I made it!

I´m in spain! San Sebastian to be exact, at Shannon´s school in the computer lab while she goes to class. Her flat mate is coming by to walk me back in a few minutes so I´ll just start as much as I can about my adventures thus far. I left Minneapolis Saturday evening, said my goodbyes to my family and then to Eric at the airport (sniff sniff- miss you sweetie). From there I flew directly to Iceland which was about 5 hrs. Now I really want to go to iceland for real some time, it looks neat and I read about it on the plane. There are only 300, 000 people there and half of them live in the capital city. They have the highest life expectacy in the world! And they have hot springs and world renowned spa resorts. and they speak some Nordic language which had little bits that were like german but mostly I couldn´t understand it. I was only there for 10 minutes to get on my next flight, but the airport is really cool. From there I flew another three hours to Frankfurt. and was served breakfast on the plane, the sunrise in Iceland was very pretty. In frankfurt I got my bags, put the big one in storage and managed to find the train station and get my Eurrail pass verified and all that. I had several hours before I had to get to Koln (Cologne) so I wandered around all the shops and resturants and stuff. I bought the new Harry Potter book auf Deutsch to get some practice while I´m here. Eventually I figured out that there were lots of earlier trains going to Koln, so I figured I might as well get their early. I love Koln! I was there on my highschool trip so it was kinda nice to be somewhere where I remembered where things were a little. I went outside to look at the Kolner Dome (Cathedral) which is one of the most amazing things I´ve ever seen, if you´re ever in germany you should make the hike up the little spiral stair case to the top of it. It´s a HUGE Gothic cathedral. I went inside and there was a mass going on so I decided to stay. I got comunion in the Kolner Dome! Then I go on my train to Paris which was a pretty long one, I got to Paris at like 11pm and had to take the metro to the another train station in paris, which was slightly frighting. A french man saved me at the metro station, I was standing in from of a ticket machine looking totally lost I´m sure and he came and helped me and let me pay him cash to put the ticket on his french card that you have to have to get a ticket. So I made it to the other station and found my trail, or what I thought was the train I had reservations for, I SWEAR it said "Irun" at the platform. It was an overnight train with little bed things, but I just went in the part with reclining seats, the beds stacked on top of each other made me clostrophobic just looking at them. So I managed to sleep for a lot of that ride- the buckwheat travel pillow was definitely a wise purchase. In the morning it started making stops in places in france. after a couple I asked someone if he knew if this train was going to Irun. First he said (in broken English with a very french accent) "no, that is the other direction" for a minute I was about to freak out because I though I´d gotten on an overnite train to the wrong end of Europe or something. But he got out a map and I actually wasn´t too far off. So I got off at a stop and found the next train to Irun. On that train I met another extreamly helpful person, he was french I think, but going to school in spain. I told him I was trying to get to San Sebastian and he was supper nice and helped me when we got to the station to find when the soonest bus was and everything. He said few Spanish people speak English. So I got on a little bus and got off at San Sebastian! By that time I actually had to pay for the bus pass because I didn´t want to use a second day on my Eurrail pass just for one buss ride. At the but station I called Shannon´s cell and she came to get me and here I am!!!!! whew. are you still reading? It´s been so crazy, I lost track of times and days and what meals I should be eating and I was disgustingly dirty, the first thing I wanted when I get to shannon´s flat was a shower! but I´m pretty sure that after all that, I can get just about anywhere. as soon as I got to the airport at Iceland I stoped being nervouse and started being so excited that I´m in another country! I´ve been in five countries and heard five languages in the last few days, only two of which I can actually speak. I´m amazed by how kind people are in general. I will never again stand for any french people bashing! I know you´re not supposed to be too trusting, but I deffinitely would have been lost without the kindness of strangers. Maybe going to church helped.... Anyway, I made it. I´m in Spain! look- I can prove it- ¿ ¿ ¿ ñ Ñ I have a spanish keybored :) If only I could remember all that spanish I learned in elementary school. It´s kinda cold and rainy here, kinda like it was in MN. There was a hail storm while I was on one train. The last train ride was pretty, along the ocean and by the mountains. San Sebastian is very pretty too. Oh, did I write that I have a place to live in Munster? I am eternally greatful to Susan Jordan who got in touch and someone there found me a place in the international house, I just have to go right to his office while I get there. Piece of cake :-D OK, I better get off for now, Connie is here (she´s german!) I love you all! even the people I don´t know! oh, and I know that 70 people have looked at this so why do I only have 2 comments???? If you miss me you´ll comment!