Time to analyze, and dig a little into the more subtler changes and learnings that I've had here in Bonn and travelling around Germany.

First off, everyday life in Bonn... I think not speaking the language has had an impact on how I interact with others (how could it not?), but I know that I could definitely handle it better. I don't say anything when I'm buying food at the grocery store, I just mumble 'danke' (thank you) as I grab my change. Instead of smiling, saying hello and asking how the cashier is like I do in Canada. My friendliness factor is far lower in these everyday interactions where I feel kind of uncomfortable. And I DO know a few basic phrases, I could say hello and smile, but I find I'm so insecure about sounding dumb, as everyone here speaks some English so my trying to speak their language and failing seems worse somehow as we could talk in English. But at the same time, I'm in THEIR country, and feel presumptuous assuming that they can converse in my language, so I don't say anything. When someone talks to me in German I freeze and my automatic repsonse is 'Sorry I don't speak German.' Whereas I could ask them, in German, if they speak English. I sometimes plan to try and say something in German and then I chicken out at the last second or the words just come out in English. This language insecurity has been a struggle through learning french as well, though I'm getting more comfortable speaking French... I've only been studying it since grade 4...

So this is an area I need to work on. Just bite the bullet and speak some German! And smile. Even when you don't speak the language, a smile will get you far...

Something I've noticed travelling around Germany a bit is that when someone does something nice, I'm surprised. I suppose coming from Canada, when I'm IN Canada I don't notice the small things, like how people try and get out of your way on a crowded sidewalk, or hold the subway doors for you when you're running and about to miss a train, or when a server comes back to ask if you like the food. Occurrances like that are rare here, and I find my mannerisms are changing as well. In a crowded shop for example, if 2 friends are talking and blocking the aisle, and you need to walk down it, you can stand there waiting for them to move for 5 minutes, or you can say excuse me 3 or 4 times and see if they acknowledge you, which doesn't even always work. The personal space concept here is a bit confused. And when you squeeze by them, in Canada I would say, if I were blocking the aisle, 'Oops sorry' and try and make myself as small as possible to let the other person through. Here they ignore you for as long as possible (I'm not sure if its on purpose or not...) and then shift about a millimeter for you, and look both irritated and surprised that you have pointed out that they are not the sole occupants of the store aisle. And I find myself doing the same thing. It's like my spatial awareness is slightly altered. I don't move for people when I'm in the way until they ask me to, like my Canadian radar for being an inconvenience to someone else has turned itself off or something.

More superficially, the way that I dress hasn't changed, though I so seem more out of place than in Toronto. Style here is different. Very different. And maybe it's beacuse I am in a smaller city that is more conservative, but on hot days when I'm sweating in my smallest, shortest summer dress, most other people are still wearing jeans or long skirts. Not as many women wear noticable make-up, I have't seen one pair of fishnets... the style here is just a little more, tame I guess than inToronto where my weird style actually fits in while simultaneously standing out. People notice, but no one cares in Toronto. Here, people notice and seem to disapprove. But maybe that's all in my head. Maybe I'M uncomfortable beacuse I always seem to be wearing the shortest skirt on any given street, and the most makeup, andthe most accessories... But this hasn't changed how I dress - I don't have the money to buy new stuff that I will never wear in Toronto!

All in all, I think that I have had experience that have changed my perspectives (such as Berlin), and made me think in new ways. I have had to break out of my comfort zone just to get around here, which has been really good for me, as a previously painfully shy individual. (And this is years ago that I was so introverted, but its still with me I am just better at ignoring it). I think many of the changes and things that I have learned have been very subtle, and I might not even realize some until I get back to Canada, but I will continue to think about it and post more as they come to light!