Jen's Travels

Sunday, October 31, 2010

25 things

1. I studied abroad in Germany during the summer semester, because I thought I would not survive the cold winter. A year later I am back, living through the coldest winter they have had in 10 years.

2. After a month of trying to learn soccer in the cold and rain (and realizing that my feet just aren’t coordinated like my hands), my love for basketball has been rekindled.

3. I have family scattered across the world from the east to the west coast of the States, Europe, and
Asia.

4. My goal as a kid was to live somewhere I could wear shorts all year round. Although somehow I am progressively ending up in colder places.

5. If I had the means to, my dream would be to just travel the world, spending time in different countries, learning languages and experiencing new cultures.

6. I miss my family and friends who are not here, but I realize wherever I am, this will be the case.

7. The idea of returning to California excites me, but thinking about leaving Germany terrifies me.

8. My BIGGEST pet peeve is flakiness. (Which, by the way, there is no translation for in German.)

9. I hate waking up in the afternoon after a long night out, wondering where that 30 Euro went, when I really meant to only drink a beer or two…

10. I unfortunately signed a 10 month contract for the apartment I am in. I am crossing my fingers that I have it worked out to move into an apartment in the same building, where I will even have a balcony with windows.

11. I met the band KISS when I was 10 years old. A family member worked with them. I was the only kid backstage, along with LOTS of scantily-clad women. The manager came and talked to me, got me something to drink and eat…and I remember the women sitting there, silent…until of course, the band got there, which I remember one asking the guy to sign her boob.

12. I am a horrible planner. I hate planning. I just like to go. But as everything closes at the latest 8, it can cause problems here.

13. My goal was to visit every continent, but I am thinking Antarctica is out of the picture. Antarctica was important because I wanted to see a polar bear, but it turns out they don’t live there anyways.

14. I have been in a few scary situations, but one of the worst was getting robbed in Italy by two men. It is not the worst because of what they took, but rather because of its affect on me. I think they would not have robbed a guy. And now I feel uncomfortable traveling alone.

15. If I ever “settle down”, I need to be able to get to a beach within an hour or two. I also need to be in (or close to) a city of decent size. And sun…I thrive off of sunshine.

16. My biggest fear is how much in debt I will be after finishing grad school and therefore being “stuck” in the US, never again making it out of the country.

17. I follow the news very closely here in order to be able to knowledgably discuss American politics. .I have come to realize that many Germans know more about what is going on in America than the average American, and it makes me sad.

18. I like the idea of karma.

19. I believe I am done studying German in a classroom setting. I am going to start taking Spanish again, after a 5 year break, as I already live the German language, even often in thoughts and dreams.

20. The human body fascinates me.

21. I have had the best luck with random roommates ever, as some have become my best friends, despite the fact that we are spread out across the world.

22. As silly as this sounds, seeing friends and people my age in long term relationships, getting married, and/or having kids sometimes makes me feel “behind”.

23. I smile a lot. Maybe this means I am a happy person.

24. My niece will be two next week. I wonder if she will remember me the next time I see her.

25. My dream trip this summer is go to the coast of Spain, Portugal, or France, and spend time surfing.
Anybody want to join me?
· Kommentieren · Gefällt mirGefällt mir nicht mehr · Teilen

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Flip Thomas aww, I wish I could join you for 25. sad..
8. Februar 2009 um 08:34 · Gefällt mirGefällt mir nicht mehr
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Kristin Clements Yeah, 25 sounds nice again. I loved living on the French coast!
8. Februar 2009 um 10:24 · Gefällt mirGefällt mir nicht mehr
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Inga Ranft I hope these are notes for your exciting autobiography!!!
8. Februar 2009 um 11:53 · Gefällt mirGefällt mir nicht mehr
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Trisha Knowles I would love to join you. Let's hope I can save the money!! haha
8. Februar 2009 um 23:51 · Gefällt mirGefällt mir nicht mehr
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Paula Ordonez Come and visit, Jen!!!
i see you are really enjoying it. Are you still in Würzburg?
10. Februar 2009 um 06:58 · Gefällt mir

