A Week of Change
This past week SO many things have happened. Classes are coming to an end, winter is ending, tests are beginning, students are starting to stress out, and travel plans for during the two month semester break are being planned. And what did I do? I bought a train ticket to France so I can visit my sister, Anna, who is teaching English there, got a haircut (what an adventure!) and bought a hamster! Oh, and I studied, of course.
The first adventure of the week was getting my new dwarf hamster, Simon. I bought him from a pet store here in Jena, and he has made life here all the more fun. He enjoys playing on his wheel nearly all night long, though is getting better at being courteous and not running for fifteen minutes at a time while I’m trying to sleep. He has become a new roommate in the apartment here and a great study break for all of us when we being to feel too stressed out.
Second adventure of the week was the biggest and most challenging: getting my hair cut in a German salon. First, I needed to select a salon since there are countless numbers of them here in Jena. I chose one right off the main square that I had heard was good, but still cheap (what a bonus!). So last Monday I ventured out to Cutman to see what it was all about. As I entered the salon, I suddenly went into a bit of panic mode. What would happen if I said the wrong thing and my hair was cut completely wrong? But, I took up my courage, grabbed a number from the box that says who is up next, and took a seat to wait my turn. When my number came up, I went back to get my hair washed and everything began. Head massage with shampoo (heavenly!) and then off to the chair to get chopping away. Then came the hard part: describing, in German, what I wanted done with my hair. Surprisingly, I was able to do so without many problems. In the end, I was able to walk away with a surprisingly cute haircut, and a new look. Goal accomplished!
This next week should be another adventure. It’s the last week of classes as well as finals in the lecture classes. I got a bit lucky this semester and have only two finals to take, though both are on Wednesday. After much studying my notes and re-reading chapters in books, I hope that I am ready. When all the stress of Wednesday is over, I will be taking a 5 hour train ride to Lons-Le-Saunier, France on Thursday morning. What a way to being break! A week with my sister in France! No doubt I will be having many adventures there, too. One thing I am learning here in Jena is this: even if there is a problem you think you aren’t going to be able to handle, your attitude determines whether you can achieve it or not, and if it will turn out to be just another adventure in your memory book. I wish you all a week full of adventures!