Germany. 
• I bought a super cute trendy jacket in Prague to replace my lost cardigan as a source of warmth. 
• I also ended up buying a direct flight from England to Munich, so I won't have to use KLM again or connect in Amsterdam. 

Yay for happy endings

Learning German

So Monday night at FHE (Family Home Evening) Jaime and I were trying to guess what the guys were saying in German. We guessed one sentence correctly. Then they decided to have a new conversation while Jamie and I "translated". It was an epic arguement over Oreos...but when it ended it turns out they were discussing the colors in a rainbow. (Not as cool as our interpretation).

Lindsay and I were practising our German on Tuesday. I felt super proud of myself and decided to send Lukas a note of a phrase I learned: "Viel Glück". His response, "Danke! Aber wofür?" So I felt clever because I made a sentence in German in my head without having to look it up and responded, "Für huete". Really, I felt like a genius for making a sentence in German all on my own...until he wrote back, "You mean 'heute'? Because huete means 'hats' and today I'm not wearing any! :) Where are you learning German?" Dang. #EpicFail.  But it's okay because I learned how to say 10 other words/phrases that day. WIN!

I booked tickets to Prague with Lindsay for this weekend on Tuesday.  WOOT!

my work family

Thursday we had a work party. Not just any work party...but a Par-tay (aka Summer Fest)! We went to our site in Memmingen, and there was a bus that was going to take us at 1:30, but I had a conference call at 2:30, which I had to do. In the end, I went with a co-worker whose name is Thorsten...like Thor! I was excited! We got there and I was put in a conference room. However, the music from the Summer Fest was coming through the windows and could be heard. It was pretty funny. So I said there was a party going on next door and put my phone on mute during the phone conference.

potato sack racing #epicfailjarrett

During the phone conference, Steve was saying, "Betsy, I think Natasha should come up for a few days to talk about XXX" and Besty said, "Yeah. Natasha, do you think you'll be able to go to England for a few days?" My response? "I think I can make it happen" My first thoughts? "YAY! I can buy more cookies! I have like 5 left! Woohoo!" Really, it's the simple things in life we have to appreciate. And if I can find a post office, maybe I'll mail some cookies and chocolate home for the fam, but more than likely everything will be closed before I get out of work.

Lindsay and I got 2nd place in the women's division

Friday, I left/dropped my black cardigan on U-Bahn on the way to work :( sad. Then we forgot to get my orange juice for breakfast. I'm hoping this is not a bad omen for our Prague weekend.




But a good thing is...it's payday! And we're planning a trip to Croatia next weekend. Life is good. Really. Cue Theme Song!!! 

life y la muerte

This had been a crazy past week. Truth.
First off, I woke up in a boy's bed on Saturday morning after a crazy night of dancing and drinking fruity drinks. (I spent about 2 days thinking about that opening line. Truth.)

This drink made me OD with sugar

Real Version of events: After shopping Friday afternoon after wook.  I went to a YSA dance in Rosenheim with some of my new English speaking friends from church. We were going to get back to Munich super late and some of the metros weren't working this past weekend and we all live super far apart, so one of the Erik's parents suggested me and Jaime (my new galpal who i just clicked with) sleep over. So we got in super late and Jamie and I slept in Erik's room and Erik slept in a different room. Then Erik's mom fed us fruit and croissants and yummy things for breakfast. Then Erik drove us to a metro station and I had to do the Walk of Shame...aka I didn't bring a change of clothes for the sleepover. It was a funny.



Then I went home showered and woke up Lindsay who gotten in this morning from a week in Italy. It was soooo lonely at work this week because her and Petra didn't come in at all. :( But we went and got Lindsay some groceries and then had a late lunch. It was the most amazing salad of my LIFE!  There was steak on top of my salad. More proof that God loves me.

After eating the most delicious salads of our lives, at a place across the street from our flat, we went to the Tollwood Festival in the Olympic Park. SOOOOO LEGIT!!!!!!!!!!!! Saryah would LOVE it. It's like a outdoor market with music and lots of food.

