Schule, und Oktoberfest

Wow, so it has been a while since my last post!!! I think i will start with how school is going for me here.

The classes are beginning to get better. I am starting to be able to follow what is going on (at least, i know when the teacher says to take out a piece of paper and write something down!) I still love my English class. I enjoy understanding everything! But i have to say, so far my favorite is Biology, and Geography. Geography is taught in English, and the teachers english, i would say is perfect. And in Biology, it is taught in German, but i am able to follow and understand what we are doing. In my math class, it is getting better. I am starting some tutorials about what we are learning, and i can now do half of a problem!!! =)

Well, a few weeks ago, we had something called a Wandertag, i think i mentioned it before. Well, anways it is like a Field trip in the states. I went Canoeing...So, since i have never gone canoeing or anything like it before, this was very interesting. We got to the school a little before 8am, and then drove to Bad Ems. (or nearly in Bad Ems) and we learned all about how to remeber to start swimming when you fall into the water, and of course, remeber to breathe! We also learned what an arrow meant to do (turn of course!) It was pretty funny. Then we got into the Canoes, and started our 11 kilometer ride.  The paddling was actually kind of difficult. My boat wasnt exactly the best at steering! But, we managed. I have to say, i prefer land. But all in all, it was pretty fun. It was better than going to school anways. But it was something new to try, and i was even able to see a bunch of swans! they were just swimming in the river, it was awesome!! Although, i am sad to say, i didnt have my camera with me (I was afraid of falling in!!!!) so i couldnt take any pictures. But i was able to see Teepee's, and a few other neat things.

After Wandertag, i actually spent the weekend with my third host family. My first host parents, went to a Spanish island, so rather than stay alone...well, not alone, Marius was here also, i went to my third ost family's. It was a lot of fun!!! I really enjoyed it! My first night, i pretty much hung around with my host sister, Laura, and watched some German Soap Opera's. They were pretty funny, and i was able to understand what was being said!!! The soaps here are pretty similiar to ours in the states. Lots of pointless drama. Then later that night, i went to Kirmes, with Saskia and Domi. They are two of my pretty good friends here. I mainly hang out with them, and Britta. They are really nice! And are intent upon me learning German! which is good..i suppose! ;)   Kirmes was a lot of fun! We danced and hung out with a few other people. It was fun, i liked it!!!

Then on Saturday, i went for a walk with my host sister, and her friend, with Luna, and her friends dog. It was pretty sweet! Then we watched a movie (with English subtitles) that was pretty good. That night, i was able to talk to my host mom, Sabine, about Wisconsin. She has a book about the different states in the US, and i was able to show her WI, and the town i lived in. And talk to her about the different areas. It was nice. Made me feel a little homesick...but, all is okay. I enjoyed talking about it. And the last night i was there, i walked with luna around Hundsdorf. I didnt get lost!!!! Then came back, and had a Döoner (sp?) It's a turkish sandwich...that is huge!!! I can only eat like half of it!!!

Monday i came back to my first host family, and it was good to see them again!! It's going to be really different when i change families! But, i think it will go well. I have met all of my host families all ready, and they are all very nice, and very sweet. My second family, actually lives jsut down the street from my first host family! I won't go to them, until end of December, or January-ish.

And of course...OKTOBERFEST!!!!!
Well, i went to oktoberfest this past Friday, through Sunday. I'll start at the beginning. =)

Friday, i went to school, and my last class seemed like it was lasting for hours!!! But, finally the bell rang, and i met my host brother, and we drove back to the house, where we ate lunch. Then, we thought we were leaving at 3, but it turned out we were supposed to leave at 2. So, we cleaned up from lunch, and went upstairs to pack. Once packing was finished, we got into the bus (My hosts, and friends of the family, rented a bus to take to Munich, so we could all drive together) and started our trip, of about 5 hours. First, we had to stop at the clothes shop, because i had to get my dirndl fitted a little bit better.  After about 1-2 hours of driving, i decided to just go to sleep. I woke up again, when we were nearly in Munich, and then we had to search for the Hotel. We found the hotel, Feringapark, and unpacked our bags in our rooms. I shared a room with my host mom, Martina. We then went  to Schatzi, a dirndl shop. My host dad had to pick up his vest for his Lederhosen. We then walked back to the hotel, and had something to eat and sat around talking for a little while. Around 10 or so, we went back to our rooms, and i went to sleep immediatly.The next morning, we had breakfast around 9 (I ate breakfast!!!) and then we started our journey to Oktoberfest!!!!!

