Zum Geburtstag viel Glück, Spaß, und (natürlich) Deutschland

Hi again!

First off, I’ve been looking back over through some of my blogs and noticed that my English is really poorly written in some areas. For that, I apologize. I have even said things like “hear” instead of “here” when talking about location. My brain seems to be getting more and more confused the longer I live here. Part of me is considering taking an introductory Spanish class next semester, because I have always wanted to learn it (and it is super useful in America), but the more I struggle through immersion with German, the more I think that my brain might actually choose to strike back on me one day for trying to take on too many languages. I just cannot see that having a very happy ending.

One thing I have decided that I want to do this year while in Germany is read all of the English classics like Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Sherlock Holmes, Daniel Defoe, Emily Bronte, C.S. Lewis, Thomas Hardy, Edgar Allen Poe, and George Eliot, just to name a few. I actually have a lot of extra time that I can read books for fun. I always hated English in school because I hated being forced to “appreciate” classic English literature. However, now I have a really good opportunity to take my time with it, at a more mature age, and see if I actually do like it, instead of saying I hate everything and every teacher that taught it. I was not a very happy English student. So far, I have read “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, and I’ve also been reading "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway, “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis, which I’ve been working on since living with the Krater’s. TCoN a very large book with seven different books. I have read “The Magician’s Nephew” and “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, and now I am reading “The Horse and His Boy”. It has really been a positive fulfilling experience to leisurely read. I forgot how much I used to love it. It kind of makes me sad how little time we have in college to do everything we have always loved growing up. It is extremely hard to enjoy things outside of what you are studying because college is designed to give you not a lot of time to do so. I understand the reason why with only four years to complete your degree, but those four years are also so critical in the growing up process.

Anyway, I celebrated my 21^st birthday on Sunday December 11 here in Munich! I had church early in the morning (10.30), and was so confused when my alarm went off at 8.30. I have not been so confused about waking up early and where I was since I first got here. PS Normally, we have church at 16.30 because ICOC and the mainline share the same building, which I also love that they act like a big family rather than two separate churches. Once a month, both congregations will join together to have service and plan activities together. They may be the most treasured possession that God has blessed me with since I have been in Munich. Actually, they are. I would be miserable without God’s family. 

So after I realized I was up early because church was early that day, I then remembered that it was birthday. That was a strange feeling because normally my mom never even waits for me to wake up on my birthdays. She practically comes in at an atrociously early time of the morning, jumps on me, and showers with me kisses, which then usually ends with me being cranky and trying to roll over so that I can sleep longer (since Finals Week has usually just finished). I turned on my computer, and got onto Facebook and Skype cause that is a habit I have formed every morning. I saw that some of my friends from home had already sent me birthday messages on Facebook for me to wake up to, which was so encouraging. I then sat on my bed and prayed because I felt so homesick and scared that I would feel so alone on my birthday. But then I saw my best friend send me a message on Facebook (even though it was 3.30 in America at this point), and he said he had tried to sign on to Skype to wish me Happy Birthday before he went to bed. I was able to answer quickly enough so that we could Skype for about thirty minutes before I left for church, which may have been the absolute best way to start my birthday. God is incredible with encouragement. I love how he helps the hearts of those who love Him learn to have an outward focus so that everyone feels encouragement, and love. There should be no one in this world that feels lost or alone or unloved.

I ran into Tanja, who is a single in the church and one of my really good friends here, on the U-Bahn and she immediately wished me Happy Birthday, which was so encouraging that she remembered. We ran into Laura (in campus here)’s mom and all walked into church together. When we have the combined services, they always have so many cakes, cookies, and other baked goods in the front with coffee and tea of every flavor and variety. I love Germany so much more for their wonderful appreciation of baked goods and teas and coffees. We had service, which was beautiful, and then after all went to the middle level with the food. Alisa was running around telling people to go downstairs to the Teen Room, but told me to stay there by myself. I had no idea what she was doing, so I sat on stairs eating Apfelkuchen and drinking hot tea. Kraeuter, PS, is the best herb thing I have ever had. They have it in cream cheese here as well and I am seriously and dangerously verliebt. That sentence is relevant because that was the kind of tea I was drinking at the time.

Alisa then came back upstairs and sat with me, and I asked what was going on. She and others had planned something for me for my birthday, and I got so excited, because I wasn’t really expecting a lot. I went downstairs a little later, and then into the teen room, where everyone was standing and starting singing me Happy Birthday, but in German.

everyone when I walked in:

This is the birthday song auf Deutsch:

“Zum Geburstag viel Glück,

Zum Geburstag viel Glück,

Zum Geburstag Liebe(r) [person’s name],

Zum Geburstag viel Glück.”

Not so hard haha. They had made me a birthday cake (pound cake—Nana Sandy, you would have been so proud), with three candles, apple crisp from the Krater’s because it is one of my favorites, a Hungarian treat specialty consisting of rolled up pancakes and some kind of sweet sauce, and chips and snacks. They had decorated the Teen Room with streamers and balloons and had games planned that would be normally be played for a German child’s birthday.

