Oh my god! That is so awesome!

I think I've found my new catch phrase. It's so much more exciting to emphasize the funny parts of stereotypes while ignoring or just kind of forgeting the rest of them. I love to use this to my advantage, as I'm sure, many of you have already figured out. So I was exstatic (or however you spell that) to find that the word "awesome" and the phrase "oh my god" was considered genuinly american. (Can you even imagine where I could run with that??) The fact that I already use those words just made me ten times more excited. now whenever I say that phrase, I'll just say it really loud. The Germans think it's hilarious. It's a great conversation starter. I was at a party last night, and this guy said something pretty cool (I've no idea what it was, so don't ask), and I said, "that's awesome." He laughed at me . . . I was confused, then I remembered that at lunch a few days before, the girls had heard me say the word awesome and laughed and explained to me how american it was, along with the phrase "oh my god!" So of course I have to milk it. After the guy at the party laughed at me, I mentioned how it was so easy to make Germans laugh. "All I have to do is yell (I yelled this part) 'Oh my god, that is so awesome!' " I made a few more friends after that. Haha. We discussed Johnny Depp and how many movies he's been in recently and what the heck the subtitle to the newest Pirates of the Caribbean movie is. Apparently edward scissorhands was called Edward mit dem Scherenhänden in Germany.

Anyway, right now I'm torn between learning German and learning Germans. OK, that sounds better in another language, I'm sure. Right now it seems like the Germans are winning. But I'm working on it. I'm sure there's a happy medium, but I should find it fast since I just realized I'm a third of the way through this summer. wow.

More exciting news. I watched the Germany-Argentina game in a lecture room (not a big one--smaller than 36-123 but with the same number of student--there's a lot of room in 36-123) with at least 50-100 other students. It was awesome. They're crazy. They've got chants and cheers and things, and that's cool and everything, but they're crazy. Yelling at the TV screen is one thing. It's crazy enough as it is, but chanting with everyone in a lecture hall
. . . we used chanting to get pumped up in volleyball matches . . . because we were playing. Football games also . . . because we were there, and they could hear us. Haha, it is really cool (I mean awesome) that one guy can start singing a chant (one of about 400 they have, I'm sure) and the rest of the room knows the chant and starts singing, too. Very cool. like they're all part of one big country or something . . . haha. They won! I hope you saw it! it was sooo exciting. and the goalie, Lehman, wow. Anyway, soccer is awesome. love it. Wir fahren nach Berlin!

alright. time to go. and by the way. if you absolutly have no other options, Gouda isn't horrible in mac and cheese. but I have discovered that they make special "melting cheese" or smeltzkäse for just this purpose. oh goody.

Kendall

Music: right now . . . Dixie Chicks. sorry. that's the truth ;-)

PS. my MIT locker is full! argh! that is why I can't put my pictures up! but don't worry I'm working on moving a few things around!

PPS. I met a guy who's learning American English! ah, I don't feel so bad anymore.

PPPS. I found Dr Pepper in the grocery store! no mt dew yet, though . . .