Home sweet home??

I can"t believe i have been in America for over one month now. Its so weird...

My plane ride home was insane. We, Martina, Rudolf, Gaby, Marius, and I, arrived in Frankfurt a little after 7:00am, we stood in line, i was checked in, and then it was time to say goodbye. I couldnt believe how fast my last few days went by...

Standing in the airport, realizing i was leaving ehind some of the most important people in my life, i realized how much i'd changed...i went from being a person, wo didnt let anyone in to my life, to becoming someone, who let so many people in, and let them help me.

I realized how muvh i was going to miss these people...After getting my passport checked, i turned for one last wave goodbye. I then walked, with yet another new person, down to my plane, and waited for boarding...

I probably spent the first 4 hours of my flight, just crying. hich at the time, was pretty embarassing, but now, not so much. It just shows how much i loved them, and was missing them.

Once i landed in America, it was time to go through customs, which really wasnt that bad...but i still ended up missing my next flight...so, i was delayed returning home, for yet another 5 hours..

At this point, i was starting to feel less sad, and starting to feel a little excited. I was really looking forward to seeing my brother, and my friends!!

Getting to the airport, and seeing my friends and family, was something, i cant even explain. It was both happy, and absolutely sad//i realized how much they had all changed, or not changed, and how much i had missed within that past year. Not going to lie, things were pretty damn awkward....

Now im home, and am startingyet another chapter in my strange, and confusing life. Hoping, this chapter will end just as good as the last..
<3

I learned to laugh, I learned to cry, but will I ever learn to say goodbye?

There is nothing in the world that compares to saying “goodbye.” The sadness that comes with it is like no other, but the hope that comes with it as well; the hope that this is not the last goodbye. The hope that keeps us going, keeps our heads high as we wait for the next time; if that next time comes.


Some people don’t think that saying goodbye is such a big deal, probably because they have never had to do so.  At a young age, I was introduced to this sadness of saying goodbye. Goodbye became a very real to me. Some people have never felt this realness before, and some may never experience it. If they grow up in one town, attend high school there, go to college there, and work there, they might never have to say goodbye to anyone.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is definitely not a good thing. Goodbyes are a part of life, much like meeting new people. Throughout your life, people come in and go out; it’s natural....but still difficult.

If you think about it, distance is but a mere thing, therefore it should not be an excuse to bring a friendship to an end. In fact, friendships can achieve an even higher level because separation can cause unity. It may sound like an oxymoron, but it’s true. Unfortunately, some people give up so easily on their friendships. I, however, will NOT give up so easily. I am going to fight to have these friendships last for a lifetime.

How do you say goodbye?? The last few days, i have had to say goodbye, at least twice a day..And it occured to me, i dont really know how to say goodbye..What do i say?
It's been fun; glad to have known you and I wish you all the best...?


Somehow I know that no- goodbye can say what needs to be said, how can just a few words tell what a heart feels? After spending an entire year here, it is time to say goodbye.

I am going to miss the people here so much. I have the most amazing host families, and have met the best of friends, andmany other people too. I am going to miss them so much...i don't want to say goodbye, but i know it has to be done. I am planning on coming back here, but no one knows what will/could happen between then and now...so, with this post, i just wanted to say goodbye to all of my friends, and my host families. You mean the world to me, all of you, and have helped me so much! I will never forget any of you. I love you <3

*~Life's many visitors touch us in numerous ways, but it's the impressions left by true friends that are most remembered and seldom ever matched. ~*

Friendship isn't always easily described. The Eskimos, they say, have a hundred different words for snow. Unfortunately, the English language isn't quite as innovative, though it has vast opportunities to differentiate meaning. Certainly, Love is one of those opportunities. And so, too, is Friendship.



Instead of different words, however, we're stuck with simple adjectives. Close friend. Best friend. Childhood friend. Intimate friend. Trusted friend. Beloved friend. But whether you use adjectives or different words, few could deny the nearly infinite meaning in such a simple word.

Friends are special people. We can't pick our family, and we're sorely limited in the number of them at any rate. Society and mores (and often our own conscience) dictate we select a single mate. But our friends can be as diverse and infinite as the adjectives we choose. Our friends, in a very real sense, reflect the choices we make in life.

