I apologize for the blog hiatus, things have been a bit hectic since arriving in Germany, but here comes another post your way.

I arrived in Mannheim, Germany almost one week ago. It really has been an adventure so far, in terms of getting everything situated, exploring the area, and diving into the language. It was nice to have my mom here with me for the first week, while I learned the ins and outs of the city, but we said our goodbyes and she departed last night, which has been a bit difficult. As recent graduates, and previous graduates, know, it is challenging to transition out of the college environment, where we have developed a community in a small area, into what people like to refer to as "the real world" (I always thought every part of the world was real, but perhaps not). Going through this transition in another country, where people speak a different language and have different customs, is even more difficult. Luckily, there are some very kind people at BASF (the company that I am interning for) to help me along the way, otherwise, I think I would be completely lost.

Over this past week, Lynda (my mother) and I have journeyed around Mannheim, and its neighboring city of Heidelberg, and explored the various sights, sounds and smells that the two cities encompass. Mannheim is not the most beautiful city in Germany (not that I have much experience), but it has its charms and its cultural attractions. 20 minutes away sits the city of Heidelberg, which in slight opposition, is a very beautiful city equipped with a Schloss (castle) atop a mountain, a magnificent university, and the longest pedestrian walkway in all of Germany. Both cities have their charms. One specific charm that Lynda and I discovered in Mannheim is Luisenpark. This park lies on the Neckar river and is absolutely lovely. It is a relatively large park with a large pond in the center on which gondolas glide through the carp infested water, and you sit and gaze to the banks where you can see flamingos, ducks, storks and various other wildlife. The park additionally houses a Chinese teahouse, a rose garden, various greenhouses and many different animals. But the most important attraction in the park, according to me, is the Humboldt penguin colony. Who would have thought that there would be penguins 5 minutes from my flat... in Germany? Certainly not me, but let me tell you, I sure am excited about the prospect of visiting them, at least, on a weekly basis.

(I forgot to mention that I bought a camera, so this blog will in fact have pictures).

Mannheim also has a few very nice museums, and a beautiful water tower (which I plan on taking a picture of soon). Mannheim lies between the Rhein and the Neckar, which allows for nice places to sit and relax in warm, or perhaps even cold, weather.

I start my internship at BASF on Monday, so hopefully I will have more to discuss then. I do not have any previous experience with blogs, so it may take some time for this here blog to get into the rhythm of the interweb blog scene. I miss you all back at home, and hope your summers have started off nicely.