Retail Therapy
I didn't make it to the resident registration office today because I got up too late. That's okay. Instead, I took my time getting ready this morning. I then went to the campus to sign my housing contract. The lady at the office was surprised I already had a bank account. I guess I'm doing okay on that score.
I then took the tram (Strassenbahn) to the Augsburg town center. I'm not sure how wise it was to walk around down there in the rain and blowing cold wind, but it felt great to get out and walk around, especially since I was in the town itself (which feels like a real German town). The university is out kind of in the middle of a field (and thus does not really feel like it's in Germany, somehow), and it takes about 20 minutes on the tram to get to the main train station from the campus. The tram runs straight through the middle of the campus, which is great. I kept thinking ahead while I was riding it to how easy it will be to get from the train station to my apartment (which is in a building practically on the campus itself) when people like my friend MA come to visit from the States (MA is coming over here for just over a week beginning in the middle of May).
Anyway, I went to the train station because I thought it would be nice to buy an English magazine or book (or both) at the bookshop there. I thought it might help my homesickness to get some English-language reading. I ended up getting a very long chick lit book (Marian Keyes, who I've read before in my weaker moments...the one I bought today must be one of her more prolific efforts), a Time magazine, and a Newsweek magazine. Total bill = 18 Euros (and totally worth it). As hard as it was, I resisted buying a New Yorker magazine (selling for a whopping 10.50 Euros).
I then went shoe shopping. Of course, I brought 7 pairs of shoes over here, but my heeled boots, clogs, and tennis shoes with mesh tops aren't great for life here due to so much rain and walking. I found two nice pairs of flat shoes that are not clogs and should keep both of my entire feet dry. Unfortunately the shoe shop didn't take credit cards, so I had to pay with cash. That's pretty normal in Germany.
Wow. I feel so much better now that I have English reading AND new shoes. I was really trying to resist buying a lot of things, but anyone who knows me knows how much I love shopping. And I had such a bad day yesterday with the homesickness I felt I really needed to treat myself.
Tonight, I'm going to try out the Italian restaurant around the corner and have dinner AND wine. Hopefully it will help me fall asleep earlier than last night, since I need to get an early start tomorrow and get some things done.
I then took the tram (Strassenbahn) to the Augsburg town center. I'm not sure how wise it was to walk around down there in the rain and blowing cold wind, but it felt great to get out and walk around, especially since I was in the town itself (which feels like a real German town). The university is out kind of in the middle of a field (and thus does not really feel like it's in Germany, somehow), and it takes about 20 minutes on the tram to get to the main train station from the campus. The tram runs straight through the middle of the campus, which is great. I kept thinking ahead while I was riding it to how easy it will be to get from the train station to my apartment (which is in a building practically on the campus itself) when people like my friend MA come to visit from the States (MA is coming over here for just over a week beginning in the middle of May).
Anyway, I went to the train station because I thought it would be nice to buy an English magazine or book (or both) at the bookshop there. I thought it might help my homesickness to get some English-language reading. I ended up getting a very long chick lit book (Marian Keyes, who I've read before in my weaker moments...the one I bought today must be one of her more prolific efforts), a Time magazine, and a Newsweek magazine. Total bill = 18 Euros (and totally worth it). As hard as it was, I resisted buying a New Yorker magazine (selling for a whopping 10.50 Euros).
I then went shoe shopping. Of course, I brought 7 pairs of shoes over here, but my heeled boots, clogs, and tennis shoes with mesh tops aren't great for life here due to so much rain and walking. I found two nice pairs of flat shoes that are not clogs and should keep both of my entire feet dry. Unfortunately the shoe shop didn't take credit cards, so I had to pay with cash. That's pretty normal in Germany.
Wow. I feel so much better now that I have English reading AND new shoes. I was really trying to resist buying a lot of things, but anyone who knows me knows how much I love shopping. And I had such a bad day yesterday with the homesickness I felt I really needed to treat myself.
Tonight, I'm going to try out the Italian restaurant around the corner and have dinner AND wine. Hopefully it will help me fall asleep earlier than last night, since I need to get an early start tomorrow and get some things done.
posted by Jennifer at 06:59
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