Trying new things!

I feel like we have been pretty busy around here, so there hasn't been too much time for a blog update! I have really been starting to get into a class/work routine. Bea and I have discussed and came up with more of a set schedule, which is wonderful, because the first couple of weeks we were basically going day to day. I would head to their house in the morning not even sure what time I would be coming home at. But now we have set 3 days a week aside for me to come work. Mondays and Thursdays I go straight to their house after class, stay until seven, and Fridays I go there from 10-5. This leaves me with only having class Tuesday and I get Wednesdays and the weekends completely to myself. It also works out great with Kevin's game schedule that I shouldn't have to miss any.

However, we did already pick a Sunday afternoon game for me to stay home with Ida, and for Hans and his parents to get to go to Kevin's game! Hans has never seen a hockey game before but after seeing Kev occasionally, he talks about Kevin and ice hockey a lot. He is always asking me where Kevin is and what Kevin is doing during the day and gets really excited to see him when he picks me up from work. Other than that, on the work and class front, things have been going really well. I am beginning to understand a lot more of what Hans and his mom say to each other and communicating with Hans is slowly but surely getting easier!

Source: Google Images

Since I titled this post trying new things, I should probably give a little update on what those new things are! My brother will be proud to know that I drove Shannon and myself to the boys' game on Sunday. The catch here is that means I drove stick shift!!!!!! After a couple short lessons my first week here, I had been completely dreading getting behind the wheel and basically avoided it as much as I could (which has made me a pro with the train/bus system!) But Shannon was a trooper and took me to the empty Ikea parking lots to practice before the game and I drove us to it, and Kevin made me drive back home after! This may seem trivial to some people, but I have been so nervous about this stick shift thing so I am pretty dang proud of myself! :-)

The other new thing we tried was SUSHI! Now, I have had sushi a time or two before, but Kevin has never put in a full effort to try an entire meal of sushi. We went with 3 of the other couples last night to a sushi restaurant of one of the famous sushi chefs in Hamburg. I personally really liked everything we got and although Kev liked it, he definitely isn't sold on having it regularly. Supposedly Olivia Palermo (a New York socialite and from MTV's The City, for those of you that don't watch trashy reality shows) was eating at this restaurant while we were. I wasn't made aware of this until we were leaving so I didn't actually see her. I need to make sure everyone knows that being from a small midwestern town, I would really appreciate if people do an obnoxious point or shout the next time we see anyone remotely famous! I mean, come on, I'm just trying to be one of 'those people' sneaking a candid shot of the famous person!

Basically ate sushi with her last night
Source: Google images

Anyway, that's the news around Hamburg these days! Kevin's brother, Mike, and his buddy Brad are due into town on Friday for a visit, so I'm sure I'll have crazy stories soon. I'm bracing myself already for these two boys! Only kidding, Mike, can't wait to see ya!

I suppose before I go, I should give a bit of a hockey update. The boys won their game Friday night and lost this past Sunday, so they are currently sitting in 5th place in the league. Sometimes the league website, http://www.del.org/ puts up highlight videos of the previous games so scroll around that website if you'd like! Tschüss everyone!