So I went out and bought a lot of stuff. One was that membership to the gym I was talking about. It starts tomorrow and I'm so excited! Two was stamps, so I can send my love and musings home to the US. And three:

A BASIL PLANT!

Yup, that's right. A basil plant. Somehow it is everything I have ever wanted, its wonderful green leafiness all right there in its little pot of dirt. Now I just have to figure out how I can keep it from dying. Since it's winter and the days are going to be getting progressively less sunny, I'm probably an idiot for buying it now. But whatever. I can enjoy it while it lasts...

And I just ate my wonderful afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) in the kitchen. it was absolutely fantastic, because in the course of sitting there and eating it, a bunch of my German friends came in (one brewed herself a cup of coffee, too) and we made plans for this weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to a party with them at Fichtenweg 11, and then Sunday apparently we are celebrating my birthday. Not sure how that's going to play out yet, but I think I'll go to the store Saturday, get a crate of beer, chill them in my fridge, and then bring them to the kitchen on Sunday night. I love hanging out with Germans, because I'm getting closer and closer to understanding most everything they are saying. Maybe someday soon I'll be able to contribute to the conversation... right now, it seems like I'll think of something appropriate or even witty to say, but the converstation moves so fast that by the time I think of it, the moment has passed.

But conversation with other Germans, the ones I don't know - that is going far better than before. I had a hold-up for a while there, still kinda do, about talking to German sales people in situations such as at the store or the post office. But I've realized some things about this topic, and the mind tricks I need to pull with myself to get over this. Here's a few:

"The second I open my mouth, they'll know from my accent that I'm foreign/native English speaking/American."
Big deal. Tuebingen has so many international students and residents, they're used to accented German. They might be a little snippy with you because of it, but they're like that anyway, even with most Germans. Plus, since they know you're not native, they'll speak a little clearer, simpler, and slower, which can only be to your advantage. Worse case scenarios: you won't be able to understand what they're saying, or even will start speaking to you in English in some cases. A simple "Noch mal, bitte" can fix the first problem, and the second may or may not be a problem, depending on your German skill level and how flustered you are at the moment.

"What if I use the wrong vocab, or mess up in my grammar?"
Again - big deal. The main thing is to get your point across, and that you and the sales person each understand what the other is saying. I tell myself the following: "Well, at least I'm not trying to buy these groceries in France." Also, I speak too fast sometimes in German, a problem I also have in English. If I slow down, I have enough time to think and usually get the grammar and vocab right, plus I tend to enunciate better, a value which lends itself to the German language. Many Germans speak fast, but many also speak naturally slow, and they don't sound dumb. So sloooow down.

"Crap, I hate asking questions, because what if they just gave me that information?"
Doesn't matter. Would you rather go away and not know the answer to your question? Sometimes that's a tempting idea, but it's better to go ahead and ask.

The bottom line for me is that I just need to reassure myself that I probably speak better German than 98% of Americans, so just chill out and use your skills. Also, if they start speaking English to you, speak German back. Don't give in.

Time for a nap before tonight's activites. If you need some music recommendations, see last post's blurb on Weezer, or listen to John Mayer's cover of Kid A. Or Rockapella's "Don't Tell Me You Do." Ahhh, music.