1970 Catherine's Letter -Mar.11

March 11, 1970

Dear Mother, Dad, Serena, John, and Mary,

Greetings!  This is the last letter you will be receiving from me in Europe for awhile -- maybe even for this year!  I really haven't contemplated the possibilities of returning at least as to when.  I have been getting lots of ideas as to where I would like to go, the kind of people I would like to go with and what I would want to do.  All three seem like rather deep subjects and since I discovered that with the stamp I have left which I am going to put on the envelope of this letter, I can write seven pages.  And if you see that there are seven pages to read you might not want to get into the deep subjects on the first page. 

So I will let my mind wander for awhile and write about other trivial matters.  There is a cat sitting at my feet right now.  It isn't our cat, it just wandered in the door a few minutes ago when I went out on the porch to hang my green shirt (which I just washed) on the clothes line to dry.  Because I couldn't get the cat back out the door, I guess he will say awhile.  If the cat came in because he is hungry he won't find much food.  All we have left is some instant coffee and two apples.  Sad?  Not really, we planned it that way. 

We had a real feast last night eating up all the food as Alan left this morning and tomorrow morning Ann and I will be moving on too.  That is sad.  This morning was rather tense as Ann and I were trying to act not too relieved that Alan was leaving.  He claims we ganged up against him and it is a valid claim.  After living together for six months we are pretty much used to each other and this past week it was usually the two of us against him.  Of course, I tend to be biased and add that it took at least as much effort on our side to endure him as his efforts to put up with two females.

The cat has now climbed on Ann's bed so he may be removed soon.  I think Ann is writing a letter too, yes, I asked her and she said she was.  Now that Alan is gone we can't play cards as it was his deck of cards.  I brought a deck but when we got them out to play with, there were only 28 cards.  At some point between then and Christmas I removed all cards numbering two through seven and left them somewhere else.  That was a real smart thing to do.  We were going to go to the beach today and finish off our sunburns.  But the sky is rather purplish gray, the wind is very strong, and the sun is nowhere to be found.  None of those make for a good sunburn.  We can't really complain as every other day we've been here, has been beautiful.

I was going to try to make it through the time here without buying a book but I broke down the other day and bought one.  It is in German though to add to the challenge of reading it.  I wonder how the selection of books in German is in the states?  I know K's library has lots and so does the bookstore but most of those are the difficult or at least not so much fun and entertaining kind that people read to get all the good German literature.  I will have to check out the Wilmington libraries when I'm home. 

Ten more days . . . .  It is unbelievable and I'm not sure I am ready for the culture shock of coming back.  It is about the same feeling as between high school graduation and starting college.  I'm not quite sure what to expect.  I'm filled with lots of anticipation, a little bit of dread and other mixed emotions.  Gee, wonder what kind of feelings come with graduation?  Probably lots of relief that you finally made it.  Time for a break, I am going to read for awhile.

Con't.  I never did get to my book -- found too many other things to do.  Siesta was finally over so we gathered up all our old milk, pepsi, and one mineral water bottles and returned them to the store.  We also made a few last purchases like apples to take with us tomorrow and a new TIME magazine.  We had also been doing well controlling our calories today until we both got hungry.  So we splurged and bought some 3 peseta pastries.  It isn't a splurge, it is more of a habit -- we've been doing it every day.  But they taste so good!  Remind me a lot of Grandma's cinnamon pies.

Instead of reading the book I got out Ann's colored pens and played with them.  It is alot of fun getting all the different colors down on a piece of paper.  And the psychoanalyst could have a good time telling me what they all mean.  That reminded me of Dick which reminded me of psychology and then I thought of Marianne.  (I hope you aren't having too much difficulty tracing my thought patterns.)  Is she still in psych?  At FSU?  Does she graduate this summer?  Maybe I can get to Florida some time between quarters to see her.

I haven't heard from Pete Cheyne lately so I don't know if he is still in Florida or not.  I guess that is all in the future though.  It seems like lately I have become much more involved in living in the present and only time for an occasional thought about the future.  And anything which happened more than five minutes ago is filed away as memories to be remembered when I get old and/or bored.

If you will excuse me once again I am going to try reading TIME.

Friday, March 13, 1970
Greetings once more.  Ann and I are sitting in Wimpy's across from the Paris Nord train station killing time before we have to catch our train to Münster.  Excitement is . . . .  We just reread to each other the letters we got yesterday in Malaga -- she one from her family and me one from you.  It seemed rather ironic as you had something in yours about this exciting experience coming to an end and here we sit bored to death.  I take it from your letter that you will be in New York so I will look for you there.  I have about reached the point now where I feel like I hope you will grab me off the plane, take me home, put me to bed and take care of me for a week.  Please disregard this whole paragraph -- no, don't do that, I do want you to meet me. 

I'm just a little tired right now.  I will probably be very tired then too.  Well, we just had some excitement as they brought us the bill and it comes to more than we have money to pay for.  Ho hum.  Why is life so cruel?  Excuse me while I run across the street and change more money.  I'm back again.  At least now with more money we can afford a second cup of coffee.  Or maybe we will get a candy bar instead.  The time at least is going by.  We leave here in about 30 minutes, arriving in Münster at 5:20 AM so we will have some time to kill there before we can catch the first bus home -- or what used to be home for tomorrow we will only be visitors.

Saturday, March 14 7:30 AM
Here I am not yet in Münster.  We didn't feel like getting off at 5:20 in Münster so we stayed on the train and came to Bremen.  In an hour we catch another train back to Münster arriving at a much more decent time.  I'm feeling better today as I slept well on the train last night.  The passport checkers and the conductors don't even bother me much any more.  It isn't necessary to fully wake up -- only shove the Eurail Pass and the passport at them -- and that has become instinctive.  Try waking me up in the middle of the night sometime.  I would probably try to show you my passport and continue sleeping.

There certainly are lots of interesting people in the Bahnhofs (train stations) early in the morning.  The most obnoxious are last nights drunks that haven't made it home yet. 

LATER, about 3:30 PM
We made it home finally and I found a letter from you.  I also realized you probably won't get this until too late.  I'll offer my apologies if they are worth anything.  It seems as if things have been happening so fast lately.  I guess communications from my end have been lacking.  I'm still going from one extreme to another about leaving here.  The idea of coming back to the States is frightening because I know I'm not going to fit in the same hole I left.  At the same time I'm anxious to make my new "hole".  I guess I only dread the adapting period which I'm going to have to go through, unless I were to stay here interminably, which I know I can't do.  All the other kids have left except Ann and I so it wouldn't be the same anyway.  It is rather nice to be back here for the day -- we're being treated as if we never left and it was an ordinary Saturday. Everything has been jammed into our suitcases -- now the big problem is getting them to London.  Ugh!  And I don't even have that much junk.  I may end up leaving 90% of my worn out belongings, including the suitcases, in London.  HA!  That would be pointless though as by then the worst pain will be over.

I'll relieve you of reading and save all the rest to tell.

Love,
Catherine

P.S. If you do get this in time . . . I did tell you I'm coming in on big PanAm at 12:45 next Saturday?

P.S. to Serena -- I'm sure whatever you fix will be fine and since I will be home a week you will have a chance to fix me almost anything.  I eat anything in whatever state it is put before me and I usually enjoy it but I'm looking forward to coming home to some "just plain meals, at a decent mealtime."  Lately seems I've just been eating whatever can be obtained when hunger strikes.  What usually happens is that there isn't any food available then so when there is food you eat as much as possible and hope it keeps you going until the next time there is food.

1970 Catherine's Letter -Mar.4

March 4, 1970

Dear Mother Dad, Serena, John, and Mary,

Hi!  Greetings from the heart of a true tourist city -- Torremolinos, Spain.  We've been here two days now and are having a real vacation!  To clear up a few details which may or may not be foggy depending on what I have already written and whether you received it, I'm here with Alan and Ann.  We have a nice little apartment with bedroom, bath, living room, and fully equipped kitchen.  So we are able to eat food other than Butterbrot -- French toast for breakfast, ravioli for lunch and soup for supper, that is today's menu but it is nice to know we can cook almost anything our hearts desire. 

