8 March Sunday (1992)

 Sunday 8 March

Dear Mom, Dad, Caleb, Joel, etc…

           It is almost two weeks now since I've last written and again I feel like I could write a book. Today it's a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I sit outside in the garden behind the castle. My strongest impressions right now are the chirping of the birds, the welcome site of the first spring flowers blooming, and the warmth of the sun on my skin. I am here a month now and I feel how much things have already changed. The weather has taken a definitely different course. Maybe we'll have some more cold days but, nevertheless, it's spring! That means the castle isn't so frightfully cold anymore. And my German has of course also improved (perhaps at the risk of losing a little English fluency!). Sylvia and I have developed a very close relationship, which I welcome and (admittedly) need. Although she likes also to play the mother role a little too often, she brings so much light to everything and often makes even mundane things seem interesting, and so I'm very happy that she's here. We are together every day almost the whole day and I'm amazed (at myself), that such a close relationship hasn't yet driven me crazy. Last Monday (Rrose Monday) we were in a disco in Volkach. I began talking with a young man (you must imagine how difficult it is for me to talk to someone in a disco!) He was very nice, funny, etc… Thursday he called me here at the castle and we made plans to go out to dinner on Saturday night. I told Sylvia about our plans and she said, “great! I know a wonderful restaurant in Volkach, and afterwards we can go dancing!” Thus, inviting herself to come along! It didn't disturb me in the least; in fact, I find it amusing. But I never would have made such an assumption. We all had a good time on our “date.” We ate Chinese (in Shunefurt, 20 kilometers north of Zeilitzheim) and talked a lot. Actually, Sylvia and I talked a lot. Olaf made a joke every once in a while, and converged now and then, But I think matters of the mind are not his thing. He's somewhat of a German version of a hunters lane graduate, to make a sweeping generalization.

           I must reiterate how much I'm enjoying my Sunday afternoon. This morning was the first morning since we were in Munich two weeks a girl that we were able to sleep in. I slept till 10, feeling pretty well rested, and happy to know I have a whole day ahead of may with no commitment, no work, no stress. It feels so strange because for two weeks we've been unbelievably busy. Friday evening we had a big slideshow/lecture with over 50 people attending, and afterwards, dinner. The lecture was over Schlesia, and area of Poland. The speaker had traveled in the area and presented the slides because naturally there's a strong connection between certain parts of Germany and Poland and many people are interested in this area of Poland. And afterwards was at dinner consisting of Schlesian food. The evening of course was interesting (the slide show and dinner) but I found the people frightfully boring. So many people with money don't have the personality level to match their financial level. Or else their pride has a stifling effect on their personalities. The one interesting person I've met is Frau Von Halem’s brother Fritz, from Athens, GA. he's lived there for 15 years or so. He and his wife have a small farm with vegetables, horses, cats, and a whole mess of bees. They make honey for regional distribution but it's no enormous business. He brought an amazing gift along. There is a brand of pizza in America I've never heard of called “Red Baron Pizza” on it a big picture of the Baron von Richtoven. We all find it very funny. And very American.

           On Tuesday Sylvia and I worked a couple of extra hours so that we could make a trip to Barnberg for the day on Wednesday. What a beautiful city! none of the museums or other such tourist places are open until April but that didn't matter for us. The old unspoiled architecture was enough to fascinate us the entire day. We must have walked together 10 miles or so within the city and then two Michaelsberg, a fortress with a church, and of course a couple of restaurants for the tourists. There's also a brewery within but it was closed. But the fortress afforded us a wonderful view of the beautiful city. In the evening we ate in an Italian restaurant and afterwards went to a pub which we'd seen advertising folk music. We didn't stay long as we were both really tired. We arrived in Zeilitzheim after midnight, and then it was back to work early Thursday morning.

