Patience Is a Virtue

The short version of what you’re about to read: The proverb patience is a virtue means that it is a good quality to be able to tolerate something that takes a long time and just talking about my life of course.

28 October: This day was very high-low for me. I woke up at about 9 and I sat in bed for an hour or so and then I rode my bike to the bakery and I bought a ginormous piece of cheesecake and a glass of delicious hot chocolate. I sat and enjoyed that for about 30 minutes and then I just walked around the grocery store because I had nothing better to do. After that, I went to the bank to take care of something that I thought I needed to take care of, but apparently was already taken care of, if you catch my drift. So I rode my bike back home and cleaned my apartment a little and ate some chocolate and watched “how I met your mother”. At 2, I went upstairs and my host mom told me that both boys were sick and throwing up, so I just read to the older boy and we didn’t cuddle because I didn’t want his germs (yuck). When the younger boy woke up from his nap, we played together and they both started to not feel so bad. We listened to some music, played with remote control cars, and did some art. Later in the evening their aunt came to visit, so I didn’t really have anything to do. We ate dinner together and then I had to leave for my English speaking theater group at the university. The 20 minute bike ride just keeps getting colder and colder, but I persevere because I am a strong woman who knows how to bundle up. My theater group was fun, we actually were able to do some scene work this week which was really nice. I got a little frustrated with one of my scene mates because he wasn’t understanding the text and he was struggling to get a grasp on how to act, but it all ended up working out. Patience is a virtue!!! We performed our scenes in front of the class, and I don’t want to brag about myself, but this is my personal blog so I will: I felt very good about my work and afterwards both of my directors came up to me personally and commented on how impressed they were with my performance. That made me so happy! Needless to say, I was so warmed up with joy, the bike ride home didn’t seem so cold.

29 October: I woke up, made myself some eggs, showered and then rode my bike to the shopping mall to buy a birthday present for the younger boy’s birthday. I also got some hot chocolate and cheesecake. My bike ended up having a flat tire so I had to walk it home which was fine, but I didn’t really like it. Then when I got home, I just relaxed for one hour and then went upstairs to play with the boys. They were still sick, so they just sort of laid around. I went on a walk with the baby which was really enjoyable because I discovered another nature trail only about 2 minutes from my house and we walked there. Unfortunately, the baby only slept for 35 minutes even though she was much more tired than that. When I got home, I played with the boys for a little while and then they all went on a walk and I stayed back to clean up the kitchen and living room. For dinner we ate bread and cheese. Also, its very weird for me because the sun sets at 5 pm so it’s dark so early! After dinner I went downstairs and just relaxed until it was time for bed.

30 October: I woke up and got ready for school. Unfortunately, I tried to ride my bike, but it turns out the tire wasn’t just flat, there was actually a hole in it so it didn’t work. I ended up having to take the bus for 12 minutes and then I had to walk for 20 minutes more to my class and I was 7 minutes late. When I walked in, embarrassed of course, I received a red card from my teacher and I still don’t really know what it means, but at the end of class he collected it and told me not to be late again. My class was good, but I get a little frustrated because some people don’t like to speak at all so when we talk in smaller groups, I can’t communicate because I can’t understand the other people at all! However, we’re all there to learn and that’s what’s important. Patience is a virtue!!! After my german class, I went to Base Coffee and had hot chocolate and pancakes for breakfast! They were really delicious pancakes and I didn’t want fruit on them so I didn’t have to pay as much! Picky eating is a blessing and a curse, I’ll tell you. Afterwards, I walked to my culture class and I had really good conversation with this guy from Pakistan who is really nice. I couldn’t understand a word of his german, but we spoke well in English. I also made friends with a guy from Syria who is very nice and has hair kind of like mine. After my culture class, I had to take the bus back to my house, but I ended up taking the wrong bus, so I wasted a lot of time. Thankfully it dropped me off only about a 10 minute walk from my house. At the time I was really angry, but looking at it now, it wasn’t a big deal at all. When I got home, Oma Edith and Opa Kalli were there so I talked with them for a while and I played with the baby and then I ironed the clothes. My host parents and my host grandparents are starting to speak to me in German now so I am feeling better and better about my german abilities. I am gaining so much confidence to speak, even though my grammar is terrible. I’m very thankful they have patience with me speaking though, because as we know, patience is a virtue. For dinner, I rode my host mom’s bike to Bamberg and I got pizza with my new friend Maximilian. It was very fun and the pizza tasted very good! This was a good day and I am very very excited for Halloween tomorrow!

