Bubble Tea

Today was my schools 20th geburtstag which the teachers were pretty excited about. Yesterday we got out of class at 11, after our third period, and different groups of people had set up different stands through out the school. They had one station where you could airbrush, and other where you could get body paint, fill out a quiz, listen to music, play horse shoe, and race in toy cars.

 

I got a purple dragon tattoo body painted on my arm.

We ended up leaving the school at about two when most of the little stands were done and went to Berlin. I can do that now because I finally got my monthly train ticket! Its €10,40 (about $15 or so) to ride the train to and form Berlin for one day so I would try not  to do it too much. It took a while to get my monthly card because there was some confusion about how to pay. Its great that I have it now because I can go to Berlin from 14:00 bis 3:00 from Mondays thru Fridays and then any time on the weekends. Its pretty sweet.

 In Berlin Frederick, Rebekah and I went to a shopping center at Alexanderplatz and there was this really neat soap shop, except for all the soaps smelled very strange. We also found the ultimate Harry Potter/LOTR/Twilight fan club store. It had legit Harry Potter wands, with like different ones for at least 20 different characters. There were even some that had the tips light up when you swirled it. I was geeking out hard core.

Lets see. Have I mentioned bubble tea yet? Frederick was talking about it when we got dinner and I was like right away trying to remember where I had heard that before. Then I remembered that my friend Sophie mentioned it a few times and how it was like this big fad in Europe, so of course I had to go try it. Since I don't drink milk my options were a little limited. You could get most common flavors in either green tea, black tea, yogurt, or milk. I got grape flavored green tea with these euro-cent sized "bubbles" in the bottom.

Freddy an I with our bubble tea

There were many other different bubbles you could get. Different shapes, flavors. After I orderd I saw they had aloe vera but it was too late.. They give you these gigantic straws with them that suck up the bubbles. At first I thought It would just suck up all the bubbles and leave me with all the tea part but it portioned out really nicely. The "bubbles" were actually very hard gelatine-y sort of flavoured balls. At first I wasn't sure you were supposed to eat them. Totally worth the €2,90.

 

The last of my bubbles

Later we got Eis and I had the most amazing ice cream ever. It is called Waldmeister, which translates into Woodruff or Woodrum. Even thought it is blue it might be the best ice cream ever. That reminds me I am really craving cotton candy ice cream. Or Moose Tracks again... yummy.

Today they let us out at eleven again, except this time a bunch of adults and some students chosen by teachers (including Rebekah and I because we're exchangers) and met in the cafeteria/stage/auditorium. We listened to some speakers talk in German, and then a theater group did a short presentation. After there was lunch and so many good rolls and chocolates.

I have learned that a lot about this exchange is the little accomplishments you make. Like buying something without breaking into English at the check out, and having the cashier understand you. Understanding your teacher when they ask you a question. Remembering for once to address your teacher in formal (Haben Sie, not hast du). Taking out your bus card before you get on the bus so you don't hold up the line behind you as you search for it,  pushing the green open-door button on the regional bahn. Or like being able to hand the cashier the correct amount of change instead of giving them a big bill so you don't have to try and understand what numbers they say in German. And especially when you say a little phrase in German to a native English speaker with out thinking about it. :)

And I saw two whole trucks yesterday and one today, so my truck total for the 37 days I have been here is now 8! (another one of those little accomplishments)