Beyond my Ken

So... the post title. This phrase was used in a book I'm reading, and the only other place I've ever heard it is in The Sound of Music. So, now I've got that song stuck in my head. Major props if you know what song that is. Leave a comment.

Several things were promised in my last post. I like doing that because it reminds me of things I was going to write about and gives me a starting point, even if I have other things to write about as well. That being said, the promised "first week of class" is now "first two weeks of class". There's still no internet at my house, so taking time out at night to blog just isn't an option and it's rare that I find time during the school day to write about something that isn't due during the next class period. But I'm setting aside time now, because I find blogging cathartic and because at least ten people have expressed an interest in my ramblings.

Alright, so: things I miss about Germany...
Honestly, there's not all that much that I just absolutely miss. I think that's a combination of being back "home" where things are "normal" and being so busy that I don't really have time to wallow in self-pity. But I'm going to do just that for a moment. I miss busses. I really miss public transportation that was actually convenient. Oxford has a very limited transportation system that is really great if you live within its parameters. Too bad I live about a mile *outside* these parameters. And it would be up hill on a road with no sidewalk to get to the bus. Not exactly what I want to do with my 4-yr-old, so I'm back to driving everywhere. It's amazing how much time you lose, though, by having to focus on driving instead of having that time to read or write or even just sit and talk with someone.
I miss how easy it was to buy fresh food, and in quantities suited for small families. What I seriously miss are half-loaves of bread. They're pretty much perfect for one or two people who are just using bread for lunches. I mean, seriously, how hard is it to make half-loaves of bread? I just wish I knew someone else living alone. I'd totally split loaves of bread with them. And I miss the fresh milk. I have yet to find a milk that tastes "good". Skim milk tastes like water with chemicals. Whole milk tastes like fat. I guess I'll go for the 2% or 1% next time, and I'm trying to stick with organic, though I'm not completely convinced that that's better.
I miss hearing other languages, especially German. I get so distracted when people are having little conversations here and there because I actually understand what they're saying, so this big recognition flag goes up in my head and I can't stop listening. But the lack of French and Finnish and Italian I got hanging out with my international friends is quite depressing. Plus the German just isn't the same here. I've basically resorted to hanging out with grad students and teachers to engage in conversation. And Alydia and I have our awesome German Kids' Songs CD that plays in the car pretty much every morning. I'm just glad it's got close to 40 songs, or that would get boring really quickly.
I miss being around people who put effort into what they wear. That's not to say that no one does it here, but the girls in oversized sorority shirts, sports bras and nike shorts (SO typical Ole Miss) with their hair in messy pigtails and a baseball cap slammed on their heads... not exactly professional, nor is it pleasant to look at. As much as I appreciate that I *can* just roll out of bed, throw on some shorts and go to class, I simply don't *want* to anymore, and I want to send all those girls to Europe. Now, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against shorts and t-shirts as an outfit. It's when people look like they absolutely could not care less about their appearance that it starts to bug me. I have plenty of friends who do the nike shorts thing, but they also at least run a brush through their hair.

Thoughts on Oxford are going to have to wait another week, because I really haven't been here for a whole week straight through yet, and I want to have done that before I start judging it.

School has been off to a great start. My TR classes (that's TTh or TX for those of you in the south) are back-to-back packed and a little crazy, but MWF is great. I just switched my minor over to a second major, and added on an extra class to accomplish that, and I'm working on a thesis and applying for a degree. That's the basic rundown. What I'm actually doing is taking mostly pretty easy classes and a couple cool ones. I'm taking a class on American English, which is pretty exciting. I get to talk about dialects yet again and about how people talk in different areas of America and why. Not going to lie, it's pretty interesting. I'm holding my breath, waiting for the day we talk about Northern dialects so that I can ask them if they've ever heard the expression "You just beaned yourself" and ask them how they say "coffee". I also really want to know what they think the distinct features of Northern English are.
And then for my thesis I get to learn all about Luxembourg and what languages are used with what frequency in different publications of theirs. Basically, I get to read Luxembourg newspapers and magazines and call it research. It's pretty awesome.

I got to go visit David last weekend, which was really fun. I also got to hang out with all his roommates and their respective girlfriends who have become my friends over the years. The girls all stayed up until way too late at night exchanging stories and catching each other up on the year, and I got to go shopping and to a movie with David, so I'd say the weekend was an all-around success. While I was out having fun, Ole Miss lost pathetically to a school we had paid to play against us. And I chuckled about that on the way home. I'm not the best Rebel, though I do love my school.

Coming up: thoughts on Oxford, literature, and possibly something else profound.