Alan and I are having a good time counting calories and carbohydrates and we've got a really neat plan for next quarter.  He has access to the computer so he's going to write a program up so that at the end of a day a person can give the computer the foods eaten during the day and it will compile a total of the calories proteins fats and carbohydrates.  That is the basic idea and then later we can add all sorts of additional goodies like vitamins minerals, metabolism, and even do some experimenting around with different diets. 

It is frustrating here though as we both need a library -- he needs the computer books and I need the nutrition books.  There is a lending library of English books here but they are all considerably lighter reading.  After scouring through the town's bookstores we did come up with one little diet book -- 50¢ variety -- which along with my rough estimates has to suffice for the moment.  I guess people on vacation aren't overly interested in nutrition or computer programming. 

And while I am thinking about libraries -- could you check on a few books for me please?  I have to know a lot more than I presently do about (1) fish( 2) stars (3) snakes.  Do we have any of the little books by Zim (?) around?  I do need something that has pictures I can refer to.  I haven't been doing too much hard reading here -- like I said the library has an abundance of sex-criminal-western types.  I have been reading the German newspapers so I won't forget all my German before I get back to Kalamazoo. 

We may go to Tangiers or we may just stay here the whole time as it so nice to be home where we can walk to the beach in 10-15 minutes.  The water is too chilly for me to swim in but it is nice laying in the sun.  We will probably go into Malaga some day soon to check for mail. 

I haven't thought much about London yet but I'm sure it will be fun when we get there.  I am looking forward to going to Stonehenge on the 20th.  Six of us are renting a car from London and going out for the night and to see the sun rise on the 21st before zipping back to London so Ann and I can get our flight to New York.  Hopefully, Dick will be meeting us there and coming back with us.  He is spending his vacation hitchhiking around England.  I envy him about as much as I miss him.  Traveling alone like that has its decided advantages and disadvantages. 

I did tell you that my previous relationship with Mike was terminated?  At least it is on this end.  Getting communications straightened up has been a definite problem and three days after I told him we had to definitely terminate it, instead of dragging it out even longer and hurting all involved parties even more, I got a letter from him saying we should let it all ride until April 13 when we will be seeing each other.  That was real news because I don't know how he is getting the time to come to K then.  Oh well, in my usual  enjoy life "this minute, this day" I will wait until that minute comes -- worrying now certainly won't solve the problem.  Alan has been giving me helpful unbiased advice from the male viewpoint.  At least it is as unattached as he can be, knowing Dick and not knowing Mike. 

Ann has gone to town and Alan is reading "TIME"-- every few minutes he reads me an excerpt and gets me distracted from this letter.  You all are probably having a good time following my line of thought.  I think I'll go back to the newspaper now.  Thanks for listening.

Love, 

Catherine

P.S. I sent two boxes of old clothes to you all.  Merry Christmas!

1970 Catherine's Postcard -Feb.27

2 AM
Feb. 27, 1970

Hi!  I guess I can say foreign study is official over as in three hours I have to get up and head for the train to Malaga.  I'm sorry I haven't written lately but things have been piling up.  I'm looking forward to getting to Malaga and getting lots of sleep and lots of warm sunny days!  Our trip to Stockholm - Copenhagen last week end was a good one and I've even become used to sleeping on trains.  We went somewhere every day this week, plus I got a history paper written.  It's a good thing we're leaving the country tomorrow I've only got about 3 marks left.

(It is now 9 AM and we're on the train somewhere).  I didn't exactly understand from your last letter whether you're picking me up in New York or not.  I hope I hear from you before then -- I will be back in Münster on March 14 and then on to London.  I don't want to leave but I already have.  I'm looking forward to K though.  Wow am I ever.  Please excuse this card buy my mind is functioning differently this morning.  My relationship with Mike has become past tense.  I was tired of feeling committed.  Right now I feel young and selfish and I want to find my own life.  I want to live for myself awhile with no ties holding me back.  I hope the stereo is in working order because that is one of the things I've missed the most.  Do either Roberta or Serena have headphones with theirs?  Happy Birthday, Mary!  I'm thinking about you today.  I got a letter from Roberta but I didn't have money or time to do the favor for her.  Also got a letter from cousin Joe yesterday.  I've got to get this mailed wile we're still in Germany.

Love,

Catherine

1970 Catherine's Letter -Feb.18

Wed. February 18, 1970

Dear Mother, Dad, Serena, John and Mary,

Hi!  I was hoping to hear from you all before I wrote again but it is another departure eve and nothing has arrived.  I just checked my records and found that I haven't written since I got a letter from you all last Thursday.  Things have been constantly building up to a climax here.

Paris was fantastic.  David, Bruce and JoAnn all met us here in Münster last Thursday.  (Us refers to Dick and I).  We arrived in Paris bright and early Friday morning.  We managed to crowd lots into the weekend including 3 art museums, (I avoided the Louvre, it sounded too big), the Eiffel Towel, Montmartre (sp?), lots of walking around, and Willy Boy, an American movie about Indians in 1909.  Thanks to their French we were able to find very cheap accommodations only 8 franks ($1.60) and worth about the same amount!  Ha.  But it was a place to lay our heads and that was all we needed.  The three French took off Sunday noon but Dick and I stayed to see an experimental jazz concert on Sunday evening which was well worth it.  And we were able to get the night train back and arrive only about 5 minutes late for school on Monday morning.

The week has gone somewhere and since there is no school Friday, Ann, Alan, Dick and I are taking off right after school tomorrow for Köln.  Then tomorrow night on the train, Friday in Copenhagen, another train overnighter with Saturday in Stockholm.  Back to Copenhagen or somewhere in that vicinity for Sunday as long as we can catch the Sunday night train back to Münster in time to get back to school on Monday.  So we have an entire weekend without having to put out any money for food or lodging.  It is hard to cut out some basic expenses like getting something hot to drink when we get tired of looking at museums or wandering the streets of a cold town.

Thanks for the pen.  Now I can even write notes in class without fearing I will run out of ink.  I don't know when summer vacations are going to be.  Hasn't K. sent you some sort of calendar?  I'm not really up for Mexico yet as I haven't learned Spanish.  But if you all are going somewhere at a convenient time I would definitely give the matter further consideration.

I'll admit our time in Moscow was rather pre-planned.  But since we had no knowledge of the language or what Moscow has to offer we preferred it that way.  We did have the advantage of being a small group in the off season and our guide was quite accommodating in changing our itinerary a couple of times after she found out what our interests were.  I think we were given ample time to wander around on our own plus we had evenings free.  By U.S. standards things aren't too expensive because the average Russian only makes about 130 rubles a month.  I'll explain about our fortunate money situation later.

I appreciated the letter from John, too.  Congrats on the DAR contest.

I got a letter from Ardy Munro recently.  Do you remember meeting her before we took off in her VW for San Francisco?  She wants to know how soon I can scrape up $700 to go to South Africa with her.

Next week is filled already with trips planned to Bremen, Dusseldorf (maybe two days) and possibly Hannover.  And on Saturday we head South hopefully to where there is warmth and sun.  All we've had here is snow and occasionally rain with lots of slush and generally unpleasant weather conditions.

There's a possibility you will be hearing from me again!

Love,

Catherine

1970 Catherine's Letter -Feb.7

February 7, 1970

8:45 PM

Dear Mother, Daddy, Serena, John and Mary,

This letter is like the song where the little boy tells all the terrible things about camp because he is homesick and then at then end changes his mind and says to disregard the letter.  Only I'm going to tell you at the beginning to disregard the letter because I have to be 100% better long before you even get this.

About all I've done this whole day is sleep and read the latest novel I got out of the library.  My span of concentration is only about 15 minutes so I haven't gotten much read.  It does go a little slower too because of my latest idea to improve my German.  I translate the first paragraph of every chapter into English (which isn't especially difficult) and then after a couple of hours I translate my english back into German and compare it with the original.  That is much more difficult but should improve with practice.  The other day in the library I found two German books with different titles both translated from the same English book.  Anything translated from one language to another should more accurately be called an interpretation.  It would be interesting to read the New Testament in all its 1280+ (that is a 1967 figure) languages.  Besides that how many versions are there in English alone?

