I think this is the hardest part of the marathon...

I have reached/passed the half-way point in my little Deutschland adventure. It's kind of like the 12 hour mark at the Dance Marathon. You're relieved and excited that you've made it so far, but then you realize that this is only half-way and there's still time for plenty more to happen. I've already had to adjust to moving to Germany, then moving within Germany.

There are many things here in Hamburg to appreciate. There's always some kind of random festival going on. Last weekend, I went to the wine fest, where I got to experience wine from the vineyards in Southern Germany, and see men in liederhosen. Then a block away, in the middle of the afternoon, I came upon disco balls, blaring techno music, and even a man wearing leather shorts of a different style. It was Hamburg's gay pride festival.

Hamburg has its own "beach" area on the Elbe, where you can relax and watch the carge ships go by. You can party all night on the Vegas-like Reeperbahn, and then continue the party at the Fischmarkt starting at 5am on Sunday mornings. I've found independent movie theatres that are definitely cooler than the ones in Chapel Hill. The shopping in the Neustadt offers nearly every designer brand available.

I am not ready to go home yet, but I am ready to start thinking of going home. I am ready to apply for grad school, and look for plane tickets home. Even though the end is in site, there's still plenty to do, and plenty of time for plenty to happen.