I Went to Orientation and Now Have a Home

Well, it's been a while since I posted, but I've been just about as busy as I'm going to be at any point over the next 10 months. I'm writing from the bar in an old hotel, which surprisingly has internet. "The Man in Me" by Bob Dylan just came on, which is exciting as this is probably the first good song I've heard played in Germany. Anyway, let me share what I've been up to.
Last Sunday I left for Cologne to attend a three day orienation session for all English Teaching Assistants in Germany. This was largely made up of American Fulbrighters, but there was also a sizeable contingent of British, Irish, and Australian university students, I guess studying education. The session was held outside the city in what seemed like an old abbey or something along those lines. There was a church and a courtyard, then dorms and classrooms in the other buildings. By day, this was like any other orientation session. Big group meetings where we were lectured at with an overwhelming amount of information, followed by insufferable question and answer periods with people asking unbelievably stupid questions. Besides that, we worked in smaller groups with English teachers who gave us advice on teaching and life in Germany. These meetings were helpful and worthwhile. After days full of this "learning" business, we were permitted to get drunk in the courtyard. I found this helpful because it enabled me to meet other like-minded individuals and do some of this networking people are always talking about. I now have friends all over Germany, so on my inevitably boring weekends I'll have various places to go.
When returning from orienation, I was supposed to stay at an apartment at the school secretary's house until I could find my own place. I emailed her to let her know what time I'd be back from Cologne, and expected to be picked up at the train station. Well, I exited the train...looked left...looked right...nobody. Not unlike the first time I arrived in Zwonitz. Somehow, I was not surprised. Depressed, I walked to the town's hotel, got a room, got a beer, and went to sleep.
In the morning I went to the school to figure out what was going on. I was pissed, but I couldn't exactly flip out at them, I have to work there all year. They apologized, apparently things have been hectic, people have been out sick, etc, and they missed my email. But, to make up for it, they did some research and found an apartment for me. They sent me to go look at it, it is right across the street, after all.
So I went over, the first floor is a restaurant and brewery, and then there are vacation apartments above. I met with the landlady, Frau Naumann, and she showed me the place. She apologized that it didn't have a kitchen, only a fridge and microwave. I was dismayed and assumed I wouldn't take the place. But then I walked inside. The front room is about 12 by 12, with hardwood floors and a bar right in the middle. On the shelves behind the bar are dozens of beer glasses of every possible shape and size. I got excited because, if you didn't know, I like to drink beer. Then we entered the living room, which is carpeted and even larger than the front room. It has a wrap-around leather couch, a TV, and more shelves with more exotic beer glasses. Already I was blown away. Then there's the bathroom; the same size as the other rooms, with marble flooring and a massive tub. It is not a conventional shower, which is weird, but it has a detachable shower head, so I guess I'll be hosing myself down. The bedroom is again about 12 by 12, carpeted, and features a king sized bed. Facing that bed, is a wall/closet/mirror. "The entire wall is a mirror? Isn't that an interior decorating trope reserved only for pornography?" you might be asking. Yes, it is. If only there were any chance of me getting laid here (at least until Katy comes in a couple months).
I've got all this for 200 euro a month. Outrageous. No utilities, no contract, I just pay if I want to stay. The lack of a kitchen is a bit of a problem, but I generally stick to sandwiches anyway, so I will probably be able to survive. I have already dropped one notch on my belt, so perhaps I will continue to waste away, but I've been taking multi-vitamins, so I think I should be fine. Needless to say, the turnaround from being left alone at the train station last night to being furnished with this pimped out apartment for next to nothing is cause for celebration. Well, there's no one here to hang out with...so I bought a case of Zwonitzer Pilsner (which is quite tasty) and sat in my living room reading before coming here. Quite a Friday night.
I've also gotten my teaching schedule for the coming semester. I have 9 class periods a week, each 45 minutes, then two after-school conversation sessions which are optional and intended for older kids. I get Fridays off. In other words...this is incredible. If only I weren't horribly alone in a remote place. But, still, I'm pretty pleased, I do have a lot to do regarding studying for the GRE subject test which I am taking in November, and applying to Grad school in general, so I will make good use of the free time.
In any event, the good music here at the bar stopped about an hour ago. I'm tired from my travels, and have little else to report. I shift frequently from being happy and content here to being depressed and lonely. I guess I expected as much. For once my situation involves a nice home and nice shit, but no friends to hang out with. I think back to living in Mod 27A, or 5 Radnor before that...and the filth, and the mayhem...but goddamnit that was fun. This is nice, beautiful even, but not what I would generally think of as fun.
I apologize for this not being funnier/more entertaining, this entry is more of just a reporting of events than anything else. In the coming days I will think of something more riveting to say. For now, tchussi (the super, super gay German expression for "later, brah").