Thoughts

The honeymoon is over. Sitting through 3 hours of a design class taught in German is a killer. Even with a short English version after, it’s still taxing. Professor Philipps handed us notes for the class guidelines/requirements and a brainstorming sheet that was done in class. Of course it’s all in German and I have to translate it to understand what’s going on. I get the idea visually, but I don’t know what the words say. I don’t talk with other students in class because I’m nervous to initiate. I don’t know their names. I don’t know if they’ll be annoyed with helping me. I don’t want to be the needy American. A lot of times I’m not happy to be American. I’m always afraid people will be less accommodating because of it. It’s probably an irrational thought, but I want people to think of me as a nice guy so they see Americans in a positive way. I’d hate to fulfill a negative American stereotype.  

Rita was super helpful in the beginning, but I think she’s sick of our questions and need for help. Just making copies of documents is a struggle. The machine takes money, I can’t read the signs, the language on the machine’s screen is illegible, and to top it off the machine took my money. Rita was nice enough to take me to the secretary’s office and I was able to use the office machine. I have to make copies of documents, get signatures, and take new passport photos for tomorrow’s meeting to obtain my student visa. The paperwork is all in German so I can’t read it. I could translate each sentence online, but it would take super long. Rita helped me for a bit until we realized a lot of it asks for marriage and family information. Much of it doesn’t apply to me, so I’m relieved.

I feel bad asking Rita for so much help, and when she replies that she doesn’t mind because she gets paid for it is a bit irritating. I want to think of her as a friend who is happy to help, not someone who’s obligated and uncaring. I think it’s up and down for her. She has work to do also, and other friends, so she’s busy enough without us, the design exchange students, bugging her for help and direction. We did walk home together and a nice light hearted conversation. She works a lot and gets very little sleep, so maybe I should give her some slack.

I’ve found things I needed to do that should have been weeks ago. I was supposed to go to the bank to pay my first month’s rent, but I thought that was handled because I gave Karlshof my bank information the day I moved in. While organizing my papers for tomorrow’s visa meeting I found the paperwork for student housing and realized the rent was due yesterday. I hope the bank transfer comes in within the grace period. The people at the bank are helpful and kind.  I’ve been trying to organize my paperwork which has been tough. It’s hard to get settled with no supplies. I went to Staples yesterday and bought a few things; folders, stapler, glue, scissors, paper clips, white out. I didn’t buy folder racks because I think I’ll build something out of cardboard.

The stresses of not knowing the language are coming in strong. Everything is tough. I can’t read the books the teacher has to do research. I can’t read the screens when logging into computers. I don’t know where to get the right information. I’ve resorted to asking whoever is around when it’s needed. A girl in the computer lab helped me set my internet password for the campus network. Bonus: The keyboards are different. I may have typed too fast and entered something different than what I intended when setting up my password. Rita’s friend Alex can’t log in either, so maybe this is one time where it isn’t my fault.

My brain is so scattered. I know I have a lot to do, but I’m too easily distracted on the computer. A messy desk is frustrating, and it irritates me. A trail mix cup is now my change bowl. I made a pen holder out of a cereal box. A mirror I found in the spare closet now leans against my wall with my to-do list written on it. Yesterday was about getting shit done, and today is no different. I bought coffee this morning at Rewe so I could brew a nice cup with the Itallian Moka pot, but I ended up buying the wrong thing. What I thought was a cappuccino chocolate grind was just the hot water powder mix. That’s probably not all a language issue. I’m just an idiot.

Time to get rolling.

Ciao.