You don't have to send me flowers, I'm not dying.  I'd tell you what I have but only God, the Dr. and Mütti know for sure.  It's probably some sort of the Grippe.  Mainly it is my head, which feels like it is disconnected; my stomach, which wishes it was disconnected, and my legs which get terrible cramps when I sleep.  I'm only allowed to eat certain exciting foods like oatmeal, yogurt, toast, to name a few.  It's awful when even that stuff tastes bad.  Mütti tries really hard so I do my best to force it down.  What is most disgusting is that I tried all week to get lots of sleep & eat all my proper nutrients so I could go to Amsterdam this weekend.  We don't have any school on Monday because of it being Rose Monday.  The Dr. and Mütti agree that by then I may even be well enough to go downstairs and watch TV.  I feel like I'm about five years old with everybody telling me what to eat and what to do.  I can't really argue though because nothing is going to stop me from going to Paris next weekend to meet David.  I got another letter from him today and he wants me to travel with him in March which sounds really exciting as he is going all sorts of exciting places like the Prague and Budapest.  The only hangup is that I've already made plans with Ann and I decided that was best.  Now I'm giving it second thoughts and at least I can talk it over with him next weekend.  I'll probably end up still going with Ann.

I also got a letter from Dave Roeltgen today (after a whole week of only two letters -- one from you and one Mike -- it was quite cheering to get four letters today, and none were from you or Mike.  It got my mind off feeling sorry for myself for a little while and that is about 75% of the problem).  The lovebug has really hit him -- he has been going with the same girl for going on five months now.  If he can work it into his plans we may be able to get together when I pass through New York on March 21.  I don't think I've seen him since two years ago when I was in NY for the Urban Affairs Conference.

I'd also like to go to Florida to visit my friends there.  Pete Cheney is working in Winter Park and I haven't heard from Marianne since (????).  That will be another vacation though as now I'm just looking forward to coming home.

Wednesday was our tour through the brewery.  It wasn't too exciting as it was in German which I didn't have a chance to not understand because I couldn't hear.  Afterwards we got sandwiches cigarettes and all the beer we could drink.  After about two hours some of the group had gotten down around 16 beers and even I had drunk enough to get slightly high -- a state I don't often reach because I don't like to drink that much.  Getting stoned sounds much more appealing to me although I haven't yet had the courage to try it.

Afterwards I went to see "Battle of Britain" at the British Theater.  War movies are just as monotonous as I remembered.  It was rather strange to be in Germany watching England defeat the Germans though.  The next night I went to see "Around the Mulberry Bush" in the English Dept. at the University.  I would classify it as more entertaining although I have now had my fill of movies for another three months.

Mike is busy getting ready to go on choir tour to California in March and filling out CO [conscientious objector as this was the height of the draft for the Vietnam War] forms.  He has supplies for summer work with Upjohn (don't ask me as what) and also with Civil Service in Chicago.  He may be able to come to Kalamazoo in April during the last part of his vacation but it is rather doubtful he will have time so I'm not going to count on it.

Just writing to you has made me feel better.  And pretty soon I'll be tired enough to go to sleep.  It's nice to go to sleep but I always hate getting up again because it is usually meal time and that is repulsive.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours cutting out stuff from magazines to make a valentine for Mike.  Ann and I also bought some red paper to make Valentines for everyone in the class.  On Friday we're going to have an old fashioned Valentines Party in class like I remember from old New Vienna School Days.  What I should have is one of those make-your-own Valentine kits like Grandma used to send us.  Foreign study may be a period of regressing but it's fun.

I'm fed up to about three feet above my ears with history.  I haven't studied hardly any since I got home from Moscow.  The only thing I find enthusing is that there are only three weeks of the class left.  I've done a little research on my paper which I'm doing on how some of the cities in Germany were affected by the bombing during the last war.  The most interesting part is looking at the before and after pictures but that doesn't get much of a paper written.

Gee, do I miss my typewriter.  The typewriter also has the added advantage of conserving good BIC pen ink.  Goodnight.

Love,
Catherine

1970 Catherine's Letter -Feb.3

February 3, 1970

11 PM Tuesday

Dear Mother, Dad, Serena, John & Mary,

Hi!  I'm sure you understand that the reason I haven't written lately is because I never go anywhere or do anything so there is nothing new to write.  (The previous sentence applies only the the last five minutes since I sat down to write this letter.)

To go back in time a ways, I had a good time visiting Sue and her husband Steve, in Erlangen.  He is from Portland, Oregon where they will be moving when he gets out of the army in July.  Sue and Steve are very much in love and everyone seems happy about the marriage except Sue's parents who refuse to accept Steve and haven't told any of the other relatives that she is married.  Hopefully time will improve the situation.  Steve has been in the Erlangen area for two years so I met alot of their German friends as well as army friends.  Meeting all the Americans who speak English, had English books lying around, and all sorts of American food that they buy on the base -- it was almost like being in the states again.  I even got to drink a glass of kool-aid.  Sue and Steve have only one room to live, eat, and sleep in but they are hoping to move into an apartment in March.  Sue does the cooking on a hot plate, he keeps the coal stove (most apartments are heated by a coal stove, too) going, and the dishes get washed in the bathroom sink.  I was able to stay in Sue's old dorm room which she had leased until February 1.

I took an overnight train to Hannover, flew Pan-Am to W. Berlin and the 13 of us met at a travel bureau there.  Ann had been in Munich for the weekend but she stopped in Münster on the way to Berlin and brought me a letter from Mike and a nice birthday card from Grandma.  I haven't decided yet what to do with the money she sent me.

A bus took us through the wall and over to the East Berlin airport which is the deadest airport I've ever seen.  Our propellor plane to Moscow was pretty dilapidated but there were also double winged, 12 passenger planes which I understand are still in use.  Customs going into the U.S.S.R. wasn't too bad -- they checked one or two of our group's luggage and let the rest of us on through.  The Moscow airport was the next to the deadest I've ever seen.  Especially when one considers it is the 5th largest city in the world.  [now the 19th largest metro area per wikipedia]   Our guide Nonne, a lady of about 35, met us at the airport along with a bus which took us the 17 miles into town.  The flight took 2¾ hours and there was a time change of two hours so we had a short day.

We stayed at the Hotel Metropole which was very centrally located and even had heat in the rooms.  The meals (3 large ones per day) were also fantastic.  I especially liked the Borsch soup and some kind of drink which was slightly carbonated but not sweet like soda pop and came in assorted fruit flavors.

Our first night there we walked over to Red Square and then the 1¼ mile around the Kremlin and saw the changing of the guard at Lenin's tomb.  I certainly felt sorry for the guards standing still for an hour in the bitter cold.

Every place we went during the days the bus took us.  Fortunately, it was also heated.  We got a tour of the city, saw the University, where all the students are paid to study.  We saw the steam on top of the heated swimming pool.  I guess the water is comfortable but even the men are required to wear swimming caps so their hair won't freeze.  Saw and did all sorts of other things which I don't really feel like elaborating on at the moment but everything is written down in my diary so I can tell you about it when I get home.

It was also quite interesting just to talk to our guide.

And there I was in Moscow on my 21st birthday.  It was rather frightening to wake up that morning and suddenly discover I'm a genuine grown-up and fully responsible for all my own actions.  So far everything seems to be going about the same.  It was rather a low blow though when that very day Nonne (our guide, who didn't even know it was my birthday) told me I looked 15.

On Friday afternoon we retraced our path from Moscow to E. Berlin to W. Berlin to Hannover.  Dick and I had decided to spend the weekend in Hamburg so we jumped on a train for there.  But we got there too late to get in the youth hostel so we just stayed on the train and did an overnighter to Copenhagen.  We spent part of Saturday walking around there, even ran into two other K kids, and then headed back to Hamburg.  It's kind of neat because the train goes on a ferry for two hours and you can get off the train and walk around on the boat.  We saw the streets of Hamburg on Saturday night (I wouldn't want too much of that) and two museums on Sunday.  The Youth Hostel is on a hill overlooking the harbor which was nice too.  But it was most exciting to come back home again.  If coming home to Münster is exciting after being gone for 9 days, I can hardly imagine coming home home after six months.

