More visitors, and life around HD

Last we spoke, I told you about my parents visiting, and subsequently, leaving. Sad, yes, but the very next day, my friend Jen Sacklin came for a visit! She's a Linfield graduate working for the Spanish government teaching English in Mallorca, Spain! Fancy! (I can't say that without imagining my little -she's six-sister saying "fancay dancay!" like she used to a few years ago) Anyway, Jen was taking a little jaunt around Germany visiting friends, and I got to show her around Heidelberg for about a day.

She got in Monday afternoon, and after meeting her at the train station and walking her back to my place, we went for a walk around HD- I showed her the Alte Brücke, and the view of the Schloss from it, the Neckar River

and some of the Altstadt. We chose a perfect time to go, because we got to see the gorgeous sunset right as

wewere on the Alte Brücke, which meant we got some great pictures! We drank the (free!) beer I told you about last time-it was delicious-and talked a lot, which was really nice. I enjoyed hearing her perspective on the Linfield study abroad experience, and also on life after college

in general.

While I went to class on Tuesday morning, she explored the castle, and after I was done, we decided to go visit the Heiliggeistkirche, which is in the middle of the Altstadt, and one of my favorite places to visit, especially because it is only €,70 to climb to the top (which, of course, we did). After we spent a little while up there, and got to watch a couple boats go through the lock in the river, she decided to go back to Mainz a little early, in order to see the Gutenberg museum (something I have done twice now, and would highly recommend, if you ever find yourself in Mainz, Germany), so we headed back to my place to grab her stuff, and booked it to the train station. Luckily we got there in time, and she made it to Mainz safely. Next time we see each other, it will be in Spain! ¡Viva España!

A week later, so last week, it was the end of the Fasching (Karnival, Mardi Gras, etc.) season, so on Sunday, Haleigh and I decided to go to Mannheim to watch their Fasnacht parade and soak up some culture.

Unfortunately, apart from some very delicious Turkish food I got for lunch, it was kind of a disappointment. We waited around a while before anything really happened (although we did get to hear our favorite song), and then the parade was kind of a letdown. Some of what we saw is on the right.

Tuesday, the official last day of the season, there was another parade, and this time it was in Heidelberg, and it was way fun! Haleigh and her language partner Eva and I all met up and watched it together. Having Eva there was helpful, because she helped explain some of the intricacies to us. For example, in each

city, there is a different term that the people of that town use at Fasnacht to greet one another. In Mannheim, it is ahoi, said "ahoy" (don`t really know why Mannheim has such nautical tendencies), but in Heidelberg, the term sounds something like "heyo." At the Umzug, or parade, there were different groups of people dressed up in ridiculous costumes, or floats of people, each affiliated with a club or organization or business, who throw candy, boxes of matches, pocket packs of tissues, hair clips, Capri-Suns or schnapps. It is a strange amalgamation of free things one can receive at this parade. The parade lasted an hour or so, and then we headed to an after party, and then home. It seemed strange that it was a Tuesday afternoon, because everyone was partying like it was a Friday night.

Next blog: A friend from high school comes to Germany to hang out with me!