The Community in Vomit

I recently had an unpleasant experience with vomit. A few days after arriving here in Germany, I started feeling nauseous.

Then, during a meeting with a German housing inspector, my nausea evolved into complete and utter projectile vomiting. It was bad. I heaved a subway sandwich, among other “items”, all over the floor, my shoes, and my pants. Thankfully, the inspector was clear of the blast area and his shoes were saved. I can’t speak for his sense of smell or his mental state (which must be haunted by images of acidic mush flying through the air).

In the days since, I’ve seen the German inspector a few times in random locations throughout town. He has never mentioned the incident. Nor have I. We just sort of smile and nod at each other. I think it is a special, unspoken bond we now share. Maybe he is my first German friend?

I’m hoping to make more German friends. I definitely don’t want to stay completely in the American bubble. Tomorrow, I’m moving into my apartment in town and I’m praying that it will help with my assimilation into parts of the local culture.

Getting connected is vital. Being around people is vital. For much of my initial time here, I’ve been alone. Doing errands alone, going to meetings alone, living alone. Being alone leads to loneliness, obviously. I can enjoy being alone, but I can’t enjoy being lonely.

So, I’m anxious to make some friends; German and American friends that will hopefully evolve into a community of which I’m a member. Then, if I ever get sick again maybe one of them will come over and be with me as I vomit. They’ll be disgusted at first, then they’ll laugh at me and my misfortune and it will make me laugh too. And then we’ll sit on the couch and watch tv while I drink a ginger ale and they sip a beer.

That’d be good.

Introductions

Today, I went to church for the first time since I moved to Germany about two weeks ago. I walked into this nondescript building in a town of about 450 people and realized I was about to meet every single member of the church.

There were 9 other people there.

I stood around awkwardly (thankful to have my trusty water bottle with me so I could drink and look "busy") and eventually half of the congregation came over and introduced themselves to me. We chitchatted and I told them all how I was new and had just moved to a town about 20 minutes away.

They were nice. Definitely.

But, the thing is that whenever I meet new people, I have the hardest time remembering their names. Ideally, I usually like to repeat people's names in my head 10 times or so in order to remember them. But more often than not, I look like a fool if I steal 6 or 7 seconds to conduct this exercise because I miss the inherent social nuances that imply that it is my turn to speak, raise my eye brows, look engaged, etc.

And, in the end, I just look stupid.

I eventually met all 9 people at the church and they all told me their names. Now, 7 hours later, I remember only one guy. Lee. He was a good guy and he didn't need any tricks to remember my name.

So, I'm writing this blog now and I wanted to introduce myself. You probably already know me and remember my name. I probably remember your name too. But, it never feels good to be standing there, water bottle in-hand, looking like a fool.

I'm Cameron. On this blog, I'm going to write about a variety of things; adventures in Germany, God, nature, girls, and other stuff that strikes my fancy. I hope you'll read it, and I hope perhaps you'll get something out of it. Even if it is just remembering someone's name.