Hello my loyal fans! I can't believe it has been almost a week since I have posted anything...

Let's see, nothing too exciting has happened since Wednesday, but noteworthy events were saying goodbye to my Italian friends on Friday, as their two week study abroad was over. We all exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses and they made me promise to call them when I come to Italy.

On Saturday, the fam took a guided walking tour of Goettingen, as it was the one Saturday a month that they do it in English. It was actually quite fascinating. Kara and I realized that we had been trying so hard to blend in and not be tourists, that we hadn't even noticed some of the amazing historical and cultural aspects native to Goettingen. For example, the tour guide pointed out architecture and plaques naming historically famous residents on the upper stories on the downtown shops and restaurants. Some especially interesting facts about Goettingen I learned were that the beginnings of Goettingen began in the 12th century because it was so important in the trading routes, as it is in the exact center of Germany. It had a golden age in the 14 and 1500's due to its' fine clothe production, and then again in the 18 and 1900's due to the importance and prestige of the University and was an influential intellectual center, with over a hundred resident Nobel prize winners (I hope I got that right). Unfortunately, with WWII came a brain drain due to Nazi infiltration, but no physical damage affected the city. I wish I could remember everything else I learned. But it was really cool. Oh the stained glass window picture below was in the old Courthouse (built in the 1300's) and is where all the civil weddings in Goettingen take place to this day.

On Sunday, we had the missionaries over and Mom made an amazing dinner. It was really fun to talk to them in English and talk about home- they are both from Utah :)

It has poured rain here for the past 2 days, but that is fairly normal it seems, and at least is not that cold.

Wow I am having a hard time thinking of anything else cool to say... but I really am doing cool stuff and keeping busy most of the time... you'll just have to take my word for it?