Everything seems better in the morning when you’ve had a good night’s rest.Got down in time to meet the rest of my Summer University mates at the entrance. Which were: Erich (New York), Hadi (Israel), Thor (Denmark) and Caroline (UK). And there was Maran and I. The usual greetings and introductions. New faces, new friends maybe.

It was drizzling slightly as Maria took us to our U-Bahn stop (Klinikum Großhadern) and when we got out at Theresienstrasse, we met the rest of the Sommeruniversität bunch. Manuel (Italy), Marco (Italy), David (Spain) Apostolos (Greece), Sadok (Tunisia), Mike (Chicago) and Mike (Chicago).

So that’s two Malaysians, two Italians, and two Mikes from Chicago. Interesting.

Talking about interesting, one of them has this curly, green hair. Which he insisted was blue. So we christened him Blue Mike. And the other Mike’s surname was Stone, which happened to be the name of a British serial killer according to Caroline, so that’s him covered.

But not much time for small chat this early in the morning cos we were scheduled for classes at nine. The teachers divided us up swiftly and I was put in the bottomfeeders’ class (Grundstufe Eins) with Maran, Hadi and Manuel. Also this Australian girl called Kylie. Found out later she was from Melbourne, the coolest city I’ve been to in my life, so that made her alright.

The teacher was doing the lesson totally in Deutsch which made things near impossible for me. Okay, but extremely glad when the class was over and we headed to the Mensa for lunch.

The Mensa was basically this huge cafeteria for TU (Technische Universität, the place I’m studying at) students, and we were given discount meals that were satisfactory by some culinary standards.

Talked some more with the guys, but mostly Hadi and Manuel, who were from my class. I noticed Mike Stone talked a lot, Erich a lot, and Blue Mike hardly any at all. I’ve decided Blue Mike was Strange.

You won’t see me near that kid anytime in the future.

Post-lunch was some boring meeting with the Vice-President of TU (but at least we got free T-shirts out fo the bargain). Then some so-called tour of the university with our other guide cum mentor Martin. Yawn.

Eveningtime proved more interesting with dinner. Met up with everyone again, plus all the teachers, Maria, Martin and Karin Graßl, the lady who organised this whole shebang. Really nice person.

My first true Bavarian meal was of Käsespätzle (short, fried noodles) with some fried mushrooms on the side. And the beer is good, boys and girls, here in Germany. Apparently, esp. in Munich, the brewery capital. Wunderbar!

Thus ends my first day in Munich. A brand new day to begin the best of it.