Change of Plans

In the past two days, my uni plans have changed!  But for the better, I think:

1)  I had originally intended to do the degree in five semesters, not four.  However, I was taking a look at my schedule a few days ago, and I realized I'd inadvertently sent myself up to do it in four.  So my new plan is, if I do it in four semesters, awesome, if I do it in five, at least it wasn't unexpected.  But I'm aiming for four.

2)  For this particular program, you have to specialize in either Africa, Southeast Asia, or the Indo-Pacific.  I came in planning for Africa, except I took an Africa class yesterday and I just wasn't feeling it.  It was highly highly theoretical, and not even theoretical about things I was interested in.  So on a whim, I went through the course catalogue last night and discovered there was an Micronesia and Polynesia class today.  I figured what the hell, I'd probably hate it seeing as I have zero interest in that area of the world, but since Africa was such a bust, I might as well check it out.  And sweet Jesus, it was SO COOL!  Ridiculously interesting, and every single thing on the syllabus made me really happy.  So, my soul has switched, Indo-Pacific for the win. And it's at noon, not 8 AM like Africa, which makes it even better in my book.

Other things that are exciting!  Today is ANZAC day for Australia and New Zealand, or, as I've taken to telling everyone, Happy "New Zealand Was Actually In A War?" Day. To celebrate, the Kiwi arranged a couchsurfer meetup, which I went to.  Over drinks we got to talking about scholarships and student funding, and I explained my awkward predicament about how my parents earn too much money for me to get financial aid, but they're not helping me with school because they're not German, they've got my sister's college bills, and, let's be honest, I'm a big girl and I shouldn't be getting an allowance.  One of the guys who comes to the couchsurfer meetups is 76, and later on in the evening he sat down next to me and asked me if I was a European citizen.  I said yep.  He said, "Did you know that if you don't earn enough money to pay your rent, the state will pay it for you?"  I said, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please?  It sounded like you were telling me the state would pay my rent."

As it turns out, the state will actually pay my rent.  This guy is apparently a retired lawyer who hooks people up because he enjoys it, and he offered to sit down with me on Friday, fill out forms, and write the official letter.  Which is ridiculously amazing of him and I plan on baking him cookies.  I really really really hope this works out, that would be amazeballs to the 10th power.

In other news, Al and I sadly didn't make it to the castle Sunday because the weather was absolute shit, so we just did Swedish homework instead.  However, it's supposed to be 80 degrees and more or less sunny this Sunday, so we'll give it a go then.  The poetry slam also didn't happen, we got there forty-five minutes earlier but we still didn't get in. No worries.

So...I'm taking a class in rolling your r's.  Yes.  This is a class (not a joke), it can be taken, and I am taking it, because I am that much of a geek.  Truth be told, I need a rolled r for multiple reasons, some of which are called Swedish, Portuguese, and Classical Voice.  Basically, I had too many reasons to take the class, not enough not to.  And within the next two months, according to the professor, you will see me triumphantly rolling my r's.  If it happens, which I doubt it will, I will even post a victory video.

Oh!  And today we also found out that there's some weird witch party Monday night in the mountains, and the Kiwi and I are going to try and convince one of our car-owning friends that they should take us.  There's also some party Friday we're going to.  AND I've got a singing lesson tomorrow, AND I was a beast today and figured out how to print shit off in the uni.  I celebrated by printing 32 pages of Swedish vocab.

What I'm trying to say is, life is really, really, really good. :D