SAFE LANDING!

Rest easy, dear friends! The entire CBYX team has successfully journeyed across the Atlantic all the way to the little village of of Weilburg. We have another half day of orientation stuff tomorrow, and then we head off to our various language schools.

We arrived in Frankfurt this morning at 7:30 German time, and every adult in sight had been stressing how important it was to stay up all day today so that we can adjust as quickly as possible to the new time zone. I tried to see the wisdom in their words, but when I finally got to my little room at 11am, I thought, "Well, a little baby nap before lunch couldn't hurt!" But of course Elizabeth Ruhl doesn't know how to take baby naps. She only knows how to take delicious four hour naps. So that's what she did. I felt a little bashful coming down all fresh and rested at 3, but I figured it's best Germany becomes acquainted with my napping lifestyle sooner rather than later. As it turns out, I didn't really miss anything besides four hours of delirious conversations complaining about being really, really tired.

I did manage to waltz downstairs just in time to tag along with a walking tour of the city. It's funny how even seemingly tiny little Burgs in Germany have a crazy history and very proud citizens. We visited the famous church, the famous castle, the famous gardens, the famous tunnel, and of course the famous street-pfifer tower! Also, apparently the tower in the main city square was the basis for the original illustration of Sleeping Beauty's Tower. Unfortunately, I was rather unprepared for the afternoon's adventures and didn't bring a camera, so you will just have to take my word for it that it was not probably what you had in mind when you imagined Sleeping Beauty's Tower.

I think today might be the last day of all English. Tomorrow, after I arrive in Cologne, I will be delivered into the hands of a host family who has been instructed to speak only in German! Oh man! So I'm feeling a little apprehensive. But also I am ready to quit treading water and patting myself on the back for being in such a crazy cool program, and instead start into my Culture Shock U-Loop of Euphoria and Despair! Hope you are all excited for this wild ride!