Alpine Summer

Everything around here feels dead. Since Germany lost the World Cup game last night, everyone seemed to have lost interest in things. National pride is so interlinked with the World Cup -- I don't know if it's the same every four years, or if it's this way because the games are here. I get the feeling that it's always a really big deal, but more people are getting into it because it's here. Maybe some people get dragged to games or viewings by their friends and get all caught up in it. I know I didn't really care about soccer or the World Cup at all before I came, but once I experienced the spirit of the people that first time in Stuttgart and then watched a game on television, I got really intrigued. When you are completely surrounded by something this permeating, it's hard not to feel swept up in it.

Class, despite being so dead, was interesting. We talked more about "Faust", but this time we had a little more background from going to Frankfurt. Having a little research on a writer always helps give you an idea of why he writes the way that he does. It's much easier to see Faust as Goethe, or at least as part of how he sees himself.

The food situation here is getting to be less good. More often than not, we have other meats for lunch or dinner. And that would be fine as long as there's at least something else there I can eat. But, several meals I've only been able to eat bread. And, considering I paid for meals and informed them on my application that I can't eat red pigments and don't eat meat, it's not like I sprung this on everyone.