Good news!

Okay, so I almost had a cardiopulmonary episode today (story later) but as the title of the current post suggests, things are seriously looking up at the moment.

Starting with Saturday... the second day of the orientation for international students went well. The morning was spent on a scavenger hunt through Göttingen. Teams were organized to include members from different countries, with different languages, studying different subjects. My group comprised of a physics student from Colombia, a linguistics student from Italy, an economics grad student from Uzbekistan, a med student from Israel, two Hungarians (at the moment the subjects are escaping me) and of course myself.

I've gotta say, our team was a machine. Several of us had been in town for a few weeks or longer, which helped. I learned a few things about the city on the way, and managed to speak German consistently and contribute to the team. After I came up with an awesome team name ("die frische Frösche," or "the fresh frogs," intended as a pun on the American use of "frosh" as an abbreviation of "freshman") I was somehow voted the creative head of the group and given the job of designing and drawing our team picture. Well, I also had my snazzy cool new colored pens, so I guess I was the natural choice. We also had to write a skit, and although ours didn't turn out to be particularly original (should've seen that coming, all the groups had a handle on at least as many languages as group members!) we went second in the running order so it went over well.

Long story short, we kicked butt and won first place. Everybody got a coupon for a free movie ticket at the local art film house, and we made plans to get together Monday night for coffee and to enjoy our prize.

After the contest we learned about some of the extracurriculars and services available at the Uni. I might just get sucked into a semester of salsa lessons, even though it costs €40. Then we had dinner, and then we went to Roadhouse, a bar just north of the Stadtzentrum. It was loud and crowded and smoky, so I left early.

Sunday I woke up a little late and decided to blow off the last day's activities, since all that was on the schedule was an info session over course-of-study stuff that doesn't really apply to non-degreee-seeking students. (Blew of church too... oops, two in a row with last weekend's Berlin trip! Next weekend, I promise!) Instead, I went on a hike with my guest family (Wolfgang, Christina, her visiting brother Matthias and his Italian girlfriend Sylvia) to what's left of the castle Plesse, built by the bishop of Paderborn sometime before the year 1015. We climbed a smallish mountain and saw a spectacular view of the countryside from the top of the tower. Göttingen proper is in a valley and was hidden behind part of the mountain, but the surrounding villages to the north of the city were laid out in a splendid panorama.

Monday was also great. I spent the day in the lab and finally got internet access set up for my laptop, which I will be able to use for data analysis. Late afternoon I had my choir audition, in front of the director and four other people, I'm assuming other members of the choir. Mostly harmless, with only a couple of warm-up/range exercises. In confirmation of my deep dark suspicions, the director decided that I'm actually a soprano. Of course, I'll sing anything just to be able to sing, so it can't be too bad, right? And then I was supposed to sight read a few lines from Mozart's Requiem, which went about as well as could be expected... even four years of Chamber Singers didn't manage to rectify my total lack of confidence in my reading, but as soon as I get some kind of reassurance (someone singing the same part or plunking along on the piano) I'm off and running.

I was asked to leave the room for a few minutes, and then was called back in and offered a place in the choir, just like that. (Note to self: way less nerve-wracking than waiting for an e-mail from Doc or an a capella group!) They pointed out that I had added some vibrato on one of the range exercises, and asked me if I can do without it: another stylistic difference from CS. (Sure, anything, just let me sing!) I missed the first "rehearsal" (there are more auditions Wednesday so I'm not the only one) to meet up with my orientation team.

It was a fun evening. One member of the group had to miss and two others met us at the theater, but coffee and chitchat was fun. Conversation went political for a bit and everyone wanted my American perspective, which was a little uncomfortable but survivable. We saw an Italian film called Das Fenster Gegenüber, or La Finestra di Fronte, in Italian with German subtitles (whew!) I managed to follow the story and most of the dialogue, although I couldn't tell if the ending was intentionally open-ended or if I had missed something. The story is kind of a romance and kind of a mystery, centering around a woman, her neighbor, and an old man who has lost his memory. In the end it's not one of my ultimate favorites, but I wouldn't mind seeing it again. I think I'll have to watch all the movies I see this year again in English anyway just to see what's different!

Today was a day for getting things done. I finally got my student ID, and it only took another hour! Then I worked on getting a university internet account, which is necessary before I can get access in my dorm.

