Today was the first day of going to AiB, the place where I will be having language school. I woke up at 6:45, downloaded an e-Sim with some data to get me by, and ate breakfast (two Toast Brot with Marmelade, which ended up not being enough actually!). While I was drinking my tea, Udo came downstairs and I asked him about the train schedule just to review it. I then asked him about the water and he told me just to get it from the tap (I don’t remember the word for tap water). We talked about how in America, the water quality is less good when it comes out of taps.

From there, Udo suggested that I take the early bus (550, at 8:02) so I can explore Bonn just a bit. I thought it​ was a good idea and so I left early. Then, at the Bushaltestelle, a German lady walked up to me and asked me what bus I was taking and the time I was taking it. I was so excited that I was able to understand and respond to her!

I got on the bus and unfortunately there were no forward facing seats (other than in the back). I tried to move there but the bus just went. They don’t wait for you here! I just ended up sitting sideways in a backwards facing seat. I felt so American! No one else was doing that but I really wanted to be able to see the front, where the screen with all the stops is. I’m not sure how I’ll get around that from here, but I suppose I’ll stand or something.

From there, I got to Bonn thirty minutes early and decided to explore. I found an H&M, a Haribo store, and Indian store, and a TK Maxx (TJ Maxx in Amerika!). It was good to know that there are good, familiar stores so close. I returned and saw many CBYXers gathered in a circle. I joined them and their complaints of exhaustion. Many of them carried energy drinks and coffee in mugs, and I was beginning to think I should’ve had coffee instead of tea that morning.

From there, we walked to the AiB, where our language school will be. We were introduced to the different buildings, given free refreshments, and then we took a short tour around Bonn. Many of us were dragging our feet, still bogged down by jet lag. After an incredibly long meeting where all the information the rules manual was simply repeated, we were able to get lunch. I ordered some penne pesto pasta in German, and the lady responded to me back in German! THat’s a good sign because if they suspect that you’re struggling to speak in German, they will immediately switch to English. The portion sizes were huge, and the meal was way too expensive. The day before, Regina offered me a lunch box, so I think I’ll use it and pack my own lunch. I can definitely save so much money that way.

Then, we took a tour around Bonn, including a large university of which I don’t remember the name. It’s beautiful, with yellow walls. I’ll take a picture of it tomorrow. There is also a Mensa (a place to eat food) that is apparently cheap for students, so I might be able to check it out with some of the other CBYXers. The tour ended roughly at 5pm, and then we went to get SIM cards at the nearest Aldi. I have no idea what a “good” price is, especially in euros, so I’m having to ask Ruby (our CBYX mentor) a lot of these things.

when it was time to go home, I had no service so I couldn’t use Google Maps. My friend Alex, who has more service than me, helped me out, and I had a group of friends escorting me to the correct Bushaltestelle. I got home safe (and late) but I was able to explain to Regina and Udo that I got a bit lost.

We had a dinner of meat (Fleisch) and fried onions (Zwiebel gebratet) and potatoes (Kartoffeln). It was good (yet of course there was no spice; it’s Germany!) and I think I’ll pack it for lunch tomorrow.

My German is already getting better; I can tell! It’s a lot easier for me to form sentences faster when talking with Regina and Udo, and it’s only been a few days! I can’t wait for how good I’ll be in two months.

Last modified on 2024-08-05