The best thing about Germany you ask?

Well, the best thing by far is the absolutely amazing kitty cat toilet seat we have in our apartment. I have never in my 24 years of life seen a toilet this awesome. I'm thinking about getting a professional artist to paint Tinkerbell Lucinda on my toilet at home!

A bar at a gym? Oh, that's normal.

Yesterday, Darin and I decided to go play Badminton at the gym. Now, I'm not really a "gym type of girl." I can't even remember the last time I was in a gym with the sole intention of working out. I'd much rather be taking a bike ride or taking a walk with some friends/family. Well, I walked in yesterday and guess what was staring right back at me? A fully stocked, huge, beautiful BAR. Even though I have a lack of knowledge about the gym environment, I know that a BAR--in a GYM--is highly unheard of in the U-S of A. I couldn't help but think, when people are done working out, sweating a ton, who in there right mind would quench their thirst with some whiskey? You naturally crave water....righhhhhhht?

Well, Darin and I started our badminton battle. And it was intense. I absolutely despise losing. He absolutely despises losing, and losing to a girl? He'd rather chew off his own arm than ever lose to me. I had never played before, so I can't say that I was good, or anything close to it. Of course he wouldn't let me come close to winning. I was ready to throw my racket straight at his head-- and anyone that knows my temper knows that I was about 5 seconds away from doing so. After losing my 6th game in a row, I was ready for a vodka drink. Now I understood why the bar was there-- those Germans were on to something with that idea...

Afterwards, as we were getting ready to leave, I needed some water before I passed out. It was the most I had moved in 2 weeks! I'm looking around for water fountains and there aren't any. I ask Darin where they are hiding the water and he tells me, "water isn't free!" It's not free--in a gym?! What kind of communism is that! So we had to go buy a glass of water. For 50 cents. Everyone at home--be grateful for your free water. You don't realize what a wonderful thing it is until you're on the verge of passing out at a gym. 

I got on the blog train....

Thanks to my wonderful friend Chelsea, I decided to start a blog about my time living in the wonderful country of Germany. Although "wonderful" might not be the best word to describe it. I can write---or rather ramble--on here as things happen instead of forgetting about them completely and not sharing my weird stories/observations with others. Everyone that knows me should know by now that my memory isn't exactly something to be proud of. So bear with me as I'm learning my way through the blogging world.

I have to share my first experience in a German movie theater. It was quite interesting. Every Monday they play an English movie. This week "Dark Knight" was playing and Darin and I decided to go with another couple from North America. We get there and we are given our assigned tickets. With assigned seats. But really, who would really follow assigned seats...in a movie theater of all places? We walk in and it's only half full, if that. We take random seats and what do you know? A couple walks in and kicks us out of our seats. Mind you, there was an open row in FRONT and BACK of us, and the fact that there were seats open on both sides of us as well didn't seem to appeal to them. But these Germans, they follow the rules and wanted THOSE SPECIFIC seats, so we moved. And laughed a little. Of course, us four North Americans didn't go to the seats we belonged in. That would just be too easy. We just moved a row back. And it's only natural that two girls walked in shortly after and we were occupying their seats too. Never mind the half open theater, apparently the assigned seats are a serious matter. We moved. Again to random seats. And this time, no one kicked us out. Halfway through the movie, it stops, the lights turn on. It's a break so everyone can go out and smoke a few darts. CIGARETTE BREAKS! None of us smoke those cancer sticks so we sat patiently waiting for the movie to return to the screen. 20 minutes later...it finally did. Now it might seem like I'm complaining. Maybe I am. But I mean, c'mon, it's complaining that's rightfully so!

The GOOD thing about this theater---yes, I did find a positive in this situation---were the seats. Amazing, comfortable, soft seats. Bravo to that Germany!