1969 Catherine's Letter -Oct.26

26 October 1969

Münster

Dear Mother and Daddy,

Hi!  Although I really enjoyed Berlin it was good to get back here again last night.  What was especially nice -- I found 11 letters and a post card and I'd heard from you the day before I left Berlin.  I've been scribbling away madly all morning trying to get them answered.

Dad, was this the first birthday you've spent on the east side of the Atlantic Ocean?  That puts you one ahead of me.

Getting your second letter in Berlin really made me wish I had decided to come down and meet you.  But my decision had been made and although I was very tempted by your persuasive arguments I refused to be swayed.  There are too many other things one can do with $200.  If I had been able to pay for it myself I would have come.  Also I'm back to working as hard as possible on my German.  I think I am slowly improving.  At least things are somewhat encouraging.  Since we got back from Berlin, Ann and I are speaking only German to each other.  That's helping alot.  I'm also spending some time every day on grammar.  I want to be able to write my art paper in German but it is due before Christmas and i'm not sure if I'll be ready.

I have had pumpernickel bread but I didn't realize Münster was famous for it.  I like it because it has kind of a crunchy taste.  There are lots of bakeries around where good stuff can be bought cheaply and also lots of carnival type counters which sell Bratwurst and Pommes Frittes (Fr.fries).  However, since I get three quite adequate meals here every day I haven't spent too much money on food.

I haven't been able to get overly excited about taking pictures yet.  That is partly because everyone else is always running madly about snapping pictures of everything imaginable so they will have something to show what they saw in Europe.  I'm more interested in how it affects me rather than how it looks.

I seem to have lost the hitch-hiking permission slip already.  So when you get home could you write another and send it to Dr. Stavig in Kalamazoo instead of me.  I'm sorry I didn't make that clear.

Remember Mike?  We took him to the airport in Chicago.  He has invited me to his graduation this coming June.  I'm not sure if a trip to Colorado would be feasible then or not.  But I'll give it serious consideration.

It's getting late so I'd better be signing off.  My love to all!

And more love,

Catherine