My first week of classes....

Sorry its been a while... I have been busy getting use to school. As far as now, I enjoy all of my classes. My favorite is going to be the Art and Architecture class. The teacher is enthusiastic and passionate about what she is teaching. She speaks as if she is telling a children's story. One thing that I especially like is that we have to keep a journal of the museums and churches we visit. Along with a written description of what we saw, we also have to draw a picture of our favorite part. I got really into this and woke up early Tuesday morning to visit St. Stephen's Cathedral. I sat in awe for over an hour and a half writing about what my gut feeling was about the church and what art truly meant to me. I also drew an abstract depiction of my favorite part, the beautiful chandeliers. I think that my favorite part 50 years from now when I look back on my journal is going to be the horrible spelling mistakes I made. I am so use to my computer correcting my errors, it has been so long that I actually have turned in something hand written. The hardest class I have is German. I would rather sit an extra 10 hours in Finance which isn't that great, just so I didn't have to look so stupid in German. Why didn't I take advantage of Oma, Helga, and mom's teachings. I don't know why, but languages are extremely difficult for me, especially when the head of the German dept is my teacher and has the thickest accent EVER! The one class that will be difficult but I will learn the most hopefully is my International Finance: Euro banking. It involves a lot of reading, a 15 page single spaced final paper, 2 long tests and is on Tues and Thurs nights (which sucks). But, the teacher is very enthusiastic and really wants us to learn and be able to talk intelligibly about finance and the banking systems in the EU and the US when we are done. Which would be very nice to be able to do. I feel like this is one area I have not been exposed to as much, but would like to have some understanding of how it works. So, Opa I will learn banking in honor of you and Oma..German for you. Oh, I am also taking an Art, Culture, and Entertainment management class. This is a really cool class too. We are learning how one manages large events, museums, art exhibits or festivals, plus focusing on Tourism and how important that is to our society. This class is at 9 am, but its worth waking up for. I must say this semester is teaching me a lot. I use to not ever have class before 11, now I am up and out the door by 7:30 am every morning even if I don't have to, just so I can walk around the city. I have been walking up the stairs instead of taking the escalator as well as walk instead of taking the street car. I am really trying to change my habits, so hopefully it will continue when I get back home. Tonight, I will go to Euro banking and then to my friends house after to hang out. It has been absolutely beautiful here the past two days and then this morning.. it was awful...pouring cats and dogs. When this happens, the day is just ruined, because we walk everywhere and its so cold. So, when I got to German I was soaked not because I didn't use an umbrella, but because I had been walking for so long in the rain that it was all over me. Oh well... that's life. Well, I hope everyone is doing well!! Miss and love you!!