So, I am currently sat in my shared hostel room, feeling ever so slightly confused and very anxious. However, so much has happened (or it feels like so much has happened) that I think this little adventure of mine will turn out ok. I hope.
I'm still heavily concerned about the housing thing. I have a room to look at, but it's only one - I feel like I shouldn't be pinning all my hopes on it, but I'm so tired of house hunting, especially when no one replies. But that is for another post.
This is the first time I have had access to the internet on my laptop - I will elaborate later in what I hope is a funny but 'give-me-sympathy' kind of way (to try to disguise the fact that no internet really is a problem only for the privileged, and who wants to be tied to the same brush as the privileged?!)
On the 13th of September I woke up after three hours of fitful sleep in my airport hotel. I wanted to cry because I didn't want to go. In fact, I did cry. A lot. And I'm sure the tears aren't over, but adventure isn't easy.
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| 'Brave face' Make up was pointless, it was all down my face by the end of the day. |
I've only flown to one destination and back, and that wasn't on my own. I hate flying. It isn't natural, and if God meant for us to fly he would have given us wings! (It could be argued he gave us the brain to work it out for ourselves, but I digress...) After the stress of 'where do I go?! What do I do next? Why do I have to take my boots of?' I found myself in the departure lounge with hours to go before boarding. I got a Costa, called my lovely boyfriend (Scott), called my mum, bought new books (don't judge - buy one get one half price!) Then, all of a sudden it was boarding time and I was in full panic mode. I suffer with anxiety and panic attacks, and I think this was the worst time to have had one, ever. It only got worse as I walked through the weird tunnel thing to get to the aircraft; enclosed spaces are not your best friend when you can't breathe.
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| This view taunted me all flight. It said 'I'm an airplane wing. I'm the only thing keeping you up. Let's hope I don't fall off!' |
I got the window seat, right on the wings. Hello increased terror! And the couple who sat next to me were 'Oh it's so lovely, darling' to each other and it made me desperate to get off the plane and run to Scott.
Anyway, to spare you the details; once I arrived at Frankfurt I forgot I needed to go through passport control and security again; I then ran across Frankfurt airport (it's huge, and I had half an hour...) only to be told that they had lost the key to the door for the plane. (How do you lose such an important thing?!)
The cycle of panic and terror repeated itself on the second plane (window seat again, but I swapped with the person next to me so she could talk to her man on the other side of the aisle - because I'm nice.) Once we landed at Leipzig, I felt resigned; I was here now, better stop crying and get to the hotel. I could cry there later.
Oh, buying a train ticket with neither me not the ticket lady speaking the other's language was interesting. As was buying a sandwich. Lots of pointing, smiling ruefully and feeling silly was involved. However, mission success on both fronts!
(I don't know what it is with Germany and everything being so damn big, but the train station here is akin to London's St Pancras. Only not so tight on the ticket inspection (because people are trusted here- nice huh?))
After a taxi journey fraught with awkward pauses, bad German and bad English I arrived at the Space Hotel and Hostel. It wasn't my first choice, but my first choice (the place I am in now) was booked up until yesterday because fucking Coldplay were here giving a concert. Those nobs are the reason for my suffering and I will hate them forever.)
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| My little third-floor room at the Space Hotel. Clean, but would not stay again. Ever. |
Neither was the Hotel promising to look at, and when I got inside, I knew this was going to be a little rough. Don't get me wrong, it was clean and warm (which is really all that matters) but the lady who ran it was not overly friendly (a German thing? I don't think so, she was just grumpy.) I was on the third floor and as there was no lift I had to drag my 23kg case up six flights of rickety wooden stairs. And to top it off, the Internet connection was non existent in my room (despite full signal) and the only place I could get it was if I hovered in the back hall or garden, looking a little creepy to boot.
But never mind the lengths I will go to for Internet connection...
That night I lived off the half eaten sandwich I had purchased earlier, and some chocolate. I sat in the garden (which was gorgeous) and chatted to Scott and my mum. Then I had the coldest shower of my life. Brr.
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| This garden was the only silver lining to the place. Really comforting. |
In the morning, I decided I needed to find where the admin buildings of the Uni were, and where my next hostel was. That meant...taking the Tram. *pause for dramatic music*
So, the tram system and I, we don't get on. After working out how to buy a ticket from the machine (it had a glorious English option) I hopped on the right line, only to realise I was going in the wrong direction. I blame the European law of driving on the right... I ended up in the outskirts of Leipzig, all trees and grass. Fortunately, the driver let me stay on, as it was going to be making the return journey very soon. When I eventually made it to the city center, I didn't want to be there!
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| The end of the line. |
It's quite nice in the center, very modern, but with old buildings everywhere. I went to the Nikolai Kirche, the mist beautiful church I have seen yet, and worked out the main routes around town. After getting horribly lost (again) I eventually found the Uni; no wonder I had missed it, it was built into the same unit as the Starbucks and the Body Shop! Bloody city campuses...
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| Nikolai Kirche |
To cut this long (and tedious?) story short, I got lost a lot, my hand bag broke and had to buy a new one, got on the right tram, but missed my stop, got off three stops later, walked three stops, got on another tram and ended up in the same place I had that morning. When I finally arrived at my stop, I experienced the horrors of Kauffland (my evening meal that night consisted of pumpernickel bread, cheese and a yogurt.) I spent the evening in the hall, in the dark (because apparently lighting is too much of a luxury) Face Timing Scott and mum. See a pattern emerging?
Yesterday I finally got to check out. I was very eager to leave, but not so eager for the back breaking walk that stood between me and my new destination. One word for you: cobbles. They like their cobbles here. And they like their lumpy slab paving. Concrete? Smooth, dreamy concrete? No chance! Dragging my case across Leipzig, with my backpack, across the most uneven surfaces I have ever encountered has left me aching all over.
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| My current location - I'm on the top bunk, as I would naturally bump my head if on the bottom bunk... |
But it was worth it. This place is nice, it's clean, it's friendly (it has free wifi!) and I'm likely to meet more people here in my shared room than holed up in my little third floor single room. Already I'm talking to a couple of people, which is nice, as I have spent most of my time here in silence - curse my terrible German! And tomorrow, I have to register as a student and for my German classes, so hopefully from then it will get better.
I apologise for the length of this post, but I wanted to write everything down as I remembered it. I'm keeping odd bits of journal here there and everywhere (whatever notebook I have on hand) so that will be fun to read over, but this is the 'official' word on the matter, if you will.
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| View of the Tröndlinring from my room. The square building behind the spire is the Hauptbhanhof |
Today I plan to go to the Botanical Gardens - it's scorching here in Eastern Germany, and these gardens are the oldest in Europe. Can't wait!
-Rae
