Was neu ist

Our spring break is finally over and here I am back at school for classes. It was really nice to have two weeks off, but it does feel good to actually have something to do that is more worthwhile than sitting at home watching House (on that note, however, I just finished season 4 finally!) I only have class three days per week and it is really the most ridiculously easy schedule ever. Monday from 4-6:30 I have Landeskunde (kind of like a Civilization/Geography class), Tuesdays I have my Sprachkurs class from 2:15-3:45, and Thursdays I have Sprechen from 10:15-11:45 and the Sprachkurs again at the same time as Tuesdays. Add it all up and it amounts to less than six hours of class a week. How do the Germans get away with this kind of ease? Also, in June there are several University holidays that mean I will have 4 other days free of class. Ridiculous, but I'm not complaining. 

This week the weather kind of dampened again and it was cold and rainy a few days, but its been really nice recently. I guess I should update what I did the past couple weeks... Last last Friday a few friends and I went to the Dachau Concentration camp just outside of Munich. You would think such a trip would be depressing and no fun, but it was really interesting and nice to visit. They had many interesting things to see on the site and also a great museum. We spent at least three hours in the camp and museum before we went back to Munich. In Munich we visited the famous Hofbrauehaus and the English Gardens.

The entrance gates to Dachau. "Work will make you free"

The Crematorium at Dachau

Throughout the week I have mostly just gotten back into the habit of school again and spent time with friends. Thursday was Cinco de Mayo. We made tacos and guacamole at Sami and Jon's apartment in the city and then the night escalated quickly. That's all I have to say about that, but it certainly was a fiesta that won't soon be forgotten.

Friday night was the date that our program directors had set up for us to meet our host families. Although we are not living with our host families like I did while I was in Finland in high school, we have each been assigned a family that will include us in family activities the rest of the time we are here. Around 6 we met up at a traditional German biergarten in town and we all met our host families. My host family is really nice. They are a middle aged couple with one son, 16, who is studying for a year in San Antonio right now. They were so friendly and I can't wait to spend more time with them. This Wednesday my host family and Liz's host family are taking us both out to a restaurant in town and then we will make more plans.

Yesterday was one of my favorite days here in Regensburg. I woke up early and got ready for a long walk we had planned. Since I have gotten here I have really wanted to visit the Walhalla temple that is just outside of Regensburg. It is a temple that houses famous busts and plaques of people from history who were influential to Germany. It was built in the 1830s and 40s in the same style as ancient Greek temples. It is only about 12km from the city center, so some friends and I decided to walk. The walk took about 2 and a half hours, but it was really nice and sunny outside so I really enjoyed it. We even decided to stop and get some Eis (Ice cream) along the way at a random store on the highway. We got there around 5 and it was just beautiful. There was even a bride and groom there all dressed up for their wedding. We took pictures and looked at the inside of the temple and then started the trek back to find the bus.

Walhalla Temple

Standing on the top of the temple stairs looking over Regensburg

Today is yet again warm and sunny, so I am planning on meeting several friends to lay in the sun and play soccer later in the afternoon. This week I have school and this weekend (very exciting) begins an exciting festival here in Regensburg that lasts for two weeks. Overall, I am still really enjoying my time here. Being abroad is definitely tough, though. Right now it is difficult to see that so many of my friends are getting ready to be going home to enjoy the summer in the States, and it's crazy that I still have three months left. Sometimes when I am bored and have nothing to do, I start to feel like, "what in the world and I doing here," but I am still happy I decided to come and I know the next two and a half months will fly by.

Happy Mothers Day!

Love Ashley