First, we all had to get changed into our dirndl, or Lederhosen. I was having some issues with mine, and ended up using a safety pin to close the top of it...(brilliant idea of my host mothers!) They turned out looking really cute! Mine had the colors of the USA on it, and my host moms was really pretty. And my host dad had a vest, to match Martina's Dirndll.

So, we talked to the bus stop first, and it was really funny, i was watching the people driving by in the cars, and a lot of the people pointed at us. I would have thought, they would be used to seeing all the Dirndl...oh well. So, we got onto the bus, and drove for about...5 minutes or so, then got off of the bus, and got onto a subway. Now...subways, i had never taken one before coming here, and i have to say, they go extremely fast...!!!! But, otherwise they are okay. Although, i guess there was to much traffic on the railway...or w-e they are called, and we had to stop for a little while. But, then we got going again, and changed onto a different one, and then finally arrived at Oktoberfest!!! I have to say...i would prolly not have been able to get to this spot by myself! i would have taken the wrong bus, and or subway for sure! (Although, this past week, i have taken the bus 3 times, and managed to get on the right one...all three times!!!!!)

Anways, my first impression was "Holy shit!" The place was hugeeee!!!!!!i have never seen so many people before...ever! We first stopped and got our picture taken (i will upload these pictures soon, but if u have a FB please look in the album, titled oktoberfest!) We walked around a little bit, and watched the parade...and after watching the parade we began our wonderfully fun trip into the Hippodrom...but, of course there were millions of people u had to get through, in order to get anywhere near the Hippodrom...and, i guess i need to learn how to push and shove people...

Well, i started out just trying to follow my host family, but quickly figured out they were a heck of a lot more faster, and better at getting through loads and loads of people, and nearly got lost...but then, i was placed in between Claudia, and Klaus (friends of my host family) and i held on to Klaus's lederhosen, to not get lost.
There were so many people, it was insane trying to get through the crowd...and finally, once we got through the crowd...i was so hot, and sweaty, it was gross.

We finally got into the Hippodrom, and sat at our table, and had the first round of beer (I had a rattler...spelling??) It was pretty good! i have to say, i liked it better, than the beer i had tried before! so everyone sat around drinking, and singing, and dancing, and toasting. it was pretty funny.

After about 3 hours of this, we moved to the Champagne bar. It was pretty fun...although, i do not think i am a big fan of Champagne. And i reallllllllly had to go to the bathroom, so i told my host mother, i would be going down stairs to use the bathroom, and she said she would go with me. So, we ventured down to the bathrooms (again going through like thousands of people) and we did our business, and went to go back up, but the guards would not let us back up, so we tired 3 different areas, but to no avail. We couldnt get up...then , my host brother, Marius, had come down, and somehow, i am still unsure how exactly, got us back up into our area. And we fought throughthe thousands of people, just to find out, the others had gone back to the hotel. =(

So, we ventured yet again, down to near the bathrooms, where the wonderful fresh air was waiting for us! And when we walked out of the tent, the first thing i see are a bunch of people, randomly laying in the grass, and near the road!!! i pointed to my host mother, and she was like, ja...its okay, there are plenty of police, so i said "Martina, what if they die??" and she was just like, there are plenty of police....    lol, although, i did feel pretty bad for those people...my guess was they didnt feel to well come morning!!!

 We then went back to the hotel, and ate and eventually went to sleep.

The next day, we went and watched another parade, and went to eat near the Marienplatz, and then finally started back for home around 2. But we didnt get home until nearly 9pm. I went straight to bed, and got up for school the next day.

All in all, Oktoberfest was definitely something i will never forget. It was really a lot of fun! especially seeing-hearing all the authentic german dancing, and musik. it was really neat!! I really enjoyed myself, and am very happy i had this chance to go! (Thank you Martina und Rudolf!!!!!!!)

