Hallo from Vegesack!!!

so, yep. i'm here in the lovely vegesack, germany.

it's kind of weird. i mean, i'm used to traveling and being in a country where I don't know the language. but here it's different.

i've never been to germany before, and i've never ever even tried to learn german, so i know practically nothing.

i definitely feel like an alien here. out of place. fish out of water.

don't get me wrong, i'm enjoying the experience. something new. out of my comfort zone.

it is kind of strange though, hanging out by myself here while rhys is at work.

yesterday i stayed in bed when Rhys went to work. I accidentally fell asleep again and didn't wake up until lunch time! was such bliss.

so today i decided i would get up, get brekky, and get outside early. hmmm. well. of course today it would be raining.

but i kept going. i did a loop of the blocks around the hotel. was only out for about half an hour.

i walked in the rain. it was refreshing. made me feel awake.

i came back with wet hair, wet coat and cold, red nose. but now i have the whole day to enjoy…doing nothing.

i had a bit of a down day on tuesday. mixture of things. mostly just tired. but i went out and did some photographing of the sights of vegesack. on that day, it was cold and the air was misty, but it wasn't raining. the colours (it is autumn here at the mo) were amazing. i couldn't get enough of the vivid yellows, oranges and reds. just divine. getting out and taking pics helped me a little to clear my head. stop thinking those negative thoughts that were bringing me down. and, even better, it didn't cost anything!

i have to say. i'm sure german people are lovely, and i myself know some lovely beautiful germans. but so far, i've found the germans of vegesack to be very stand-offish, abrupt, and well, i'm not sure how to explain it without being rude.

back home, i'm used to people saying hello to each other on the street, up the mount, etc. even if they don't know each other. at least a smile. but here - i get nothing. i try and start it off - smile at someone. but i think they just think i'm a freak.

oh well. maybe it can be my social experiment while i'm here. by the end of the 2 weeks, i will be able to get people to be receptive to my smiles and respond with at least a smile back.

i still have quite a while here in vegesack. i'm going to get on a train, maybe this weekend, and venture into the bigger town of Bremen. i think it might even be a city. apparently there are lots of amazing sights there - old buildings, stuff for me to photograph. wish i had brought my extreme close-up lens now. and wish i had a fish-eye. oh well.

so, for today, i guess i'll be in my hotel room. my sanctuary for the next 2 weeks. movie watching, facebooking, eating grapes and delving into my delicious 1kg box of Haribo lollies (heaven in a round plastic container).

missing home a bit. missing kylie in wellington. wish we'd had longer together.

missing nelly and eppy and their crazy little antics

missing jen and being able to chat.

missing friends and having people to do stuff with.

missing the SUN!!!! but i know it'll be there when i get back.

actually, honestly, missing the kiddies from work too. not missing work itself. but missing the kids. and the ladies there too.

but. even though i miss all that, i need to be present. make the most of now. ha. that sounds like a vodafone ad or something.

peace out ya'll