The Final Countdown

My girls Mandy and Abby and I in New York, Summer 2010.

It's hard to believe that nearly a year ago I was sitting outside of a bar in Manhattan with a bottle of wine at hand, having a sloppy, yet an emotionally charged conversation with my brother Robert. Tears were not slowly trickling down my face, but a river that became a raging torrent.  I was scared shitless (einscheissen) of what was to come in the future. The next day was my day of departure for Germany. At the time of pure distress, I thought a year was an eternity. My fear of the unknown was unbearable, and I cried outside the bar like a baby. I am sure the mixture of alcohol and emotions was what triggered this freak show, but hey, I am only human. I couldn't bare the thought of being gone for a year without my little Ruby (dog) and my family. At the last moment, I thought, "why did I sign up for this?" A year??  Boy was I wrong! A year flies by, and in fact, it's not long enough. I wish I could stay in Germany for a few more years, but unfortunately I must return to California. I see myself returning for a year, finishing up my studies, closing a chapter in my "life book," then moving again. I realized the things I have done in this past year gave me more courage to take on any challenges or new opportunities. Starting a new life is the most invigorating and rewarding thing one can do. It's exhilarating and challenging all at once. After I graduate in 2012, my hopes are to return to this great land we call Germany. I don't want to give up on this whole German thing quite yet. I am not completely satisfied with my German skills, so therefore, I must return to conquer the language.
Although I do feel like my German has improved greatly, I want to be at that level of "Academic/Philosophical" German. We will see if that ever happens. I've come to conclusion that no matter what, you will always make mistakes, act like a fool, and do embarrassing things while living abroad. It's bound to happen. I've accepted the fact that everyday I do or say something stupid. But I also think that is what  also builds character. One needs to laugh over oneself . I am convinced my German friends are entertained by my German skills on a daily basis. I am like their talking parrot that mimics everything they say. Sometimes the German I speak is useful, but most of the time I speak and know the most USELESS German of all time. Of course I know the most random words in the German dictionary.

Picnic time in Germany.

Fruehlingsfest in Stuttgart.

My experience here has been the best thing I have ever done in my life. It's the best investment I have ever made. It was an investment for my mind, body, and soul. I would work all over again and save up the money to do this program once more. My new life in Germany was fulfilling and yet somewhat of a tease. I have been surrounded by brilliant minds that constantly stimulate my intellect, and now I am being torn away from them. In this wonderful place we call Tuebingen, I've connected with so many different nationalities, yet that is also the source that strips me away from these incredible people. My nationality. One can't just hop over the pond so easily. Visas, residency, green cards, our national identity is what also separates us from continuously living harmoniously together. It's unfortunate that it is such a process to live abroad. I guess I just have to marry a German : )

Kuckucks Bar

I had the most typical college dorm lifestyle that completely ruled. Before I moved to Germany, I loved having my own space and I wasn't the biggest fan of sharing. Now, it pains me to leave my 17 floor mates, smelly/disgusting kitchen, and this crazy student dorm area we call WHO. Oh I must not forget our incredible bar we have right outside our door call Kuckucks. That place will forever live in my heart. From dancing on the tables to taking Euro shots in this scurvy environment, it will always be a magical place.
 Most think I am crazy when I say I never want to leave my quaint little town called Tuebingen. Germans definitely think I am nuts, because in California I live one mile from the beach, and that is their fantasy land. When one asks me, "what city is your favorite city?"  I always answer, "Tuebingen of course!" That is also an answer that gets weird remarks. Everyone who hasn't lived in Huntington Beach thinks it would be like pure heaven on earth, but I guess for me the grass is always greener on the other side. I am looking forward to see my friends and family again, sit on the beach with my dog, and eat killer (hammergeil) Mexican food. But in reality I have moved on from my hometown and I am ready to continue this path of exploration.

Rube Tube and I at the beach.

Who knows where life will take me. I must keep my future somewhat open, because you never know what will happen. I am not a fan of fixed plans or having a "5 Year Plan" because in reality, things change! If there was some sort of concrete path in front of me, I would somehow veer off of it, or branch off into many other paths. Lets face it, everything I have done in my life was never conventional. I am okay with that. I always look for an alternative way to go about things. Maybe it's because I have four older brothers and I always felt the need to never conform to do what they did. I always tried to distinguish  myself  differently from them and what they did with their lives. Of course we are different because they are boys and I am a girl, but I never wanted to be like them or follow their paths. Don't get me wrong, I love my brothers.... most of the time ; ) but if they did or said something, I would do the complete opposite. Maybe that is my stubborn side of dealing with things.

