It seriously has taken so much time to complete what should be the simplest tasks without my mobile phone. Today, my task was to get my cell working, stock up on some things, and work on feeling healthy for the next leg of my trip.
This morgen, I chatted with Nathalie and Tasia at breakfast who were young women from Germany who were looking for an apartment becausw they attend the university here soon. They gave me some German lessons and talked a little bit about German and Danish culture. After practicing a few phrases, I left to get my SIM karte for my handy phone.
I also had a tip that I might find a card at Reve, a grocery store here.
I started by wandering around a little bit to see if the store was close--no luck. I then went to Neuer Markt and asked a few people there. Wo ist Reve? Some replied in English, some not. I did manage to find Reve, but the card said it was a micro card--I didn't know if it fit my phone, and I had already bought the wrong thing already.
I started going to cell phone stores. Nobody spoke English, but I was able to communicate roughly. One lady told me I had a nano sized card instead of a micro, which was so helpful. She indicated in some sort of German jibberish that she couldn't help me.
The next cell store was a similar experience except he bent some rules to make a sell. In Germany supposedly, you need to have a German address to have a prepaid card--it's law maybe? He made up an address for me and we installed the card. There was no service. He pointed and indicated that I'd have to wait a few hours. I felt doubtful that it would work.
I went on an English tour of the city with tour guide Nick, and I was the only one that showed up. He made nothing of it and we went on the tour. He explained the city gates and wall that were built in the 1200s to protect the city from invaders.
He also talked to me about eastern and western Germany. Rostock is a part of former East Germany. Most people over 30 do not speak English--they learned Russian in school instead sometimes. Berlin was also the only city split in half. These are things maybe I should have known. He talked about the bombings of World War II and how 40% of the city was fire bombed. Of the people who do speak English, they have some family connection to the war. I guess many of the East German cities have shrank, but the university has grown and buoys the town.
We wrapped up the tour, and my cell wasn't working. It was asking for a pin I couldn't find. Was it in the garbage at the store? Would the same man still be there, or would I have to struggle to tell my story again?
He was there though, and he found the pin for me. I restarted me phone and voila, it worked.
I went to the post office and mailed my laptop and power cables to my parents. I stood in the line 3 times to send the package: getting a box, packing the box, and mailing it finally. I sent it mostly to lighten my bike, and because I did't have a way to charge it. I found myself just worrying about it.
She was so idealistic, smart, and passionate. I hope she gets what she wants. She pointed out that I can not pronounce ich. At all. Is it hopeless? I guess I just won't talk about myself if I can't say I. We had fun talking about the different items in the grocery store. "Do you have this or this?" A delight.
I head to Müritz Nationalpark tomorrow. Think good thoughts for me.
Other things from today:
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