Update: 2 weeks

First of all, I am sorry for taking so long to post an update. I’ve been too busy! So a couple of weeks ago I started taking a German class to help improve my German speaking skills. In order to register I had to take a placement exam. I figured after having taken 3 years of German in high school and cramming the Rosetta Stone most of the summer, I would make it into the Intermediate class. The exam consisted of a written and an oral section. The next day I went to check my placement and right at the bottom under “Absolute Beginner” I found my name. This was the beginning I thought to myself.

So far the class has gone very well. We’ve been going over the basics like colors, numbers, how to order food, how to have basic conversation, etc… The class is all in German so if you don’t understand something, tough luck. Fortunately there are a few other English speakers in the class and together we sift through this puzzle of a language. I have the class Montag-Freitag from 9-1230 uhr. I am learning more and more and slowly but surely everything is starting to make sense. I have even begun to dream in German, basic though it may be!

Because actual university classes don’t start until the beginning of October, everyone without a job, including myself, has a lot of free time. I spend a lot of time hanging out with my flat mates, the international students, and the random Germans that I meet. Just the other day another American (named Tom) and I joined in a pickup game of beach volleyball with a couple of Germans. After the game they took us into the city and showed us how to take flaming shots of Sambucca. So now I will tell you how to do it. Take a shot of Sambucca and hold it in your mouth. While it’s in your mouth, light it on fire (your mouth is on fire at this point), have a friend sprinkle cinnamon in your mouth, and then swallow the shot. It was wild. After the Sambucca, we enjoyed the most popular German bier, Erdinger, which is a Weissbier. It is very similar to Blue Moon in body, and has the classic amazing German taste.

Another popular event in the city is an outing to the discotechs. Discotechs are essentially clubs with a bunch of techno, older American songs (including the Backstreet Boys), good drinks, and a ton of dancing. I’ve already developed the reputation among the international students as the crazy American dancer. I do the lawnmower like its my job! Of course if you are looking for a more mellow atmosphere, there are plenty of pubs to lounge in.

I’ve done a little bit of traveling since I’ve been here. Just today I visited what is Drei Lande Punkt, roughly translated as 3 land points. This is where Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands come together. We spent the day walking around the streets of the Netherlands and drinking the delicious coffee there. It is a beautiful country. This coming weekend I will be traveling to Berlin for the international students!

To come to a conclusion, I really like the city I’m living in. Aachen definitely has the city feel that I love, but it is small enough not to be overwhelming like NYC or something. There is plenty to do, plenty of things to see, but at the same time if you want, you can just relax. Another thing about the city is that you run into people you know all the time. It definitely has the small town feel and is a great place for people to raise a family. I’ve noticed that there is a good mix of young and old people here. Anyways, enough for one update and more will follow soon. Bis Spater!