Week #34, #35 and #36 in Germany

I've been pretty busy with school and my second job, so it's been hard to find time to update my blog. Since the last time I wrote, I went to Stuttgart for a spring festival, school started again after Easter vacation and I ran in a 7.5K. I've been trying to make my last few weeks in Germany as exciting as possible, so I don't have to think about leaving. I'm starting to get a bit homesick, but at the same time I feel like I still have so much to do here.


The "Frühlingsfest" in Stuttgart was fun. It was like a county fair back home, except here instead of livestock there was beer. The rides seemed to be more expensive, so I only went on three of them. It was interesting for me to see that there were hardly any lines for the rides. Instead, the beer gardens were full. Of course, if we could drink in public back home, it would probably look the same.


School has been keeping me busy. In one of my classes we started talking about the American South. I never realize what a Southerner I really am until the Civil War comes up. Invariably I demonize those damn Yankees for invading us. It doesn't really make sense for me to feel this way, seeing as my dad is from Massachusetts, my mom is from California, and I was born in Northwest Arkansas, which had two battles, but was overall unaffected by the war. I guess it's just one of those things, if you're born in the South, then it's in your blood. I'm also the only member of my family capable of speaking with a Southern accent (my brother being born in California never really had the Southern spirit infect him). 


The 7.5K was a great stepping stone for me. One of these days I want to run a marathon, and I've gotta start somewhere. It was the first time I ever finished a race. I wasn't used to running in the heat on cobblestone, and my time wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but I was still proud of myself for running the whole way and finishing. 


In the final stretch of the 7.5K, I ran at my top speed. In the final stretch of my time in Germany, I'm wanting to put on the breaks. Of course a part of me is looking forward to seeing friends and family back home, moving to D.C. and starting a new job, but another part of me wants to stay close to my friends here, not have the stress of moving and keep the luxuries of my job here (i.e. only working 15 hours a week). I know it's out of my control though. I just have to enjoy the final lap.