Monthiversary

It's hard to believe I've already been in Germany for a month now. I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of things and living here is starting to feel more normal, but I have certainly had my share of embarrassing moments and made many a mistake along the way, like the time--

• I got on the wrong bus and realized I had no idea where I was when I heard the driver call out "Dies ist die Endhaltestelle."
• I accidentally knocked over an Italian soda in the grocery store and struggled to find the right apologetic German words to say to the store staff, while my friends snickered in the background.
• I went to my very first laundromat and was so confused by everything that I had to take a picture of the instructions sign on the wall and go back home and translate it before I could wash my clothes.
• I bumped into a piece of graffiti art when attempting to take a picture next to it and had the museum security yell at me and then follow my every move like a hawk. 
• I bought my first Coke from an Imbissstand and then stashed the bottle in my purse because I did not understand how to dispose of it and was too embarrassed to ask.

During my first weeks in Saarbrücken, I found myself requiring extra time to do ordinary daily tasks just because things are so different here than at home. But it no longer takes me ten minutes to open the door to my flat, make a phone call, choose a shampoo or sandwich meat in the store, or figure out which of the five garbage bins to put my trash in. More importantly, I've learned that it's okay to swallow my pride and ask for help sometimes. To err is human, and I have found enlightenment in laughing at and learning from my blunders.

I look forward to my next two months in Deutschland and all the adventures and challenges that will come my way. I've already made wonderful new friends, gotten a lot better at understanding German, and discovered the inner workings of a startup website. I know I still have a lot to learn and I can't wait to see what these next two months hold in store for me!

“The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.” -Douglas Engelbart