Fasching!

Hey Everyone,

So it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. Things here have slowed down some, and settled into a routine- I'm getting the hang of my classes now, and I've been spending more time studying and going to classes. I haven't done any traveling lately, but it's been on my mind- I'd like to take another weekend trip soon! I've been attending voice lessons regularly, and they have been such a wonderful experience. I think that because I have much less stress, I can really focus on learning and growing. I'm making steady progress, and having a great time learning some beautiful new music!! :)

I've had my wonderful family and friends on my mind a lot this week. I have said more than one prayer of thanks for the safety of my sweet cousin, who was in a car accident last week. It was terrifying to hear the news, and I was frustrated that I couldn't be there with my family. However, she is safe and in good health, and I am so thankful! A couple of days later, I received a huge pick-me-up in the form of a care package from my dear friend, Doris, from my church choir back in Greensboro, NC. It contained enough chocolate and macaroni and cheese to last me for months!! I was absolutely thrilled, and I am so thankful for that thoughtful gesture. And I am SO happy to have macaroni and cheese again! :) I've also had the time this week to have some conversations with some of my best friends who I haven't talked to very much since I came here- it was such a treat! I miss all of my friends and family at home very much, and it's great to talk to all of you :).

Last week everyone was celebrating the final days of the Fasching, a festival that runs from the Thursday before Ash Wednesday until "Fat Tuesday," the final day before Ash Wednesday. Vendors assembled food stands selling everything from chocolate covered bananas to schnitzel and other traditional German foods all over the city. In the open area just outside of the city center of Mannheim, around the Wasserturm (water tower), there were stands with an assortment of carnival rides and games. There was an excitement to the city during this period- more people were out mulling over the stands, walking with their families, and celebrating. Finally, the biggest day of Fasching was Sunday- every business in the city was closed- even the trams and buses stopped running, and there was a big that processed through the entire city. There were organizations and marching bands walking through the parade on foot, and there were also many floats depicting many German traditions. The people watching the parade were dressed up as well- it's common for little boys to dress like pirates, and little girls like princesses :) However, there were a myriad of costumes worn by people of all ages- everyone seemed very happy to get into the spirit of the holiday.

As the floats and people walked through the parade, people standing on the sides of the street watching would yell, "Ahoy!", and wave their arms. If the parade members saw you, they might throw a prize to you. These were as varied as the costumes- I saw everything from candy to beer to tissues thrown out to the crowds. The most interesting prizes that I caught were a small bag of onions and band aids. Most of the prizes were candy, and children had lots of fun scurrying around gathering the candy that had been dropped. Some people even turned their umbrellas upside down in order to catch as many items as possible. This lasted for a few hours, and my friends and I had a wonderful time watching the parade. After this, we went to one of the food stands and bought a traditional bratwurst- my first here in Germany! It was delicious :) Finally we went to the carnival rides and rode a couple, as well as the ferris wheel. It was a great day, and so much fun to get to see a true Fasching celebration :).

Since then, I've mostly been studying and spending time with friends. Earlier this week I went to an irish pub in Mannheim called O'Riley's. I tried a type of chillded alcoholic apple cider- it was fantastic! I'm including some pictures of our fun there in this week's picture album. I'm also including some pictures from the day of the parade in which I am making a birthday cake for my friend, whose birthday was the Sunday of the parade! It was a lot of fun, and very interesting making a cake with slightly modified ingredients. It was challenging, but we had a great time, and the cake came out really well. Anyways, that's all for now, take care!

~Bekah