Pics and News

Hello.....

So like I said in my last post, I've been taking in easy. Been catching up on work and i am a little stressed out at the moment. I have only 2 months of work left!!!!! The time is ticking down and I still have a lot to do. Plus, I still need to keep my head out of the office and make the most of the time I have left. But that's not really that hard. Friends coming to visit, parties, parents visiting again and going to Swizterland for a few days. Plus, starting in July I have oodles of free time to do some traveling and say goodbye. Right now, just living from day to day, and really having a very normal life. It's fantastic....It doesn't feel anything like vacation, traveling, wierd, new, etc. to be here. It's normal and sometimes boring. I know that sounds strange, but the boredom to me is great...it's proof that I have successfully acclimated myself to live here in Germany. I've made a home here and feel like I have accomplished everything that I wanted to do here in Germany and more! It's hard to rate experiences in one's life, but this has been possibly the best of my life and most important.

I guess right now it's a good time to start transitioning back into "coming home mode." I know I've covered this stuff already, but it's very hard to keep a blind eye to the fact that the end is rapidly approaching. Plus, pragmatically, I have to start really planing and looking at what exactly to do next. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am getting really excited to seeing everyone I love back in the US...friends, fam and those in between. And to the friends here, I won't be gone forever and I won't be out of reach. This isn't the last time I'll be in Germany and I have made a strong committment to continue a life and relationship with Germany and Europe. My base will always be the US, but I won't be confined to its borders - physical, mental, or otherwise.

Sorry, I hope this doesn't sound condescending or preachy. And if you have any jealous tendencies, do not look at the set of photos, "Pics12"!!!!!! I repeat, don't look at them. For everyone else, be sure to check out both Pics11 and 12.....they are both new and up!!!!

Talk to you soon

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride through Europe

which takes place mostly in Germany. The last few weeks (which themselves have felt like months) have been insane. I haven't had much time to just relax in a while. But finally I think I am able to stay in Aachen and just take it easy. We'll see how successful I am.

So skiing was fantastic. Not only were the mountains great but I had such a great time being in France with Sylvain and Carole. I learned some French, learned a lot more about the culture, the food, the rest of the country outside of the big cities..... We watched movies like "The World According to Bush," ate 5 course meals, and relaxed in the sun while we could have been skiing. It was nice too slow down some and not feel pressured to get as much done as possible.

I can't adequetly describe the mountains or the skiing so I will just have to say, wait until the pics. However, it was easily the best skiing trip or skiing in general in my life. The slopes were immense, and challenging and I learned more in 5 days than what may have taken me years. Deep thick powder skiing, 2 foot moguls, 40 degree descents...... It was all there. Plus, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking - literaly. At times I was almost 2 miles up (3.2 km) and it was getting hard to breathe with all the tough skiing. Even got a tour around the best sections of the mountain by the cousin of another friend. It's always so great to travel with friends and really "see" an area rather than just take pics of it. Everytime I think I have no time to travel, I never regret going.

Then last Friday, I had my birthday. Steffi threw a surprise birthday party for me!!!! It was great....I had no idea and it was really done right. The fake plan was to drive to Duesseldorf and party there. But very few of my friends said that they could make it. Even so I was excited to go. I show up at Steff's to drive with them, and when I enter the room, everyone is there: all friends, friends from work, friends from INCAS, friends from all over........ I was shocked and kind of froze. Plus, someone got it on tape, so I can show you how stupid I looked. Later that night, after the party, some friends got in a fight with two guys on the street and I was mildly involved. Nothing serious happened, but my friends called the police and the two assailants got attacked by police dogs and thrown in jail. Unfortunately, I had already gone at that point, and missed everything.

Then Sat and Sun I was at a friend's house in Krefeld (Andrew Rochford). Met the parents, went to a dope club, ate Easter eggs, saw pics of Iran and Switzerland.....all in all had another great time, meeting someone's family and really "seeing" Germany. Thanks Andy. And now I just got from Deidesheim, almost definitely for the last time. Experienced events today that not many have probably shared, that have been both awful and in some ways good, and which I am not ready to publicly share. Anyway, it's been a hell of a ride and I am looking forward to relaxing, mentally, bodily and emotionally.

Stay tuned for pics. See ya

Pics 10 are up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check em out. Karneval is about a month old but the pics are hot hot hot. I am traveling to France tomorrow in about 9 hours for 6 days of skiing in the Alps, so keeping it short. Get back to you when I get back, and of course more pics to post.

Too much to do, Nate ahhhhh. Too much adventure out the front door.