31 January 2009

31 January 2009
Just settling into my new dorm room. I have two roommates, “An” from Taiwan (shortened from something i'll have to learn to pronounce), and Valentin from Romania. It was a longgggg trip (behind schedule on every leg). I tried watching a movie en route to Germany (there were screens on the chairs in front of us) but it didn’t work out. I started feeling sick, but fortunately one of the flight attendants walking by noticed that I looked pale, and got me a pill for motion sickness and some water. It knocked me right out and I slept almost the entire rest of the flight. When I got to Frankfurt, I couldn’t believe how expensive everything was. I know airport goods and services are overpriced, but it was ridiculous. I exchanged for just 10 euros to cover me for something to eat while I waited. I got tired of sitting around though, so I watched a movie on my laptop. I couldn’t get internet connection. They had a WiFi available, but it was something like 20 euros just for a one day pass. I didn’t have any further problems. I suppose I had a sort of a German culture shock, if you could call it that. In my six hours sitting at the airport, both times I went into the men’s room there were women inside cleaning the floor around the urinals while the bathroom was still open and there were other men inside. I guess it isn’t a big deal; it’s just not something I’m used to. Got on the connecting flight ok, but it was not the plane that was shown on the Lufthansa website. It was the smallest plane I’ve ever been on; six small chairs across, with curtains to divide the sections, and forget a movie, there weren’t even headphone jacks. It was the most boring plane ride of my life. I slept through some of it.
When I got to the airport, I was a little worried because I didn’t know if Olga’s boyfriend was planning on meeting me there or expecting me to call him. I didn’t know what he looked like, as I only met him the day before and at the last minute sent him a picture of me as I was packing up my computer to get ready to leave. Fortunately, as I walked through customs a guy walked up to me and introduced himself. He was incredibly helpful. He took me to a store where I was able to get a sim card (three, actually, because it was some new years promotion), shaving cream, and a new phone card. Then he took me back to the dorm, where he helped me figure out the entry process. The woman behind the desk wasn’t expecting me, and didn’t know who I was. He spoke with her, and she made some phone calls and found keys for me. I told her I didn’t have any rubles, and she took a twenty dollar bill in exchange for my keys. After dropping off my bag, he took me out to dinner. He didn’t know where there would be a currency exchange, so he paid for everything and said I could just pay him back next time we meet up.
I think I will get along very well with my new roommates. They both speak English, but we are really only speaking Russian. Вова (Olga’s boyfriend) didn’t speak a word of English. It hit me rather hard, because I realized that this is going to be a much more difficult trip than I had previously expected. I have a lot more respect for the ELI students now- especially Julien, Olga and Dinara, who came completely on their own.
I need to go out tomorrow and get a bunch of things for my room- hangers, a power strip (we have two outlets in the entire room for three people), and see what else I need. An said he would take me to the university technician to set up my internet. There is WiFi in the dorm room, which I wasn’t expecting. I’m having trouble figuring out this cell phone, but I’ll get it.
Anyway, that’s about everything. I need to get back to unpacking.