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Stranger in a Strange Land Newsletter July 12th, 2002

Stranger in a Strange Land Newsletter July 12th, 2002

Hello again everyone,
It's been ten days so, whether I want to write or you want to read it, you're getting another SIASL newsletter (that's kinda a cool abbreviation, eh? sounds like a trendy new computer company...). No, I certainly want to write this newsletter but I have been in a bad mood for the last day or so. It was the reverse of before: I was feeling good earlier this week and now I'm not doing so well. But, I've been staying as a Servas person's house, and this morning I've been getting all packed to leave and during that time I was getting in a much better mood...

Since I last e-mailed we finished working at the work camp and then had our 'relax and party weekend.' Some of those last days were truly wretched conditions: physical labour in non-stop pouring rain. You can't get worse than that. But honestly I didn't mind it to much. In some ways later on for the rest of the week when it kept on stopping and starting rain it was MORE annoying. Oh, I must say that one of the highlights of week was a meal I made: tacos. I managed (with the help of Christina, the Swedish girl) to find (and improvise) the ingredients for tacos and somehow bring them together to make some damn good tacos. They brought me right back home...Oh so good... Anyway, I cooked quite a few times and it was a great break from the work at times.

Also, remember how I said that there was a German girl that was a 'bad-news girl' who toys with people? And how that was the type of girl I can't resist usually but I was doing pretty well so far... Well, eventually I guess I couldn't resist as usual and I started liking her. That's why I was a real jerk to her for the last week. (I'm sure some of you think I'm making no sense at all but I venture to say that some of you know EXACTLY what I mean, not to say it does make sense, if you know what I mean...not that I do) Anyway, in the last two days I apologized for how I had been the last week and that opened-up the door for some REALLY good conversations. Sometimes there's a reason people run into each other. They really need to learn from each other and that's what happened. Basically, I was the first person who really saw through to and understood a big part of her...then we were both able to say some things that we haven't said often or ever.

So, there's one of my 'learning experiences' of Europe. She lives in Berlin, where I plan to go, so we'll see if I have any more in the next couple weeks before she goes on vacation to France and I go to Norway!!

Which brings me to the next current leg of my journey: travelling in Germany!!! I started off by being dropped off on the side of the highway. It turned-out that that spot was a really bad spot so I had to walk down the highway to the next exit. After doing that and taking a lunch break (bread and cheese, so simple but so good), the hitchhiking began. After just a short while somebody picked me up and after two short rides and two and two long ones I was dropped-off almost to the door of the person I was going to stay with. There was some bad luck and some good luck involved but it ended-up great.

Wow, this getting long and I haven't even gotten into the last week! Well, basically, I'm staying with this incredibly helpful and knowledgeable Servas host who is driving me crazy. He is overly helpful, neurotic in lots of little ways, and just strangely awkward. I don't have time but I was planning on starting a column in the newsletter devoted to 'Things German People Have Told Me to Do.' Just chill! It makes me miss the sloppy dumb Americans a little...but just a little.

But oh I haven't even said where I am: Hannover, in northern Germany. It's a really nice little city with a good vibe. They have a beautiful garden called Grosse Garten (Great Garden) and an amazing Rathaus (town hall). But still I'm now just in the mood for chilling in the woods, so right after I finish this I'm going to go hitchhiking to the 'Black Forest' and camp-out. Wish me luck.

Thank you so much to anybody who e-mailed me back. I don't know how to convey sincerity through the internet (especially since most of what I write has a slight ironic bite to it) so I'll just say 'thanks so much, I love you guys.' And I'm sorry if I don't respond to each of you individually. Bye.

-Eli