People have been asking for an update about how I am doing and what its like here. Overall it has been good so far. I have had a lot of downtime to just be by myself and relax. That has been really nice. So let me tell you about my journey to get here.
I left from Cleveland Hopkins on Wednesday afternoon and arrived in Toronto. The Toronto airport was a nightmare. I was sent through the wrong customs line, I had to pick up my baggage again, I was told to take it all the way to check-in with AirIceland, then I was stopped and told I needed to put it through with Air Canada. So I gave up and prayed that in the 5 hours between my flights, it would make it to my plane. I proceeded to the departures terminal and since I was there so early before my flight departed, I had to wait around to check-in. :/ So I found a bench near a plug and watched a movie on my computer while I waited. About an hour later, I noticed people queuing to checkin, so I headed to check-in. I got through security and to my gate and walked around to find a place to sit again and finish my movie and get some food. the food was RIDICULOUSLY expensive, so I got a few little things to tide me over since I'd be getting food on the planes. Finally, we began boarding the plane and we were off to Iceland!! As it turns out there wasn't food on the plane, and by the time we got to Iceland, I was starving, but didn't have time to stop and get something because my next flight was boarding while I was in security. I got through and had to rush to my gate and was on my next plane within 30 minutes of my last plane landing. Again, I assumed there would be food, since it was early morning, and I was wrong.
We arrived in Frankfurt and I found Julia a few minutes later. I was starving so we stopped and got a sandwich and pastries to eat while she drove us to Stuttgart! We got on the Autobahn, which was a very different experience from driving on the highways in the US. I felt very safe, but it was crazy how fast people would pass you! We arrived in Stuttgart about 2 hours later and I headed up to my new room and got acquainted with the house. The house is beautiful. Its 3 floors and a basement/cellar. I am on the top floor. My room has a shower/sink bathroom and there is a toilet room across the hall. There is also an office and guest bedroom up here. The family has bedrooms on the second floor and the main floor has the kitchen, living rooms and dining room; all connected by a spiral staircase. It is a great house. My room is small, but honestly, I don't have stuff to fill it, so its great. I have lots of storage, so I have plenty of room.
I haven't done much exploring of Stuttgart yet. We live in the suburbs of Stuttgart, so I have to take the train to get downtown. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to get there, but I have not braved the public transit yet. I will today to go to church for the first time. I like the neighborhood though. We have a park and running/biking trails at the end of the street and my street is really beautiful. So far things are good. It is so weird that I am here. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I start work tomorrow (Monday) so I hope it all goes well.
Check back soon for another post about packing and what to bring when you move for a year overseas.