The Germans really ARE cold

Just kidding! It's just that it has gotten freezing cold here over the past few days. (To my host mom, Gabi, you are very WARM!) And before you read on, know that this post is very long since I feel that it has been a long time since I've written! 

Saturday morning I woke up to the first snow I have seen in Bonn. My first thought was of course: I should have brought boots suitable for the snow. 

Apparently I thought it was a good idea to bring 10 pairs of boots, but none that won't be destroyed in snow. Except for my UGGs, which I have been told are very fashionable here. Who would have guessed? My second thought was: damn, 16 miles is going to be brutal in this weather. Yes, I dressed myself in a pair of compression pants, three tops, a scarf, headband, two pairs of socks & gloves and went on a 16 mile run. Two weekends ago I was running on the beach in shorts in Southern California, and yesterday I ran with snowflakes in my eyes. Sometimes I still can't believe I am really here!

A long, hot shower (sorry, Germany, I know you are energy-conscious) and copious amounts of food later, I got ready to go on a day trip to Cologne. Once our group got there, the first thing we did was take pictures of the cathedral, because that is the American tourist thing to do. It is truly a breathtaking sight. It's size is not the only striking thing, but the amount of detail and intricacy in every part of the cathedral is amazing. The inside is captivating. I can't even find words to describe the beauty or how I felt when I saw it, so I suppose I will just show a few pictures.                                                                                                                                                               

  

I think most people are as stunned by it as I was. Anyways, after a visit at the cathedral we went shopping for a bit and I ended up getting a long, black coat at H&M (of all places) for half off! Thank you, end of season sales. We headed to a bar to get a beer and relax and also to get yelled at for bringing a sandwich inside of the bar even though we drank about 10 beers altogether and spent a good amount of money there. Whatever, lady, your bar should serve food then. Most of our group, which was pretty much all guys, went to the Cologne "futbol" game after that, but my good friend Bianca and I decided we didn't want go, so we stayed and had dinner/coffee in the shopping area. She had real German schnitzel and sauerkraut, while I had salmon and spinach (is anyone surprised?) We even found a Hard Rock cafe after! I felt like I was at home.

We waited for our group to have some drinks, but were iffy on the whole idea of "raging" since we were STILL so tired from Thursday night! After our group joined up with us, we all wandered into a gay bar for "Latino night." Only, we didn't know it was a gay bar until we walked all the way to the back and realized that there was not one female present. We left quickly, had one beer at another bar, and called it a night. I guess when you fall asleep on the train ride home, you obviously were not cut out for a night of partying. We will experience you next time, Cologne. 

As for today... it did not have the best start. My host family and I got together with the neighbors because one of the boys on the trip lives right across the street from me, and we all got ready to go on a day-long excursion to some mountain to see some view and some castle. Only... we missed the group, took a tram to the top of the mountain, still missed the group, went down the mountain, did not have a view to see as the fog left anything further than 10 feet completely invisible. But luckily, we FINALLY found the group, enjoyed lunch and a tour of the castle, and came home.

My favorite part of today was this evening. The neighbors (same ones we went on the day-trip with) came over for dinner and my host family cooked an extravagant meal of pork, two kinds of potatoes, salad and apple strudel (which we were all too full to eat). Somehow our conversation led to me and my romantic life, and I think everyone knows you need a few days to hear that story. But an hour and many facebook pictures later, I think my host family (and Paul) had a better idea of me and my life, for better or worse. We had many laughs about different things... some of which I won't say, because let's face it, there are just some things you can't blog about (hi, Dad). I really felt like I had just had dinner with close friends. Every day I feel more and more at home here, and I could not ask for anything more. 

And just in case I were to miss having a pet... my host family has the most amazing cat ever named Chili. Except she's really more of a dog than a cat. She sleeps with me in my bed and will cuddle with me ALL day. I go to the store and come back, she is in my bed. Go for a run and come back, she's still there. I feel like I have my own little pet. The family is complete! 

And so, the weekend is over and tomorrow school starts again. Tonight will consist of laundry and homework (if I can remember what my homework is). I'll get back to you on that one.

Auf wiedersehen!