Good News

There is good news!  Clint and I found out yesterday that our things that were shipped have arrived in port in London.  From what Clint could understand was that it was going to take 10 days for it to go through customs and then would be sent on to Germany.  I don't know if they are putting it back on a boat or what.  As long as I know it's not at the bottom of the ocean, I am happy!  I am ready to get my pictures and personal things to decorate my apartment and really make it mine!  I need pictures on my walls, they are too bare right now.

I have been meaning to leave some posts and let you know some interesting facts about Chemnitz, or new things I have learned but I just haven't gotten around to it.  I will try to add things periodically though.  Also, I am trying to figure out how to post pictures on this thing.  I am working on it so be patient. 

About my new home:

The zoo in Chemnitz is really close by to my apartment.  In fact, from Ed and Courtney's apartment you can actually see it!  You can periodically hear the peacocks and Clint told me he heard a lion.  Ed just told me that recently the lion attacked a worker that was trying to feed it. 

Things I've learned:

I learned a new phrase in German this week.  It is a silly phrase and I seriously doubt I will ever have to use it in a real conversation but it is funny. 

Ich habe schon ein Pferd vor der Apotheke kotzen sehen.
 
It means I have seen a horse throwing up outside of a drug store.  I guess it is supposed to be a sarcastic phrase that you can use if someone was bragging about something.  Then you could come back and say... "Oh yeah?  Well, I've seen a horse throwing up outside of a drug store."  As far as I can tell, that is it's purpose.

In this area of Germany, Saxony, there is a very distinct dialect that changes a lot about the language.  Basically, it is a different accent and has a lot of slang terms.  A lot of the people here speak with this dialect, especially the younger generation.  (I am pretty sure I know what I'm talking about) :)  Some friends have also taught me some Saechisch phrases.  Those, however I wouldn't have a clue about writing.  To me, the Saechisch dialect is crazy and doesn't make sense.  I mean, the German language itself is hard enough to learn with all the grammatical rules, but then add onto it a totally different dialect that changes everything and that is just crazy!  I'm sure by the end of the two years I am here I will be able to speak some as well as understand some of this dialect, but right now it just confuses me. 

Other than the idiomatic phrases and the Saechicsh dialect, I think I am also learning a lot of the language.  It is a very slow process, but I think it is coming along.  Every morning Ed, Courtney, Clint and I meet at 9:00 and have a Bible study.  We have been reading through the book of Luke because that is what one of the first Let's Start Talking (LST) books is written for.  After we read each chapter in English we practice our German by reading the same chapter in German.  This helps a lot with being able to pronounce the German and also since we just read the chapter in English, it helps our comprehension of the German.  I think it has already been helping me.  Clint and I are also looking into German classes in language schools that will be starting in August. 

Well, that is about all I know right now.  :)  I hope you are all doing well!