The morning started out fairly normal, however while we were on the bus, some of the transportation center workers came on the bus to check that everyone had purchased a ticket. If have said this is already, I apologize, but most transportation they open up all the doors to let passengers on instead of one by one through the front so the buses can stay on time and move quicker. I rarely see people purchasing tickets (but people who have monthly passes don't have to), and they normally don't have anyone checking. However, lately I've seen them 3 times (within one week, it seems). The first time I forgot my Monatskarte and Rachel was next to me. She showed hers and the person ignored me. The next time, neither of us had an issue, this time, well, they were a lot more strict. Rachel didn't have any sort of ID with her because she left her purse at the house. They hounded her for an ID, her name, where she lived, etc. They called the station to find out that she wasn't on file for the address. Of course, being under pressure, Rachel was having a hard time getting her point across. It was scary because, at first there was one, then there were three. I felt really bad for her. I finally chimed in telling them we were living with a Gastfamile (host family) and that we were studying here for just a month. Finally things were ironed out, and they gave her a ticket that she had to take to the Kontocenter (main account center), literally just in time for us to get off the bus on our stop. As I looked around, I realized the bus had emptied out quite a bit, no doubt others hadn't paid for a ticket and didn't want to for 2,35.
Class was normal, nothing too special, aside from Serge giving his Referat, which was over Guitarre playing. He played "Ohne Dich" by Rammstein, and then later played something in Russian. Russian sounds really pleasant when it's being sung. And also aside from the Leherin (teacher) reconfirming her invitation for everyone to come over at 3:15 or so. I decided I wanted to do that, and then afterward I would be able to meet with my tandem-partner, Julia, at 5. I get home, look up my teacher's address and how to get there with public transportation and it would take me one hour for transit, with 2-3 transfers, excluding walking. I was timid at going at that point. Then I decided that I really ought to go, it was our last week. I had forgotten that the time's it showed me were 20 minutes prior. At that point I would have gotten there at 3:45, been there for 15 minutes, and then would have to turn around to meet Julia at the Hauptbahnhof. So, Rachel and I went food shopping instead. On the account of not having slept to much, Rachel decided not to tag along.
I arrived, met up with Julia and she showed me around a few areas I had already been, but she knew the area so she was able to tell me about some of the things I wouldn't have know on my own such as a woman named Gesche Gottfried was a well-known and well-love person who took care of sick people when they needed it. However, it turns out she was a serial killer and killed about 15 or so people, most of whom were her family. It makes sense they wouldn't assume it was her because she was kind person, but the fact that she killed her father, her mother, her first husband, her second husband, her fiancee all of her children made it a little obvious. She was the last person to be beheaded in Bremen. Where her head ended up rolling and stopping, they have placed stones there in remembrance and so people can spit on it.
She later showed me around Böttcherstrasse, which is where Rachel and I saw the Glockenspiel and the old-fashioned bon-bon shop. Giving me a little more information about the area. It was also then that I found out the Pannekoekschip place was not open on that day. I was a little sad about that. However, I also saw a few fish tanks that were outside, I thought it was chilly, but that was when Julia pointed out the glass was like 3 inches thick. On our way back to the station, there was another demonstration going on, not nearly as crazy or as well organized as the ACTA one though. This one had something to do with Monays and how they needed to be something or else it would be bad for the children. I don't recall and the picture is blurry. I apologize.
A few stops away from the Domsheide station, Sielwall (familiar?) which turns out to be in the area of the famous Vertiel. I knew this, but I didn't know what was the Vertiel. It's basically a very shop-heavy district that's also very artsy and a lot of students enjoy the area, so you notice a lot of "bio" shops and graffiti and little restaurants. It was here that she pointed out a very odd looking tree to me. I don't recall what it was called, but apparently it has survived since the time of the dinosaurs. It's the one that looks like a lackluster Christmas Tree.
After Julia showed me some of her favorite spots and restaurants (one of which is called the "Wohnzimmer" or "Living Room", a cafe with only comfy chairs in it, and a -Suppe a place that serves 3 types of soup a day and is pretty cheap.), it was time to decide where to eat. There were soo many good places, so I just went with a close one. It was a Creperie, I like crepes, it was food, done. We go in and then there were sooo many choices that I had no idea where to even start. I didn't know what the food would actually look like or taste like either. I understood the ingredients but not the names. I ended up going with a Gyro. Now let me say, this had to be the most international cuisine on one plate I have ever had. I was in Germany, in a Creperie, which I believe was run by a Turkish man, at which I ordered a Gyro, and I had curry sauce with it. It was pretty good, but seemed to be mostly crepe, which was slightly sweet. The overall flavor was good, but very odd.
I also noticed that they had a drink called Bionade, I decided I wanted to try it. Backstory: back in America in my German 304 - Business German, we learned about Bionade potentionally opening up a factory in Ames and it sounded like my teacher might have been helping with negotiations because he knew so much about it. In the end it didn't happen, but after learning about it in America, I wanted to try it. It was exciting to put something you learn in theory to the test. It was... weird to say the least. It's an all natural drink that's fermented slightly so it's carbonated. The flavor was Litschi, or Lychee, which I haven't had before either, so it was a whole new experience in itself. It reminded me slightly of beer with the flavor and carbonation, but didn't have the gross after taste or the alcohol. Also, being "all natural" also meant no sugar. After I was done, I took the bottle home as a souvenir.
On the tram Julia and I said our goodbyes, however we planned on speaking in the future. I made it home, and worked on homework for the rest of the night.
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