Thursday, 6.3.14

Today we all went as a group to Deutsche Bank to open our accounts. Since I had set it up earlier, and made my big money transfer I thought I would be able to sign some papers and have access to the money. NOT SO. It turns out I opened up a “Locked” bank account which isn’t normal for American students, and I may have to wait for another week or so for it to be unlocked. The paperwork is being turned over to another office so it may take longer. The other students have immediate access. Was das fik? I’m hoping it opens up quickly, but the woman at the bank said I can go the city hall (I forgot what she called it) and ask them about it. We’ll see. Add that to my list of getting my internet working, finding the laundry machines, and grocery shopping. And getting my Menza card. The “Menza” is the cafeteria on campus.

It turns out my roommate is an active guy. He likes to windsurf and kiteboard in the snow at his parents’ house who live on top of a mountain that’s flat enough and has good wind. Good guy. He also has an extra bike that I can use, but I have to get a new rear tire/tube. I haven’t checked. Germans have a hard time with differentiating tube and tire.

The evening was packed with good times. We all met at an Irish Pub for watching Karaoke. We talked, people had drinks, I had tomato juice. Again, I fielded many questions about drinking. Someone put our group on the list to sing The Macarena. It was lame, horrible, embarrassing, a beautiful disaster. We laughed and cleared the stage gracefully. That song should be deleted from history.  Super cool: I sang Hotel California by The Eagles with a guy from Jordan. I didn’t even pick the song. I had no idea. He got on stage with two other people and started singing. I was super stoked, for obvious reasons. I couln’t believe that they chose that song. Midway through I jumped on stage and joined in. It was awesome. I can’t spell the Jordanian guy’s name, but it sounds like “facia.” I put my name on the list to sing “What’s My Age Again” by Blink-182, but we left before I was called to the stage. It’s probably for the best because I was getting nervous about going up solo. Nobody else from our group sang. All but two songs were in English. Katy Perry. Brittany Spears (sung by a very entertaining guy.) No Doubt. Green Day. One song was in German, and some guy in full black cowboy gear with metal studs and wallet chains sang that lame-ass Korean song that people seem to like. It was entertaining to watch. A German guy, in an Irish Pub, singing a Korean song. I

Rita invited us all to Schloss Keller after karaoke, so we migrated down the street in small groups. Schloss is the old castle in the middle of town which has had its basement “keller” converted into a night club. Arched brick ceilings curve down to the floor, and the light boxes on are within my short reach. I sat for a bit, then decided to get off my ass and dance. By myself. Rita likes to say “Pri-YOLO.” I’ll try to keep that in mind and live up that lame acronym. I danced for a while, some others from our group showed up, Rita’s friends came by, and it was a good time. The music was electronic, a bit on the dubstep side, not many lyrics at all, and a solid continuous beat over and over. I think this music only works for this situation.  Lili, from Paraguay, and I left Schloss Keller at 1:30 and made the walk home in 20 minutes. It was that or wait 40 for the next bus. I still have some worksheet to do for German class, so I’ll say, “Good night.” Guten Nacht.