Frohes Neues Jahr!

Hello family, friends, and whoever else might be reading this! A few days ago I returned to Bremen after a great time in Luebeck. The past couple of days have been spent getting my life back into order (I sort of lose touch with reality while I am vacationing from my already vacation-like life) by doing massive amounts of laundry, getting out and jogging, and general cleaning-up around the room.

My first order of business is to wish you all a very happy new year! (Which is exactly what the title of this post is doing. Just a little FYI for all you NON-German speakers out there..shame on you). I hope that you all had a great time ringing the new year in. I, too, had a very fun time on New Years Eve (called Silvester over here). I tagged along with my uncle Stefan (Mom's Bro) and my aunt Thesi to a small town on the Baltic Sea called Travemunde. This town is essentially at the spot where the Baltic and the river (can't remember the name of the particular river right now) that runs through Luebeck meet. A very pretty place, with a long beach and a big boardwalk-type area along it. We got there right on time, as people were beginning to really start their firework shows. And, damn, these Germans sure take their fireworks seriously. The place looked and sounded like we were in middle of a war-zone, or what I would imagine a war-zone to kind of be like. The sky was aglow nonstop. The air was full of smoke. So full, in fact, that many of my photos ended up looking like I had taken a picture a greyish wall. The lights and explosions lasted long after the strike of midnight; and were still going as we were driving off after we had had our fill of watching people blow their money up. It was a nice, quiet (well, not really. But I hope you get what I mean), and enjoyable new years.




















I've never been particularly huge on new years, except during the whole Y2K deal, that was a hoot. To me it always just feels like any other day. I never get that "little kid" feeling I get on Christmas, or that feeling of great anticipation during Thanksgiving when I smell the bird cooking. However, despite this, I like to view the turning of the year as a good time to set some good, long-term goals and to reflect. So with no further ado, behold my goals/reflections list!!

1. If you came to me a year ago and told me that, a year from then, I would be sitting in Germany writing this blog post, I would have laughed it and you off. Goes to show what a little hard work, persistence, and a year's worth of time can do. Cliche, I know, but true.

2. I want to return to the States in better shape than when I arrived back in August. Two reason for this: to prove my mom wrong, hehe, and just because I enjoy getting out and being active.

(a little history about that: back in the Summer as I was preparing for my trip over here, mom told me that I would undoubtedly return with a beer belly, or some form of one. afterall, I was going to the land of beer, Germany. so this is a little stubbornness on my part. but it also helps me with staying motivated. hell, for all I know, that was a little bit of reverse psychology on mom's part. or maybe I'm thinking too hard..)

3. By the time they make me leave here, I hope to have improved all of my students' English speaking abilities. But, more importantly, I hope to have instilled in them a little desire to learn about "stuff" in general - different cultures, languages, whatever.

4. I want to become as proficient in the German language as I can.

5. I want to find a real job, so I can start the multiple-decade-long process o paying off the dreaded student loans. Hopefully I can do this (find a job, that is) before I return.

6. I want to run and complete a half-marathon. And possibly get into triathalons.

7. When back in the States: Ride my bike more, and drive my car less.

8. Get good at waking up early. And do it regularly.

9. Write a short story or get a sports related article published somewhere.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I know for sure that I am forgetting some major things, but I just can't pull them out of my brain at the moment.

Lastly, for your viewing pleasure, here are some photos: (Decorating the tree w/ Lutz being a goofball, the dudes of the house and me, an artsy-fartsy picture I like, preparing food in Oma's kitchen while Oma refuses to sit idly and let us do the work, eating a very nice lunch with Oma - Anna-Maria, my aunt, is on the right, Stefan and cousin Jan - Lutz's younger brother.)




















So, there you have it - my first blog of 2009. Hope you liked it. And, like I've been continually saying, I am going to give it my all with becoming a more frequent blogger - hey, that's another thing for my list above :).

This week I plan on getting my first haircut/trim in Germany, how exciting! It'll be the first time since I was in the States, woah.

Start planning your trip over here, Tony!!! Ciao!

Much love,

Russ.