Things I Assumed Germany Would Have (but they don't.)

Peanut Butter

I guess when you can buy your weight in Nutella for about 5 Euro you don’t need peanut butter... but yeah, I have yet to encounter it. Very elusive.

Fitted Sheets and Top Sheets

Take your bed sheets. Now, light the bottom sheet on fire. Since that’s now unusable, take the top sheet and tuck it in like a bottom sheet, and then just put your comforter on top and deal with it. That’s a German bed, and let me tell you, I just tried to remake mine and I instantly regret it. Thankfully, it will be re-made for me on Monday. Until then, I’ll just have to sleep in an abstract cotton rendition of a Shar-Pei’s face.

Granola Bars/Oatmeal

I've yet to find either. From what I can tell, that Muesli cereal is kind of the duct tape of breakfast foods; it works for everything. Oatmeal? But there are oats in Muesli! Nuts/dried fruit? That's in there, too! Stop whining and buy Muesli, you foolish American consumer you. (I did.)

A Wireless Network That’s Not T-Mobile

But, in fact, it is T-Mobile. T-Mobile is everywhere here. Like, people actually use it, and it’s actually a decent network or something. Probably the most foreign concept I’ve encountered so far.

In other news, I played German mini-golf this week with people from the Institute (whenever I say "Institute," it seems like "mental institution," and that... is not where I am. But, you know.) This mini-golf course was surprisingly intense. I had to give up a few times. In Germany, they just expect a higher level of average intelligence. It's pretty refreshing and only sometimes discouraging.

Later that same day, I went to see The Avengers (dubbed in German, of course.) Though a majority of the dialogue confused me, I liked the fiery explosions and the music (and at the end of the day, that's what it's really about, right?) If you haven't gone to see it yet, do. It's worth it just for that moment when the Hulk smashes that alien thing's face in, and with the music and the slow-motion... glorious.

Tomorrow, I'm visiting Bremen! (Hopefully, I'll find one of these:)