Its a small world after all...

Today I rode on the autobahn listening to Shakira sing in Spanglish about Africa with a girl from Estonia as we passed a Mcdonalds at every exit.  Its a small world. 

I had a good flight over two days ago.  The longest leg from NYC to Frankfurt was really very nice.  I flew with Singapore Airlines and they provided me with two meals, hot towels before each meal, pillows, blankets, any drink I wanted, headphones, many options for entertainment in the form of video games and movies, and even a pack with a toothbrush and toothpaste to freshen up with.  From Frankfurt I flew to Dresden and then had to catch a train to Zwickau.  I actually had to catch a train from the airport to the main train station and then from there to Zwickau which took me a few minutes to figure out, but it wasnt bad.  Once I arrived in Zwickau I called the lady who I had been in contact with and her husband came and picked me up from the station.  It was about a five minute drive back to where they live, but it was kind of awkward as I didnt speak any German.  I found out later from Mareta that they all thought I spoke German very well ha.  I had used google translate to respond to emails. Verona and Sebastian, the lady Id been in contact with and her husband, do speak English very well too, but I was trying to only speak in German in the car because I didnt know he spoke English.  Anyways, its all good.  I have slept in the past two days which has been nice and then in the afternoons Sebastian teaches a German class for Mareta, myself, and a girl named Kate who is taking a year off from Emory Divinity school to work over here. 

The food has been good.  I have only eaten one breakfast where I had an egg and some bread.  For lunch we have our big meal where they cook a good bit.  My first lunch here we had some kind of short, straight, thick noodles and some sauce they made. I had never had anything like it.  With this they had some zucchini wrapped in bacon and fried in a pan.. it was all good.  My second lunch, from today, was a kind of potato salad and some fried cauliflower with tomatoes and pickles.  They said it was cold food because it was so hot out.  For our dinners we eat bread and cheese and pickles.  It is pretty good to me.  We also have whatever is left over from lunch and occasionally they cut up some onions and salami.  It is very simple but pretty good.  We have been drinking a drink that comes from a flower.  They take some part of the flower and drain it and then add a lot of water to the liquid.  It tastes kind of like a flower smells but not quite as strong. 

I have learned a few things since being here already.  And now that Im trying to remember them I cant.  Their education system is much different.  In the 5th grade they go to one of two schools. One of the schools will allow them to attend a university and the other they will most likely get trained in a profession.  It all depends on their grades up through the 4th grade... talk about pressure on a kid.  In Eastern Germany where the Soviets were, which includes Zwickau, only 25% of the people are Christians.  There were other things that were more interesting but I am tired and cant recall them now.  Until next time.. peace.