Day 27 2/15/2010

Day 18 continued 2/7/2010

We watched the game for a while. I sat next to Trisha. After a while she wanted to go walk around but then decided to wait till after the half. So they played and we watched dancing to the songs we didn't know the words to. I recorded some of the songs and the game. A little while after half time Trisha and I went walking around to see if there were any souvenir shops on the fourth level where we were. We walked all the way down and back and didn't find any. That meant that the only store was on the first level. Right after we figured that out we decided to get some food a drink and head back to our seats. They were some of the best french fries that I've ever had. I also got a beer but that ended up being not so great but hey I tried it. We watched the rest of the game with Dusseldorf winning 2-0. I don't remember the team that they played because I don't think anyone told me. Well directly after the game we stayed to watch the fans celebrate and to listen to them sing. Right after that we walked all the way down the stairs. I wanted to go to souvenir shop but Trisha didn't want to get separated and I really didn't either but I was hoping to find a shirt for Sean. Anyway after getting little upset about that we headed out the gate and to the train station. Surprisingly none of us got lost. We got the the platform and found a spot to stand and wait for the train. On the way there Trisha and I spotted a scarf stand for the Soccer team. It was more like a spot where a lady was selling scarfs there was no actual stand they were just spread out on the ground. Anyway, after we found where the group would be standing, Trisha and I ran back to that spot and bought ourselves some scarfs. Since she had payed for the food I bought her a scarf. It seemed to be a fair trade. So we waited for the train and when it finally got there we all piled in along with about a hundred other people. Holy crap that train was full. We were pretty much squished in there like sardines. Also more exciting stuff happened on the train then at the actual game surprisingly. First, Alvaro and I were stuck near the doors while some of the others got to sit down. Next, the train was delayed for 30 mins because of something. I think it was a fight. Found out later that 19 people were arrested and that is what held up the train. So I was standing there by the door watching the three guys next to me flirt with one of the security guards outside the door trying to keep people off. All the while they are probably at least feeling the alcohol. I sat there and watched them basically break the door on the train to talk to this woman. They kept forcing it open to talk to her. At one point they pulled off the weather striping that was on the hing of the door and throw it over the back the seat that was beside us. At another point a pretty messed up/drunk man jumped on the already crowded bus. He started to get mad at these guys because they were acting like idiots and he didn't seem to be all there upstairs either. Nothing came of that however. I just sat there and watched them make a fool of themselves. Eventually the train started moving and some people got off while most stayed on the train for a very long time. It sucked because you were literally squished. Finally we got back to the Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof and we were able to catch the train we needed to get back here to Bonn. After that we all pretty much went home. No one wanted to go anywhere so they went home. I did too. I had dinner and went to sleep like most night because I had school the next day.

Day 19 2/8/2010

Another normal day for a school day. I had German in the morning and the studio in the after noon. Nothing special happened that day except that I finally sat down and ordered my tickets for the weekend in Munich that will be happening on the 19th. Went home, ate, talked to Sean and my mom, and went to bed.

Day 20 2/9/2010

Today we didn't have school we had a minor excursion into Bonn. First we met up at the AIB to talk about our time so far. So we could get a good understanding of what would be happening and tell them what was good or bad or what could be changed. So far all of us are happy because nothing major has gone wrong except the minor problem with some host family situations. Right after that Lars and Ariane took us to the student cafeteria where we could get another semi good lunch for cheap. I got chicken and sauce with spaghetti and some bread pudding. Personally I found the bread pudding nasty but the rest was alright. Not my favorite but it was better than nothing. We returned to the AIB and shortly after that headed to the museum they had planned for us for the day. It was a history museum about the Republic of Germany. Which was put in place starting with WW2 and then through the Cold War. Mostly just about the time of the 50's through the 80's. This was interesting but we only had an hour and it would have been better if we could have stayed longer. However, I got the see parts of the Berlin Wall and I got to see a moon rock and the space suit that the first German wore on the way to space. I also saw a lot of old school electronics and the first car ever bought by the Republic of Germany. I walked through a piece of a plane that bombed Berlin then three years later brought food over when Berlin was cut off from the rest of western Germany. I walked through a replica of Check Point Charlie. As well as see a lot of other parts of the history. It was interesting just short and fast. I didn't like that much I also wasn't able to purchase anything at the book store because as soon as we were done everyone wanted to leave. I'm certainly going to try to go back sooner or later. Right after that we walked back to the AIB and most of us just farted around or worked on school stuff. When I got home I had to do some stuff because my host mom would be leaving for Hamburg the next day and I would spending the next 7 days home alone. Not completely alone because a friend of mine was coming here to spend the weekend with me exploring and enjoying Karneval. So she showed me somethings that I would need to know and we had a noodle and meat casserole that her mom wanted us to save till the next day but didn't. It was ok though because her mom would still come and cook for me Wednesday and Thursday.

Day 21 2/10/2010

Today was a school day. Trudy had left for Hamburg before I woke up even though I needed to be up early that day. So her mom was here and she offered me breakfast and I excepted even though it almost made me late. We had a pantomimed conversation because she doesn't know German. She was trying to tell me to leave the back door unlocked and stuff like that. She also told me that she would cook that night. After that conversation I left for school. We started another class today. It is our Game History and Culture class. We talked about different things all morning that have to do with games. Then right after that we found out that our German teacher had to cancel due to sickness. She was suppose to teach us some Karneval songs because the next day was Karneval and my Birthday. That was disappointing but all was ok because we needed to work on our models anyway. I messed up and didn't do anything but fart around and I'm paying for it right now. I really need to get my crap done. Well I watched TV shows and messed around at the AIB till I was ready to head home. I got home and ate dinner with Trudy's mom. I think her name is Maria. Anyway, she talked to me and told me stuff that I needed to know but I have no idea what she was saying a few things I worked out like "When Trudy calls answer the phone." and other similar stuff but I don't really know what she said. After that I just went up to my room and talked to Sean till I went to sleep.

Day 22 2/11/2010

Yay! Happy Birthday to me. I am now twenty two. Crazy right. Today was the first day of Karneval. Thursday kicks it off. We all wanted to go see the parade in Bruhl but some of us didn't make it like Garrett and Alvaro who were sick. We met up at the AIB all dressed up. They bought us some Berliners and we took pictures of ourselves decked out. It was great. Everyone that came was dressed up except Tyler. He just put a sign on his shirt that said "Gods gift to women." We all rolled our eyes and laughed. At that point Lars realized that it was my birthday. He grabbed a candle and a Berliner. Lite the candle then proceeded to sing me "Happy Birthday." It was great because everyone sang. Jake kept singing in a ridiculously low voice making it even funnier. After everyone showed, we headed to the train taking us to Bruhl. It wasn't a long train it just took forever to get across the bridge. Once we got there we hopped off and headed to a meeting place in front of a grocery store. Jacob and Brian both live in Bruhl. It would have been pointless if they met us at the AIB for this.