First greetings from Germany

Greetings from Munich,

I hope my first correspondence finds you all in good health and good spirits midway through this semester.  I have been gone just under a month now and have loads of stories and pictures to share and tell.

I left for Europe Jan. 29 and stayed the first week with my Aunt and Uncle in Hagen, which is in the Ruhr valley in north west Germany in the state of Nordheim-Westfallen. After getting my feet wet for a weekend and practicing my German, I packed up my belongings and headed south by train to Munich where I have been, for the most part, for the last three weeks, taking classes at the Goethe Institute, a German immersion program.

The classes have been going very well and my German is vastly improving. I am finally learning all the rules and dont just say something now "only" because it sounds right. 

Aside from the German classes which end at 1 p.m. each day, I have seen many of the "touristy" sights of Munich like Olympia Park, the Residenz, the Spaten-Lowenbrau Brewery, the New and Modern Pinokothekan art musesums and many other interesting parts of the city.

As for longer trips, I have been to Dachau and Vienna and have lots of pictures on the web.

I also joined a Sport Halle, a fitness gym, and am practicing with a local basketball team to keep in shape. I have also taught many of my friends here Die Siedler von Catan and we have played that more than a handful of times already.