Into the Wild

I was shoveling dirt yesterday, to fill in around our new backstop, listening to the others bicker and banter solely in German, when i actually looked around at my new home for the next 7 months. Wild Farmer Stadium is nestled into the farmlands on the outskirts of town. down the rightfield line there is a soccer field and the clubhouse. trees run the length of the leftfield, butting up against the bean field that outlines the rest of the outfield fence. there is a concessions stand a.k.a. the beer stand and enough seating for about 100 spectators behind the new backstop. the 292ft down either line and 350ft to center is very short by American standards and German ones as well, though not many homeruns are hit here. "its not our game," i'm told; we're a small ball type team, bunting, stealing, and hit-and-run-ing our way to victories. the playing surface looks good, despite the softball team continually practicing on the infield grass. nice even edges are a sign that it is a well kept field with true hops and no surprise "ground-crew singles." The mound is still a mystery to me, they tell me there are problems with holes being dug next to the rubber, but i've yet to throw off of it so i dont know how bad it is. My project this season is to see if i can fix this problem with some clay or something. rocks and pebbles litter the dirt around home plate however, which only worries me when i think about sliding at home. I spent a while on Sunday handpicking a bucketfull of rocks but to look at it now, you could never tell. I see it as a work in progress, and it got me wondering if there was a better way to rid the batter's box of rocks. maybe i'll invent a fine toothed rake to help me with my conundrum. I'm very open to suggestions on this one so feel free to share your solutions.

It was at that moment, as i was on one knee, picking up rocks with numb fingers and aching hamstrings, that it finally set in that we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto. It was that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach that usually acompanies moments when your mom is taking pictures, crying behind the camera, saying something to the effect of, "I can't believe how fast you're growing up." one of those moments when you realize that from this point forward you're going to be a different person. What about that moment made me finally realize that this isnt just a short term gig, but in fact the majority of the 2009 year, and a defining period in my life, I dont know. maybe it was contemplating how difficult its going to be to learn german so i can understand whats going on, maybe it was thinking how picking up rocks in May might pay dividends in September, maybe it was a combination of random deep thoughts. nonetheless, it sparked something in me, a desire to explore, learn my new home, prove to myself that i can survive amongst people of a foreign land as well as i can amongst the trees of the wilderness. tomorrow is my day off and as long as its not raining, im jumping on my bike and taking off on an adventure to nowhere.

As you've probably guessed by now, today was a slow news day here in Dohren, hence the inner thoughts and personal dialogue. but now i feel i owe it to myself and to my growing number of readers to not sit at home on my ass all the time and see what there is to see in this country and come back with some good stories. I'm refusing to be bound by the language, i'm breaking the barrier, jumping the hurdle, unlocking the shackles, untying the ropes...you get the picture.

So tomorrow, Useful-German-Phrases-For-Travelers book in hand, I go Into The Wild.

Alexander Supertramp