Oh I must talk about Frau Von Halem’s ”Mutti.” She's almost 90, smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day, drinks freely wine, schnapps (“because it's cheap,” she says), cognac, or whatever it is on the table, and cusses like a biker. What a character! Oh! Something else that's interesting. Frau Von Halem’s father was married twice, the first marriage being a divorce victim. Frau Von Halem’s mother (the one I just told about) what's the first wife. Then during his second marriage he died. The woman from his second marriage and Frau Von Richtoven (Marina’s Mutti) are best of friends! They are both here right now. Marina’s mutti lives here and the other is just visiting (she lives in Canada). the other woman (I'm so terrible with names! Sorry! I think I've asked her name, either directly or from her, about four times and I only knew it begins with H.) also smokes and drinks freely and is so funny! The two women make for a lot of fun. Actually, the whole family’s a little nuts, I think. Frau Von Halem must be, to do what she does. A woman at the dinner party Friday night said there are times when she has to do such things completely alone! Because this student thing is nothing regular. And otherwise there are two girls from the village who helped with cooking from time to time, but they study in Wurzburg, so that's also not to be relied upon. That means Frau Von Halem must do the cooking for 50 or however many people, the room preparation, the cleaning, etc… she's four months older than you mom! Can you imagine the pressure? But the wonderful thing is, I can't imagine Frau Von Halem ever feeling stressed. She's so cool about everything. One time, she told me, there was a big dinner party going on and a guest found a large bolt in his food. And instead of groveling and asking for forgiveness and apologizing profusely, guess what she said? “Congratulations! You won the big prize!” And I can imagine that this was no paper plate/plastic utensil event.

           Frau and Herr Von Halem seem to have a very interesting marriage. They are away from one another the entire week since he works in Rothenberg then when he comes to Zeilitzheim on the weekends he has a room of his own, way over on the other side of the castle! They have about six different pet names for one another which they use frequently, and I'm beginning to think it's all part of a big act. Perhaps their marriage is just one on paper and they only stay together because they've got three children and a castle between them.

           Just today, after a whole month here, I remember at UTC we read Hotel New Hampshire, one of my favorites of all time. same author as The World According to Garp. anyway, the family in HNH has country Inns in NH and in Vienna throughout the course of the book. I've always thought, and the book intensified the feeling, that it would be neat to own such a place. I could decorate it as I please, and of course it would be renowned in such circles because of the extraordinary mode of decoration. I would meet lots of people, and I would be working independently. Anyway, just today I realized I'm living that experience! And not only that, in Germany, and in a castle! It's a good lesson for me because I get to see what it's like to run such a place. I still think I would like to do something like this myself, but not with a castle. This castle is so unbelievably difficult to keep clean, and expensive to maintain! All in all, it's just an amazing amount of work. The biggest problem I see is that Frau Von Halem is virtually chained to this house. And from now until November she'll barely be able to leave. Now she must prepare for all the things going on this summer and then in August, September, and October will be many wine festivals and such events, as that is great harvesting season.

           Now it is Sunday evening, and I have the castle virtually to myself Marina, Hillman (Herr Von Halem), Sylvia, Fritz, and H… have gone to Würzburg to go to the theater. I didn't go along because I feel I really need a day to myself to relax. That actually a girl from Canada is supposed to come tonight. She worked here last year for three months until December and then, presumably with a Eurail ticket, has been traveling since then. She's coming again tonight, just for a visit and will be staying in my room.

Thursday 12 March,

           More adventures every day! Last night two Goethe Institute students came with Herr Von Halem, just to stay for the night. One was from Italy, Walter, and the other, well, you'll never guess where he went to university. OK, OK, I'll tell you. Vanderbilt! And he used to work at Granite Falls! How's that for a coincidence? Scott comes here next month to work for a while. Last night was my first night working in “The Sonne,” the gasthaus across the street. Sunday night Hildegard offered me a job, so I accept it. I earn DM10 per hour, and then tips when I serve. So last night I worked 4 hours and earned DM50 (DM10 in tips). not bad, a? It was so funny, I showed up at 9:00 and she said, “OK I'm going to work in the kitchen. you serve people drinks.” Just like that. It was really not bad. The people were very helpful with the prices, etc… The people who go there are all regulars so they know what everything costs. I think where they were happy to have me there because from what I hear of the former owner (Hildegard’s only been there four weeks) he was a fat, mean old man. I work again tonight.

           Wish I could write more. If I had time, I could write for hours yeah but I've already been intending to mail this for four days now so I better do it now! One more thing. Just want to know if all the tax stuff is taken care of. Also, I'd like to send a postcard to the German club at Stage Deli. Please give me the address thanks!

Much love,

Julie