End of year round-up and then some

Well, 2007 has been a pivotal year, the harbinger of my graduation from college and my first venture out of the U.S. No complaints, thus far, about how things have panned out. Yes, I am in debt - but who isn't? That aspect of life has been established for quite a while, so why not be in debt whilst traveling Europe?

Living abroad and meeting people from all walks and talks of life has been eye-opening. This, of course, is a gross understatement. Those that have entered my life since the fateful decision to make my home in Germany have become, in many cases, family. Not family in the traditional sense, but in that we are all experiencing the same removal and nearly complete separation from that which was once familiar. This fact, I feel, inspires a quicker-than-usual attachment than many have experienced before. I have made friends here that I am certain will last a lifetime because of the months spent here away from family, away from life-long friends; and has inspired, recently, a delving into my own concept of the world and life in general. Without going on too long here, it suffices to say that I have grown a fair amount in the few months that I have been here. That being said, let us move on to things more informative and fun!

NEW YEARS EVE

I have decided to forgo Christmas for two reasons: 1) It didn't feel like Christmas as I have always known it, and as such it passed very much like any other day. 2) All I did was work.

New Year's Eve was, safe to say, if not the best night of my life, then damn close. From the onset, the night was of questionable fun value. I, along with many of my close friends, were scheduled to work until 11:30 operating a children's program at the hotel. We were, rightfully so, fearful that the parents would get caught up in the festivities and want to leave their children until just before midnight, thus robbing us of our chance to effectively celebrate the holiday. Thankfully, this happened to be a well thought-out concern of my lovely boss for the evening, Andrea. She had every kid checked out around 11:15. I had phoned a friend of mine that owned a cab and arranged for a ride to the center of Garmisch, and to pick us up at 11:30. We hopped in the cab and was there in plenty of time for the count down.

Now, just imagine a place where fireworks are legal, in fact seemingly encouraged. A place where there is no Citibank-sponsored firework show, but rather hundreds of people firing away at will, and you would have Garmisch on New Years' Eve. As midnight approached, Garmischers were setting off every type of pyrotechnic imaginable all around us as we stood in the middle of the pedestrian district. Encircled by nothing but smoke, flickering lights, and explosions, the experience was nothing short of magical - made especially so by the snow that was falling on us in chunks that could have blocked out the sun had it been present.