Well, I'm going on my 4th try now to upload some pics for you guys. I am in Regensburg, Germany for the remainder of my time here, which means: free internet...and...SLOW internet. The past couple of nights, I've been trying to put some pictures up so you guys can see my visit to Luther's hometown (Wittenberg) and to Berlin, but the internet is so slow, that I end up giving up! Hopefully I can give it a try sometime today, and it'll work...

So far being in Regensburg has been a blast!! We got here Friday afternoon, and the strange thing about this place is, it rains...even when the sun is BLAZING! Very strange thing. I might have mentioned this already, but the hostel we're staying at, is right outside the city (10 minute walk), in the middle of a river!!! So, to get acquainted with the city, my friend, Catherine, and I rented some bikes (that were quite difficult to ride) and rode through downtown. It was not easy! This weekend there is a "citizen's festival" that is going on, so all up and down the river, even down to Austria, there is this festival going on...that means THOUSANDS of drunk people and crowds. So when we got to the main street, it was a little too congested for us to ride our bikes. After locking up our bikes in a little side street, we pushed our way through the crowds and game stands, and came to a square that had a band playing "Sweet Home Alabama." The crowd was shouting the lyrics! It felt like home. So, we decided to hang out there, in a somewhat quiet coffee shop on the corner, so we could get some homework done. It is such a pleasant city! The people here, at least this weekend, haven't been too pleasant, but it's been fun watching them be rowdy and yell German words at us Americans...I have no idea what they're saying, so I just smile...and sometimes mutter, "Danke...?" It's quite an adventure living in a foreign country, especially when the natives think you speak German. I'm picking up on a couple phrases though, and can make my way through a city pretty well. I usually just point when I want something, and when I'm at a restaurant and want something to drink that doesn't cost a fortune, I say, "Littuns Wasser?" And they bring me tap water! So, ya...I can stumble my way through Germany.

This is my last week of my second session of classes! These past two weeks, I've been studying Christianity in Western Culture II. It's been fascinating to learn all about the Reformation, Hitler, and what Christianity has been through throughout it all, AND to actually be IN these places where it all happened! For the Reformation, we kicked off the class by going to Geneva, to see John Calvin's church, and then we made our way up to Wittenberg, where Luther nailed the 95 theses on the church door! While we were in Wittenberg, we made a day trip to Berlin, where we saw Hitler's barracks, and plans for making Berlin the capital of the WORLD (crazy!!). It's been a whirlwind of a trip so far, and I'm excited for this week to end, but it's been so amazing to be here and learn these things! At the end of this week, on Saturday, all of us students have a free week, to travel where ever we want, and can afford. So John and I are hoping on a train and going west to Bonn, Germany, to where his brother Justin lives and goes to school. It's going to be so nice to relax and get away from school and crazy schedules. I also can't wait to meet his brother! It's going to be a blast! We might take a trip or two to surrounding cities and experience Germany together. I can't wait for it! 

But for now, I need to get LOADS of homework done before we leave this weekend...

Love you all,

j