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Transition

It's been four months since I've signed onto this thing. I got to a point in Germany that I just didn't want to think about the fact that I would be leaving. The past months were full of amazing times with my friends. Tuesday Karaoke in brauhaus, thursday student night at zaubi, one friday a month at zaubi, basketball with my girls in the tgw, lots of coffee with my lovely anja, sponaneous evenings out til the sun came up, taco nights on a balcony overlooking the river, vodka brause (ex mixed feelings), another trip up to marburg with inga and her down to me for my last days!, time with the family, another visit from suse and some new jackets ;), wine festivals, beer festivals, and just growing closer to the people there in my life. My going away party was absolutely amazing, the weather was perfect, and I could not have imagined a better group of people to spend my time with. On the way to the airport, I was holding back tears. I went outside with one of my friends, and she held me while we both started crying. I couldn't stop as I went through the security gate, watching three very important people in my life cry and wave bye. I called Inga while I was waiting for the plane to tell her I thought I was making a mistake. The flights were so horrible. I got stuck in Texas and freaked out that everybody around me was American. At this point, I was certain I had made a mistake in leaving. I wanted to go home...back to my apartment in wuerzburg. I still think of it as home. I think about going for a jog down the river, going a few houses down to see if anja's home, catching the straba for basketball practice. It's so weird how quickly everything changed at once.

What a weird feeling once again to be packing up my life and leaving. Leaving the people who I love. Again. I won't do it again. I need some stability when I'm done with school...and I need to live somewhere with my friends, because friends are what make life so wonderful.

BUT...I did not make a mistake. I know why I'm here. :)

I have been back in the States a little over two and a half months now...and over two months in grad school. Unbelievable. I do miss my friends over there so so much, but I feel that is was a good thing that my transition here had to go so quickly--and that grad school keeps me so busy. I know we'll all see each other again, and who knows, maybe I will end up living over there again someday. :) I already had a couple of friends visit the first month I got back to the States, and another is coming in December. I also am so excited to see my friends in the States! There are a few loves of my life who I had been missing like crazy. I feel so far away being down here in so cal..but I know it's closer, because we can at least talk on the phone and be (more or less) in the same time zone.

School is kicking my butt, but it is exactly what I want to do. I know research is not my passion. I'd like to do projects to supplement my work as a clinician, but my heart is in working directly with patients. Three years of this...then I've got all my options open! And in the meantime, surfing with my new boards, enjoying summer-like weather in late october, gym & yoga dates with people from my class...and anything else that is free!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Juni

My friend Allen (from Sac) came to visit for a few days, which was amazing. It was the first mixture of my "American Life" and "German Life" that had nothing to do with each other. I'm so glad some of my friends here got to meet him/he them!

Now I'm getting ready to go to a friend's birthday party, where we are going to camp. I'm really excited!

My social life is going just fine these days, and I feel really happy. Work on the other hand...oh goodness, I think I have already mentally checked out. I'm ready for "summer break" until I go back to California.

:)

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

German Weather

For my future reference: I am NOT a fan of the weather here. It rains. And rains. And rains. In summer. And I won't even start about winter...

Sunday, June 07, 2009

The Update

I'm sitting back at work after a 3 day trip to Malta with my oma (grandma), which was wonderful. Swimming in the ocean and through the waves was so refreshing, and I am looking forward to having that opportunity more often. I'm at work with not a whole lot to do. (*I bet now that I've written that my phone will ring any minute.* ) As everything in Germany, processes are complicated. In this case, it is the process of how I can obtain more subjects/patients for my project. I am not allowed to find them through the internet, nor may I hang up posters. I've tested pretty much everybody I know here already, so now I am playing the waiting game to see if my adviser can find me some more subjects.

(*After waiting the whole morning, the phone did end up ringing.) It's been pretty busy since my oma got here. Two weeks ago was the big wedding (my cousins), then she was a week in wuerzburg, before we went to Malta. I'll be back in the States in 2 months from now! I'm really looking forward to starting up my new program and getting to spend time with family and friends again. I'm so excited to finally be coming back to California, not just for a brief visit, as is usually the case.

I'll write more later, but here are at least pictures from the last few months.