On Sunday, I was late for the metro to go to my bus, so I decided to take the next metro for the next bus. On that bus, a car hit the bus, so we were stuck waiting for the police, only for me to realize that my metro pass expired the day before. Dang. I didn't realize that what had happened because no one felt the bus get hit and there was no damage done. I saw a guy get off the bus, so after a few moments of building my courage, I asked if I could get off the bus. He didn't really speak English, but this lady nearby asked if I was going to church. I said yes, and she proceeded to translate for me and explain what was going. We ended up crossing the highway to get to a different bus station. We were luckily only 20 minutes late for church. Milagro. Then later that night Lindsay came with me and we went to the YSA Sunday dinner. One of the guys made food. And I found out there were the Colombian guys who were YSA! So I got to sit next to one of them and we were chatting in Spanish all night. I love speaking Spanish and we had a lot of fun, even though he told me Mexicans weren't Latinos. Puh-leez. 

So I was talking to my boss, Betsy, today to clarify one of my assignments; she was saying that she felt bad because I'm in the waiting phase of the project and as soon as I leave it's probably going to pick up quickly. I said jokingly, "well, if you need me, you can just ask Michael to extend my say so I skip my USA rotation" She responded, "would you really be okay with that?" I said yes. She said that it had been brought up before and it would be allowed if she needed me and she would keep me posted. I quickly told Lindsay and then said "dang...I would need a coat cuz it'll get cold" and she said "really?!? that's the big deal here?" So the good news is that I may be able to have a 6 month stay in Germany and go to Brazil from here. The bad news is I would not be able to do my USA visits to see everyone that I have already planned. But I'm trying not to take that talk seriously until they tell me officially. 

On a more somber note. 
Hoy recibí los noticias que una mujer muy especial en mi vida se falleció. Mi Mama Aguila, después una lucha contra leucemia por dos años. Me recordó una conversación que tuve con el presidente de mi misión después del fallecimiento de un miembro de mi familia dos años pasados. "Es los momentos como así cuando nuestros testimonios del plan de salvación son tan importante." Sé que voy a verla una otra vez. Sé que familias son eternas y hay vida después de esta vida. Sé que Jesucristo murió y se resucitó el tercer día para vencer la muerte para que podamos vivir una otra vez con Él. Yo sé que vive mi Señor y que el nos ama. Ella cambió mi vida y la ama para siempre. 

Esta es para ti, hermana:

1. Placentero nos es trabajar en la viña del gran Rey Jesús, y honroso nos es predicar a Su pueblo, Su ley y Su Luz. Por Su luz, por Su luz, placentero nos es trabajar. Por Su luz, por Su luz, moriremos en El sin pesar.

2. La palabra de Dios escuchad con ahínco, lealtad, y fervor. Para siempre jamás recordad Su pureza, verdad, y amor. Con amor, con amor, la palabra de Dios escuchad. Con amor, con amor, la bandera de Dios empuñad.

3. ¡Oh [hermana], adiós, pues, adiós! El momento de ir vino ya. Si guardamos la fe en el gran Dios, nos veremos aun más allá, Más allá, más allá, ¡Oh [hermana], adios, pues adios! Más allá, más allá, moraremos con Dios en amor. 

International Phone Calls

I've been making calls this week to get contact information for a project. It's been really interesting. I've noticed that when I'm speaking to non-native English speakers I speak louder. Because, obviously, if I speak louder they'll understand me.

I found a international calling cheat sheet, which has been saving my life during this time of making calls. It tells you what numbers to press before dialling the number you have (aka country codes and such). It's genius.

I talked to a funny Frenchman who as he was looking for a number was making a funny sound, and I wanted to laugh. He making the sound "bom, bom, bom, bom" in a nice little tune.

Another thing I've noticed. Calling California from Germany is never convenient. Really. We are never working at the same time. Sneaky California.

So I called this one place and the lady answered the call and I said, "I'm from blah blah blah and do you know who could help me with blah blah blah" and she said "no". I paused, a little confused because no one had told me no yet. So I said, "really?" because that's all I could think of. She said "where are you from again?" so I said the name of the company. She paused and then started to apologize explaining that she thought I was a junk call person and she feels horrible. I had to laugh, because I've been feeling like a telemarketer making all these calls. Plus, I've been a missionary, I've seen rude, and that didn't even phase me. Oh good times.

Also whenever I hear people say "Ipswich" or make a call to someone in Ipswich, I laugh to myself. All I can think of is Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch. That's been my only Ipswich exposure, and it has made an impact. I love it.