Colorado

Last year I told people in a "joking/ it could be possible," tone that I would return to the states with a German husband. Everyone laughed, but everyone also thought I wouldn't return home either. Instead of returning back to the states with a German husband, I am bringing home 2 of the coolest guys I have met in Tuebingen. It's even better! It feels like Christmas! Not only am I bringing one European, but 2! I am a lucky girl. I can't wait to show these boys my hometown and how I grew up. Then they will get a better sense of me and understand why I am the way I am.  It will all make sense. Crazy Julie = Crazy California. I know these boys will be eaten alive by the girls in California. I mean, any guy with an accent will be eaten alive in Cali. Girls dig accents and foreign men. These boys  have no idea what is to come. It will be entertaining for me. I can't wait!!

Cali Girls... here they are. Patrick and Dan.

Galway, Irland with the French Canadians. 

A few weeks back I traveled through the British Isles with 3 other California girls (Jenna, Alexa, and Erika) and one token Englishman name Dan. It was pure chaos to say the least, but so much fun. We started off the trip with no shelter. We had a destination, but no place to stay. We were hoping to just go to a bar in Dublin and befriend someone in the bar and hope that they would invite us to stay with them. Instead, we met 3 Irish guys on the bus heading to the airport in Memmingen, Germany. We shared a few laughs here and there, small talk ruled the conversation, and that was it. Once we arrived in Dublin, these boys which completely kicked ass, offered for us to stay with them in Dublin. They invited 5 random strangers to stay at their place. They showed us an incredible two days in Dublin and true hospitality.  We shared music, stories, drinks, and pure "craic" together. Don't let the "craic" disturb you. In Irish slang it means "fun." Who knew, that strangers on a bus would become fantastic hosts to 5 desperate travelers. Thanks guys!

Dublin

We then headed off to Galway, Irland. It is on the opposite side of Dublin on the other coast. It was a beautiful, colorful little town. There we couchsurfed with a guy named Paul. By the way, Couchsurfing is the greatest thing ever. I highly recommend it. You meet people from all around the world, share experiences, and connect in so many ways. So during our stay, Paul also hosted 3 French Canadians. These Frenchies were pure "craic" as well. The boys were so much fun, and all of them were hilarious. I have never laughed so much over random shit before in my life. We drank wine in a park next to the coast, played games on the grass, sang songs around the dinner table, and made some funkadelic hummus. Hummus was the theme of our stay in Galway. Everyday we ate containers of hummus, and in fact we even had a hummus party where the Frenchies made their own hummus. It was a chickpeas extravaganza! It was hard saying goodbye to all the people in Ireland. Memories were made!

Scotland 2011. 

Next stop Edinburgh, Scotland. Which is probably one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The city is fantastic. Through rain or shine, I was constantly surrounded by incredible buildings and architecture. The city just consumes you with its beauty. To my vegetarian and vegan friends, you might want to skip to the next paragraph. So in Scotland, I had to do what the Scottish do. Drink excellent whiskey and eat Haggis. One must do what the locals do, to completely immerse yourself into a culture. Okay, not everyone in Scotland eats this stuff, but I had to try it. Even though Haggis is made out of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggis   sheep's stomach, lungs, and mixed with oatmeal, it was delicious!! I was surprisingly overwhelmed with the wonderful flavors in which this delicacy contains. The texture wasn't weird or gritty, it was perfect. Most of my time in Germany, I've been trying to cut back on the meat intake, but I had to splurge in Scotland and try the local culinary delight. If you think Haggis is nasty, I also ate Black pudding http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding. That was also surprisingly good. My friend Dan and I enjoyed a day away from the city and went to the Highlands and we were on the hunt for Nessie. We visited Lake Loch Ness. Unfortunately Nessie didn't want to come out to play, but we expected that. Dan and I experienced a wonderful day of whiskey tasting and haggis eating. Even though there was no Nessie, we still enjoyed a drunken adventure on the boat.

Because we are so mature.

If you want to see more pictures of our adventures, simply click below.
https://picasaweb.google.com/108612241084682808265/BritishIslesTrip2011?feat=email

Well Ladies and Gents, thanks for checking my blog out. I will try to be more regular. I am worst the blogger ever.
Peace and Love!
Yours Truly,
Julie