Service

I'm on service.

How I got here:

I was the only one to leave from Paradies Bahnhof in Jena. Jo-Ann met me there after me saying a hurried but sad goodbye to my host mother. I wasn't ready to leave especially since I hadn't seen Paul or Viktoria that morning to tell them goodbye. They had presented me with chocolates and a candle that smells strongly of a sweet vanilla with a German poem on it describing how I'm a special person the night before. I could have cried.

Jo-Ann had me go through how I would keep track of my traveling, which I did successfully, presented me with a book and an Entertainment magazine, handed me a small package, and said a prayer to bless me on my journey to Bad Sulza. I boarded the train with a heavy heart and couldn't take my eyes off of Jena as the train sped ahead past it towards Bad Kösen. I arrived safely in Bad Kösen and had to change trains to head back in the direction I came but on a different track to Bad Sulza. I only had to wait about 20 minutes before the next train came and had to endure a well dressed but poorly impatient man who sat near me. He kept angrily puffing his cigarette and checking the train schedule. I was happy to board the train and only had about an 8 minute ride to my final destination.

The person who was supposed to pick me up was not there. I immediately became worried because I was in a foreign place with a gigantic suitcase. I felt helpless so I called Joe to see what was going on. He made a call to the clinic, informed me to not freak out, and told me to wait at the front of the train station. I stood there in the blazing sun trying to stay calm. I felt so vulnerable. There was a family behind me trying to buy train tickets with a baby in a carriage who was crying so loud and sounded so helpless. I had the strongest urge to start crying with that baby. I don't know what had come over me. Fifteen minutes later, my ride comes. A burly German man with a thick accent came riding up in a large blue Sophienklinik van. He helped me with my luggage and immediately started speaking very fast German with that thick accent of his. I asked him nicely to speak a little slower since I was having trouble understanding him and I was sure he was probably sharing important information. He showed me the way I would be walking to the clinic as we drove up the mountain where the house I would be living in sat. I'm not sure if it's a hostile or what but this house sure is creepy. It looked nice on the outside, very German, but as soon as we walked in and I got a glimpse of the dark bottomless Wine Cellar, I wasn't sure what to expect. My room is at the very top and I must walk through a poorly lit meeting room to get to it. I was very pleased to see that my room is gigantic and then immediately wished I had a roommate to share it with. I dropped my stuff off, he said something in German, and we were off to the clinic.

The clinic is lovely. It has a charming park in front of it and many places to go and sit and watch the river flow by. I imagine I will get a lot of writing done here. Perhaps I will even continue my book. A mountains sits in front of it and the inside is very clean with interesting modern architecture. The kinderclub I work in is a small place that reminds me of the daycare I used to work at, but even smaller. I was immediately put to work to wash the windows on the doors and then had lunch with one of my coworkers. She seems very nice but I can't help but notice sometimes that I might eventually become a burden to them, as I kind of felt today.

After a short day of work and a wonderful abendessen, I headed home up the mountain while it rained heavily upon me. I was without a rain jacket or umbrella so I was soaked upon arriving to my room. There were suitcases in the foyer so I know I am not living there alone. I came in to my room and laid down upon my bed, not wanting to move. I had used a lot of my strength with speaking in German. It takes a lot of concentration out of me and I find myself tired after having a full day of it. I looked around my room as I laid there on my bed with the urge to spruce it up a bit and make it feel a little more like my own room. I began to unpack and hung up the poster Sarah and I had stolen in Dresden, placed my books, cd's, and a picture of Chris and Rochelle on my bookshelf, and hung up my fruit basket and a scarf for a bit more color. When I was finished, I feasted on the cherries and chocolate my host family had given me and began to catch up on the summer movies in the Entertainment magazine.

It was lonely. It was sad.

I'm going to try and not make that a daily routine. I will venture out in to the city, I kind of need to, and I will try and make the best of my time here. I know my German will only improve.

Joe and Jo-Ann visit in two weeks. I hope my relationship with the kids in the Kinderclub will improve by the time they come to take pictures. Today was better since I made some connections with a couple of the kids about our love for Hannah Montana. Yes, Hannah Montana. I will take any connection I can get.

I hope it doesn't rain everyday.