Krank!? Schon!?

I expected it would happen because my immune system isn't up to snuff on German illnesses. I woke up this morning with an awful sore throat that's progressively getting worse. My host mom is out of zinc but she's going to buy me some tomorrow. For now I'm drinking an herbal tea concoction she suggested. I'm afraid to ask what's in it. It's helping a little. I figure I'll get over this and won't have to worry about getting it again. My good ol' immune system learns quickly.

Yesterday after I wrote my blog, I went out to lunch with Kolja's girlfriend Alex, a couple of her friends, and her boss to eat at an American restaurant. Her boss has a white 1958 Sixty Special Cadillac. It's pretty much beautiful. He rents it out for weddings and stuff, but when he heard I was an American, he invited us all out for a spin so he could talk American cars with me. This car would get some looks in America, but in Germany EVERYONE stares. They just don't have cars like that here. I put some pictures on www.getjealous.com/cultural.cultivation for you to see. As for the American restaurant, it was funny. They went out of their way to hang random American things like roadsigns and a disco-ball. They had chicken wings and burgers and stuff like that. But German burgers just don't hold a candle to Nebraska beef. Their BBQ sauce isn't quite as good as Famous Dave's or Buffalo Wild Wings either.

After we ate, Alex, one of her friends, and I went shopping in Düsseldorf. Shopping here is so much fun because instead of malls you have streets with shops everywhere. Sort of like an outdoor mall but BIGGER and the buildings are all unique for each store. Düsseldorf has one of the most famous shopping streets. We drove down the street and I was one of those gawking tourists that all these rich people laugh at because I'm not used to seeing streets full of Gucci and Prada etc! After a couple seconds of shock I said, "Where do people like me shop!?" Luckily there are more affordable streets.

While we were in Düsseldorf, I saw a bierbike. There's a picture on getjealous. It was like a little trolley with a big keg on the front and a bunch of stools on the sides. While you sit on the stools (like a bar) drinking beer, you pedal like a bike and it rides down the streets. It was quite the contraption.

Today at breakfast I decided I should take a picture of the table so you could see the kind of things we eat. I really love breakfast here with the AMAZING bread and cheese. Yummi! I put that picture on getjealous too. Kolja asked me if I would make pancakes and cookies for him someday. Neither of which they really have here. Subway is the only place they can get cookies like the ones we eat. I wish I would have brought a church cookbook!

My German class in Düsseldorf starts tomorrow morning. I'm excited to start learning the language. It'll be nice when I can understand what everyone is talking about.

My host family doesn't often go to church, but I decided not to find one on my own quite yet. I won't get much out of it until I know more German. Instead I had my own devotions and Matins this morning and had Dad send me the readings and his sermon from our church. I look forward to attending some German churches in the future to see what they're like.

Today is the end of summer for everyone around Haan. Kolja says, "No more making party. Today I chill" I'm looking forward to some relaxation time today. Ginette wants to watch The Men Who Stare at Goats with me later. =)