Oh and the awkward phone calls are the best, where the people on the other end just seem really strange and sketchy. It makes me wonder what they are doing, because I imagine them having very shifty eyes. Plus, when things get really awkward, it makes me feel super uncomfortable and I want to run away. So I'm trying to be professional while trying to get off the phone ASAP because the phone vibes just keep getting more and more awkward!


Lessons Learned:

• Attitude does matter. 
• You choose to be offended. It doesn't matter what happens, you choose how you react. 

I threw a wish in the well, Don't ask me I'll never tell...

Personal Achievement for the week: I managed to fix my Excel so that I can open files in different windows and not have to compare side-to-side. WIN! I feel victorious.

Silly-Me Moment of the week: I was daydreaming on the S-baun this morning and missed my stop. So I had to wait 10 minutes for the train backwards to take me to town. Then I decided to walk to the office instead of wait 15 minutes for the bus. Once again, I should have just waited for the bus. I should have only been 10 minutes late to work, but I got lost and my smartphone maps wasn't working for a bit. Then it wouldn't find my office so I had to find it on google, which had the wrong address. So I showed up to work about 35 minutes late. Bah humbug.

I was at a meeting earlier last week in Surrey, and I told one of the guys that I wanted to learn how to golf, so they were trying to convince my boss that I needed to come back to England for more "training" next week so we could all play golf together. It was funny. Another funny moment, when they told us we were going to have BBQ and eat hamburgers on Tuesday night. LOL. They had little hamburger patties to eat, and that's it. No buns or toppings. It made me laugh. ButI flew back into Munich last Wednesday night. I was exhausted, but I did a load of laundry when I got in. Lindsay moved into the apartment building while I was away so we went to work together Thursday morning.  

Thursday was the Germany v. Italy game and Lindsay and I went with Petra (one of the HR girls at work) to see the game at the Olympic stadium. It was so cool. We kept seeing people with German Flags of their faces and were super jealous. Then miraculously, we got out of the metro and there was a stand with German stuff to buy. I saw the german flag face paint stick and we got it!!!! Seriously too cool for words! So we painted our faces and made Petra do it too. Then we got some brats as we waited for the game to start. Everyone was so excited. I loved it. Though it was super sad when Italy scored the first two goals in the first half. You could feel how tangible the sadness was. People literally cried. So we went back to our apartment that night sad and super tired because we got back so late.


So Friday, we were pretty tired. We were planning on doing a bike tour with Jarrett after work, but it didn't work out. We were too tired, which worked out fine because we got home late too. I had an international conference call that lasted over an hour. It was the longest conference call I've ever had. Crazy. But Friday night was nice and relaxing. Lindsay and I went to the restaurant next door to our apartment, we've decided we're going to become regulars where they know our names and  The food was good. The dessert, not so much. My German friend, David appeared towards dessert and was able to explain what a Flaming Cake was to us. (we're very curious people) For dessert, I got a strawberry shake for dessert...it was room temperature and watery...very interesting. Anyways, had a nice night in.

Saturday, Lindsay, Jarrett and I went to Lake Tegernsee. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! So Lindsay and I took the train in and Jarrett was supposed to meet us there. He showed up 2 hours later. Boys. Lindsay and I vetoed the 3-hour hike Jarrett wanted to do. IT WAS SOOO HOT! Anyways, we took a rented a little boat with an engine and Jarrett chauffeured Lindsay and I around the Lake. It was awesome because Lindsay put on music from her iPod and it was like theme music for our lives. It was unreal how perfect it was.  We then went swimming in the Lake because we were dying from the heat. (Off subject...I forgot my swimsuit at home in Texas because I was planning on getting a new one, but ran out of time to buy a new one so only have my lap-swimming suit. bad tan lines. #germanyproblems) So we were told there was a sandy beach to go to. False Doctrine. It was a rock beach. Lindsay and I forgot towels too. So we went in and swam. It was legit. On the way out, I slipped on a rock and fell. Now my ankle hurts when I walk. Dag yo. We then decided we wanted to go paragliding! So we went to the town over to do so, and by the time we got there, the tram that would take us to the top of the mountain was closed :/ On the drive back we found a private part of the lake. So we paid to go in, but they had lounge chairs! So we laid out some and it was glorious! Oh Mr. Sun, it is good to be friends again. (with sun block protection, of course) We then went to eat at a beer-garden which is famous in the town. We made friends with the Germans on our left and the fellow Texans on my right! Wutup! So legit. It was a perfect day. (minus my injury) but I'm so grateful for everyday of living the dream. I love it. 


p.s. the title for the blog is because the theme song for the day on saturday was Call Me Maybe. It kept on playing in the radio. It was the song we were listening to on Lindsay's iPod on the lake in the boat. Plus, it's been stuck in my head. 

