So the weekend is over and Monday is here!  It is registration day at ISU and Dave is in the midst of that process.  He officially starts the program on Wednesday.  Right now I am in the student lounge spending some much needed time on the internet!

We had a great weekend - although some of our plans changed last minute.  There was a BBQ at ISU on Saturday, but the garage sale was pushed to today (Monday).  We spent the day at ISU meeting and getting to know people, and then a group of us went to Germany, just across the Rhine, to go clubbing.  So I spent my 27th birthday dancing in a very busy German club!  It was a fun experience, but thankfully I was not out all night, we managed to get home around 3am and I was in bed shortly after!  However, we did get up early the next day to go to church.  But right after we came home and went back to bed for a nap!  The trip to the German spas was cancelled on Sunday as there were not too many people who were interested in going.  So the graduating ISU student who was organizing the trip will be in Strasbourg for one more month and said he would organize another trip with the new class when everyone is in town!  So I will hopefully get to these thermal spas before September ends!
Sunday night we went and saw the Strasbourg light and water show - I think the name of the show translates to "Dreams on the Water".  It consists of fountains, fireworks, lights, lasers, etc. all cooridinated to music.  It was a lovely show and it was actually the last night it was being shown in the city! Afterwards a group of us went to an Irish pub - where they spoke English, so I could actually order for myself instead of getting Dave to do it for me!  It was nice to feel semi-independent again!

Today the garage sale took place at ISU simutaneously with registration - so Dave and I went shopping to get some things for the apartment!  Dave bought a chair for his desk at home (to replace the stool he has been sitting on), and we got an iron, a duvet, a blanket and I got a BIKE!  I am so excited about my awesome new bike - it is black and is just one year old and will be perfect!!!!  The woman I bought it from purchased it last year when she moved to Strasbourg with her boyfriend, another ISU student, but now she is moving back to Czech Republic and needed to sell it.  I am beyond pleased!  I will now be exploring Strasbourg and surrounding areas by bike!  Here is a picture of me and my new wheels!

I have some other exciting news - I got a job looking after 2 French little girls!  I saw an ad at an English bookstore here in Strasbourg for an English speaking babysitter - so I sent an email off to the family, explaining my situation here in Strasbourg and saying I was looking for part time work.  I went and met with the family on Friday and really hit it off with them and will start next week!  So I will be looking after the girls 2-3 times a week for a total of about 10-12 hours - but will be done by 7pm everyday - which is perfect b/c then Dave and I can see each other for dinner!  And I also explained to the family that I will be traveling a bit throughout the year, so may be gone for a few weeks here and there, and they were willing to accomodate my travel plans as long as I let them know when I will be gone in advance.
I am very excited to spend time with the girls and get to know them - and take them to the park, do crafts with them, help them with their English homework and just have fun with them!  I am missing my niece so much and it will be nice to be around other little girls and spend time with them.  So if any of you have some good ideas of things to do with 4-8 year old girls, email me and let me know!!!!

We have gotten a nice surprise a few times in our apartment over the last week - there is an opera singer who must live in a nearby apartment and we can often hear her practicing!  The first time I heard her I thought it was a CD playing, but then she stopped and started again and again and it was obvious that what I was listening to was live!  So now every few days we hear her and it is quite enjoyable (as she only practices in the afternoon so far, never in the morning!).

We got a different kind of surprise riding the tram the other day.... A few weeks ago Dave and I were on the tram and an older man, probably around 60, got on the tram with spectacularly tight short shorts on.  I tried to subtely point him out to Dave and we had a laugh about the different kinds of fashion that we are seeing in Europe.  Well a couple of days ago we were riding the tram again and we saw him - only this time he was wearing even shorter shorts, as in I saw his cheeks hanging out!  Wow is all I can say!!!!!  That is a memory I will have for a long time!  Unfortunately for you all, I did was not able to capture this sight on camera to share with you all - sorry!

Tonight we are off to a house party hosted by a group of ISU students who share a 3 bedroom apartment.  I told Dave I may not stay too late, but thankfull the apartment we are going to is about a 5 minute walk from ours so I will come home when I want to and he can stay as late as he likes!  It is very nice to live in a city where everything is so close and I feel so safe walking by myself at night.

Tomorrow is the graduation ceremony for the outgoing ISU students and the opening ceremony for the new ISU students.  So we will be getting dressed up and spending the day at ISU again.  In the evening there is another house party and on Wednesday there are some fun activities planned for the new students during the day that I will go to as well if I can sneak along!  We will see!