And here, at last, is where the story starts to get interesting. (Remember the aforementioned cardiopulmonary episode?) Afterwards I went to the dorm to see if I've gotten any mail there (no) and then back home to pay my €12 online for my internet account... only to find that my wallet was not in my purse. Or anywhere in the house, or in my bike basket. I knew that I had it when I signed up for my internet account, since I had to use my new student ID, but with all the biking I did today through the city it could be just about anywhere. Major panic attack. I went online to check my credit card balances, and momentarily freaked out even more... until I remembered that my parents charged my flights for Christmas on my visa for me. No other new charges, luckily. I knew that I only had about €50 in cash inside my wallet, but also two credit cards, two bank cards, a couple phone cards, €15 vodafone credit, my ISIC, and my new student ID!!!

I spent a little time running through the house checking fruitlessly through potted plants and under cushions while dreading the potential next step... luckily I have photocopies of all my stuff, so I could still use the phone cards to call and cancel my credit cards, and then tomorrow I could see what I have to do to get another student ID, a new bank card, and my life generally in order. Crap, I don't want to have to deal with all that stuff.

So in a last-ditch effort, I set out on foot to retrace my steps from this afternoon. I followed the same routes as I had taken on my bike, which took twice as long walking, but what if it had fallen out somewhere on the road? I had briefly visited my room in the dorm (to make sure it still existed?) and on the way back happy delusional fairies kept dancing through my mind, confabulating a memory of me putting my purse down, it falling over, my wallet slipping out... My mental soundtrack was stuck on "I've got the World on a String" for whatever reason, but it was hollow. (When I tried to turn it off I was left with "shitshitshitshitshit" on loop, though, so why not?)

The closer I got to Studentendorf, the harder I wished... and the less convinced I was that any good would come out of the whole trip. The tension kept building. Up the path... I could have snapped a pencil in half just by thinking about it. To the door... mentally able to kill single-celled organisms in a four-foot radius. Key in lock... small mammals in the vicinity run for their lives.

And of course it's not there. Why would I even think such a preposterous thing were possible?

So, by now most of the offices I visited today are already closed. Do I go home, place the dreaded calls, and spend a night tossing and turning and who knows how long putting my life back together? I still have my passport, thank God. Or should I keep following my trail, on the off chance that it jumps out at me from the bushes?

I decided to at least complete the job. On the way I passed the Italian girl from my orientation team. Exchanged pleasantries, described my plight, recieved her well wishes and advice... I should report it to the police. Oh yes, I forgot about that, the process is even more complicated than I had feared. Doggedly, the search continued. Not surprisingly, there was no miracle to be had on the sidewalk.

By the time I reached the zentralmensa-studentenwerk-giant monolith of a building (which I spent all morning and all afternoon all over) I was totally ready to pack it in and cut my losses. But... let's just see, shall we? Scanned the bench and floor by the stamp machine/mailbox where I had stopped to read something or other, checked out the computer terminals by the office where I got my internet account, which of course was closed... and then I saw a glove, and a small purse, and another. In a window. That's it! There's an information booth thing. With a lost and found. Is there any chance?

Aside from the fact that I forgot how to say "wallet" in German (note to self: die Brieftasche) I managed to make myself understood to the man behind the glass. He had me repeat my name a couple of times. The pronunciation always throws people for a loop, even moreso here than at home. Then, my heart skipped a beat. He told me it sounded familiar. Called to the woman in the back of the office... she asked a few questions, do you know where you lost it, when, etc. Some guy (a student?) found it and dropped it off this afternoon. Said it was outside of a lecture hall. He also left his phone number. Sign here...

And then all was right with the world. I checked... everything was there, even the cash. I walked home (sittin' on a rainbow, got a string...) looked up Brieftasche, called the number and left a message in very bad but very grateful Deutsch. I hope at least the message comes across!

So, I still don't know how I managed to lose it in the first place, but no harm done except to my poor frazzled nerves.

Tomorrow I get to take my placement test for German classes. Still haven't signed up for any "real" classes, and after this week I think the sign-up period is officially over. Part of me thinks I'm shirking my duties, and after today part of me really doesn't care. I guess by Friday we'll know which part wins.