 I was soooo excited that I got a birthday cake :)) und besonders mit drei Kerzen ;)

After eating for a little bit and blowing out the three candles (so cute), we played the first German game. You take a large chocolate bar, wrap it up very well in newspaper and twine, and the goal is to be the person that eats it all first. In order to have the chance to open it up (with a knife and fork, like cutting steak) you had to roll a six with the di. To add more difficulty, when you rolled a six, you had to put on really complicated ear muffs, gloves, and a scarf, and then you could start cutting into the chocolate bar. You could keep trying to get to the chocolate until someone else rolls a six, then you have to stop cutting, take off all of the winter accessories, and throw it all to the person who rolled the six so that they can try to cut into the chocolate bar, eat it and win. It was so much and hilarious to watch everyone try to do that. Nicole was a boss though, and I am pretty sure she left a couple of marks with the knife on the ping pong table we were playing on.

 Dorian with his adorable attire.

Erik doesn't like losing.

Nicole was a BOSS at this game. I think she may have ended up winning.

 Me trying to put everything on and eat the chocolate while Dorian was rolling the dice.

The second game was where a metal pot was hidden somewhere in the room, and someone who was wearing a blindfold and holding a wooden spoon, had to try to find it with the help of everyone around you saying hot or cold (oder “heiss” und “kalt”). I thought it was going to be really embarrassing because you had to crawl around aimlessly, but everyone did it which made it so fun. Then once you found the pot with your wooden spoon, you beat on the pot, take your blindfold off, and und the pot is a bunch of candy! How awesome is that.

 Trying to find the pot haha.

I distinctly remember telling Dorian to be nice to Attila here.

Meine Süße Marie :)

Dorian was so sneaky in this game.

 About the start the game.

Another game was played with these really good treats that are like huge marshmallows covered in dark, milk, or white chocolate. Two people go against each other and have to eat their two marshmallow chocolates before the other one. The trick is that they have to keep their hands behind their backs, keep their eyes closed, and figure out where the two chocolates actually are. They can be put anywhere on the table, which was really funny to watch. I played against Marie, who I absolutely adore. She and I have been helping each other a lot with learning each other’s languages. I can always count on her to speak German, and I love her desire to want to learn the language I love and grew up with. And more importantly, I love her heart for God. She is a beautiful person, and I am encouraged to have learned with her that sometimes, you don’t need to be able to talk about every single detail of life. Sometimes just a smile, an embrace, or a laugh can be just as valuable (if not more) than words.

Alisa completely missed hahah. She went up against Attila I think.

 Erik vs. Dorian. That was fun to watch.

After we finished the games, they took the time to share about me, which was very, very sweet. I did not expect that at all, but it gave me a lot of confidence to hear their kind words (in both languages :) ) to know that the time I am spending with them actually means a lot to the them too. To those of you who came and spent time with me and are reading this, thank you. Danke. Merci. Gracias. Grazie.  There are not enough words or languages to express how grateful I am for the love you showed me on a very important birthday celebrated back home. I will never forget what you did for me, and I love you all.

After church, I came home and skyped my adorable parents, my Nana Carolyn, and worked on some Christmas presents. Becca came over to my room after she got back to Berlin because we were going out to dinner for my birthday. While we were waiting on Heather to get home, someone had buzzed my doorbell (if you can call it a doorbell). Becca answered it for me because I was wrapping something, and she came back in with a very confused look and something large and wrapped up in burgundy tissue. We opened it together (but slowly because part of me was terrified it would be something not good). It was a beautiful bouquet of flowers, orange sunflowers and purple roses. There were others mixed in but I have no idea what they are. They were so beautiful. There was a card stuck into the rolled up flowers. I opened it to find a girls handwriting saying how sorry they were that they could not be there for my birthday, but for now Bluehmchen would have to do. I could not believe that this person had worked out getting me flowers from another country. I was so so so so excited, there are literally no words to describe how happy I was. I came to find out later that Heather and my friend had planned via Facebook to find the flowers and leave them as a surprise in front of my door. Heather was not too happy about her secret being given away, but I am so glad to know that it was her. I am going to miss her a lot when she leaves.

 The flowers :)

We all then went to eat at the Hard Rock Café in Munich near Marienplatz. It was Heather and mine’s second time, and Becca’s first. I ordered my first alcoholic drink (Tropical Rock, I think) as a 21 year old and Heather took my picture. I was fun to pretend, even though it has been legal to drink since I got to Germany in September. I ordered a big cheeseburger and fries, which was an ungodly amount of food, but I ate all of it, and was completely elated to have American food for my birthday. The waitress then brought out a sundae with a sparkler for my birthday treat.

 I really could not have asked for a better birthday in Munich. Between my parents and Nana surprising me with a birthday package, friends from church surprising me with a party, birthday cake, and gifts, starting and ending the day talking to my best friend who managed to send flowers from America, and going out to dinner with Becca and Heather, it was perfect. Thank youuuu.

PS This blog was actually written the day after my birthday (12th), which is why it is so close to the next blog.