It was nice to find the big birthday card from you all -- my living hasn't reached quite that level of graciousness yet.  And thanks also to Serena for her much appreciated letter.  The bathing suit arrived yesterday and I thank you for such prompt service.  I was also glad to get your letter today and hear the latest news.  The money is also appreciated although not necessary.  At the moment I have 75 DM, $250 travelers checks, $60.75 cash, 12 kopeks (worthless since I won't be going back to Russia for awhile), 40 pfennings from E. Germany, 20 centavos from Portugal (also both worthless), 3 pesetas which I can use in Spain and 21.95 Gilders which I will be using this weekend in Amsterdam.  That should be enough to get me quite comfortably back to New Vienna.

Yes, I am glad I got the Eurorail pass.  Whenever I am lost, bored, tired, or want to go somewhere I just jump on the train and relax.  Ann and I are going down to southern Spain during vacation.  You can reach me March 1-10 ℅ Poste Restantes (Gen. Delivery), Malaga, Spain; March 13 the American Express in Paris; March 15 at home here, and from then until March 20 at American Express in London.  (I'll send you the address later.)  I will probably be flying into New York on the big 747 on Saturday, March 21.  It leaves London at 11 AM and hopefully arrives in New York at 12:45.  What airlines can I get stand-by to Columbus or are they all ⅔ now?  How much will that cost?  Could you also please check on bus connections and costs.  As usual I will need a dentist appointment sometime that week.  School starts on March 30.

Mütti gave me a green sweater with yellow trim for my birthday.  It goes well with my brown skirt.  Mike sent me some yellow & orange & red beads which he made himself.  I'd also like to ask one more favor of you all.  I live in constant dread that this pen is going to run out of ink so I think one more would definitely see me through March 22.

Thanks for guiding me the last 21 years!

Love,
Catherine

1970 Catherine's Letter -Jan.22

January 22, 1970

Dear Mother, Dad, (Roberta), Serena, John, and Mary,

To add a little interest to my letter I'l give you a variation on both color and format.  Your letter of the 16th arrived today.  It does seem as if the mail is moving slower -- but maybe not, I just noticed it is postmarked in New Vienna on the 19th.  Since this is the eve of another trip it may be awhile before you hear from me again. I got a letter from Sue [currently known as Susie, some of you have met her], who is now Frau Steven Durham, so I'm taking the train to Erlangen tomorrow to visit her and her husband.  I don't think any of her family came to the wedding but I'm not too well informed.  I'm looking forward to meeting him and talking to her.  I saw her last in January last year at Kalamazoo.  Sunday night I'll be on the train to Hannover where I fly to Berlin.   After that I only know that I fly back to Berlin on Friday.  It will probably be the only 21st birthday I spend in Moscow.

School is unbelievably boring.  I've even begun reading my German dictionary in history class and I used to do that only in German class.  Everyone seems to have lost interest entirely.  Hopefully we can make it through the four weeks after Moscow.  I'm still working on my German.  It seems as my listening and reading comprehension has gone up,  my speaking abilities have deteriorated.  Probably to any use I would put German in the states the latter is less important, but it is rather frustrating at the moment.

Butterbrot is a stable of the German diet.  Literally translated it is butter-bread.  We have it every night for supper.  It all starts with the bread, usually thin brown, but it also comes in white, black and roll form.  The next stage is the butter (margarine) and then a slice of bologna, cheese, liver-paste or other things of that order.  For supper it doesn't have a top and is eaten with a knife and a fork.  I can now eat as well with my left hand as with my right.  When we go away Mütti always fixes us a bag with butter brots (only with tops so they are more similar to sandwiches) and fruit.

I'm glad Roberta likes her job.  How about Vanessa?  As for boots, I still have the ones I brought over and they are going so strong they will probably be good for another five years.  Actually, I'm thinking of moving somewhere that I never need boots.  Why should I live somewhere cold when are so many warm places?  I may be at Kalamazoo next winter.  If I become a German major (I'm not committing myself until I've had some more courses) I might have to stay on campus to make sure I get all the courses I need.  But maybe I could take come classes at another school.

I'm not working at the library this quarter as I'm trying to put in as much time as possible reading -- usually alternating between the German Readers Digest and books.  I've gone through a couple novels but I've found I can't get involved in any book I pick up like I can in English.  The story has to be pretty fast moving or I get lost in the vocabulary.  Hopefully as I get more used to reading German and my vocabulary improves it will get easier to read about anything.

It's after I get back that I may need to be advanced some funds.  I'm not sure whether I'll be able to and/or if I want to work for Saga.  And if I got a part time job somewhere else I might be tied down during vacations.  I'm giving the matter some thought.

I went to church Sunday and even took part in Communion service.  Instead of having the juice in individual cups like in N.V. there is a big gold container which the ministers holds and  kind of pours it down you.

Assuming I return (or don't freeze) from Moscow, I'll send you all the details.

Love,
Catherine

P.S.  Could you please send my bathing suit?  Vatti always appreciates the stamps.

1970 Catherine's Letter -Jan.17

January 17, 1970

7:30 AM

Dear Mother, Dad, Roberta, Serena, John and Mary,

Hi!  Your letter of January 11-12 arrived yesterday.  Thanks too for sending the letter from Grandma, the clippings and the stamps for Vati.  I am enclosing the stamp from Grandma's letter.  I don't envy you the weather.  Ugh!  It sounds awful.  Maybe I will get to come home on one of those big planes.

I have seen no National Geographics over here.  The public library gets "Life" but they are always about two months behind.  Ann and I usually buy a "Time" so we can keep up with what is going on in the United States.  An article for you all to read is in the January issue of "Psychology Today".  It is on affluence and is written by Jean Mayer, a nutritionist.

How does Roberta like NCR?  Are they commuting from Sabina?  Now that Mary is learning to print I will be expecting a letter from her, too.  John, I'd be interested in reading your theme on Americanism.  In our history course we've been discussing the differences between nationalism, patriotism and whether historians distort history to fit their purposes.  Serena have you joined Candy Stripers yet?  Is my uniform still around or did I give it away?  You all will probably know more about German geography than I do.

Is Weegie engaged to Wayne?  Really, Mother you shouldn't neglect such an important detail.  I can kind of understand how Patty feels.  Alot of kids over here are depressed too.  As for me, I have put in too much work now to think of quitting.  Besides, I'm almost through, with this phase anyway.  I'm not sure what the future holds but I would rather face it with the education behind me.

I am really loaded with German marks right now.  I changed a bunch of money yesterday as we have to pay for Moscow on Monday.  it costs 339 DM and that includes transportation (air) from East Berlin to Moscow & back, room & meals there, and guided tours in Moscow.  I don't think it is too unreasonable but I certainly couldn't afford to go every week!

Vati got a slide projector for Christmas so we saw slides last night of the Völker's '69 vacation in Yugoslavia.  Also saw some that Rosie took of our trip.  Rosie and I signed up to room together next quarter in DeWaters.  It's funny how Rosie and I get along really well and also Alan and I do.  But Rosie and Alan together is constant clash.  Of course, traveling together the way we did provided lots of opportunity for clash.  Alan is very logical and everything he does has its plan and purpose while Rosie tends to lean in the other direction.

I got a Christmas card yesterday from Carol Tapella.  She was my best friend at SIU -- remember?  She mailed it December 20 but it didn't have enough postage to come air mail.  She is still going to U of I.  Other than that, a letter from Mike, and the one from you I hadn't gotten any other mail.  Last quarter the mail was about the most important part of my life.  It's still nice but I found that I can live without it.  Maybe that is a sign of better adaption to my environment.  I've been trying to write one or two letters every morning to get caught up on all the people I owe letters too.

My regards to all --

Love,

Catherine

1970 Catherine's Letter -Jan.11

5:30 PM January 11, 1970

Münster, Germany

Dear Mother, Dad, Serena, John and Mary,

Hi!  Right now I wish you were here or I was there or we had some better means of communication as everything just wants to come spurting out and in no logical or coherent order.  I think maybe I'll try chronological order from when I last wrote you, and if I recall correctly that was from Ibiza somewhere around the second or third of January.

