I have felt like a well-taken care of professional athlete since I arrived in Germany.

Rolling in Mercedes and Audi's, having personal chefs cook me what I please, complimentary shopping trips...

But, right now not so much.

After spending part of last night on the roof, everything basically has gone downhill...

No dinner at our club house after training tonight because the restaurant is closed on Montag's.

So tonight I'm feeling like a poor college student.

That sticky stuff in my bowl, yeah, that's supposed to be oatmeal...

It's the only thing I have to eat in my room. I meant to go to the store today, but ran out of time (I know... Crazy, right?). Tomorrow is a German holiday and everything is closed, which comes at an inopportune time, but I am HAPPY nevertheless! (that's a real smile)

Please note my well-used German books. Ich spreche sehr gut Deutsch!

Please don't note my unbrushed hair.

i loathe McThrow-Up

I blame the crappiness of Oktober 30 on the fact that I had McDonald's for breakfast.

The hotel didn't have breakfast for us so we had to find something else to eat, which would usually be fine, except everything is closed on Sunday (but not McDonald's 24/7, baby.) So... We rode our bikes down the street to the golden arches. I brought my own mug and filled it with coffee and had a Egg McMuffin (if you were wondering).

Then we left for the game in Freiburg, which we lost 0-3...

I came home feeling frustrated, tired, and really wanting some tea of all things.

Then I remembered I had left my mug in my bicycle's basket, so I went to get it.

..in this garage.

Honestly I was a little scared...

At 21:00 it was VERY dark, don't be fooled by the brightness of my camera's flash.

I came back to my room to find I was locked out.

(red light + angry beeping=BAD NEWS!)

So, I did what any normal person would do... I climbed out Emily's window to my window.

It's not that high up, or very steep for that matter.

I wasn't scared at all.

 Unfortunately my window was partially locked so I couldn't get in and had to climb back to Emily's window (feeling very defeated I might add)...

Emily (accidently?) kept the key from her room on the first floor so I slept there. Luckily I didn't interrupt anyone's sleep... It was an empty room just waiting for me. 

I got a new key in the morning and everything was ok, but I have to admit, I was annoyed sitting on my window sill trying to break into my room...

The woman told me in the morning that the keys lose their "powers" at the end of the month and have to be recharged.

Did I mention how much I hate McDonald's?

video of the day

"don't judge a book by it's cover"

caution: read directions before use

ever eaten an alka-selzter?

i don't recommend it...

(i think smoke came out of my nose?)

add wasser (water) unless you like tiny explosions in your mouth.

blessed.

I have great friends.

My heart swells up everytime I look at these pictures and think of the time and thought that went into creating this masterpiece.

 Are you kidding me, Megan?

The most beautiful pumpkin carving dedicated to me!?

So thankful for this girl and her friendship.

[laughing until we cried was a daily activity our senior year]

I freaking love you, Megan Rouse.

pumpkin soup

oooops. It's been a few days since my last post. I've been a little preoccupied lately, but i'm back.

Carsten and Nicole had us over for an autumn-esque dinner.

PUMPKIN SOUP

I was a little nervous about trying soup, but then I came to my senses and remembered anything that Nicole makes is delicious and I LOVE everything else that involves pumpkins...

We had some sausages with dinner, I took a couple pictures of them, but sausages just really aren't photogenic, if you know what I mean. Mustard on the other hand is extremely photogenic, so we had a little photoshoot with the array of senf (mustard).

... then came dessert

Delicious!

Carsten's kaffee

Carsten started out chasing Luna, but looks like the game changed...

Luna is a great dog and very loved.

Nicole likes shoes almost as much as Luna.

Digestives

SKIP-BO!

Checking the standings (we're still in 2nd).

We beat the 3rd place team 4-0 on Sonntag (Sunday), Oktober 23, 2011.

No big deal...

I played the first 75 min; still working hard for the full 90!

Offenburg, Deutschland

 I left on my bike with no real destination in mind, but had looked up the way to Offenburg the day before. Just like every other day, I don't have too much planned except for an occasional Deutsch lesson and fußball training sessions.

So... I figured I would try to find my way.

 I weaved my way through the countryside and miraculously found my way.

(I didn't bring my camera bc I wasn't anticipating a 4 hr [round trip] to a pretty city...)

On the way back I went the correct way.

Where were these signs on the way there!?

bonjour madame!

I crossed over into France and saw this...

 A gaggle of riders with a police escort, a lead car that was filming them, and a tour bus in tow.

So, of course I had to race them...

 A mile later I decided it wasn't a real race because I was able to keep up on my cruiser.

At one point I was riding next to them and they were yelling out, "Bonjour, Madame." Haha, loved it. AND I think I may have made it in the camera shot because at one point I was towards the front of the pack (on the sidewalk).

These pictures make me crack up!

 Such a hard core bicycle...

Loving this European fall!

 Mom, will you send my tent? 

Can't believe I live here.

University of Strasburg parking lot

 Where's Waldo?

 yes.

 Am I dreaming?

For reals...

A scene out of 101 Dalmatians?

nomade (nomad)- A person with no fixed residence who roams about; a wanderer

Don't be fooled, there were a lot of pedestrians out, I just stopped in a less populated area to snag a pic.

It's taken so long to post this because my computer feels overloaded when I try to post 23 pictures... I can't help it, I love sharing my pictures!

2nd place!

 I felt a tinge of homesickness when I saw this today.

 It made me miss this ^ and my family.

But not to worry, there are mountains here!

 Bus ride to our game in Ausgburg on Sunday.
We won 2-1!!!! Which (I may be making this up... but I think we went from 4th to 2nd, hence the post title!)

I played 10ish min at center mid; I tweaked my knee at practice this week, coach wanted me to take it easy.

This is Maddi, I don't know anything about her (she doesn't know much English and I know even less German). Getting pretty good at sign language; in this picture she's saying, "I love Big Mac's."

I understand most of the schedule for the week! Tue, Wed, Friday at 7 pm.
Hopefully everything else is not important...

 I got a bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 beautiful countryside!

 these Germans... everything is so neat and efficient. 

 I biked to Sand.

I haven't been in this building yet, but I think it's the community center.

 We're training on this stuff next week...

 Our field!

 

 We went to a men's game to see our tour guide Dennis play.

 proud of him!

I tried to get a picture of the sunset from my room, guess I need to work on my photography skills...