We’ve been here about three weeks now, we’ve started classes, and have gotten into the swing of things.There are about 50 exchange students here from all over the world, and there are lots of activities for us. This is nice, because it means that we’ve gotten to know the other people who, like us, just arrived here and want to make new friends. We’ve met enough people so it’s pretty easy to find entertainment in the evenings and during the weekends.There are 5 levels of German courses for people learning German. Last week we took a placement test, and then started classes. I somehow did too well on the test and landed myself in a class that was way too hard for me. Luckily, they have let me move down a level, to a class where I’m MUCH more comfortable. Even this class is a little tough for me, but I’m doing a lot of review work on my own and catching up. Those German lessons are 5 hours a day, but I’ve still got room for a few extra classes. Classes only meet once a week for an hour and a half, and there’s not much homework involved. For Germans there are enough exams that come later so it evens out in the end to be just as hard as an American university, but for an American here for only one semester, it means the course load is much lighter. I’m taking two Anglistik, or American Studies, classes, because they’re taught in English, and I don’t trust my German enough to actually take a class auf Deutsch. Last weekend Toby Ruhle, who studied at Bethel for a year, took Miriam and me to a castle nearby, and we’ve hung out with him a couple other times. It’s so nice to know a person or two in this place!