A Mixture of Feelings

It's my third weekend here in Germany. I have done so much fun stuff, including enjoying one of the best meals I have ever tasted:



This was at the Andechs Monastery and Brewery, which I visited with some friends yesterday. (Sorry, the website is German only - considering all the English-language signs that were there, I'm kind of surprised about this. Anyway, Rick Steves has a bit about Andechs on his website.)

Of course this was a brilliant, yet exhausting, day, involving a train trip, a boat ride, a long hike, the awesome lunch pictured above, and a beer-soaked round of miniature golf. My companions were a lovely group of German people who were well-read, interesting, and funny. It took all of my intellectual abilities to keep up with the conversation most of the time, which is generally a challenge I do not mind tackling head on.

I rarely indulge in trips like this at home. Maybe I should - maybe one thing that I can learn from Germany (as surprising as this is going to sound) is that maybe I should work less and play more. Of course, while the whole experience of going to Andechs left me glad that I had gone, to be honest I also want nothing more than to sink into my couch at home in CA and park myself there, in front of English-language HD television, for about 6 hours. Preferably with both cats nearby (and getting along).

Is this strange? I mean, I'm having one of my life's big adventures, and although I'm enjoying and appreciating every opportunity, part of me just wants to go home - back to my routine and the hockey rink and my English-speaking friends. This happens every time I come to Germany, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised by it. But I always am.

Oh well...back to reality. Today I will finish preparing for a Westlaw training I'm giving at the university tomorrow. I'm also going to give a training class in the Hein Online legal database, for which the university decided to get a trial subscription while I am here. I find both to be totally invaluable. I hope my German is adequate to express why this is.

Despite having to do a bunch of work, I should still find some time for a walk. I love the trail by the river near my house - it is so relaxing there.



Ali arrives on Wednesday and it will be nice to have him here. We will only have one week left in Augsburg once he gets here. That will be a mixture of happy and sad, for sure. It will be nice to have some new adventures to experience, but I will miss the apartment and my friends here.