I honestly don't remember if I did anything particular interesting early in the week. I was able to get out during the days with the baby for walks in the woods, strolls downtown, and playtime in the park. This definitely helped the time pass.
THURSDAY though was a particularly awesome day...
A man on the U-Bahn in the morning looked at me, smiled, and nodded his head.
I'm thinking "that is unusual, should I know him? Crap, did I kick him on accident once before or something."
Right before my stop he says to me "The weather is beautiful today isn't it?" in American English.
I'm thinking "Wow, how did he know I am an American too?" and said "Yes it is, finally."
He says that he is an American trying to learn German.
I said "Me too".
He goes on to talk about how my English sounds very good and he finds it amusing when he speaks to Germans and they say that they don't speak much English but then they break out into perfect English. He then asks me when I learned English and if it is a requirement in primary school or high school.
I smiled and said "I don't know. I am also an American." and the got off at my stop.
I had to make an appointment with a nail salon to have the fake nails I had put on while I was in the US removed. I am very proud of myself for calling four salons and having conversations completely in German to inquire about the availability of an appointment for Thursday afternoon. One didn't have any openings, one was not open until August due to renovations and I am not completely sure why the other one said no. I could not translate fast enough. I did get in to a woman who's salon closed but now works at a desk in a tanning salon close to where I nanny. I had trouble finding the entrance to the building number 21B for my appointment and was standing in front of 21C walking back and forth to either side, looking at my phone. While doing so, an elderly woman approached me and asked in German if I could help her find a street. I looked at my phone and we were standing on the corner that intersected with the street in question so I kindly pointed her in the right direction and then asked if she knew where 21B was. It doesn't surprise me that she did not know... I eventually found the door and it was around the corner of the building. Right in front of me...
The nail technician was Greek, raised in Germany and spoke perfect English so we were able to enjoy conversation. I learned that seasonal depression usually starts in November here in Germany because they do not have any holidays before Christmas and the weather is usually gloomy. This year however, the seasonal depression has been severe and continued February until May.
Coincidentally I made dinner plans for that evening with Rebecca and was torn between two Greek restaurants downtown. I took the nail technician's suggestion and we went to El Greco. We sat inside the restaurant under vines hanging from the ceiling so it felt like you were outside and enjoyed a bottle of wine, gyro, and moussaka. We have gone out to eat together once a month for three months on weeknights to different restaurants and ordered a bottle of wine to share with dinner. Every time we order a bottle, the server always looks at us and says, "Hmm how about some water too?" and brings us a bottle of water. We always laugh at how we were just judged.
The train on my way home was packed and the young man I sat next to was jamming out to Abba! At one point he turned to me and spoke two sentences in German and held out his giant cup of what I believed to be rum and coke based on smell. I held it for him and he put his headphones away in his backpacked and got situated to exit the train. I then returned his cup, smiled, and said "I speak English and I have absolutely no idea what you said to me." He laughed and we talked about where I was from and what I was doing here until his stop.
FRIDAY night, Ryan and I relaxed and enjoyed some Danish beer at home. We cracked open an India Pale Lager from Amager Bryghus in Copenhagen that I previously mentioned. It was delicious and not quite as bitter as a traditional IPA.SATURDAY morning was full of errands and chores for both of us and I wanted to be out of our apartment while our landlord was showing it to potentially new renters.
In the afternoon I decided to bike downtown to Stuttgart where I had to babysit at 5:45 pm and the plan was to take the train home when I was done. I brought a change of clothes, money, ID, train ticket and everything I thought I needed. My ride turned into an adventure with detours due to construction and highways, traffic and a rollerblade race and I ended up in Bad Canstatt, Northeastern Stuttgart after biking 48 kilometers with time to head to the park, sit and eat something and then bike the last few blocks to their apartment. And I got a flat...And I didn't have the adapter for my pump and the quick release valves...so I walked my bike to the train station there with the plan to take the train a few stops to their apartment. And I got to the Schlossplatz station with only two stops to go and the trains stopped running and were backed up on the tracks as far as the eye could see. So I got off and walked the rest of the way past cars, trains, firetrucks, policemen, and gawkers to arrive just in time. I'm not sure what happened on the tracks but all the excitement seemed to be at my stop.
When I was done there I had to get home and let me tell you, I looked like quite a sight. My hair was messy and pulled back, I had no make-up, and was wearing a long sleeved shirt and shorts with flip flops. I probably smelled a little bit like sweat and baby vomit since the baby spit up on my arm and left a long white stain down my sleeve. And I was carrying my helmet and bike shoes while pushing a road bike with a flat tire. The trains were absolutely packed with drunk people and I had to weasel my way in the door, apologizing. Of course people stared, who wouldn't stare? I felt like the center of attention until some drunk girls almost missed their stop and then ran right into the closed train doors. I then ran through the Hauptbanhof carrying my bike up the stairs to catch my next train with two minutes to spare and was the center of attention in that train as well until a couple entered wearing bright green shirts with bright red overalls. They had dread locks and must have been actors or professional clowns of some kind because they had patches all over their overalls for some organization, face paint on, and toys. I am very glad that they took the pressure off of me.
A week of quite interesting experiences if I don't say so myself.
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