Holy Canolli Time Flies...

I can't believe it has been a week since my last post. I apologize for my delay in posts, but it is so stinkin' hard without a computer at my fingertips. Today I had to walk through the snow to illegally use one of the computers in the Education building. I am technically not allowed to go anywhere without my sponsor, aka: Uncle Paul, by my side. Whomp. That essentially means that I can't leave the apt because the man has to go to work Monday-Friday. I can assure you that I don't/can't stay in the apt all day doing nothing. So far it hasn't been too bad because Lenae and I have been exploring. We have dared to explore without my sponsor. Haha! I am fighting the system. We have asked if it is okay for me to go without him and we have gotten different responses everytime. There is no standard here. Everyone tells us something different everytime we ask. Some say it is okay as long as I am in the company of someone with a military ID (Paul, Lenae or Elizabeth), and others say that it must be Paul. Who knows? Once I get my 90 day pass I can come and go freely. I won't need the assistance of another person to leave post. I will be able to do it all by myself. The crazy thing is that until I get my 90 day pass my uncle has to sign me in and out every 24 hours. As you can imagine this becomes quite tedious. For the meantime we are following the rules...somewhat. Friday we called and asked Mr. Donaldson about the pass and he said that I have been approved. Yay! but the paperwork needed to start from my Uncle's unit, and since we started the paperwork from Mr. Donaldson we have to start all over. Bummer. The good thing is that part of the reason it took so long the first time is because we had to wait on a background check. Since my background check is already done it should all happen much faster. I am thinking by Monday I should be a big girl. We shall see. Oh yeah....did I mention I can't get a job until I get my pass? Not yet. As I was responding to a backup of emails because Vodafone still hasn't fixed our phone/internet, I received a call from the elementary school. The secretary was so sweet and so encouraging, but she said that they can't interview me until I have something that changes my status. Currently I am just visiting so there is no priority on my application. They are required to hire wives of soldiers who are on the soldier's orders and I am not a wife or close enough relative to be on anyones' orders. Whomp! Until I get my pass my status won't change and I will not be able to get a job. Once I get my pass I will be able to get an ID card that will change my status so I can be interviewed for a position. It is absolutely mind boggling and ridiculous! I know things can work, but they (the military) are making it all so very hard. This is why I am saying that I love Germany, but not the American part of it! Grrrrr. I was able to find an employment readiness program that I am going to call tomorrow morning to see what I need to do to get a job! I need to work. I need to be able to meet people. I have made friends with one couple, but I would like/need to make more. You can never have to many!

The highlights since last week:

Tuesday Lenae and I went into downtown Mannheim to the farmer's market. We were able to get lots of fresh fruits and veggies. It was crazy awesome.

Markt Platz (aka: the market)

Thursday night Lenae and I went to the Top Hat Club which is a multiuse facility. One night it is a Latino Club with salsa dancing. The next night it is a disco....yadda, yadda, yadda. On this particular night it served as a country and western dance hall. It was funny! We entered and found it basically empty. There were two couples, three men at the bar, a DJ, and a bartender. It was hoppin'. Hah! We stayed for all of an hour, and we only stayed that long because we knew one of the men at the bar. He is part of the security division and lives in the building across from us. He arrived the same day as Paul, Lenae, and Elizabeth. He was drinking hot tea and gingerale. My kind of man. I'm kidding, but he was pretty funny. His wife arrives in one month...she stayed behind to sell their house and allow him to get everything set up for when she arrives. She is a smart woman! By the time she gets here her furniture will already be here, her husband will have internet and phone already established, and she will be able to enjoy her first few weeks here instead of shoveling through all of the crap we have had to deal with. It's okay, because as much as I have not liked dealing with all of the military mumbo jumbo, I have enjoyed every second I have spent outside of the military gates. I love Mannheim and I love the German people. They love to talk to Americans because it gives them a chance to practice their English, and it gives us a chance to practice our German. It is a win-win situation.

We have our furniture! Giggidy giggidy. It arrived on Friday, January 22 and most of it was unharmed. There were damages to some of the legs on the big pieces, but we filled out a form so that we will be reimbursed for damages. My room is still pretty bare, but I plan on collecting pieces as I travel. Little knick knacks (I have no idea how to spell it...every way that I try looks ridiculous) from random places. It will come together in time. :) We no longer have boxes in our apartment either! Everything is unpacked and in place. This morning Lenae and I cleaned like crazy! It is starting to feel like a home!!

We found a yummy Greek restaurant two train stops away. It is legit! We went Sunday night after bowling so that we could celebrate unpacking two truckloads of boxes. We decided that it will be our new Mexican since it is nonexistant here. Everything we have had has been incredible. The first time we went was on a Saturday because they only serve gyros on the weekend and we all wanted to try them. They were different in that a typical gyro is served without the pita bread. If a gyro is served in a pita, it is called a doner which is pronounce derner. So yummy! Since we are in Germany, the gyro is served with a side of fries. You can get it served with rice, but Germans love their fries! Another thing that is crazy is that you must eat french fries with a fork and knife if they are served on a plate with meat. The second time I ordered pork chops smothered in garlic. That is another thing- Germans love pork. The chops had so much garlic that my breath was kickin'. I am pretty sure that if I were a cartoon, green smoke would have oozed from my mouth. I am telling you it was kickin'! Some bites had so much garlic it was spicy. Delicious! Another thing that is fun about it is that after the meal, they serve you a complimentary shot. Our waiter always brings us a shot of Bailey's with one piece of ice to act as dessert.

Also, my German is improving so that I am able to speak a few key phrases. yay! Tomorrow Lenae has a hair appointment and I am going to travel with so that I can shop around the walking district of Mannheim to find some fun stuff for my room. There is also this little dessert shop/cafe that we are going to eat lunch at. I think I talked about it in an earlier post... the Dolce something or other. I am pretty pumped! I can't wait to go into the city and explore some more!!!