Two weeks

I've read that one of the best ways to make friends out of people is to make them have to work together towards a common goal that serves both of their needs. This camp I'm at is a really good environment for that. Even though I don't know all of my coworkers that well, I find that I habe sie lieb. Well, okay, with a couple of exceptions, but I'm working on that. At the moment, I'm feeling a little entfernt from the others tonight. Don't know why, just sort of wish I had someone to chill out and talk with. Guess that's why I'm here.

We've got a free weekend right now. Tonight we ate with the four-weekers at the Space Aliens Grill and Bar and went to the mall. I purchased Dreamboat Annie by Heart for $7 at Walgreens. My new good funny friend Rufus bought new shoes. Only three weeks have gone by since I started with the orientation for this camp. One week orientation, two weeks with campers. The second week seemed to go by much quicker than the first, but the entirety seems to have gedauert quite a while. I feel a little bit more prepared for the next couple of weeks, and gleichzeitig worried whether I'll really do a lot better this time around. I seem to always have a little Angst when I'm new unter anderen. But I definitely want to come back next year if I get the chance. Okay, I'm going to go see if I can find someone to hang out with. Screens aren't friends.

Then my dream came true

I heard a girl fart today for the very first time.

A quick update. On everything.

For the purposes of camp, my name is Otto.
I don't think I ever realized how hard it is to work with kids day in and day out. And to speak only German to them, and to try to explain--only in German--what I'm saying.
I also had forgotten how hard it can be to be a team with other people, especially those whose personalities rub you a little bit the wrong way.
Nutella tastes way too good.
Give compliments.
It's interesting--it may seem that, over time, as I use more German day to day, that my language capabilities are decreasing--but I wonder, I wonder, if maybe I'm just noticing more and more the mistakes I'm making.
I've been noticing a lot of the dynamics among the kids here. How groups form, how some kids try to manipulate others.
I've started wearing a hat. I've wanted to wear my scally cap for years now, but I've never really thought I looked that great in it. I figured if I started wearing it around people who didn't know me, it would just be generally accepted as part of who I am. Some of the kids here told me that my cap was really cool and wanted to know where I bought it. Wal-Mart. In Georgia. Seven years ago.
I don't have a roommate now for when I go to North Carolina. I possibly have a roommate for two years from now. At any rate (and $10 to anyone who gets this reference) "We need a new roommate!" I'll probably end up sleeping in my brand new Hubba tent for a week in a park or something until I find an apartment and a roommate and all that fun stuff.
Go cook this. And eat it.
Otto has a beard, but I'm not sure if Casey will afterwards. Casey will definitely still wear the hat from time to time.
The majority of comic strips out there seem to be getting less and less funny. I am angry about this.
Imagine a guy standing on a glacier with a flamethrower, laughing maniacally. Funny, eh?

Ich heiße jetzt Otto

Hallo. Ich schreibe jetzt von Bemidji, Minnesota. Morgen fahre ich weiter nach Vergas, Minnesota. Montag fängt das Camp an. Ich bin voller Angst und Aerger, weil so viel verwirrend ist. Dies ist mein erstes Jahr als Betreuer, und ich weiß wirklich von nichts. Die anderen helfen mir schon zurecht zu kommen. Ich glaube schon, dass nach einer Woche--oder vielleicht nach einem paar Tagen mit den Kindern fühlte ich mich gleich wie zu Hause.

Mysteries of the Universe, Part Eight

I leave today from St. Paul, Minnesota, to go up to Bemidji for camp. This month's mystery: when will I post again? I DON'T KNOW.