London, My Love

So after work on friday I had a car take me to the train station and I went into London. I got there around...7ish and found my hotel. I realized I accidentally booked a room with a communal shower and bathroom. UGH! (ironic i'm complaining because i love hostels, but when you're not planning on staying at a hostel, it's not a fun surprise)  because i was so annoyed, i yelled at the guy and literally stormed off. I'm so embarrassed by my behaviour. it's terrible. So to feel better, I went shopping. I found black skinny jeans that fit like a gem! I bought some gifts for peoples, and for myself...and ate some food. after that I felt super better! I walked back to the hotel with a new attitude and a new bounce in my step. On the walk back, I saw this beautiful view, and knew it was going to be a glorious weekend.

I was walking home Friday night and knew that I had to
take a pic for Christine

You know how I know God exists?
A cupcake stand in the middle of a store
He loves me *that* much

On Saturday, I woke up super early. Did a bit of shopping and found some more wonderful things to buy. My friend Christine told me to walk around with a camera and take lots of pics...so i decided to wander to the touristy areas to take pics. It was crazy. Tourists are ridiculous. There were some moments I just wanted to take pictures of the weird things the tourists were doing instead of the monument I was supposed to be looking at. It was cool. Gotta love London. I went back to drop off my winnings for the day and headed out to the theatre. Don't ask me why, but I incorrectly wrote down where the theatre house was, so I thought it was at the very end of the black line. Luckily, that end was not working on Saturday, so I got off in Camden Town. Then I remembered...hey, i think it's near here and i wrote it down wrong! I was correct and managed to get there in time, with time enough to run to the sainsbury's across the street for a quick sandwich and milk, with a galaxy chocolate muffin (why not, right?) The Twelfth Night was awesome! (even thought I had to close my eyes at one part during the portrayal of Malvolio because he was dressed a little scandalously to show his love for Olivia. so awkward) Then, I finally remembered the street with all the shops on it (i had been wracking my brain all day trying to remember). I went to Oxford Street. It's always a good thing when the first thing you see coming out of a tube station is a Top Shop. Oh happy day. It was ridiculously crowded in the store, and in the streets, and everywhere. But there was a cupcake stand inside of the TopShop!!! Woot! It's genius really. Cupcakes and Shopping. Two fun things in life, put together. So I was super exhausted from the day and decided to go eat. Except I couldnt remember where any food was, except in Leicester Square. So I got there to realize that there was still time to buy a ticket and go see Les Mis! It was sold out. Bah humbug. Then I wanted a salad for dinner. All the places didnt have a salad I wanted. So i got a slice of pizza and ate it in the nice little grassy area. As I was leaving, I saw a group of teens walking around with a cardboard cutout of Lucius Malfoy. Good times.

Sunday was WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hopped on the train to visit my England mummy and sister, Kate and Rachel. They picked me up from the station and we went to church. It was a great meeting with great fun. Then we went home where a Galaxy bar was waiting for me on counter top. TRUE LOVE! (in case it hasn't clicked yet, i have a wicked sweet tooth)  That's why Kate is the best. She helps me get my chocolate fix. Last time I was here, we went to Tesco where there was no judgement when I got a giant box of Galaxy bars to take home for me and the fam. True Love. Lol. We spend a wonderful evening together catching up. Being awesome together (one of our fav pastimes). Ben even came over, Rachel's fiancée, so I could meet him. I got to ask super nosey questions for fun. Rachel was telling him that he's escaped their whole relationship without dealing with that, as she's an only child, so I was finally coming to do my sibling-ly duty of making sure he has good intentions :) It was awesome. He's cool. I'm excited for the eternity of friendship and visiting each other we all have in front of each other. Can't wait for the wedding either! We watched the England v. Italy match together. It was terrible. I wanted to kill England for sucking so badly. My heart was aching. Seriously. The only one who knew what was going on was Andy Carroll. As a matter of fact, he's my new favourite player. I don't like Rooney anymore. I may have to throw away my Rooney jersey. Bah humbug. I liked Hart too until he missed all those penalty shots. But it's good. Italy played better.

