I just finished having dinner which consisted of nothing but a mountain of pasta. I went out grocery shopping again today and just realized that I have spend about 50 euros ($74) on food within the past ten days. That can’t be normal, can it? It’s almost disturbing. Obviously, something has got to change.

Not exactly sure, though, what that dominating factor might be.

Right now I don’t care anyways, because tomorrow! I’m going back home! to see everybody! and wash some towels!

I was going to list all the things I miss about home and although I could think of a thing or two, I also know that I will miss this new place - this view alone - like crazy.

I’m going to miss all the crazy commotion down in the cathedral’s yard during the day and the mild calm at night, the way both the cathedral and the courthouse (pictured above) are lit as soon as dark sets in; I’m going to miss my king-sized bed and my huge desk, my reading spot on the window sill and the way I can schedule my day the way I want to; I’m going to miss the smell out in the hallway, my tiny televison (whom I have named Bert), my nightly Gilmore Girls fix and maybe most of all: The Calm.

Already, I have become attached to all of this. It’s a strange feeling.

I am officially living by myself as of last Saturday. My dad drove me back down to Aachen with the rest of my stuff. Which, by the way, was a shitload of random things - mostly books and DVDs and paperwork and photo albums. My arms actually still ache from carrying it all up to the third story but I’m glad I finally have all my things with me now. It didn’t feel right before.

It’s Monday morning now and school in Germany starts again today. The weather isn’t as summery anymore, it’s in fact almost a little cold here in the apartment. My best friend N starts her studies as a trainee today, I’m going to call her tonight to see how it went although I still haven’t changed my cell phone plan and so it’ll cost me a fortune.

My big adventure for today is to go grocery shopping because my fridge is totally empty. Before I leave, though, I’m gonna take a shower. I figured, I should take this in small steps. If I cramp everything into just one day, I’ll be bored the rest of the month. I’ll probably go back home again around the 21st, just to check in with everybody before university starts, and until then I’m gonna have to keep myself occupied.

My grandmother decided spontaneously to accompany us to Aachen on Saturday. My dad said that this was one of the only chances because next time he’d drive down here my mom and my brother would probably come as well and they would spend the night and so it wouldn’t work out for my grandmother to come, too.

I was surprised and at the same time, it kinda felt like, PHEW I’M GLAD I PUT THIS BEHIND ME ALREADY. She tends to be a little exhausting but I’m also glad that she got to see where I live now. We actually made a stop in Maastricht on our way here and so she also got to see the city where I’ll be studying.

I found it a bit annoying that my dad had to play sightseeing guide in his typical manner. It’s exhausting, too - especially since I’d of course already seen it all.

Pretty much right after they left, my mom called to check in on me which wasn’t even neccessary - I also didn’t call them yesterday - because I feel okay. I truly feel okay now being here by myself. Then again, it’s only been two full days and I have at least nine more days to cover until I see them again and then nine more until university really starts.

We’ll see how it goes. At least my new television set appears to be working. I originally brought my grandmother’s old set from when they first started making television and it couldn’t properly translate my DVD players sound signals. Then, when I hooked up the tiny new television I bought last week with my mom, it wouldn’t work at first either so I figured something is wrong with the SCART cable which typically connects the DVD player to the television screen. I planned to buy a new one today but then, when I tried to watch Gilmore Girls last night, it magically worked all of a sudden.

So I don’t know. A new one would probably get rid of the obvious loose connection but I’ll wait and see if maybe it decided to work full-time now since I can’t afford to spend money left and right.

Anyway, I’m off to buy groceries now. I’ll shower when I get back. Gosh, I hate the shower here. It’ll take some getting used to.

So I’m back at home now and not much is going on. I don’t have anything to do here, everybody is at work and I don’t have my laptop or my DVD player because, of course, I left both in my apartment since I already had to carry home tons of laundry that really needs to be washed.

And let me tell you, if you fight your way through the busy big city stations, trying to catch your train and trying to actually find an empty seat somewhere? You kinda wish the big ol’ bag you’re dragging behind you that prevents you from doing just that would at least hold your Vaio and not just dirty underwear. But I guess c’est la vie for university students, right?

I left Aachen early yesterday morning to go home by train, stopping in Krefeld where my best friend N just moved into her own place as well. Krefeld lies kind of on my way back home anyway and so I’m hoping that this will work out great in the future, too. After all, I can both go home and visit my best friend by purchasing just one train ticket and that means a lot when you’re a student with no budget available whatsoever.

I hadn’t seen her new apartment before. She, as opposed to myself, will actually make money at what she’s doing now and so her apartment is quite a bit bigger than mine although it’s still only of the one-bedroom kind. She already bought a new bed and made an amazing find in a great used kitchen that, granted, isn’t the newest one but it is clean and came with a great fridge and stove and, most importantly, it only cost her 100 euros ($155)! It’s unbelievable how much money she saved right there! Also, her grandma basically threw a complete household in the mix including anything anyone could ever imagine needing. So. She’s all set, is what I’m saying.

I, on the other hand, am not. Her apartment is beautiful and I instantly felt more at home than I do in my own place and I figure that can’t be right and I need to do something about that.

So here’s my 4-point-plan for this week:
- going to go see my grandma to ask her adivce on hand-making drapes and buying the curtain rods,
- going to Ikea on Friday to buy a new shower curtain because the one already in my apartment  - left behind by the former tenant - is literally rotting away, it is disgusting,
- also getting a huge pillow that I’m putting on my fairly deep window sill which will be a great place to launch and read or just watch the crowds outside,
- and finally getting the fabric to make cute little curtains for my windows.

And here’s my 3-point-plan for the weekend (ie., as soon as I get back to my place):
- take down the disgusting shower curtain, finally scrub every inch in that filthy bathroom so that maybe I’ll feel more comfortable, put up new curtain and feel whole again,
- arrange window sill reading area and window curtains as well as different pictures and decorations, my brand new original Elizabethtown movie poster and all my books and DVDs that are still at my parents’ house right now,
- go to Maastricht and pick up more towels and a bath mat which should also help cozying up the bathroom.

However, I am now also thinking about maybe just getting these blinds (or these, which I think may in fact look a little warmer and friendlier with all the cool white and metallic furniture). But I’m not sure what’s best because with blinds covering both window wings at night, I won’t be able to fully open the window anymore.

Then again, blinds are definitely the easier way to go and how much am I ever really going to open these windows by the time winter rolls around? We’ll see what my gut tells me once I’m at Ikea and, well, once you’re actually at Ikea you always have to go with your gut feeling because how capable of making rational decisions are you really once your brain is clouded with all the beautiful ideas surrounding you?

On a different note, it looks as though I may have to cancel both dates I had with friends living in my home town just because I’m too busy planning trips to Ikea and other life-altering events of the likes. I was originally going to go for sushi with my friend N whom I haven’t seen in a pretty long time and then hang out for movies with my friend V but - I don’t know. I’m not good at multi-tasking and being faced with the overwhelming issue of doing everything I possibly can to make my new home actually feel like home and kicking back (is that what the kids still say these days?) with some friends is totally multi-tasking it up big time.

So. I’m straight to bed now since there’s nothing else to do around my parents’ house at 11.57pm on a Tuesday night, then hopefully a great breakfast in the morning when everyone’s left the house as well as a nice shower - my favorite shower! the one I know and love! the clean shower! - and then I’m gonna call up my grandma and see if she has any tips for me. On anything, really.