another sunday.

Monday through Thursday were stockpiled with work. Three papers and a presentation for Thursday. I enjoy binges of intensity. They make you feel like you’re doing something, if you’re engaged. They also justify a lazy and fruitless weekend to follow, which is fabulous. You earn the right to do nothing for a while.
I thought about this chain of merit during the week and remembered several instances from childhood, in which I earned something. I have a vivid recollection of one instant in particular. I don’t know what I did, something in elementary school: received a good grade, finished a project, who knows. What I remember is mom taking me to a computer store afterwards to buy a game, because she felt I earned something. It was a genuinely happy feeling. I think I bought mathblasters2, terrific game. Can not tell you how fun it is to defend the galaxy with missiles fueled by mutiples.
Thursday after my presentation on Rilke I went to Müller, which is the Super-Super-Target of Germany. I thought I’d buy myself a computer game. I bought two. One is called “Felix: Eine wundersame Reise durch die Zeit,” Felix: a wondrous journey through Time. It’s about a teddy bear who, while his ten year old caretaker sleeps, jumps into a fantastical history book and travels through time interacting with all the ancient civilizations. So far I’ve discovered that-- Actually I haven’t discovered much yet. But it’s really fun to watch the teddy bear jump around and talk German. I bought Civilization as well, and I plan on conquering the world Tuesday night. After I’ve had supper and brushed my teeth.
I also bought Wall-e and Findet Nemo. Sometimes I have this really bad habit at stores, in which I can’t decide what I want to buy, I spend two, three, four hours just standing in the isle staring at all my options, and then I buy everything. I’m very curious to see how the German Disney pronounces Wall-e. Wall-e? Vall-e? Vall-a? The suspense builds with every glance thrown at the Trash Compacter desperately waiting to come to life.
Friday was an adventure. I’m part of a program here called “Rent-an-American.” It allows German high schools to invite an American to an English class. Friday I was hired by a school in Villingen, which is on the opposite bank of the Black Forest. This was my first real journey through the Schwarzwald and it was unreal. My train left at 6:40 and arrived in Villingen, which is a mere 38 miles from Freiburg, at 9:02. Traveling through the Schwarzwald with a train is a winding, indirect trip that is entirely removed from this world.
The visit was a blast. I was supposed to visit one class, I ended up visiting three. The English teacher who I made the appointment with brought me into the faculty lounge and everyone huddled around me to ask for a visit. I felt like a ring at an engagement party. The visits were great.
I was frequently asked if it’s true that everyone in America owns a gun.
I got home at eight, immediately passed out, and slept for 14 hours. When I woke up I realized I had left my backpack, with all my books, Ipod, and my thought vault on my bike rack the night before. It was still there just as I had left it, thought with a faint coating of due. I haven’t been so deliriously tired in quite some time.
Here is my week in pictures.Preperations for Weihnachtsmarkt are underway at the Rathaus. Non-stop Party till Christmas. Germany.

This is the school I visited in Villingen. It's gateway has BLS' beat. Barely. Villingen.

Boston! Ohp. nope. not quite. A reminder nonetheless.Villingen.

Bunny one. Bunny two.

Children's territory. Unknown Village in the Schwarzwald, taken on Train from Villingen to Offenburg.

Same train, village #2.

#3.
4.

4. signs of life. signs of progressive transportation.

There was a large, large demonstration all week long: students against tuition/tuition increases. They had a rally on Tuesday and many students took part in a week-long 24 hour a day sit-in/sleep-in in the University.

Went on a hike Saturday. This is one of several wine vineyards that are no more than a ten minute walk from my apartment.

This is a picture from atop the wine vinyard. That's where I live. Pick one of those houses to the far left and it could very well be mine.
You can play that game here too!

And here.

A friend enjoys the company of a comfortably aged tree atop the vinyard.

These kids are about to floor it. You can't hear it here, but they are screaming intimidation at each other. I must say, I really enjoy listening to small children speak German. Their German is leagues and leagues better than mine. It makes me happy to think how smart kids are. Language can be taken for granted. I've studied the language now for a little over four years, and my percentile of correctly placed prepositions hovers steadily around 17%. Not so low for these delinquents. Kids are smart.

Yes, that is a small, small child guiding a pony through the residential walkways in Vauban. This picture was taken from my bedroom. Just another morning.