The view from the window in our conference room this week.
How can we be working on a beautiful day like this?

But now I'm in Surrey, working in a conference room in a swanky hotel till Wednesday when I get to fly back to my flat in Germany. This is the view from our conference room window. Amazing. I got lost getting to my room it's so big. No really. One of the workers was showing me where it was and we got lost. It was so awkward. I got to Skype Marijn tonight and I can't wait to hang out with the guys again.
Other things I'm looking forward to? 
-doing laundry. I bought detergent here in England so I wouldn't have to figure out the differences between all of them in German.
-finding hangers
-Friday night :)

My Life's Constant

Moment in time: Germany just kick Greece's butt and is on their way to the semi-finals in the Euro Cup. Woot.

I've been wanting Union Jack shoes for YEARS
they didnt have them in my size :(

It's been a long week. I was sent to Redditch for the week to work on a new project. It is interesting and fun. And I'm pretty sure I suggested that we all have a meeting in two weeks in a different part of Germany, so i'm going to have to travel again. Which means, Redditch this week. and i'm in London for the weekend because it was pointless to fly to Munich only to turn around and fly back for my project meeting in London next week. Then my suggested trip to one part of Munich and then the following week i'll be in Schopfheim, Germany (which is where Germany, Switzerland, and France meet up). With all the travelling, I'm finally understanding what my dad would say when he got back from business trips. I would always ask, "what did you see?!?!?!" and he would say "not much, I go to work, eat dinner, and then back to the hotel". I never understood why he didn't have tons of time to sight-see. i get it now.

With all this travel, my new motto is "home is where my suitcase is". For the past four Sundays I've been travelling. These are the locations because some one asked earlier.

1. New Zealand to Texas
2. Texas to Missouri
3. Missouri to Germany
4. Germany to England

When I was in New Zealand, Saryah thought it was weird (and probably a little annoying) with how I wanted to go to church every Sunday and then something would happen so we couldn't and I would be upset. Luckily on my last Sunday there, I was leaving in the evening, so Saryah & I were able to make it to sacrament. It was amazing. I was so overwhelmed with how peaceful and wonderful it was to be at church. 

When I landed in Germany, I literally put my stuff in my flat, had a 5 minute shower and left to try and find the church. When I saw it I just burst into smiles. I was smiling all through the German meeting. Luckily, they had someone translating, but I was trying not to giggle as I attempted to sing the hymns in German. It was wonderful. Then I went back that night for a Young Single Adults (YSA) dinner they were having. Then I went back for the YSA Family Home Evening on Monday night. One of the girls saw me there and said "you've been here two days and have already come to church 3 times" to which one person said "she has her priorities straight".  

When I flew into London on Sunday, I made sure to get a train ticket that would give me enough time to go to church before having to head off to Redditch. I was in a state of bliss the whole time I was in church. I was able to answer questions, sing my fav songs, and love life.

I don't talk about this to show you that I'm obsessed with going to church or that I'm creepy weird. I did these things because with all the crazy moving, living out of a suitcase, being in a different place, and always meeting new people...there is one constant in my life. Always. No matter where I am or what's going on in my life, the gospel of Jesus Christ and His church is there, and it's the same no matter what country or language it is. The Holy Spirit is there, testifying of the truths that are being taught. There is a peace that enters into my soul when I walk through the doors. It realigns me after a week of awkward moments or complete cluelessness or exhaustion. It doesn't matter where I am in the world or whether or not I speak the language, the Spirit has no language barriers, and I know I'm surrounded by people who feel the same way. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the same no matter where you or I are in the world, and I know that it is Christ's church. 

The Awkward Moments of My Life

Oh the many embarrassing/awkward moments of starting a new job in a foriegn country where you dont speak the language. I'm going to have so many of those moments in the coming year. yay me.

