Upon landing, things hadn't really sunk in yet. Maybe it was the long, stressful day. But when I woke up in a new room, a new bed, a new house, a new city, and a new country the next morning, I realized how real it is. I am beginning to understand how the family operates and generally how the household functions. However, this weekend is a hectic one for the parents because the magazine they publish together is releasing another issue in a couple of days. So this weekend, in addition to me just arriving, probably will not be an accurate picture of how things will be typically.
The 8-year-old, Felix, is an energetic young fellow. I have been spending some time playing with him this weekend. He has building blocks in his room (Kreativ-Baustein, I believe they are called) and he and I have played with those quite a bit. Felix, though, speaks essentially no English. He knows a couple of words, but we cannot really communicate full thoughts and sentences. But if you were to peek in on us playing, we did just fine. He would say something like, "look!" in English and I would watch what he doing and I would play along. Then I would say something in German and he would respond yes or no. I will admit, it is kind of cute. I taught him "lift!" when he wants me to pick him up, so sometimes he'll throw his hands up and just say, "liftttt!" and I will usually oblige.
The older boy, Michael, speaks English pretty well. He can convey messages to me pretty well and, if I speak slowly and clearly enough, he can pick up what I say. Occasionally he won't know a word in English, and he usually gestures or acts it out and I try to figure it out. He seems to be a little more introverted than his younger brother and prefers to spend time alone. He is a big fan of Minecraft and, specifically, a German "Let's Play" or Minecraft. He has couple other games on his 3DS, but Minecraft seems to be his favorite. Last night in Ulm and Neu-Ulm was an event called Kulturnacht (Culture Night). They had various multicultural events going on all around the city. Michael was kind enough to escort me and show me around the center of the city.
At the heart of Ulm is the incredible Ulmer Münster. This is the tallest church in the world. And boy was it tall. I did not go in just yet, but I took a few pictures of the exterior. Apparently, when the weather permits, people can climb the staircase to the top and can get a breathtaking view of the area. Other than the church, the city center looks really nice. Lots of big, nice stores and plenty to do and see. A lot of cafes and restaurants. One of which is called Sushi Lounge. Before I left, I was actually wondering if I would be able to find sushi in Ulm. And lo, I found it.
In the near future, I am hoping to finally convert my USD, get a SIM card for the EU, and register for a German class. The class seems longer than I had anticipated, but that might be for the best. I have felt quite lost at times not knowing German. It seems that plenty of people speak English, so if I really need it, I can communicate. But part of the reason I am here is to learn German, so it's game time. The food is pretty good, but I haven't had much of an appetite lately. The big shift threw me off, but I am getting back on a better eating schedule.
That's all. Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying my posts so far!
"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the souls of its people." - Mahatma Gandhi
The boys sound pretty cool. I'm glad you got to see the city center and hangout. Great pictures too! :)
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