The Beauty that Surrounds Me

My third excellent week in Germany has passed! I am very sad to be leaving Heidelberg, but I am also very excited to begin my stay in the Netherlands and to hopefully observe some music therapy.  
Every day, I become more and more astonished with the incredible kindness of the people I have come across here in Heidelberg. All of the music therapy students have been so welcoming and have made an effort to spend time with us and talk to us. I have enjoyed learning about their lifestyle and about their approaches to music therapy very much. 
Still after my third week, I have not gotten use to the beauty that surrounds me. Yesterday, a few of us from the group biked to Speyer and I had another chance to take it all in. As soon as you ride out of Heidelberg, you are suddenly riding through miles and miles of farmland and it is lovely. I am an advocate of small-scale farming and it appears as though there is more of that here in Germany than in the US. 
This week I got to visit a market near my apartment and the outdoor venue was filled with booths that had the most beautiful flowers and freshest vegetables, fruits, and baked goods. One evening our group had a picnic by the river with some of the German students. We played music, shared food, and enjoyed the atmosphere.Thursday night, many of us went to an outdoor venue where tons of people congregated to drink beer, eat sausages, and watch the World Cup-Germany vs. USA game. It was so much fun and although I was criticized by friends at home on Facebook for painting a German flag on my face, I do not take it back!! I love my country and am proud of where I am from, but that night, I supported Germany because this country has been so welcoming to me these past three weeks and I owe it some appreciation
I am going to miss The Old Town, the river, riding my bike all over, the German students, and our adorable and tiny neighborhood grocery store. But alas, new adventures are awaiting!