Funeral services were not held for my BIC pen which was discarded after giving forth a final spurt of ink.  We stayed in Ibiza a total of about six days and I really liked it.  Alan and I may go back there in March but we've made no definite plans yet.  There are all sorts of neat places where the rocks just drop off into the Mediterranean, the Spanish women still wear the long floor length black dresses, and really surprising was that I remember enough Spanish to be able to communicate a little.  At least I had a vague feeling for the pronunciation and I could read phrases from a German-Spanish phrase book I'd brought along to ask things like "Where is the post office?"  Serena, how is your Spanish coming?  If nothing else I got to be a master of saying "no comprendo".  I decided I would definitely like to go to Mexico and South America but first I'm going to learn alot more language.  One day we took the bus over to San Antonio, the tourist center of the island on the north side.  The town Ibiza, where the boat landed and we stayed is on the south side.  There were alot more high class appearing hotels but being off season they were all closed.  There also wasn't as much garbage (orange peels, bottles, etc.) on the streets and along the shore as in Ibiza.

We got the boat back to Alicante Monday night.  It's an overnight trip and we managed fairly well in our second class cabin.  They also have1st & 3rd class cabins and 4th class chairs.  From Alicante we caught the train to Madrid.  It was an all day trip with the train averaging 30 miles an hour.  Rosie stayed in Madrid and Alan and I after 1½ hours in that lovely city -- we did see a fountain that really turned Alan on, it had a revolving base with the water spurting out of it creating an interesting affect.  Anyway, because we spent so long in Ibiza, Alan and I were forced to sacrifice Madrid for the sake of Lisbon.

So after an all day train ride we jumped back on the train for an all nighter.  We both slept fairly well as we were the only ones in the compartment and we arrived in "Sunny" Portugal about 9:30 AM.  It was raining.  The stations always seem to be crowded with friendly little men asking if you need a room.  After we did so well in Rome we tried again in Lisbon and found a place where the rates suited our tastes.  No one spoke English at all.  There was one guy whose total English vocabulary was "Ima sorry Madame."   It sounded kind of funny when he said it to Alan.  We even ate a couple of meals there and Portuguese food isn't bad.  Of course after Butterbrot and more Butterbrots anything different tastes good.  I'm sure every place we went would have been better if we had heat.  We did alot of walking in Lisbon and got wet, even though Alan has a large blue and white striped golf umbrella which always attracts alot of attention.  It didn't rain the whole time we were there; only an average of five out of every six minutes.  We didn't see as much as we could have as we both lacked the motivation, energy and desire to spend too much time out of the room.  It wasn't any warmer there but at least it was only damp instead of wet.

With a fresh supply of Butterbrot and oranges we left Lisbon at 2:45 Friday afternoon headed for Paris a short 26 hour train ride.  Our compartment wasn't completely full -- there was one empty seat.  There was a French couple with a really cute baby and that livened up the prospect of our long journey a little.  Unfortunately after a few hours it got dark and also cold as there was no heat.  It has to rate as one of the longest nights of my life.  Alan and the French man stretched out as best they could on one side, the wife and the baby and I shared the other side.  I lasted about 5 minutes in the seat and then I stretched out on the floor which I had all to myself.  That was good except it was cold and drafty and my coat just wasn't big enough or warm enough.  What I needed was about 10 wool blankets.  The night finally ended and we met Rosie again whose train had been hooked on to ours during the night.  I was exhausted but I decided to wait until we got to Paris and I had a bed to lay my poor body down.  I even tried to choke some Butterbrot down but by this time my system was rebelling and although I still felt OK everything I ate just went right through me so it was kind of a waste of effort and energy to eat.  At 4:30 we arrived in Paris, a city I am sure I will never forget.

We took the METRO to some place where they recommend cheap hotels in an area where you want to stay.  We had to be near the North train station (Paris only has 7 station) as our train for Münster left at 7:30 this morning.  We were standing in front of this place, that is Alan and I were, while Rosie made the arrangements.  I remember telling Alan that my stomach was sending violent hunger signals and then my head got all foggy, everything got all whirly, there was a tremendous noise of Niagara Falls in my ears and I could no longer see or hear Alan.  It was the worst experience of my life.  Here I was blind and deaf in Paris.  I remember trying to step in the direction that I remembered Alan was in and I felt my knees give out beneath me.  The next thing I can remember is sitting on the bed in our hotel with a sandwich in my hand.  Yes, it was a good old repulsive Butterbrot that brought me through.  While I was out of it -- Alan had caught me when my knees gave out -- Rosie got us a hotel, they dragged me into the taxi and somehow we got to the hotel.  I was a little surprised to find us there and I felt really bad for having let them down.  The whole trip until then I had been the specimen of health.  I'll never forget Paris and I hope nothing like that ever happens to me again.

It was a short 7 hour zip trip from Paris to Münster and what a joy to be home again.  Home, where I can understand what is said to me, and to be able to take a bath with hot water, a bed, a heater, and meals -- the kind you eat at a table with a knife and a fork.  Wow, am I ever thankful to be here.

It was nice to find mail and your package.  Dad, I was hoping you would send a diary as the old one ran out about 11 days ago for some strange reason.  I'm already making good use of the pen.  Mother, the pants-skirt fits perfectly and goes right with my entire wardrobe.  Thank you both.  The Völker's also said for me to give you there heartfelt thanks for the placemats.  The Germans don't seem to have an equivalent so it was quite original on your part to send them.

Coming back here has also brought its responsibilities.  It wasn't all idyllic and utopia.  After three weeks of traveling with Rosie and Alan I realized how little I know Mike.  And what am I doing getting serious about someone I don't know?  Also, I'm afraid he sees me floating around in the clouds like an Angel which I'm obviously not.  Especially since I usually do my best to be a more logical down-to-earth person.  Anyway I have to write to him in the very near future and attempt to get things straightened out.

I was feeling pretty confident of my German after telling Mütti and Vatti about my trip but then Max (the German army guy I've gone out with a few times) called and babbled to me on the telephone for about 15 minutes about what he had done for the last three weeks.  At least I assume that was what he said as I finally gave up trying to understand.  The telephone is an instrument I'm better off without.

Alan has been encouraging me to go into nutrition so I have been considering that again.  I think I would like to finish at K first though.  Alan is a chemistry major and one of the most intelligent people I have ever known.  He makes me feel pretty uninformed in about any area.  He is very attached to his family and quite anxious to get back to Michigan.

Which brings me to the subject of my returning in March.  I can fly to New York on March 22, 23, 24 (Sunday-Tuesday).  Shall I plan to fly from there to Columbus?

I'm glad you all had a good trip to Florida and back.  I was also glad to find a Christmas card from Roberta.  Please convey my thanks and I will try to answer all correspondence in about 5 years when I recuperate form my present state of exhaustion.

I got your letters in Rome and Nice but not in Paris Madrid.  Rosie checked and said there was nothing for me so it evidently hadn't arrived.  Even if it had she wouldn't have been able to get it as one must present his passport in person in order to obtain mail.  It should be forwarded here after 30 days.  I also managed to miss letters from Mike in Nice and Lisbon.

I saw the play "Oliver" in New York at one time.  Was that with you?  I didn't like it because it didn't match the book which has a sad ending.

Good night, dear family, I am now about to collapse into bed.

Love,

Catherine

1969 Catherine's Letter -Dec.19

Friday, Dec. 19, 1969

11:30 AM

Dear Mother, Dad, Serena, John, Mary, Grandma, Aunt Mary, Uncle Bill, Marianne, Cris, and Rob,

Hi!  This is the last letter I'm going to write until January 12 so don't throw it away.  Save it and reread it every 3 days or so whenever you're wondering where I am or what I'm doing.  I'll probably be riding on a train somewhere between leaving Münster and arriving back.  My Rucksack is all packed -- in addition to what I'm wearing (a pair of slacks and a sweater) I'm taking another sweater, another slacks, a skirt, sleeping sack for hostels, pajamas, towel, washcloth, assorted soap & shampoo, and a book to read Die Sterne Blicken Herab [The Stars Look Down] by A.J. Cronin.  I also have a bag of food to take but I doubt seriously if there will be enough to last 3 weeks. . . .  The train leaves in a little over two hours, so all I have to do is eat lunch and catch the bus to the station.

