(schmalkalden, Germany, june 25)
this was the midnight sun lecture.. the final course that i had to take while in schmalkalden.. and the most strenuous course was left for last.. 6pm-6am.. with an exam from 5am-6am.. the course.. the german social market economy.. yeah.. tongue twister for sure!.. however,
there were several bonuses to this...first the course was taught in a farmers field.. well actually it was a hillside overlooking a tiny town outside of schmalkalden.. the point of this.. to watch the sunset and sunrise.. all a part of the course..

the course started off quite hard.. a 3.2 km hike up the hill.. it basically gave you full license to sweat your ass off.. and almost enough reason to turn back and quit the course before it even started.. although the next phase.. was perhaps the most strenuous.. i actually sustained perminant damage from it..

about a minute after we reached the hillside where our lecture would take place.. Frisbees were distributed among the students... after this occurred.. it took me about 30 seconds to careen down the hillside, dive after the frisbee and emerge victoriously with both the frisbee and a fashionable grass stain starting at my left knee and extending down the leg onto my shoe.. yes my shoe had a grass stain as well.. thank god they are green.. (although now thrown out.. they smelled like SHIT!).. anywho..

although i was worried that i did not bring enough clothing.. i brought pretty much everything that i owned.. well that was warm.. and that could fit into my shoulder bag.. well my worst fears were realized about 30 minutes into the lecture.. when we had to sit down with beer (supplied by the uni).. and listen to the lecture.. the wind had picked up.. and i trembled subtly at first, perhaps my meager attempt at looking masculine and tough.. eventually i caved and shivvered like a panzy clamoring and fighting tooth and nail for a sliver of a red blanket..

thankfully we took several breaks during the lecture.. i used these to warm up. more frisbee.. pretty much.. i love being a child!.. but once the stars were out.. i was mesmerized by them.. i had not seen stars like this..well ever.. cause i hadnt seen the stars in germany yet.. and they are all mostly different than those we see back home.. i shall explain.. well they are the same stars.. just different positions within the sky.. orion was not in his prominant position in the centre.. although it was now actually colder outside... i had solved my heating issues by simply stealing it from alex... although i dont think she cared much.. we just stared at the stars above..

having stayed up till 3am numerous times on this trip.. that wasn't new.. however.. conversations at 3am are typically stories that have no point.. or are supermely simplified.. because you are hammered.. this was not the case with the german social market economy.. the terms kept flying.. even at this hour..

in the end there was very few whom survived the whole night keeping awake.. i was pretty proud of myself.... i even passed the exam.. although i have NO idea how.. i was exhausted..