Californicationnnn (or whatever).

Wow. I should really post more often on this blog, but life's been getting in the way. Right now, for example, I am in sunny California, visiting relatives. Before that, I was wrapping up my studies in the United States, which was both liberating and bizarre. It's a strange feeling, knowing that I'm not going back to it all next year. Strange in a good way.

Anyway, I can barely write for some reason (it's probably the anticipation of going to the beach), but for a post that's completely unrelated to my travel plans for the coming year, I'm going to talk about my California experience. Things I've noticed so far (this is Southern California, mind you):

1. What is with the coffee here?! I'm so used to getting amazing lattes that it's been really tough adjusting to the L.A. idea of a latte, which tastes like burnt cigarettes and costs $3.50. Why does it have to be this way? You'd think that in a town harboring the glam, fashionable, wealthy people of the West Coast, there would at least be decent joe. Noooo. Sorry. Not happening. Damn it.

2. The Mexican food/drink here is amazing. Why go to Mexico when you could go to L.A.?

3. For some reason, there is a fro-yo chain and a sushi place on every corner. And there are actually restaurants that serve ramen. Much as I love my own city, everyone there seems to think that Japanese food=teriyaki chicken, tempura and California rolls.

4. When not in the extremely Latin parts of L.A., the whole place reminds me of Japan. Shops in Melrose are exactly like shops in Tokyo. Many of them are even owned by Japanese people.

5. LAKERSZOMGLAKERSEVERYWHEREEVERYONELOVESTHEMMMMMMMM.

6. Trader Joe's is really big here. It's everywhere! It's groovy! Wheeeee.

7. Sales tax is insane. Everything is ridiculously overpriced (see $3.50 latte comment above).

8. There is a crazy, body-builder celeb playing the role of Governor.

9. People drive ridiculously fast. 75, 80 mph on the freeway? Yeah, no problem! Everyone's trying to get out of L.A. really, really quickly.

10. SUN. It's beautiful. There are beaches. Nice beaches. There are palm trees. I could get used to this. Mhmmm.

Really, I love California. Despite the lack of coffee and the prevalence of chain everything. I'll actually try to post about more German-related things in the future, but I'm not there yet, so there's really not much to say. Later.

I may be living in Germany at this time next year.

It's crazy. I'm thinking about it, and it still doesn't seem real to me. I'm not sure yet if I'm actually going to go, but I'm hoping that I do. At the same time, however, what keeps going through my head is the mantra: "Are you out of your fucking mind?"

I might be out of my mind. I don't really care to think about it. And I'm trying not to think about the adjustment from my lovely city of residence at the moment (I really do love this place) to a new city in a country I've never been to and can barely speak the language in. When the opportunity presents itself, however, who am I to turn down travel (not paid for by me, I might add) to a new and interesting place? Especially Germany, where I've always wanted to go? It's interesting, because my schooling here in the United States has always included a lot of anti-Germanic spiel. I never took much stock in it, since my amazing grandmother is from Germany, and I feel that Hitler is not a fair representation of all Germans. Just as I wouldn't want to be judged solely on my country's choice of leaders (although that's looking up now), I feel it's only fair that Americans not pass judgement on the now two, three, four generations of people who have been born since the time when the decision was made to give Hitler power. Do I worry about neo-Nazis and skinheads? A little. I've read reports of them. But there's a sizable population of them living in Idaho, and white-supremacist conventions have taken place in the suburbs of my city, so there's not much more risk in Germany than here at home, from my perspective. The world will always have its fringe populations of haters.

That said, I've been doing some research on Germany. The first comment I got on going to live there, from my friend Naomi, was this: "If you can stand eating sausages all the time, then go for it!" Now, I love a good sausage, but I could not live off of them 24/7. I need vegetables and curry (curry is a staple of my diet--Indian, Thai, Japanese, I'm crazy for it). But after googling food in Germany, I have managed to find out that there is hope. Germany appears to have not only other types of European cuisine, but Thai and Middle Eastern as well! Of course, the first thing I worry about is whether or not the food will be good...typical.

Anyway, end of long post. Off to do other things, like developing the beautiful film I finished shooting yesterday. More about Germany, food, and possibly snow later.