Those stories we'll never forget

So I say to myself.. Why in the world have I done this? Why have I just stepped on a plane, with three pieces of luggage, and not the small ones mind you, my violin, a carry on and a back-pack, and sent myself off to Germany? Alone at that. Well, I couldn't come up with an answer. But for now why not suffices.

So here I am. Standing outside the airplane waiting for some mode of public transport to pick me up and take me to the arrival section of the airport. I mean afterall I'm standing out BY the plane, not in a terminal or anything like that, but just walked out of it and onto the run-way.

Trying to follow the group, as I have learned absolutely no German or at least not enough to help me out in this situation, I step onto a bus that has just pulled up in front of me. I noticed that everyone was trying to pack themselves in, so I figured I might as well join them. :) Here begins an ongoing system of follow the leader. :)

We drive around a little, I'm trying to soke in what is around me. Afterall this is a new and strange place to me. However looks about just like any other place I've seen. Make a note of that. :) Hmm.. We pull up somewhere, and I wait to see if everyone steps off. Of course there are others doing the same thing. People from other foreign countries that are wanting to make sure they do things correct as well. :)

Step off, and here I am looking at a bunker. You got it, good 'ole military bunker. This is where I have been brought to by the German country. Not sure what to think about this at the moment.. However I notice something that I should expect.... Customs.

Not sure what to expect, or which line to get in, so I just step into a line, find my passport, and make sure that I have other documents at my disposal. Finally get up to the front of the line, and I'm not asked a single thing. Customs agent looks at my passport, makes a few notes on his computer, and then hands it back to me. I promptly take my passport back and begin my search for my luggage.

Of course even this is comical, because there is no system to it. Afterall I'm in a bunker. :) But I finally get all three suitcases, off of the line. Here I'm thinking, wholly cow I stand out as an American don't I? Hmm.. Ohh well. I'm here for a year. Had to get it here somehow.. Now... How do I get these suckers out of here alone? Hmmm..

Well of course something I had read before coming here to Germany, was that the luggage carts, unlike in America, are free. So I promptly grab one.. However I have to have both hands on the sucker to get it to move, as it has two hand breaks rather than just one. So I tried to throw that last suitcase on top, however I remember seeing something on the cart that said a maximum of weight. Sheesh, how is that again? 2.2 lbs per Kilo? Or 2.2 kilos per pound? Darnit.. Then I remember, when I get weighed, my kilos are always smaller.. :) So then in America we have 2.2 lbs for 1 kilogram.. Ok.. Got that.. And guess what, the cart is overweight.. Great.. :) Get a second, afterall they are free.. :) Now what? Two carts, each requires two hands.. And not sure of the security of the area.. Hmmm... (I suggest not bringing three suitcases if you can avoid it. :) Or when you come here find the help of someone else before you get to the airport, or even when you get here. Whatever.)

So now the problem is getting to the bus that is supposed to take me from Düsseldorf to Aachen. Heh, right.. So then.. Start to ask people where to find this bus... First one set of information people say there are no buses that run from Düsseldorf to Aachen, that I would have to take a bus to the train station and then take the train to Aachen.. However that's not how I had originally planned and co-ordinated things. Finally after talking to enough people and walking around long enough I found the bus that went to Aachen.. Good. I'm tired.. :)

The bus driver, who had almost convinced me that he didn't speak English, by confusing the daylights out of me, finally arrives in Aachen, in a place foreign to myself, and goes off on his daily business. My luck, the first person that I meet, is British. She's a nice elderly lady, however headed back to Great Britain. But she gave me a list of names of people that meet on a regular basis in Vaals, (only 2 or 3 kilometers away from here. About 1 and a half to 2 miles. Not far at all.) so that I may join the group at some time in the near future. Well I wasn't too sure about that because I am here to learn German and about Germany. But I'm thankful that I have somewhere to go if I want to. After about half an hour Michelle arrives.. Ohh what a saviour she is. She was the secretary under Professor Marquadt, however moved off to Colorado to get married shortly after we arrived here. Funny how small the world really is.

So Michelle and I set out to get a little food so that I could take it home in case I got hungry in the next 24 hours. Afterall it's Sunday morning, sometime around 8am.. Early, and everything in Germany is closed.. It's a day of rest, and they mean it.. :) (All except a few gas stations that stay open something like 24 hours a day. Goods there are expensive, I don't suggest going there for food as a regular basis.)

I'm taken to my new home. Spend a few hours unpacking, and then it is lights out for me. I haven't slept since the Friday night before, and even then only a few hours. The week before I left Florida, and the US, was an extremely stressful week. I look forward to my future adventure. So far, so good. Hmm.. What will happen next?

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