I thought i would dedicate this post to all of the amazing friends i have made here in Germany...not just within in my school, but within my host families. When i first arrived here, i was thinking it was going to be really hard to make friends, because i had that in Germany, people aren't as open.minded as we are in America. So, for the first few weeks, or even months, i really depended upon my first host family, to make me feel welcome, and included. My first host family was amazing, they took me all over the place, and introduced me to so many people, and really helped me learn to not be so shy, and how to make friends here in Germany. My host mom, Martina, and my host dad, Rudolf, became great friends of mine by the end of my stay with them. I can not thank them enough for everything they have done for me, and i am just so lucky, to have been able to have such an amazing family like this. &lt;3

Then, i moved on to my second host family in January. It was time to get used to a whole new house, and a whole new family. Of course, by now i had made some good friends in my school. We weren't as close then, as we were now, but knowing German really improved things. But, i was still shy to go up to them and ask them to hang out sometime. As i changed host families, i noticed immediately how different they were to my first family. I started talking with my host mom alot, we would go on a lot of walks together with Sally, and my host mom taught me a bunch of different german recipes, and we laughed, i really loved staying with this family. Gaby, my host mom, became a great friend too. For example, i had planned to meet up with some friends one weekend, but the weather was too bad, so i couldnt go. At first, i was pretty bummed out, because i was really looking forward to hanging out with them, but then Gaby and I tried to build a snowman, and ended up making a cheesecake together. It was so much fun, because the snow was too powdery, and we couldnt build a snowball, much less, an entire snowman! It was reallly cool to realize that it didnt matter i couldnt hang with my friends, that hanging with Gaby was just as much fun! I am so happy i had the chance to get to know her! =) &lt;3 And i had the chance to get to know my host sister, and that was great. She is just like a big sister to me, she is so sweet, and extremely nice. It was awesome to hang out with her, go for a coffee, or just take a trip into the city to hang out. I loved hanging out with her! She became just like a real sister to me! &lt;3 =)

Then it was April, and it was yet again the time to switch families and homes. At this point, i had great friends in school, and did a lot of different things with them. I switched host families, and again realized how different they were compared to my last two families. The biggest difference as having so many siblings. I had 3 host sisters! One, was 18, so one year older than me, and the other 2, are twins, and they are 14. The twins, Lana and Leonie are 2 of the funniest girls i have ever met. They say exactly whats on their mind, and i really admire that in them. They are truly the funniest, cutest girls i have ever met!!! It was really cool getting the chance to get to know them. I really got along well with my host sister Laura, she became just like a sister to me. We could talk about all sorts of different things together, and it was just great having the chance to get to know her, and being able to call her my friend. &lt;3 =)

And of course, my amazing friends in school. I have had the chance to meet so many people in the school, but of course, there are always the few, that you always hang out with. Domi, Britta, Saskia, and Dany for me! I am so happy i got the chance to meet these girls and hang out with them.They are the most hilarious people i have ever met, and are always there for me. It was really cool, Britta, was in America for awhile, so we always speak English together, and it was like she was a little piece of America for me, and i was always able to talk to her about how i was missing something from home. Saskia and Dani, are some of the sweetest girls i've ever met. Saskia, i cant even explain how amazing she is!! I've loved being able to hang out with her!!! and Dani, she is such a sweetheart, i am lucky to have her as a friend, i'm going to miss her so much!! And Domi, she was one of the first friends i made here. She helped me get used to the German way of life...my first lesson was German clothes, she took me shopping,a nd showed me what people here wear, and then she gave me a lesson in how people dress for the diskos! Ha, i dont know what i would have done without her! I am going to miss these girls so much when i leave!!! =( &lt;3

I haven't written in a long time. I have been super busy, and just haven't had much time to sit down and write. Well, i ended my last post talking about my trip to Hamburg, so I'll begin with that.

