…sort of. The vast majority of my day was comprised of sorting the rocks in a giant rock pile into other rock piles based on size. We were sitting through what used to be one of the walls of the castle (yes, CASTLE!) where we’re currently staying. It was physically intense and absolutely magical. The rocks we put in the “big rock” pile (we chose to define “big” as larger than a football) will be used again to rebuild some wall somewhere in this castle.
Castle! I’m spending part of my spring break in a castle. A castle! I threw my firsbee in a castle! It’s awesome. And magical things like this are making this trip absolutely fantastic. The German people are generally extremely nice, even though they usually speak very little English and I speak very little German. This can lead to awkward moments (trust me, I’m an awkward magnet), but really it only makes me want to learn German.
The parts of my day that weren’t spent rebuilding a CASTLE were spent eating, walking to the town of Mansfeld and wandering around for a while in an attempt to locate a grocery store, shopping at said grocery store, walking/skipping back, and bandaging wounds.
“Wounds!” you say. “Bandaging wounds?!” Yes. I have used the skills I gained in becoming an EMT more here in Germany than ever before. First it was the random passenger that passed out on the plane ride here. That time I was the highest-level currently certified emergency responder present. Then there was today. Caitlyn jammed her finger and I wrapped it. Taylor sliced her finger on a rock? glass? Something sharp while helping rebuild the castle (yes, it was dangerous work). But what took the cake? Zach Martin dropped an 80+ lb rock on his left big toe, which has thus far required dressing three times, and has resulted in what I usually try to avoid: a lot of blood on me. Did I mention that rebuilding the castle was dangerous work? But it’s all right because you know what they say: pain is weakness leaving the body. And when I wrap Zach’s toe, I’m approximately 100% sure he feels pain.
I think I’m falling in love with Germany. It hit me today when I was standing at the top of the scaffolding surrounding part of the castle. I was looking out at the countryside, soaking in the view and the evening sun. I could see someone in the distance, with a dog running by their side. I could see the grocery store where I bought an interesting assortment of things I won’t mention here because my father is a dentist (hi Dad!). I could even look down and creep on Caitlyn and Sam having an animated conversation way down on the castle wall. This country is
[I just realized that Zach has bled through his bandage YET AGAIN. I was sitting here with him, writing this in my notebook, and his gauze is bloody again. At first I was irritated but then Adam Bostian kissed it and it was so adorable that everything was all right.]
gorgeous. I’m having a fantastic time and I’m going to be sad when we leave. Not that I’m planning an elaborate scheme to escape and live here forever or anything. I would never do something like that. Certainly not. That will definitely not be happening in several days.
-Emily Keefer
*note: on the page on which this entry was originally written, there was a small smudge of blood and an arrow pointing to it with the label "Zach's blood!"
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