We had a really nice Christmas celebration the other night.  We had fondue (?) for dinner.  I'm not sure if that is the correct name but it was little chunks of meat which we put on sticks and cooked over the little fire right on the table.  There were all sorts of relishes and sauces to go on them along with bread, cheese, and pickles.  It was really yummy.  The dessert alone would have been enough to satisfy me, for it was fresh fruit with whipped cream.

Mütti then stuck Ann and I in the kitchen to dry the dishes and when she called us out again it was if Santa Claus himself had found us.  She had made us both dresses -- identical except mine is a little longer since I'm 4 inches taller, and we got matching baby-doll pajamas, dressy purses (mine silver, Ann's black), handkerchiefs (we're always using Mutti's paper towels or toilet paper for kleenex), beer mugs, candy, cookies, and I got a little umbrella that opens up pretty big, and a heavy blue sweater which I'm wearing today.  I also got to open the package from Mike which was a beautiful book full of poems and photographs, Tender Bough.  It was a really nice Christmas, I suffered my little bit of homesickness, and now I'm just raring to cover Europe.  It'l probably be up to me to keep our group spirits up on the actual Christmas day as Rosie and Alan are already getting down in the dumps about it.

My time here is half up but I think the second half is going to go flying past about twice as fast as the first which has gone fast enough.  Dr. Spaltmann, the director, is already making arrangements for the arrival of the spring group on Good Friday.  I told Mutti she wouldn't need to take anybody from the new group, I would stay here.  Much as I would like to, I'm also anxious to get back to Kalamazoo and it might be difficult to do both.  It seems a pity that we have to be here while it is so freezing cold and then leave as Spring begins.

It's time to eat.  I hope you all have good holidays and that you, too, enjoy the next decade!

Love,

Catherine

1969 Catherine's Letter -Dec.16

December 16, 1969

Dear Mother, Dad, Roberta, Serena, John & Mary,

Hi!  It seems like everyday I put off writing to you because I figure the next day I'll hear from you.  However there aren't a great number of "next" days left before I leave.  I'm sure you are pretty rushed and the mail is also probably bogged down.

Things are pretty much in full swing here.  I finished my art paper over the weekend so all I have left is the exam tomorrow.  I wrote the paper on Oskar Kokoschka, an early German expressionist who started painting about 1910.  My favorite is one he did in 1954 called "Thermopylae" from Greek mythology and another "The Power (or Might) of Music."  He also did alot of cities and portraits.

Max, the German soldier, was home this past weekend so I spent some time with him -- mainly watching TV or listening to records and I got some Christmas cards written while he repaired a radio.

Ann's mother sent her two boxes of pizza (there's a specialty store that sells it here or you can buy it pre-made at the Am. army base) so we made them up with lots of good German cheese and Salami.  The two American guys down the street helped us eat them instead of the usual Butterbrot last night for supper.

We also had a birthday party for Alan last night.  Rosie and I made a chocolate cake which turned out better than the one Ann & I made.  Alan was 21 today so he stayed home from school to celebrate.

Ann and I went down town and finished our Christmas shopping this afternoon as tomorrow is our Christmas here at home.  I also got a rucksack to carry my extra set of clothes during the next three weeks.

I got a Christmas card from Aunt Mary today.  Gee, Joe is over on this side of the ocean by now.  Maybe I'll see him in March when we're both back on that side.

December 17, 1969

About 1:30 last night I gave up trying to finish this.  I got a letter from you all today.  Thanks for the Spanish money.  I'll try to put it to good use.  Sounds like you had a good birthday dinner, Mother.  Sorry I couldn't be there.  Also glad the Christmas program went well, John.

Art exam is over, so only one more day of school and we scatter over Europe!  As somebody said in school this morning, "Tomorrow we leave Münster, Michigan for Europe."  After we get back we have only 5 weeks of school.  We (about 13 of us) will probably be going to Moscow the week of Jan 24 and then school is over February 27 or 28.  I hope to go to Scandinavia and then over to Ireland and Gr. Britain.

Sue Steusloff is getting married in Erlangen on January 10 so I may leave Lisbon a day earlier to go to her wedding.

It sounds like you got an interesting card from Mike.  I think he's coming to K in May and then I'll be going back with him for graduation.  His chances for grad (law) school next fall may be, or probably are shot as his draft number is 24.

I hear quite often from Dave R., too.  But there seems to be another girl in his life.  She must be pretty special because he mentions her almost as much as the football and hockey.

Got to go jump on my frozen Fahrrad and pedal madly into town.  Otherwise I'd freeze too!

Love,

Catherine 

1969 Catherine's Postcard to GHU -Dec.13

Dec. 13, 1969

Merry Christmas, Grandma!

I'm not dreaming of the white Christmases I used to know because it is cold enough here.  It does seem a little strange that I will be in Italy or some "foreign" country outside of Germany on Christmas Day.  I bought a beautiful dictionary with your Christmas money.  It's beautiful, but very frustrating because it is jam packed with German.  Ugh!  Even now there are people babbling German around me -- at least it is easier to shut them out and concentrate on writing.  On Thursday our group went to Essen.  Essen and the nearby Ruhr area have around 12 million people.  The Christmas lights are fantastic.  Starting Friday until March 18 I can ride the trains 1st class for free.  No place in western Europe is beyond our reach.  Happy holidays!

Love, Catherine

1969 Catherine's letter to Serena -Dec.9

December 9, 1969

Tuesday noon

Dear Serena,

Hi!  I was glad to get your card with the German influence even though it seems a bit early to start celebrating my birthday.

I only have 7 more days of school until I take off for my Christmas travels.  Wow!  But I have to finish my art paper, take a German test and one in Art, write a bunch of Christmas cards . . . .  I'm sure not running low on things to do.

I got a letter today from you all which was mailed on December 6 so the service is pretty quick.  It's too bad you have to keep going to the orthodontist.  I hope somebody ate a nutted-cheese sandwich for me.  Tell Mother thanks for the necklace.  I'm sorry I forgot to mention it earlier.  I haven't had a chance to wear it yet, my pullover sweaters don't do anything for it.  There wasn't much strain between the Semmlers and me at all.  At least if there was I wasn't aware of it.  I sent them a post card when I got back from Amsterdam thanking them for my visit.

I think I mentioned earlier about the Dutchman (Dr.) who gave us a ride coming home from Amsterdam and took us out to dinner in return for the hospitality he had received in America.  I got a letter from him yesterday.  He'll feed us and show us around if we come to Rotterdam so we're hoping to go in February.  I haven't used my Eurail Pass yet.  It will start on Dec. 19 and will be good until midnight March 18.

Although it snows or rains about everyday here, yesterday it stuck to the ground for the first time and I remembered I had brought my boots along.  I'm glad I remembered as packed inside were some socks I had forgotten about.  So now maybe I can buy the dictionary with the money Grandma sent me.  I hate to buy it though as then I have to take it home and I don't need more to carry.  Plans are already being made for traveling in March and flying back to U.S.

This afternoon I'm going downtown to get new heels put on my shoes.  And then I'll probably go to "Die Brücke" and work some.

The cake we made for Klause turned out ok but nothing extra.  It was a box mix and although similar to U.S. (made by Kraft foods) it was heavier -- it didn't rise.  They don't have birthday candles here either so we stuck in 4 big candles.

Is Roberta still working at Donut Shop?  How is Mary?  When do you get out of school?

I better bundle up and start toward town or I won't get everything done.

Love,

Catherine

P.S.  Please write again soon even if you don't have a birthday card to send.

Münster

Sunday, December 7 [1969]

Dear Mother, Dad, Serena, John and Mary,

Hi!  I hope this doesn't come too late, but Mother:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

My thoughts will be with you on Thursday.