31 October: I woke up and went to my 8 am German class, it’s still not my favorite class and I am always so tired when I arrive there, but I survived it. Afterwards, I went to my American Cultural Studies class and for part of the time we watched a movie which I was thankful for because then I could sleep a little bit. Afterwards I went home and had lunch with my host family and I played with the older boy. The time actually went by so quickly for me because before I knew it, it was time to wake up the younger boy from his nap. I spent a little bit of time reading with the older boy and then I had to go pick up my bike from the repair shop and I also had to pick up some groceries for my host family at the grocery store. When I got home, the kids were all in costume and we went to a gathering at the neighbors house. They had gingerbread , candy, and sweets to my hearts content. In Germany they say “süßes oder saueres” instead of trick or treat, which directly translated means “sweet or sour” which I think is cute. We handed out candy to trick or treaters and then we went trick or treating for 25 minutes or so with the kids. There were not many houses with people handing out candy, so it didn’t last for very long. Afterwards, I rode my bike to Bamberg to meet my friend Jolene who is another au pair in the area. The literature department at my school was having a gathering and Jolene’s host mom was doing a reading, so we supported her. I ended up going home pretty early. Even though I had planned to stay out until 4 am, I was home and in bed by 12:30 am. Long story short, it was not the night I planned for, but a good night nonetheless. It was really cool to see the Halloween traditions in Germany (they dress very scary, way more so than the US) and it was nice to actually meet my neighbors and talk to them.

1 NOVEMBER: This was a pretty lazy, but good day! I woke up and got ready and I went upstairs and had a nice breakfast with my family. We were celebrating the younger boys 3rd birthday so we had a delicious breakfast from the bakery. I also gave him my present (a pair of pajamas, a paw patrol shirt, and a drawing book) and he was so excited about it! I was honestly really surprised how excited he was about the clothes because usually kids don’t care. However, shortly after he got my present, something made him upset and he kept telling me to go away and to stay away from him. It was a nice moment while it lasted. Sometimes kids love you, sometimes they hate you, sometimes both at the same time; patience is a virtue. Afterwards, the family went on a day trip and I rode my bike to the city to meet my friend Awije for coffee. We talked about our trip to Prague and spent some time walking around the city center. It was a celebration day in Bavaria, so the shops were closed (except for the cafes), so there wasn’t really much else to do except for coffee. After hanging with Awije, I ended up going to McDonald’s and just hanging out there for one hour just enjoying the fast food ambience. When I was in the bathroom, a male employee came in to fix something and he stayed in there like it was no big deal that I was there. I exchanged a confused look with this other girl, but I guess it was McDonald’s so I shouldn’t expect anything less. To finish my day, I spent six hours binge watching how I met your mother and it was really pleasant and relaxing. This was just, a nice, much needed lazy day

2 November: I was very diligent this day and it ended up being an awesome day! I woke up early and rode my bike to the grocery store to buy ingredients to make pumpkin muffins. I also got breakfast and hot chocolate. There’s only one grocery store in my city that I know of that has canned pumpkin, it’s a little farther away than the regular grocery store, but I don’t really mind going there. It’s really similar to Hyvee so it makes me think of home. Afterwards, I rode my bike back home and I baked the muffins. I also rearranged and cleaned my entire apartment, so it looks really great and it feels more homey than it did before. I moved my bed closer to the window, so the light actually hits me in the morning and I am scientifically destined to wake up even happier. I also worked on my German homework for university and I took a shower, so I would say that I had a very successful morning/afternoon. At 3 PM guests started coming to our house for the birthday party for my host dad and the younger boy (their birthdays are only one day apart). All of the grandparents were there and both of my host dad’s sisters and their boyfriends were there and the neighbors also came. It was so much fun talking to people and laughing with people and it was such a fun family event and I just felt like I was another member of the family which was really really great. The whole night I felt so happy I wanted to cry! I am definitely lucky with the family I live with and I was so grateful to have such a fun family evening (even if my brain was exhausted from speaking so much German). Tomorrow I will relax, but it will be another good day, I already know!

3 November: It’s currently 11:35 AM on Sunday and I haven’t left my bed once, except to go to the bathroom. I’m planning to leave my bed, but it’s so comfy and it’s a lazy Sunday, so I don’t know that I want to. I did wake up happier today with my bed closer to the window, so I would recommend that to everyone. I’m excited to hang out with my friends this week and to go to Prague on Saturday with Awije. I can’t believe I’ve already been living in Germany for 2 months. It’s going by so quickly, so I’m hoping time slows down a little bit for me, but I might have to stop having fun in order for that to happen. Have a great day everyone, thanks for reading my blog, enjoy the beginning of the happiest time of the year, and most importantly, don’t forget: patience is a virtue.