Moments of "Awwww"

The "Are you alive?" email I got from my brother, and the "You're in France?" Facebook post from my dad suggests that I've been MIA in the past few days, so I want to say sorry to them right off the bat.

In that time, I actually have started several blogs that I've left unfinished. Right now my drafts folder looks like the cyber version of a trashcan full of crumpled up papers. Let me try to process "out loud" and see where it goes. This could be ein bisschen gefährlich (a little dangerous. See?) The thing is, I'm sorta kinda-- ok ok, more than sorta kinda-- the sentimental type. And since I have only 36 days left in Germany, we've transitioned into sentimental season.

Zum beispiel (For example), the other day I was waiting for my train in Hauptbahnhof (main train station). It always smells horrible on the platform. I mean horrible. But instead of feeling nauseous, my head instead thought "Awww this is one of the last times I'll smell this distinctly disgusting Hauptbahnhof smell." Seconds later I saw a tiny mouse run on the track, which happens regularly, but still again, my head, "Awwww how many more little mice will I see run on the tracks?" Ridiculous.

It didn't help that I was waiting for the train that was taking me home after an amazing weekend spent with 4 other girls in Strasbourg, France, and at the German version of a fair which goes on for only 3 days and is a huge deal here. (Businesses, even some big corporations, actually close down early on the last day of Wäldchestag so that everyone can have a chance to go.)

It's also a strange thing to have close friends here that I'm becoming more aware that I won't be able to see every week. The whole "friends scattered all over the world" thing is fun I guess, but also not. And yes, "It's a small world" but also not, when you consider flight costs.

It was not long ago that I told a few people how I was feeling bored here-- that it feels like I'm not making much difference in the world, and unsure of what exactly I'm "doing" here on a day-to-day basis. I still wrestle with how to exactly say what I mean by that, but you can be sure that I'm not letting that stop me from soaking up every last European blessing that I can. My sentimental spidey-senses remind me that it will be hard to leave. In 36 days. That's still 36 days away though so we won't bother with worrying about it, okay? But.. awwww..