I've been getting kind of behind in letter writing lately.  John and Serena should both be getting letters soon as you are high on my list.

The biggest news is that Flo Sheehy (my good friend in Kalamazoo) had a baby girl and although she was a month and a half premature both mother and daughter are doing well.

I got some money from Grandma for Christmas.  Immediately thought of the dictionary and Mütti even quicker thought of boots but as of right now I still have the money.

We've gotten some of our train reservations although one train from Basel to Luzerne was already filled up.  Hopefully we can get a later train on the same day.  Alan figured out that we will be traveling 9250 km or 5700 miles on the trains.  Three weeks of trains and more trains!

Thursday afternoon Ann and I made more Rice Krispie-Marshmallow things to take to school.  Our cooking talents are overwhelming!  They don't have birthday cakes here, or anything that tastes like birthday cake because fresh stuff like that isn't healthy or something.  There is an abundance of Küchen that is much like coffee cake.  Usually only eaten around here on Saturday or Sunday with Koffee.  Klause (our 15-year-old brother) had his nameday yesterday and we're going to make a real birthday cake for him tomorrow.

Yesterday was St. Nicolous (sp?) day and he came around on Friday night to make sure the children have been good this year.  If they haven't they get taken away in his bag.  I'm still here and he left me a bag of nuts and cookies so I guess my behavior has been acceptable.

Today I went with Mütti and Vatti first to Paderborn where Mütti's younger sister and her family live.  (She has two sisters, 31 and 21 -- she is 41).  They have daughters 10 and 8 and a son 6.  I had a good time playing and talking with them except sometimes they would get excited and start spurting out Deutsch faster than I could take it in.  The 10 year old has started this year to learn English.  Then we went to Stukenbrock a little ways north of P.  That is where Mütti's parents live.

I have been invited to a wedding in Erlangen on January 10 but I'm not sure who is getting married so I'll send you details later.

I read today where the first 25 & 50 pf Woolworth Store was opened in Berlin in 1927.

Good night.  Gee, here it is about midnight and you guys are just eating supper.  I'm glad it's midnight here though because in another hour or so I'll be tired enough to go to sleep.

Love,

Catherine

1969 Catherine's Letter -Dec.2

Münster, Tuesday

December 2, 1969

Dear Mother, Dad, Roberta, Serena, John and Mary,

Hi!  I was glad to get yor letter today including the one from Grandma and the clippings.

I'm glad you had a nice Thanksgiving.  Our banquet went pretty well.  The hotel manager's wife is a 24-year-old American from Kettering, Ohio, so she knew a little about traditional Thanksgiving dinners.  The parents all seemed to enjoy themselves.  We supplied a little entertainment, singing, etc.

The big news is that we finally have our itinerary finished for Christmas.  We have to go to the Bahnhof (train station) and reserve all our first class tickets yet and also write to the youth hostels for reservations and on the 19th we take off.  Since we are required to check every 48 hours for messages I will give you the addresses:

[See details on the scanned letter for the details which include Lucerne, Switzerland; Vienna, Austria; Rome and Florence Italy; Nice, France; Ibiza, Spain; Madrid, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal.]

And then on Sunday [Jan.11, 1970] we'll be back home.  The AE stands for American Express Office.  It took us a couple hours to get all the train schedules figured out and getting over to Ibiza by boat.

I was really glad to get the pen.  It sure makes writing alot more pleasant.  I haven't written hardly any letters the last few days.  Not only do I have other things to do but I just haven't been in a letter writing mood.  If you'd like a few statistics I received 45 letters in November, 11 of which were from you all, Joe or Grandma.  That compares with 34 letters in October with 8 from you all & Joe.  In October I spent 360.5 DM and in November 238.56.  The difference is about one week in Berlin.

I've been working at "Die Brücke" about 3 afternoons a week.  I enjoy working there as Frau Völlmer helps me with German, I can more or less choose what I want to do, and it gives me a chance to ride my Fahrrad [bicycle]-- as otherwise it is too cold to budge out of the house.  It is now pitch dark between 4:15 and 4:30 PM.

The department stores downtown have pretty big grocery stores but mostly there are alot of stores about twice the size of Sweeney's with about the same variety of stuff.  there are also lots of specialty shops -- butcher, bakery.  Most close between 12 and 3 every day and all of Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.  The closest thing to an American 5 and 10¢ store is a Woolworths, which is exactly like Woolworth's in the U.S. except the prices are in German.  Also for some strange reason the sales clerks speak German.

I've been getting old Herald-Tribunes from "die Brücke" so now although I'm always about 5 days behind I have some idea what is going on in the world  I really like the paper.

Gee, I hope I have a stamp to mail this.  Write soon and send me your christmas plans!

Love, Catherine

1969 Catherine's Letter to John -Dec.1

Münster, Germany     December 1, 1969

Dear John,

Hi!  I was really glad to get your letter and also the stamps.  They will be nice to give Vatti for Christmas.  I'm sure he would appreciate canceled stamps too so if you have any from jack letters you might send them.  So far I have spent 10.35 DM (~$3.00) on stamps for you and I'm sure there are plenty I haven't sent you yet.  Maybe I can get you some over Christmas from some other countries.  I will be traveling through Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.  It's a good thing we have three weeks to do it in.

Sunday morning I went to the Evangelistic Church which is about as far away from home as the Methodist Church is in New Vienna.  Unfortunately I was a little late as I didn't go until 11:00 and the services began at 9:45.  I was in time for Sunday School but it is only for kids your age or younger.  I did go back in the evening for a special Advent music service.  It was nice except I should have sat nearer the candles (the only source of heat).  It's pretty bad when you sit in your coat and gloves and are still cold.

In the schools here children must decide when they are 10 years old whether they want to go to the University.  If they do they go to one school which lasts until they are 20 before they start in the university.  Otherwise they go to a vocational or special trade school and are finished at 17 or 18.  Before starting the Univ. they study German (of course), 7 years of English, 4 years of both French and Latin, and also math, science, and history.  Sounds like fun doesn't it?

Tell Serena I will be answering her letter soon.  I was also glad to hear from Mrs. Walker again.  My love to everyone.

Love, Catherine

1969 Catherine's Letter -Nov.26

Münster, Wednesday

November 26, 1969

Dear Mother, Daddy, Serena, John, and Mary,

Hi!  Please excuse the time lapse between letters but after spending the weekend in Amsterdam it has taken me awhile to get readjusted to ordinary life.  Amsterdam was really fantastic.  Rosie, Dick Hall (he's from Kalamazoo) and I hitchhiked.  Rosie and I got picked up within 5 minutes and got a ride straight to Amsterdam so we were there about 3:30 Friday afternoon.  (We left at noon right after school.)  Dick joined us at the youth hostel about two hours later.  The hostel was similar to the larger ones in the states and swarming with kids -- mostly American and Canadian.  I really enjoyed Amsterdam only too bad we didn't have longer.  We squeezed in a boat tour of canals, two museums, the Flea Market, and lots of walking.

To go back a little further in history thanks for the wallet and the cash.  The Semmler's were very nice and made me feel right at home.  The daughter Yulla (sp?) and her friend met us at the station.  She will study nursing in Münster next year.  They send you their greetings and said they enjoyed meeting you although they were a little surprised that you trusted gifts with people you hardly knew.  They live in a four room apartment and asked me lots of questions about America, our house, car, etc.

It's time to go to school now, more later.

11:15PM
Hi again!  I thought maybe I'd get a letter from you all today but I didn't.  I can't complain because this is an answer to the last two I've gotten from you.  Here it is Thanksgiving Eve and I'm answering a letter which you wrote on Halloween!  Dad, my money seems to be disappearing painlessly enough so I doubt if I will find it necessary to make any phone calls.

I mailed your Christmas package yesterday so I hope you get it by Easter.  HA!  It will be interesting to see how long it does take without airmail.  By chance if it does arrive before Christmas, please take the gifts out of the box as I went to extra effort to wrap them!  As for me, please don't send me anything as I would just have to bring it home.  There are a couple things I'd like but they can wait until March.  There is one thing I'd like now and that is the diary (see enclosure).  If it isn't possible or worth the trouble to send one just let me know and I can look for one over here.  For my Christmas in March here are some things you can think about (that also applies for my birthday) an atlas, a new set of sheets for school, another quarter at Kalamazoo, a trip to Colorado, a big German dictionary (Cassell's or Brockhouse I think are the best) if I decide to take more German after I get back.