Speaking of my host family, they are great. I am still loving it here.. I feel really comfortable in their home, and they still make me feel like i am really a part of their family. And, now they are speaking German to me, all the time.so my language is becoming a lot better! I am now trying to reply in German...and i think i am getting better every day!!!

And to answer some questions, the wildlife here is just like the wild life in the states. Except for they have  wild pigs running around in the forests. And there are hardly anny squirrells...i have yet to see one...besides ones in the pet shop!  There are also birds that look like crows, but they are half white, they are pretty cool. But i guess they try to take anything shiny they see!!!
Soon is the fall break, and i can not wait!!!!
liebe grüße!!!
<3

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence

Hallo!!!
So, everything here is going wonderfully! I am having an amazing time here in Deutschland!!! I can'T remeber everything i have done since my last post..!!

Well, i have gone to my first rotary meeting (not the conference!) I went with my RYE Counselor, Anke, to the castle (literally...a castle!!) where rotary meetings are held. This wasn't an official meeting, every first Tuesday of the month, they have a meeting, where you just sit, eat, and talk. No formal presentations. The food they served was fish. (I knew it was going to happen sometime!) I am happy to say, i finished nearly all of it! And it truly was not that bad! =) The rotary membrs here are a little bit different than the ones back home. I know the ones back home, are always very interested in the exchange student, and talk to them a lot. Here, in Germany, it is more formal. I had a few people talk to me, but not that many really. (I am assuming this will change as i get better at German!)

I have also had my first rotary conference!!! They are much different here than they are in the states...it was only 3 hours long! but i was able to meet all of the inbound,s and i have to say, it is going to be a lot of fun this year!!!!

Speaking of the German language, my tutoring is still going very well. Today, i get started in a new practice book! (Hurray!) I am understanding a lot, nearly verything that is said to me. An i am beginning to be able to reply better in German. During school, my friends mainly speak German to me, they really want me to learn German!They're predictions are, i will be perfkt by the end of the year! I hope they are right!!!

School is still going well. I wrote my first test! And yes, i say 'Wrote' because in Germany (maybe all of europe?) you do not have the multiple choice. They do not even know what that is. The teacher asks questions, and u have a short response. My first test was in Biology, and i guess i didnt do that bad!! When the teacher handed the tests back, she told Saskia, to tell me, i dsid well! I was pleased, lol =) On Friday, my school will behaving the wandertag (field trip) We are indeed going Canoeing. I am still unsure where...but my host mom keeps saying something about, on the Land...i am not quite sure what she means. I don't think u can canoe on land?? But, Land prolly means something else in German...or i am completely misunderstanding her...which is very likely. 
A few days ago, i went with a few of my friends during mittagpuase (I had no sport!!! yay!) And we went into the town fr some chinese food! But sadly, they were closed! =( So, instead i had a doner (i do not tihnk this is spelled right!) It's turkish, and a little like a sandwich, with yogurt in it. It is actually pretty good! My friends also made me order this by myself...but, i was pretty successful!!!!! We then did a little shopping, and ate some ice cream!! The bees here are insane! And i ahve to say, my friends are scared of them, and it is hilarious to watch them stand up and run away when one comes near!!

I have made some friends here. One of them, was in the US for half a year!! So, she is fluent in English, and is very nice to talk to! I went with a few of them to Kirmes last weekend. (I think every town must have one of these!) This time, it was in Wirges. It was a lot of fun!! I was able to meet and see a lot of people from school there,which was pretty sweet. and i got to see what people do here, just to hang out.

Before i went to Kirme,s i went with my host mother to Koblenz. We just walked around the shops a little bit, and went to he Bio supermakrt again. it's a lot different than the US...all the stores here. The sales people are very helpful...and are eager to help u...even if u want to try something on...they help u with that also...very interesting!

On our way back from Koblenz, we stopped at the Bakery, and my host mother had me go in and order what we needed!...by myself!!! so, i walked in, and went to order. And everything i said was right, but the woman laughed at me!! But, i got what we needed, went back into the car, and told Martina, that she laughed at me, and Martina also laughed!!! grr! =)

Well, i think that is basically all! Tonight, i have language tutoring. Same wth the rest of the week!! And in like 2 weeks, its Oktoberfest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =) =) =)

Tschüs!