Gratitude 11

I am thankful for this stupid, little, and expensive pillow. Hopefully, it will feel like sleeping on a marshmallow and give me great nights of rest.

It is raining today. I don't mind the rain, but I also like a little sunshine. Yesterday was beautiful (although cold), but, of course, I did not have my camera with me when I went on a wandering walk to get away for a bit. I needed time alone because I was a little edgy and irritated. I didn't know exactly where I was going to go. The result: I actually knew where I was most of the time but kept ending up in the same place over and over again. Somehow, every street I took led me right back to the beginning. I guess that could be a good thing. Kecskemét is very nice. Pretty...and kind of quaint. I like it a lot. It actually isn't very big. Fifty or sixty thousand (even though all the guide books say 120,000...Agi said they were wrong...and I am sure she'd know...she does work here.) I mean, I guess it is large, but the city centre is not...and that is where most of it is. The rest consists mainly of suburbs. Today was our "General Information Meeting" in the Concert Hall headed by Zita and Agi. They are both such wonderful people. Every time I walk by Zita, I am greeted with a smile. Hungarians are generally thought of as very nice and helpful people. I am finding that that is, for the most part, true. Our meeting consisted mainly of going over rules and regulations, the week's schedule, touring the building(s), and meeting a few faculty/staff members that were around. Honestly, I can't really remember names and faces at the moment...they were hello-and-goodbye encounters...but I am sure I will get to know them all very soon. They also keep trying to "scare" us that there is going to be "sooo much work" and that we "won't have time for much else." I, however, have had Ray Eubanks, king of intimidation, so I am not fretting too much over it. Yes, it'll be lots of hard work, but nothing I can't handle. How much worse could it be than the typical load I've had? Once in awhile, the little devil on my shoulder likes to win the battle and make me overreact (Me? Exaggerating things? Being melodramatic? No!) and wonder what I got myself into, but those moments are all nonsense. The meeting only took about an hour and a half. Afterwards, I placed my deposit for the internet adapters, so I now have a consistent connnection (crossing my fingers!)! Woohoo! Maybe now I won't get interrupted while I am talking to people or trying to load websites/videos. In the afternoon, we had a Hungarian lesson with Agi. I seem to be picking things up quickly, so maybe by the end of the semester, I will be able to have a short, basic conversation in Hungarian. Probably not, but I can try. Then, I braved the rain (a little water never hurt anyone) and headed to the supermarket. (Yes, I know...grocery shopping...ugh! But it actually went quite well. I was there only 30 or 40 minutes. Go me!) I am starting to get the hang of this place. Figuring out where things are, what is what at the store, etc. It is all starting to come together. However, money is like water...it just slips right through your hands...but that's life in general I am quickly learning. Life is just expensive. The pillow I just bought is about a third of the size of a normal pillow and cost me the equivalent of $10 USD! Crazy! But it had to be done. I have been very sleepy lately and am not sure why since I am getting plenty of sleep. My suspicions, though, are leading me to the idea that I may not be getting as restful sleep tossing and turning with what they are trying to convince me is a pillow. In my world, what they gave me is a pillow wanna-be. Well, tomorrow is our written exam, Wednesday is our oral exam, and Thursday are our placement auditions, so I better get some practicing in. (It hasn't been going so well the past few days, but it'll get better.)