As it turns out, the guy who was using the smoke machine in a different wind tunnel last Friday left it on for too long, and it melted.  Which means that we can't use it until the machine shop fixes it, which means that I have nothing to do for an undetermined amount of time.

It's crazy that tomorrow is the 1st of August.  Absolutely nuts.  I leave for Greece on the 9th of August, which should be just an incredible trip, and when I get back to Munich, I'll have about 12 hours until my flight back to Kalamazoo.  It's exciting and sad at the same time.  Exciting because I soon get to see all of my Kalamazoo friends for our "Summer in 1 week" plan in which I plan to do all of the things I missed out on in Kalamazoo in 1 week.  Which includes....

CAMPING TRIP!!  Which is also a testament to how much my friends rock, as it was originally scheduled for the last days of my stay in Germany, but they're now trying to move it to a week later which would mean I could go!  It really means a lot to me that all of this hassle is being done because of me, and I really hope that it doesn't affect anyone that could have otherwise gone!  Well, whether they decide to move it to one week later or not, the fact that everyone's going through the trouble to make it work for me is more than enough to give me that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

But yea, this trip has definitely been a highlight of the past 3 years (even though plans kinda fell through last year).  And oh, the barbecue chicken....i'm not even hungry right now and I am so salivating at the thought of it. 

And then at the end of that week in Michigan, it's back to Baltimore for round 4: senior year.  Excited to see everyone hanging out at the crew house again, excited for the season, excited for the parties.  I'm just kind of getting used to the fact that I'm a senior now.  Man that feels so wierd to type. 

But at the same time, it'll be sad to leave. 

Munich has become a sort of home for me (one of my multiple places I consider home: Warsaw, Morgantown, Kalamazoo, Baltimore, etc.).  I've met a lot of excellent people here and have seen many wonderful things.  Though it's easy to say "man time really flew by," when I think back, it isn't just a blur to me.  So much happened: my struggle to find an apartment, my journeys to the rowing facilities, the entire world cup, salsa lessons, meeting people, some stories I can't put on xanga, going to Poland, visits from Landgraf and my sisters and grandparents, and so on.  My only regret is that I didn't take more pictures, as I am sure to forget so many things as time goes on.  But at least I updated this thing fairly regularly...

But yea, didn't mean to be sappy.  On Saturday the salsa people I take lessons from had this party at one of those latin clubs.  I went for a little bit because I was supposed to meet up with someone later, but I wanted to see what it was all about.  It turned out to be pretty cool, except the drinks were mad expensive and it was hotter than balls.  I danced like 3 times and my shirt was completely soaked through.  But fun.  I also clocked a girl in the mouth with my elbow while she was doing a turn. haha.  but HEY there were so many people there I was trying to keep her from hitting other people.  So you see, it was entirely not my fault.  Eh, it builds character, I figure.

Also, about 8 weeks ago when I was trying to get cleared to row, I had to submit a picture of myself for some ID that I needed to get.  So I went into one of those crappy photobooths.  It was supposed to cost 5 Euros, so I  put my money in and....nothing.  The stupid machine ate my 5 Euro bill!  Well, I get out of the booth and call the number on the side.  I explain the situation and ask if I can get my money back.  The lady says yes, of course, and she's very apologetic.  I ask if she can put it on my credit card and she says, "Sure! Just give me the card number."  So I start reading off the number, and about halfway through she stops me and says, "no sir, you're giving me the wrong number.  I only have room for 10 digits."  Now, I had no idea what to say.  Unless something changed in the last day or two, I was 99.8% positive that ALL CREDIT CARDS HAVE 16 DIGITS!  But she was quite steadfast and irrational in her defiance that, no, credit cards must only have 10 digits, as her computer lets her put in no more than 10 digits.  Well, realizing I couldn't win with her, I tell her to send the money to my house.  I spend the next 10 minutes giving her my address and explaining to her that my landlord's name, and not my name, is on the mailbox. 

Needless to say, I did not expect any money to actually arrive.  It was supposed to come in 2 weeks, but I was not alarmed that it never actually came. 

Until yesterday.  I open my mailbox, and it's a letter from the photobooth company! All right! 5 Euros, whoopee!  It was like finding money on the street, because to me this money was as good as gone.  It was also like a small victory, after I had battled with this incompetent woman in a foreign language over the phone.  It wasn't even so much money the itself, but more the victory of following through and accomplishing such a matter in German (which at the time was incredibly rusty).  So I was feeling mighty good.  I get up to my apartment and open the letter, and inside I find a nice letter of apology and...

5 Euros worth of stamps.