Nerves

Like with the previous day we didn’t have an awful lot planned for during the day whilst, instead Zac and I were more focusing on this evening.

It was the evening that Zac had seemed to be waiting a lifetime for. It was the evening where he was going to meet up with Fran (This German exchange student that stayed at his school for 7 months) and her friends.

I was sensing a little bit of de jar vu between me and Karoline comparing with Fran and Zac. Despite this I was eagerly anticipating how this evening would pan out.
Trouble was despite Zac saying that they have spoken before, it turns out his so called conversations consisted of saying hello to each other. Which at that point I was thinking that I say “Hi!” to lot’s of people throughout the day to people I do not even speak too, so in a sense it was pretty remarkable that Fran wanted to meet up with us 2.

Zac had been angling for this evening for months, careful planning by sending Fran comments on Bebo ensured he got this evening.

We headed to Café Glockenspiel, for a few pints before we met her, or as Zac would like to call it “Beer too settle the nerves”. This was the start of many toilet trips for Zac. He went once before we entered Café Glockenspiel and once afterwards when we left.

Zac was determined to drink enough to be tipsy, so when he met Fran he would have plenty of confidence.

We arrived at Munchner Freiheit underground station and it was slightly embarrassing when Fran was calling Zac, who seemed completely oblivious to the fact that Fran was calling him. Then as soon as we met her, Zac had to bugger off to the toilet again which left me with Fran and her friend.

Now bearing in mind I find it difficult to meet new people myself, and so with 2 relative strangers in front of me I did find it slightly nerve wracking. I thought my first line was pretty good, which was “Oh he’s off to the toilet… again” which they both laughed at.


Now in England, greeting someone is normally pretty straightforward affair normally a handshake will be enough to greet someone, but I guess not on the continent. I hugged Fran then her friend proceeded to me kissing me on the cheek

Zac then arrived back to the toilet and more people started arriving. This one French student arrived, who I have to say I got on really well that evening as well some more female friends of Fran’s.

As we headed to the Pizza restaurant and I got talking to this French student that had come over to Munich for 2 weeks.

As we got into the restaurant, we just ordered a beer and margarita, and as soon as that beer arrived for Zac, he was downing it like there was no tomorrow (Probably out of nerves I suspect) and then he headed to the toilet again.

I was thinking “Shit” when he kept going because everyone else could speak fluent German whereas Zac and I were the only that couldn’t. It made it very difficult to join in with any conversations.

To be fair, Fran did make a reasonable effort asking “How the holiday was so far?” and “Where you staying?” as well.

It was pretty awkward with everyone speaking in German, and even my very limited knowledge didn’t particularly help me.

In the end I think the beer was starting to get to Zac as he was getting more erratic with what he was saying.

As soon as we left the restaurant, it was a choice of going to bar or coffee house (I know in my heart what I would have preferred), but the idea of seeing Zac getting even worse than just tipsy, I didn’t feel was a good idea, so I went with everyone else to the coffee house.

We went to Fellows Coffee and after taking our seats at the back of the coffee house, I went up with Fran and co to order a coffee, and that’s were we really started talking.

Zac was the other end of the table and I was with Fran and this other French exchange student that was at Fran’s school for so many months.

As Zac was the other end of the table I was forced to talk with other people and I just ended up talking to Fran for ages about school, life in Munich, music, the Reading Festival, Films etc…

I generally quite shocked at how well I was seemingly getting on with Fran and her friends. Usually I struggle when I meet new people, and I am pretty shy myself, but I seemed to manage pretty well in consideration.

As we left the coffee house shortly after 10:00, it was time to say goodbye and it was pretty incredible how I was getting hugged and kissed goodbye despite meeting these people the first time this evening.

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