Maybe my fav moment of the week: Someone approached me as I was getting off the metro to go to work and started speaking to me in German. Instead of saying "I dont speak English", I got tongue-tied, didnt conjugate, and said "you dont speak german". The guy gave me a really weird look, and I quickly walked off because I felt so awkward.

I went grocery shopping, and, SURPRISE! everything is in German. I had milk and cheese on my grocery list. It was a lot more difficult than I thought. Cheeses look surprisingly alike. So I just had to look at it and determine if I liked how it looked. Same with the milk. I did notice that one milk said "Soya" and I stayed away from that. But grocery shopping was hard. I didn't get the cheese I wanted in the end. It's good cheese, but not what I was planning on when I bit into my cheese sandwich.

Marienplatz

It's like having a greenie experience without having a trainer who knows the language to help you out. For example at lunch time (or dinner, when I go to a bakery to get something because I'm too hungry to cook when I get home). I literally look at the food and point to get it. At lunch, I look for the most appetizing meal, and say the German word for "little" so they give me the smaller portion as I point. I honestly don't know what it is that I'm eating. Same at the bakery. I know it's something that looks good. But I have no idea what it's called.

Anther awesome moment is earlier this week with the doors. I know I posted it on facebook, but I just want to say it again. All the doors at work have the german words for "push" and "pull". But when you do not know what the words mean, you recognize it, but you don't know what to do. I would push and pull. There was one door that you push to get in but then there is some sort of knob on the other side you have to twist. So I was standing at the door pushing and pulling for a bit until I decided to try the weirdly shaped knob. Now that I have made flashcards to help me and Matt has given me a little trick to remember, I only slightly pause at doors to think and then I remember. So if you ignore the strange pauses before going through doors, I totally look like I know what's going on. Plus, I even managed to program my email into the german scanner without realizing it. Now that's talent.

Dont worry...that's an Orange Fanta in my hand

At work they gave us a card to get in the doors and then another to put money on so you can buy lunch next door. I tried to put both the cards in the card holder they gave us but it didnt fit. So the second day, I was determined to make it fit. I definitely made it fit, but then I couldnt get it out. :/ I tried using my teeth and different things. I broke a nail. Then an IT guy came in to ask if I needed help with my computer. I said no, but then asked him about the cards and if he could get it out. He took it away and a bit later returned with it out. He then made me promise 3 times that I wouldnt do that again. He saw me later that day and made me show him where my lunch card was.

I had a conference call about the project I'm working on last Thursday. I tried to log in and it wouldnt let me. I messaged my boss to tell her I was having difficulties, but that I was working on it. I had to download java onto my laptop and when it downloaded (after taking forever) it said that it couldnt read it. So I had to download it again. By the time I got it all worked out, I was connected long enough for them to say, "so any questions? ok. well we'll talk again next week. bye!" AHHHHH! Que horror!

Beer Garden in English Gardens

On Friday, things were better. I was feeling good about life. At the end of the day, I realized I was probably one of the last people there because everyone leaves early on Fridays....and the automatic doors stop being automatic. I was standing in front of the automatic door, locked in the building, trying to figure out how I was supposed to get out of the building. Luckily, some guys came up about 2 minutes into it and found the tiny button hidden on a far wall that you press to open the door.

So after a long week of work, Jarrett (who got into Germany earlier that week) and I decided to meet up. We decided to meet in the English Gardens. But my phone died after I told him where in the English Gardens I was. after waiting a bit in one place, I decided to start walking. luckily he spotted me and we were both starving and went to a Beer Garden in the English Gardens to eat. Jarrett got a giant pretzel.

Isar River

On Saturday, Jarrett and I met up. I rented a bike, and we biked around the area. It was a super hot day but Munich is GORGEOUS!!!! The guys renting me the bike said I had to have a "Ladies" bike. It was pink. Lol. We got some ice cream to cool down. We then went across town to play soccer with some of the Munich YSA (Young Single Adult) people. It was fun. It was way to hot for me to play. I was melting and I could hear Saryah in my head yelling about being in the sun and skin cancer, so I stayed in the shade.  Then I got a nice little private German tour with a friend the rest of the evening. 

