Hallo Deutschland!!!: Slacking on blog means I've been having too much fun ;)

I didn't realize I hadn't written in so long. What this amounts to is a wicked awesome time in my new town. I am now in Konstanz, Germany--a small town right on the border with Switzerland and Austria. I can walk to Switzerland. Awesome!!

I had really high hopes in coming to a new town. New roommates, new classmates and a new start. I am enrolled in "März Kurs" here at the Uni Konstanz, which is a combination of an intensive German language course every morning for 3 hours a day (ugh!) and orientation into our new university and new city. In Germany, this means lots and lots and lots of paperwork. Thank goodness there is such a wonderful team of people here, helping us through it all step by step.

What I have found is that people (ie the Erasmus students) are the same no matter where you go. Cliques are forming, Americans are clinging to Americans, French to French, Italian to Italian, with little outer-group mingling.

But, I've stuck to my word and have really put myself out there. I've participated in excursions, I've shown up to parties without knowing hardly anyone (which has included that record-screeching-to-a-halt moment where everyone shuts up and stares at you when you walk through the door...), and I've become an active member of the couchsurfing group here in Konstanz.

It's been hard for me to put myself out there, because by nature I am shy and introverted. But this trip was all about overcoming my fears, so I have really walked to the edge of the diving board and jumped in (sorry for the cheesy cliche, it just fits somehow). And I've been having such a great time! Things are getting easier as I am becoming more familiar with the city and developing real friendships.

I'm seeing and doing things I have never thought possible, and I owe it all to study abroad.

What are you waiting for!?!? :)