There's always a McDonald's.

And just like that, it was time to say good-bye. All at once I wondered what I would miss the most. Instead, I became occupied with the list of things I thought I might not miss. Surely that would be more fun to explore. There are a couple of obvious ones, of course. I won’t miss being the palest person in a 50-mile radius. I won’t miss paying for gas. I won’t miss that somewhere along the way, as an American, I lost my control over flushing. I have regained that here. It feels good. And then there are the things I will miss… being able to eavesdrop on conversations—or really just being able to understand people generally. That was nice. I will miss home cooking. Not necessarily even at my home, but other people’s homes and their cooking too. I already miss Americans tacit recognition that you can only stare until you are caught. Then as a courtesy, you pretend that you weren’t really staring at all. Not here. Here it’s all ‘let’s stare until I'm caught and then continue to stare at uncomfortable and painful lengths beyond this'. What a joy this will be.

My assistant coach picked me up from the airport. Fortunately he speaks English—well, I am not sure you can quite call it that, but we made it work. Just when I thought the reality of being 5000 miles away from everything I know would start to encroach on me, I saw them.  The golden arches seemed to hug me. What could be more American? I instantly felt welcomed with this emblematic homage paid to America: McDonalds. Suddenly, I was in the Love and Basketball scene I must have seen 500 times, where the American player overseas is assured “there’s always a McDonalds". Touché lady, touché. 

It is pouring here. This really shouldn't even surprise me at this point. Wherever I go these days, the rain inevitably follows.

My room is actually big. That was a nice surprise. The rest of the apartment however, is, well...tiny. But cute. Never in my life have I seen a washing machine so small. My fridge is reminiscent of a dorm fridge. And even in my dorm room it seemed small. But my room...my room is big :)

Practice starts Tuesday and camp starts Thursday. Sidney is the other American here right now. We worked out this morning. She is kinda my person for everything right now. She speaks decent German (she lived here last year too) so maybe there is hope for me yet. 

I love it here so far. Can't wait for Tuesday. 

And they say you can't go home again...

Well I did. So sue me. And I have loved every minute of it. I haven't been home for this long since I left for college, I almost feel out of place at times. And yet there are moments when it feels like I've never left at all. As much as I am loving my time at home, I can't wait till July 28th.

It has been about 25 days now since I have been home and working out. Boy am I glad I got another month. Thankfully, I feel better than I felt 25 days ago, but unfortunately, that is saying very little since 25 days ago my Nana coulda beat me 1 on 1. Seriously. Nana's got game.

I got my new camera for my upcoming travel adventures. I have already taken an obscene amount of pictures, much to the chagrin of my friends. They will thank me later. It is a pretty nifty camera and until I've got Germany to photograph, these people will have to do. :)

                            At a wedding with Jen! We decided everyone
                                       looks better in black n white.
      

                                                        Dodger game!

My German is really coming along. I still don't know any, but I don't know quite as little as I didn't know before. That made sense in my head. I am sure once I am immersed in it, I will really start to pick things up. That, or I will just never talk.

There's no way I am never talking.

I've got 28 days until I take off... just enough time to turn 23, work Perry/Vaughan basketball camp, see the midnight showing of the final Harry Potter and eat inordinate amounts of In n Out. I'll hate to say good-bye, but somehow I think I'll find the good.