Sunday:  But I had a great church day. I got into London in time for the YSA meeting time. On the tube I saw a guy in a white shirt, tie, and dark trousers, with a girl in a modest (shoulders covered and dress was down to her knees) dress and I thought, "they're totally going to church". So I used my super creepy stalking skills to follow them out of the station and saw them joined by two other modestly dressed girls. So I asked if they were going to the LDS church and they responded positively, so I asked to follow them. It was lovely. One of the speakers was an RSM (returned sister missionary...i made up that terminology) It was a beautiful talk on the Plan of Happiness (which I LOVE!!!) and we sung "How Firm a Foundation" which is one of my favs! It was a wonderful Sunday. I sat with my new friend Lloyd (who has my dream job of being paid to travel and show people the world) and his Australian lady friend.  Then in Sunday School, before the class started, I thought I heard Spanish but I wasnt sure, so I asked as class was starting. The guy said he was from Venezuela! He was super excited I spoke Spanish, but we decided to chat after class. The class was amazing. It was about remembering the wonderful things our Saviour has done for us. It was a great lesson. And afterwards, me, the teacher, and the Venezuelan just chatted it up in Spanish. It was GREAT! I love latinos! It was awesome. They were really funny guys. Then I had to leave in the middle of the third (and last) hour because I had a train to catch....but I missed my train anyways, even though I was totally on time.

my "ladies" bike and ice cream

When I got to my hotel room, I had told my family I wanted to Skype for Father's Day. It was crazy. The sound wasn't working on either of our laptops, so we were miming to each other and typing. Eventually, they could hear me, but I couldnt hear them, so they made me talk a lot and then type the questions. We switched to Gmail video chat after I had to download the function. Then we realize that we could use the video chat of Gmail and the voice my dad's phone's Skype app. It was a fiasco. After about an hour from initial contact, I think we managed to be 100% voice and video functioning with Gmail video chat. WIN!

It's been a good first week in Germany, and this week I'm in Redditch, England. I'll tell you about it next week. On a happy note, Marijn, Jelmer, Jarno, Lukas, and I have finally agreed on a date and location for hanging out. It's going to be a PARTAY! I can't wait.

mein Leben in Deutschland

Hey world. I'm finally in Germany.

Last week aka "Bootcamp" was fun. Michael (my boss) was hysterical. He took us mini-golfing, bowling, go-kart racing, and it was awesome...all as "team building" exercises. It was a fun week, and I really like Lindsay, my co-worker that I'll be travelling with for the next year. She's awesome.

We flew in yesterday. We took 3 flights to get here. On our connection with Lufthansa in Newark, I sat next to a guy from Serbia. I think his name was Ben, and he was awesome! He kept on giving me his food. He gave my his salad for dinner. I thought it was rude to say no, so I ate it. Lolz. Then for breakfast he was offering me his fruit and muffin. I declined only because the thought of eating was not appetizing at the moment.  He rolled his eyes every time the PA interrupted our movies. We had a nice chat over dinner. Also, when he slept, he was really getting into my zone so I had to lean on the left side on my chair to get some sleep. I was half considering leaning on him since he was in my area, but I figured that could get weird.

So we had a taxi waiting for us with our names on a sign when we arrived. He took me to my new home, which is super close to the metro. (yay). I took my luggage upstairs with much difficulty because the elevator is TINY! I took a shower and attempted to find the church. Surprisingly enough, I found it quite quickly. I made it only a little late, I missed the opening prayer. But it was nice aka. they had English translation going on for us. Afterwards, I approached the guy, and he's a YSA here and gave me the info. He said they have a little YSA dinner every Sunday evening and invited me. On the metro back to my flat, I ran into the Sister Missionaries!!!! YAY! we chatted and they were wonderful and serve in the congregation that I'm going to go to. So i went back to my flat to unpack, I managed to get one suitcase unpacked and then I decided to lay down for a few minutes and woke up at 7:20, when dinner was at 7. AHHHHH!!! So I jumped on the metro and got to church only to find the front door was locked. Saddened, I looked around to see an intercom and pushed the button. Nothing happened. So I pushed the button again, and someone said something in German and I said, "I'm here for dinner" and they responded in English. Yay. Since I was late, everyone was done eating and were in clean-up mode, but they served me some food. I ate with a lady there who were visiting her in-laws (the senior missionary couple). Then met some people and really enjoyed the spiritual thought.

