so all of you, who swear by doc martens, take this.  i decided to play tourist today and planned on being out for quite awhile (with my docs on my feet).  i walked into the center of town (half hour walk) because the bus stop near here picks up at the beginning of the day and drops off at the end of the day.  the small city i’m in is right on Lake of Constance, so that was my first destination — shopping would be second.  unfortunately by the time i got to the lake i found that the back of my right foot was killing me.  ignoring it, i kept on, eventually finding a bench and sitting there for half an hour.  after resting and getting off my feet i decided that i couldn’t just sit there until my foot felt better, it would be just as good for me to start back home.  by the time i got back here both pinky-toes hurt terribly and the back of the foot… well, eventually i stopped trying to find the right way to walk in order to find the most comfortable position because every place i put my foot hurt.

i came up here to my room on the third floor of this townhouse, took my socks off, only to find a blister the size of a golfball on the back of my right foot and that around my left pinky toe, i had somehow cut my foot.  unfortunately i can’t blame my dry feet on doc martens.  but just so you know, even though i’m not sure what i’m going to put on my feet tomorrow since i left all my slides, clogs, and flip-flops at home, i’m doing just fine.  enjoy the few photos here while i can actually upload (tomorrow i’m heading to the school).

the sun is warm here — warmer than what i thought it’d be.  and i’ve been told that it really doesn’t get all that cold and it hardly ever snows.  so much for all the talk of germany being so cold (not that i’m complaining).

the common means for transportation is the bicycle.  when i saw and heard that i thought, “oh dear Lord, why did you bring me here?”  after my hostess explained this she said, “now you ride, right?  i’ve met some americans who can’t even ride!”  i smiled politely and said that i was more used to walking.  when you’re on a bike, half of the sidewalk is for you, half for pedestrians.  when there is a round-about, the bicycle then acts as if it’s a vehicle.  i don’t think i should be so freaked out about getting hit though — the drivers here are the most polite drivers i’ve ever seen.

homeschooling is illegal here.  if you do not send you’re children to school, the government will come and take your children from you.

there is a protestant church and a catholic church in every community (several here in Friedrichshafen).  most become members of one of these, the state then issues a church tax and your money will go to that church.  the etzel’s go to the protestant church and although there are 2000 members, only a few hundred (at the most) actually attend sunday morning service.  how do you decide which church you want to be a member of?  the churches are involved a lot with the community so you see which church is doing social services that you like and want to support and you become a member there.  if for some reason you wish to switch churches, you must write something to the government so then the money you pay will go to the new church.

for this girl, who couldn’t find her watch before she left (so sad), the churches here are my saving grace — although every hour i feel as though i’ve been transported to the set of The Sound of Music.  the bells ring on the hour, although they don’t tell you what time it is, i still know that a whole hour has passed.  they just ring for a minute — back and forth with no pattern whatsoever.  so far, it’s my favorite part.

it is quiet here.  even when i was in downtown today, it was quiet.  people aren’t loud here, vehicles aren’t obnoxious with speed or use of their horn, and i was able to hear the water and birds as i walked along the boardwalk (that is really very busy!).  it is odd for me to be surrounded by people but not very much noise.  thinking about this, i realized that i haven’t even heard my own voice as much as i’m used to.  yes, i’ve talked quite a bit with the etzel’s but i’m alone most of the time.  it’d be weird if i came back a quiet louissa.  for some reason i don’t see that happening.

i’m sorry if this is a lot.  you’re rather my friend who i can converse with at the moment and while i have a laptop sitting in my room, i decided to take advantage of it.  yes, i have my own little room with mr.etzel’s laptop sitting on the desk here.  i’m quite comfortable.  : )

well, i guess i need to figure out what to do with my feet.  should i soak them?  i don’t even know. 

my merrick william was singing a song before i left (i’m sure he’s quite sad i took with me his favorite cd) and it’s been stuck in my head ever since. 

there’s always that one person
who will always have your heart
you never see it coming
’cause you’re blinded from the start
know that you’re the one for me
it’s clear for everyone to see, baby.

and i smile every time i catch myself humming it.  i couldn’t find my cd for a few days and didn’t know where i had put it.  i realized that he had my cd when at dinner one night when he started to sing, “baby if you give it to me — i’ll give it to you…” i made it quite clear that i wasn’t happy about it.  he wanted to know why.  i told him that i wasn’t sure he should be listening to every song on it.  he wanted to know why.  trying to come up with an answer, i gave him the lamest one possible: rap is bad.  a few days later he told one of my sisters that the song she was singing was bad because there was some rap in it.

ohgoodness.  i miss him.  today has been fun but can i come home now?