When I got here, it was bitterly cold every day, getting colder still for the first few weeks. Days where the temperature hit -20C were common, which was insane to me.
These last days the snow has been melting, and I have even seen some of the ground lately. The day I leave I can see some green peeking out in areas, and entire sidewalks are free of snow, slush, or ice.
That's a wonderful change. When I arrived I was literally dragging my suitcases through snow and ice, making it very hard. Now as I left it was muddy and muddly everywhere, and so I had to maneuver a lot but the going was much easier.
The weekend before I left I spent more time riding the S-Bahn around the city, planning out my trip after Berlin and studying. While on the S-Bahn, as often happens, a hobo came on. I had already been here for a bit and planned to be here longer, and wasn't bothered by him. Yet instead of beg for change or play an instrument he sprawled out over a couple seats and promptly went to sleep. He slept for perhaps an hour, and when he awoke it must have been with a massive thirst. He pulled out a bottle of wine I didn't see him bring on with him and wanted to open it. Rather than using a corkscrew to remove the cork, he took out a wooden stick and began forcing the cork inside. With a BANG! it went in, and wine went violently out in a spray. The hobo was covered as was a good amount of his seat and the ground between us, but fortunately no other people.
Noone said anything, but many glances were exchanged.
As soon as the bottle was 'open,' in spite of being suddenly drenched with wine, he mulled it up to his face and began greedily sucking on it as though a baby with a bottle. It was a bit surreal.
After leaving that train and heading to my temporary home, there was the usual congregation of hobos selling tickets for the U- and S-Bahns, perhaps real and perhaps not. There was another one, though, his face painted in a bizarre scheme consisting mostly of polka dots, blowing giant bubbles. That was unusual and he actually did a few 'tricks' with the bubbles, namely getting one bubble inside another, and so I gave him a 20cent coin. Usually I only spare a bit of change for the better musicians, but the novelty and face-painting got the better of me.
The last day in Berlin was nice, I went to class but left early because I knew it'd take a long time to get to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) with my suitcases. I was right.
When I packed to come to Germany I knew I'd need some cold clothes, and I don't do well with the cold. So I went nuts and packed every piece of cold clothing I had, and then some, borrowing from my dad. It turns out at least half of the cold-weather stuff I brought I haven't even touched. Two jackets and overcoats, one middle layer, and shirts were enough for me for tops, and I always made do with one layer for pants. Oh well, better safe than sorry. Except now I'm sorry that my arms are coming out of my sockets from dragging the enormous weight of my suitcases, but hey.
Leaving in and of itself was not special if perhaps very heavy, and once I got to the Hauptbahnhof I realized I had a Berlin U- and S-Bahn ticket that still had a week left on it and I couldn't use it. So I sold it to someone going into a ticket office for 10 euros, and to boot I did it in German! The person immediately knew I wasn't German, but did compliment me on my German. That and the fact I could articulate myself to explain what I was selling, how, and why really made me know that I learned a lot at the Goethe Institute and via the Rosetta Stone, and so I'm very very happy with how things went.
The train to Kassel, my first stop, arrived exactly on time and stayed for only a couple minutes before leaving. I stowed my suitcases and sat, only to be told after a few minutes my seat was reserved. Oh. I was then told (in German, still!) how the seating system works and that I can sit in unmarked or "frei" seats, as shown on electronic signs above each seat. Nifty. The train got up to 150mph (250kph) a few times and I really enjoyed the ride. I chatted with someone next to me in German for a while, and felt really good about myself that I could do so.
I arrived in Kassel, got situated in a nearby hotel and went to a neat place for dinner. It was a very local place, a bit out of the way, a 20 minute walk in a light drizzle, but worth it. Fantastic local beer and a very local dish (or so I was assured by my waitress) of bread with serrano chicken and egg on top. It was unusual, but good.
I would like to pat myself on the back now, if I might, for doing so well outside my 'element.'
I'm in an unusual town in an unusual country speaking an unusual language and eating some very unusual foods. And loving every minute of it. It's all new and all a great great amount of fun.
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