I'm excited for the YSA FHE tonight.  Work so far is nice. Petra picked me up from my flat this morning to make sure I got to work alright. One of the heads of the project I'm working on is here giving us more details. It sounds AWESOME! Especially since they're sending me to England for the next week and a half for stuff. I have to option of flying back here for the weekend or staying there. I think I might get a hotel (on the company) in london and say there for the weekend. WOOT!!! Lindsay heads to Italy tomorrow for work. But I'm excited.

I have a lot to do today when I get home. I need to get a wifi thing and a SIM card to get a Germany number. I forgot i was going to make friends and want to contact them. Plus, there is a family the sister missionaries are teaching that I can go visit them with, so i need a number so they can contact me. (SUPER excited about going out with the sisters). And I need groceries, well to find a supermarket.  "Wo ist der Supermarkt?" Petra taught me that this morning to help me out.

All in all, it's lovely and I'm excited. I'll post pics of my flat later this week. It's so Europe-tiny. I forgot how small things are in Europe. Oh well. It will help me learn to work with less.

p.s. my US cell phone is disconnected till I get back in September. I'm going to hopefully get my new Germany SIM card tonight so I will have a German number

Prepping for Work

I just got back from New Zealand, and I've been getting ready for work this week.

Monday: Woke up after maybe 5 hours of sleep to see off Uncle John and Grandma. Due to the lack of sleep and stress of all the work paperwork I was doing, I was pretty crabby most of the day. Went shopping with James at West Oaks and The Galleria. He left me after about 2 hours. Best news: Express dress pants fit me like they were made for me. The funny part is: I have to wear the petites, so it makes me feel super dainty :)

Tuesday: Got to sleep 13 hours. Glorious. However, in the first 9 hours I was awake, I was shopping for about 7 of them. Spent the day at Katy Mills Mall. Had someone told me there was an Express there, I wouldn't have gone to West Oaks yesterday. Got a suit. Super classy. Shout out to Banana Republic because they are my work brand with Express. Other pants that fit me well. I just have to have mom hem the pants. They're too long. But it's okay. It is sooo hard to find pants that fit. True story. And I had a 50% of coupon for NY Company, but didn't find anything. Lame.

Wednesday: I was still shopping and making sure I had everything. I was soooo exhausted. I could barely move by the afternoon. We were going to go up to San Antonio, but it didn't work out because I still had so much to do and I was too tired to go to San Antonio. It was sad.

Thursday: more organizing. I'm doing a lot of donation boxes. It's kinda ridiculous how much crap I have. Even with all the boxes of stuff out of my room. It barely made a dent. I want to become a minimalist, but everything i have has a purpose. How can you choose?

Friday: It was Jamsie's birthday. We went to Coco's for brunch. It was soooo yummy. and it was nice to see my bro. Then I fell asleep on the way home, and continued to nap the entire day away. I was in intense denial about the whole moving thing. So instead, I went to Barnes and Noble to read a book. It was lovely. Then I locked myself inside the house because I was home alone for the night. Then when mom and dad did come home, mom was messing with the doorknob, so i thought someone was breaking in. I'm such a paranoid person!

Saturday: Woke up and went to CityCentre to have brunch with Nay. It was awesome!!! It's funny because we haven't seen each other in literally...years. But it was like no time had passed at all. It was awesome. I think it's because Nay is so chillax; she thinks its because we know so much about each other that it's hard to not get along. Lol. Then I went home and packed for hours. HOURS!!!! I showed mom and dad NZ pics and then went over to Hollister's and we painted toes and caught up. I went home to finish up some packing and the freak-out set in. Anxiety and Nerves. Bah humbug.

Hoy/Sunday: I barely slept last night. Woke up at 5:30. Sooo early. but mom took me to the airport. My freakout was still there but not so much. Got to Kansas City and met with Jon, one of my co-workers. we chatted the whole way to work and it was really nice. He's from Michigan and he's such a gentleman. It was cool cuz we had the same kind of questions, and we were both nervous. I'm glad that we just got along so i have a little friend. And he as a girlfriend and he just says the sweetest things about her. it was ADORABLE! Anyways, im sitting in my hotel.

First day of work tomorrow. Eep!!!