Ich bin Jessica, un dir?

Hallo!
German lessons began today (not a moment too soon, I might as well have "American: Doesn't Speak German" hanging from my chest on a sandwich board) and it was a bit slow going, but hopefully I pick it up soon because things like the post office are starting to ruin my life.

"Jessica meets THE POST OFFICE; hilarity ensues"

Let me preface this story by providing a bit of background. My Christmas present this year from my whole family was a brand new CoolPix camera, given to me for the expressed purpose of documenting my time in Germany. While in America the camera proved Ashton Kutcher to be a man of his word (you may remember him from the commercials), the SECOND we landed in Germany, Mr. Kutcher decided to go Snively Whiplash on me and destroy my dreams. I got ONE picture of Bonn. Apparently the problem ("lens error"= Lens doesn't want to come out, and sort of looks like a sleepy eye refusing to wake up) is very common and calls for a replacement, so I prepared myself to send it home to be replaced and sent back to me. So I finally found the post office after 20 minutes of wandering downtown Bonn and circling it without realizing where I was, and walked in realizing quite late that, hey, I'm an American and I have no idea what any of this stuff on the wall says. Also, I'm at the post office, which is enough of a pain in the ass in America. This is making for great comedy. So I wait around for another half hour trying to find someone I can ask, and finally I get to the front, and have to buy a box, bubble wrap, and postage (a little less than 20 euros). I finally finish writing and wrapping everything, and send it off. It isn't until I've gone to the bank and am on my way for coffee that I realize, as a truly moronic person always does 45 minutes after the fact, that I forgot to send the battery charger with it (naturally needed to RETURN THE CAMERA). So tomorrow I get to go back, but it only proves that with experience comes true learning, and though I have to pay a little more, I know what I'm doing and may even get out of there without screaming. This realization, however, is also taken with a grain of salt, as I've realized by typing this that in taking out the memory card and comically wrapping this package in bubble wrap, the card was lost at the post office (really just an icing on the cake rather than a crisis, becuase I know that my extra card will be enough).

"Jessica meets THE BANK; Americans are for once not that stupid (the whole world is)"

I can't check my account balance from Germany. Fancy that. I'll get to talk to mom that much more often.

Anyway, Hans and his wife (Lilo) and mother (grandma) are really great; not only are they very sweet and understanding, they took me out to dinner last night and Hans lent me his camera until Cheri can send me her spare (or I get mine back, whichever comes first). I'm realizing through the stories of other students how lucky I am, and it's nice to have a family here when I miss mine in the States so much.

Tonight we are heading out to the bars, and hopefully I will forget this entirely ridiculous ordeal. Or not. Either way, I will write again tomorrow with more interesting stories.
Tschus!

Jess