Orientation: over.

I am offically done with the long and drawn out orientation process. I took a test this morning on some basic German vocab and grammar and train information and i actually think i did okay. the cool thing is that all the information is applicable and we can practice using all of it from day to day. I'm really excited to start going to classes, though. I think the structure and just the idea of having a schedule will really help me measure out my time and use it wisely. I'm going to Berlin this weekend and then Baden-Baden on Sunday on a day trip. I'm going with a group of six girls, but most of the house is going to Berlin so we're bound to run into people. It's going to be a blast and definitely an adventure because it'll be the first big trip. We're going without any hostel reservations and we're planning on just winging it...so if we end up sleeping in a park or in the train station, then so be it. it'll be a learning experience and an adventure. part of me kind of wants to do it just to say that i got stranded in berlin. i'm excited to hit up the holocaust museums...i think they're going to be fascinating. I have the ipod charging and the german rail ready to go! the camera battery is charged and all i have to do now is pack! ...but after we go to the german frat party. haha, yes. you heard me. all the pepperdine kids were invited to go down the street to go a german frat bbq/party thing. i'm sure it's going to be a lot different than the frats in america (maybe not) but i'm going to at least go and check it out. it'll be a good chance to get to meet some german people and maybe get plugged into the community a little bit. if it sucks, then i'll make the trek back up the moore haus. no worries. at least it'll be free food, right? it would be the end of a very exciting day... we went to Schwetzingen Castle today as a group and it's BEAUTIFUL and HUGE. i walked around with peter, pierce and sabrina and we all got some ideas of what we want to do in our houses when we grow up. hahaha. the gardens are HUGE and beautiful and there were arches and bridges and fish and statues. even a mosque...go figure. i love getting lost and just walking around leisurely, just soaking in everything. it's good that i've found friends that like to do the same. i forgot to bring my camera today (sad) but i'll get some pictures from friends and post them soon. as much as i would have loved to take pictures of this place, it's kind of nice to go somewhere and leave the camera behind so that you don't spend the entire time looking through a camera lense. it was an adventure getting home on the public transportation, but we're slowly getting the hang of it. we had fun waiting at the wrong busttop...and then getting ourselves back home...but i'm back safely and, like every other day, i'm pretty exhausted from the trip. everyone is pretty much travelling either tomorrow or tonight so the house is going to be pretty quiet. maybe i'll get to bed early! picutres aren't of anything in particular...just pictures that i never got up from before.