Ann and I made Rice Krispie-Marshmallow balls this afternoon.  We found rice krispies at the third store we went to (most stores have only corn flakes) but we had to hunt everywhere for marshmallows.  We're taking them to school tomorrow as a sort of Thanksgiving celebration.  Tomorrow night is the big banquet for our families -- I think we're even going to have Turkey.

I've been putting in a few hours a week working at "Die Brücke" library.  I enjoy it even though as Frau Vollmer (the librarian) says, it is mostly donkey work.

Well, keep me posted on your Christmas plans (the chances are about 99999 in 1000000 won't be on my christmas travel itinerary this year.

Love,

Catherine

1969 Catherine's postcard to GHU -Nov.25

Caption: Münster Prinzipalmarkt und Lambertikirche (main shopping area and church)

November 25,1969
Dear Grandma,

Hi!  I hope you are all settled in Florida by now.  It has turned quite cold here but no snow.  Over this last weekend I went with two other kids to Amsterdam.  We went through two museums, took a boat ride which covered only a small part of the 80 miles of canal inside the city, and met lots of Americans.  We also had some interesting experiences hitchhiking.  I doubt if I will be able to meet Joe at Christmas as I'm going down through southern Germany to Switz., Austria, Italy, and then southern coast of Spain along the Mediterranean.  We're having a party for our German parents Thursday evening as they don't have Thanksgiving and we have to go to school as usual. 

My love to you & all the Hortons,

Catherine

1969 Catherine Letter -Nov.18

Münster, Tuesday

November 18, 1969

5:00 PM

Dear Mother, Daddy, Serena, John, Mary,

Hi!  I was especially glad to get your letter today with the pictures.  You'll have to wait awhile to see any of mine.

I didn't get to Hagen over the weekend after all as Frau Semmler called on Saturday and said it would be better for me to come tomorrow which is a holiday for prayer and repenting.  At least, I hope that's what she said -- a strange voice speaking German over the phone is not very clearly understood.

On Saturday, Ann and I rode our bicycles to a water castle which is about 1½ km. E. of Ostbevern (about 20 km NE from Münster).  After we got there and were wandering around in the front hall we found out it is a Catholic school for boys.  Since we really had no business on the premises one of the Sisters was in the process of throwing us out when I finally got through to her that we were Americans.  She then gave us a tour and before we left she even gave us the address of her two brothers & a sister who live in Minnesota.  Have you ever heard of LeRoy or Riseville Youva, Minn? 

Saturday night I went to a fest which was sponsored by some club -- a pretty formal affair where all the members wear funny costumes which reminded me of King Arthur & his knights.  The guests sit at tables and drink wine at an unbelievable high price.   There is an MC and singing, telling jokes, etc. for 3 hours -- a little long seeing as my German isn't good enough to understand much.  And then there was dancing.  I stayed for another 45 minutes or so.  A German guy, Max, who I'd met a a party two weeks before was there so I went with him to the "little Eula" which is a discothek for dancing (if one can find room to stand up.).  Mütti almost fell off her chair at breakfast when I told her.

Sunday morning I went to services at the Catholic church (quite modern) near us.  The Völker's are Catholic, as is Ann.  I couldn't see much difference between Catholic services here and in U.S. except there was more I didn't understand.  This Sunday I hope to go to Protestant services.

Later, I went over to Max's house and listened to some records with him, his sister, and two other people.  Everything (except records) was in German.  Ugh!  It's tiring just to listen.  Max is in the army so he only gets home every two weeks.

We're beginning to make our plans for Christmas (Dec. 19-Jan.10).  I will be traveling with Alan Hewett and Rose Mary Gorden.  Two of my best friends here.

Now for some quick comments:  I get 36.5 DM per $10 trav check.  Yogurt costs about .75-1.1 m. although I haven't bought any.  We've had no snow, only rain every other 5 minutes.  What is a CPO?  The closest place to ski is in Saarland which is in southern Westf.  Only about 50-75% of cars are VW's but the other aren't much bigger.  A station wagon would look like a semi.  It would be nice for you to send the Volker's something.  How about that instead of sending me anything.  I may need a few days to think of something.  Vatti has a stamp collection and might appreciate something in that line.  Mütti likes perfume, there is some Fr. kind             ?              that can't be bought here.  Or maybe some jewelry if perfume would be too difficult to send.  Is there such a thing as a silver dollar which can be put on a necklace?  I know she would like that.  She sews alot if that offers any other possibilities.  Of maybe an American calendar or some writing paper.  I think maybe I have about used up this piece of paper.  If you would like to send me a Thanksgiving gift I would like a BIC fine-point blue pen.  I haven't been able to find any fine point pens here.  Have a nice Thanksgiving and I'll think about you all as I sit in school as usual.  What's a thrilling thought!  We are having a party for our German parents that night.  Hope you didn't get lost reading this.

Love,

Catherine 

1969 Catherine's Letter -Nov.13

13.11.1969

Münster

Dear Mother, Daddy, Serena, John, Mary and Grandma,

Hi!  thanks for the letter which I'm hoping to get from you tomorrow.  I have been doing pretty well on mail this week as I've gotten something everyday although none yet from you all.  I did get a letter from Grandma.  So thank you, grandma, and I'll send you a letter soon in Florida.

Today I was really surprised to get a letter from the E. Semmler family (in German).  They sent me greetings from you and also said they had a letter and a present for me!  Wow!  Hagen is an hour away by train and I'm going to visit them on Sunday.

Tuesday night I saw "The Return of the Magnificent Seven" at the British theater here in Münster.  Supposedly it is only for British soldiers, their families or guests but I understand they generally let in anybody who pays.  It costs only 1.70 (less than 50¢) for the cheapest seats so it isn't bad at all.  "The Sound of Music" (they don't have too many of the latest releases) is coming soon.

Last night I went to the "Die Brücke" again.  On Wednesday nights there is a group of people meet to speak English -- mostly they speak perfect Oxford English.  There were about 10 Germans, one Irish, two British soldiers and 5 of us Americans there.  It was kind of interesting but I don't get really thrilled about sitting around in a pub drinking and talking.  Hearing so much English (between that & the movie) isn't overly good for me either.  Ann and I usually do enough English speaking here.

Oh, yeah, I haven't told you about last Sunday in Essen.  We went to a hotel and restaurant exhibition.  All sorts of firms and enterprises were represented -- from every brewery in the country, furniture, kitchen equipment, electrical deals, every kind of food imaginable, TV's and radios, etc.  It was held in this gigantic place which consisted of 12 large Halls and we spent about 6 hours making the rounds with Germania Bier as home-base.  It was quite interesting and I came home utterly exhausted.

On the whole I'm satisfied here.  But, I HATE SCHOOL.  It's positively, completely unbearable.  Every morning we have 180 minutes that go so slowly I think I could retrace every single step I have made since I learned to walk and I would be finished before it was time for our mid-morning break.  The first couple weeks of art wasn't bad but now my repulsion for slides has reached such an extent that I almost get nauseated looking at the film projector.  And German (which I don't mind at all studying here at home) is even worse.  The class is so widely scattered in ability and previous knowledge that it is impossible for Frau W. to find any common ground assuming she ever got control of the class.  I wish I could speak better German -- as right now I'm really horrid but I'm slowly enlarging my vocabulary through the little reading I'm doing and in about two weeks I'll be finished with our grammar book so eventually I may be able to read and understand.

I never gave L.Eltzroth my address so I don't know how she could have given it to Mr. K.  Where is he?

Haw are Roberta and Vanessa doing?

I got a letter from Mrs. Walker & a Thanksgiving card so you might thank her as I haven't had a chance yet to answer.  How are John, Serena, and Mary?  Shall I send them pens and stationery for Christmas?  (HINT)

Love,

Catherine