It’s friday, 13th April 2012.
Wow 5 weeks have passed.. So fast?!?!?!!!!!
Right everytime I’m back in Kaiserslautern I really want to sit down and type out everything, I want to remember every moment and pen down whatever happened everyd day but I just have no time for it sadly, till today. :) It’s day 40 and I’m really loving every single moment here. Today I finally had time to stay home to arrange the photos properly into folders and as I scrolled through the photos, I’m really sad that time is passing so so so fast. Time gotta slow down.
And so I lived in my flat for 20 days (or rather 15 because I travelled out to Sweden in between); Was indeed a challenge because I was so excited about living with 3 others and it was just so disappointing - felt so weirdly unsafe that I had to lock my door when I go to the toilet, I had to look at my door every few minutes when I go to the kitchen and cook.. that was not the life what I expected and wanted from living with other flatmates on exchange and yes, I was lucky, I was approved to move out. :)
Going back to the day I left the airport… I cried upon stepping into the departure gate, somehow I was just suddenly afraid (though really excited), because I’m leaving my loved ones behind to be independent for 6 months. Boarded the plane, and I was the only Asian on board. Slept through 13 hours, only woke up once for a toilet trip and for a meal break. Slept again, up at 5am and arrived in Frankfurt Airport safely :) Layered up my clothings, changed my shoes, and waited for luggage. So my luggage went 7 rounds before I realized that’s mine.. Arrived at 6am, Helena and her dad picked me up at the airport, really thankful for them :) 1.5hours drive and we reached Kaiserslautern safely :) Watched my first sunrise along the way, had my first german breakfast (full of bread), and ISGS picked me up at hauptbahnhof. :) Was brought to international office to make a call home, then to my apartment, and I was just thrown there with maps. Clueless, and lost.
First 10 minutes in my flat and I know I didn’t like it, I know I didn’t want to spend my exchange living here. Put down my luggage, took the map, and walked to school (which is actually just opposite), to ISGS office, did formalities, administrative forms, met the Mathematics professor to settle modules, got my school computer account.. found out how to get to town, took a bus to city by myself, to get my internet and phone card, to get proper boots, …:) Knocked out at 8pm ….So this was my first day, all by myself.
Next day, up at 7am to office to settle formalities again. Bumped into Aaron in my Mathematics professor’s office, who was going to Singapore for exchange next semester and had lunch together. Went to Rathaus to register ourselves as residents together with the rest of the exchange students, and then to Deutsch bank to unblock our accounts, wandered around city together with 1 guy from Libanon and 2 others from India, to Asia shops to buy groceries, and then home. Day 2, still getting used to this.
Third day, had classes. First time I was up and early for German class at 8.30am.. :) Was good, 4 Indians, 1 Indonesian, 1 Thai, 1 African, 3 Brazilians, 1 Singapore.. that’s my german class. :) Lunch food in mensa (canteen) is really good, 2.50 euros for a mega big portion.. second servings onwards are all free. And the canteens are so big you don’t have to use tissue paper to chop a place or to wait so long for a seat like in NUS. hahaa
So the next few days were spent in German lessons from 8.30am to 3pm everyday, a few trips to city centre to shop and settle formalities, and staying at home at night to plan for trips!
That’s all, for my first few independent days in Kaiserslautern. :)
