From my last post, four months ago...

I'm sitting on my bed, surrounded by empty walls.  I've filled around six boxes, two suitcases, two garbage bags, and one large backpack, all of which are cluttering my floor.  I've said several see you later's, and have postponed the goodbye's till absolutely necessary.

The scene isn't much different today.  My floor is cluttered with three suitcases, three garbage bags, one large backpack, and more.  I've said several see you later's, though that's been about a month ago.  I've also said several hello's!

I am back in Berlin!  This ends my fourth week here, which might raise questions about the state of my bedroom...  The explanation:

We aren't homeless, but we don't yet have a home.  Berlin, as it turns out, continues to grow in popularity, so the apartment-search hasn't yet brought us a place to live.  We've been really fortunate to have someone apartment-searching for us, but I've recently begun to work on this, too.

So today, for example, my roommates and I squeezed into an apartment full of people who, like us, thought the place was "schön"... beautiful... and it was!  Now we apply and wait to see if they pick us.  It's the apartment competition of 2011, and we're aiming for a win.  We'd love prayers for this!

Aside from the apartment scarcity, though, Berlin's great.

I've returned to the days of student life-- learning, homework, and even a quiz coming up soon.  Our team's been in language school the last several weeks to learn more Deutsch.  Though I'm far from good (quite far in fact), I've learned so much.  I'm really grateful for this time... and for the stories that come with it.

What happens when you try to learn another language:

Sometimes, you have too many words in your head.

Today, walking through a big bookstore on a busy street, I found myself in someone's way.  I opened my mouth to apologize, but what came out was a mixture of the German entschuldigung and the English sorry... the combination of which is:  "Shorry."  As in, "Oh, shorry."  At least I said it quietly.

Sometimes, you don't have enough words in your head.  You forget words that you have been using since you were five.

Last night, I forgot "lighthouse."  I'd just read the German word (Leuchtturm) on a postcard and wanted to translate the phrase for a friend, but this is what happened in my head:

Leuchtturm.  Light tower.  Light tower?  No... that's not it.  Light... light-- Light tower.  That's not it, right?  Is it?  What is it?  [....]    Light... Lighthouse!  Lighthouse!!


And I majored in English.

Stories aside, I'll be sad to end my time in language school.  Great discussions, fun classmates, and a very helpful teacher have made these weeks really neat.

After next week, though, the university semester begins... And I can't wait for all that comes with that!  To spend more time on campus talking with students, and to get going on the events we're planning-- this is what I'm truly excited about.  These are the things I love, and this is what makes me so glad to be in Berlin.