Can't Judge a Book...

No Two Things In This Picture Are Not Orange

And the color of the day is.......

Guess.  Guess!  Can you guess?! (This is what happens when you take a picture next to Engaro the Orange Ceramic Wall.)

Aaaanyway, I have a story about this book.

But before that, I have a story about victory.

First, today I finished my first semester teaching English at the university here--students gave me chocolate in thanks--victory! (But, I will miss my students.)

Second, I went to go get a haircut by myself (?!).  (This was huge. HUGE.)

I said (in German), "Hi. I'm very bad at German because I'm from the USA, but I really need a 'Pony-trim.'"  And they said, "Okaaaay. Sit down?  It's 2 euro."  And they trimmed my pony and I felt so brave!  I also learned the words for "straight," "layered," and "to your eyebrow level."  All very useful, everyday words, you know.

P.S. Bangs = "Pony" here.  There are so many jokes I could make about this I can't even think of where to start.  Also, I've discovered that Ponies require a lot of upkeep, much like ponies require in the US.

Third, I was feeling so good about the whole Pony-trim success that I marched right into the city library and picked out a book from the kindergarten shelves.  Yes, reading books for 4-year-olds is my highest linguistic aspiration at the moment.  It had this little girl and her mom on the cover, and it was called Raspberry Jam.  I mean, doesn't that look like a nice, friendly, happy book to read for your Day of Victory German practice?

Yeah, it was.  Then halfway through the book, the girl's uncle DIES from DEPRESSION and the rest of the book is all crying, funerals, and mournfully shoveling dirt into graves.

Thanks for the downer Raspberry Jam!

And that's your update for today.