Dear World,
it's been something like 12 and a half months since I moved to Germany, which added to the two prior visits I'd already made, makes something like thirteen months of my life that I've been in this country. That is, 3½ or 4% of all the time I've ever spent, anywhere. I thought you might be interested.

Fall (Herbst) is coming soon. Last year at this time, I was wearing short sleeves and shorts all the time, and sweating well into October on the way from Heydenmühle to Lengfeld and back. This year it's cooler, as they say, "fall is in the air." I'm much more comfortable than I used to be, at least most of the time. When I'm in German-speaking groups I still have more trouble understanding the answers after I ask a question, than if I just keep quiet and try to pay attention. Despite that, I haven't stopped asking questions. I'm enjoying a long weekend in Mainz with Veronika and we're settling into the idea of another year: another year of back and forth from Heydenmühle to Mainz; another year of hellos and goodbyes; another year of wondering, what's happening next.

Work continues to go well. There's constantly a mood in Torhaus inspired by the question, "What can we do better?" Or maybe the question is rather, "What do you need?" At any rate I'm still convinced that it's a good place to be working, and it hasn't gotten boring yet. I've got my new Visa and I've got my new status at the Heydenmühle as Mitarbeiter (coworker). I'm no longer a Praktikant (intern). The distinction hasn't made too much difference in the daily responsibilities of my job, but I am attending a few meetings and all of a sudden I know a lot more of the people who are around in the Heydenmühle. I am officially more responsible than before, for instance sometimes I have to be on call even when I'm not working. So far I haven't been called with any problems. And that's the latest. I've got as many questions as answers, when it comes to the work, but since that's appropriate for the mood of the house, I can't complain.

Yours,
Noah