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Why We Need to Come Home

 Guten Abend aus Regensburg!

Today we saw rain, then sun, then more rain, then sun...My table partner in German class, who is from Michigan, says we've been having typical Michigan weather. That makes sense, since the latitude of Regensburg, which is 49 degrees North, is roughly the same as Michigan. 

So, today I managed to trip over the legs of my chair at lunch (at home) and go crashing into the full-length mirror that stands in one corner of the dining area and hit the floor, hard, with my right elbow leading the way. If I were at home, I would go get it x-rayed. I have insurance. Here, I have to pay up front and then wait over 2 months for reimbursement, so I'm waiting to see whether I really, really need an x-ray. It's all bruised and swollen, and it hurts to touch it, but hopefully it's just bruised. I really like it here, but things like this are bringing reality home. This is not my home. Our system and Germany's don't mesh well. It's been a great experience, but in times like this, I wish I could go home, now. Fortunately, I didn't break the mirror itself, but I did break part of the feet of the mirror. 

While I'm here, I'm going to the German classes we paid for, and I'm beginning to feel I'm making real progress. And I've made several new friends, from Malaysia, Poland, Finland, and Michigan. It's been great learning about how they do things in their countries, and they are fascinated by Alaska. I told them the truth about salmon the other day, that there are 5 kinds, and what most people think is 'wild Alaska salmon' (as sold in the local grocery stores) is really pink salmon, which people at home feed to their dogs. I educated them as to what sockeye/red salmon is, and the other kinds, that we eat. Being from Alaska is like being from it's own country in many ways. 

While my elbow hurts, my knees don't. Yay! I even stride up 4 flights of stairs almost every day to get to German class, even though there's an elevator. I feel like declaring at the top one of these days that no one would believe I had knee-replacement surgery just over 7 months ago. The other one, which was starting to give me trouble, has simmered down, and I walk with comfort these days, and I walk a lot. 

The photo at the top is of some more typical buildings in the Altstadt. At the bottom are shops, and the rest of the building are apartments. I don't know whether they have elevators, but it would be cool to live in the Dachgeschoss, the floor just under the roof. My German course is held in a building in the Altstadt, just a stone's throw from the monastery. 

That's about it for now. Pray for me.

UPDATE: After a restless night my elbow seems to be fine. It's very tender, but I have full range of motion with minimal discomfort. Perhaps running for an x-ray would have been a waste of time and money. I think all will be well. 





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