I went to Hamburg with my third family for 4 days, and had an amazing time! We got up early, and my host sister, Laura, drove us to Hamburg, a 6 hour drive! Our first day, we went on the Reeperbahn...if you don't know what that is, its super interesting, take a look on google. We also went into a wax museum, it was crazy how some of the statues, honestly looked just like the real person!! (I will load pictures, as soon as my new camera gets here, the other one is broken, and i cant get my pictures off of it) Then, we went to the first musikal. Heiße Eck. It was 24 hours at the reeperbahn. It was a little bit hard for me to understand it, because of the Hamburg dialect, but i got the point of it. It was really interesting to watch, because i had never really seen something like it in America. But, by the end, it turned out to be really funny, and i ended up understanding the entire plot...not something i was used to, but it was really funny. The next day, we did some shopping, and some sightseeing. The City Hall is huge!!^^ At the end of the day, we went into the Hamburg Dungeon, which gave a full history of Hamburg, but in a horror house setting. It was really interesting, because you learned too, i really enjoyed it, and had a great time! And i honestly thought it was going to be a lot scarier than it was, but it wasn't so bad. At one point, there was this one room, full of mirrors, but you couldn't really tell it was mirrors, because it was so dark, it was one the weirdest feelings, i would walk, see myself, but keep walking thinking it was a mirror, it was one of the weirdest/coolest feelings ever! Then,w e saw Der König der Löwen (The Lion King) It was AMAZING!! The costumes were done fantastically, they actually had people as the giraffes, and elephants, and as Simba, it was the most amazing thing i had ever seen in my entire life time!! I'd love to see it again sometime! And the vocies were amazing, it was my favorite part of Hamburg!!!!! =) The last day, we visited an Animal park, and it was really cool, becuse the animals really had a lot of space, and plenty of freedom, and you could even feed the elephants!!!!!! =)

This past weekend, i was at my last rotary conference! It was really sad having t say goodbye to all of the other exchnage students, because we honestly dont know if we will ever see eachother again. It was really sad...and i am not looking forward to having to say goodbye to my friends, and my host families here...

This weekend, i will be with my counselor, going to a wine festival. I m quite excited, to see if i can taste the difference between the different wines. And see if i can tell the difference between the grapes =) I'll be there for the weekend, and will be taking another boat ride/tour...it shall prove interesting. I had my first experience on y big boat...and it was okay...i just didnt like it when they turned around....

My language, i feel pretty fluent in German now, even my grammar is getting better!! School is going well, we just finished our last exam today, so hopefully soon, i will be doing a lot with friends!! My friends, Kayla, and Lauren, from America, are going to be here in just 11 days, and i am SO excited to see them again!!!!

I'll write more in 2 weeks! =) (Hopefully) But check again sometime next week for the pictures! =)

To my friends:

A friend is someone you hold dear:


Someone who is always there, through thick and thin;

Someone who is only a phone call away.

A friend is someone you can always rely on:

Someone who is there to share your thoughts with;

Someone to listen, no matter the subject.


A friend is someone you can feel comfortable with:

Someone you can sit silently beside, without conversation;

Someone you do not need to fill the quiet moments with.

A friend is someone you can trust:

Someone who will guard your deepest secrets;

Someone who will never let you down.


A friend is someone who is not judgmental:

Someone who will gently offer advice and opinions,

Yet, someone who is not overbearing or critical.

A friend is someone who can keep you grounded:

Someone who can help you see through your obstacles;

Someone to shoulder you through life's trials.

A friend is someone who shares unconditionally:

Someone to laugh and to cry with;

Someone to lean on, through both the good and the bad.


A friend is someone you choose wisely,

For a friend is your own mirrored image:

Someone to compliment your own self;

Someone who indicates who you are as a person.

A friend.... is what you are to me.

Thanks so much for everything you guys! I love you, and will miss you SO much!!!

~ There is no Challenge more challenging than the challenge to improve yourself ~

I can't believe how fast time is going by again! I was at school the other day, when i realized i had only 13 weeks left until i flew back to America!!! I couldn't believe it! It seemed like just a few weeks ago, it was Christmas!! Its amazing how time seems to fly by when you don't want it to.

Last week, i changed host families. I was really nervous to change, because it meant again, trying to adapt to a whole new life-style. I actually didn't start to really pack, until basically the day i was supposed to switch. I couldn't believe how much stuff I've accumulated!!!! I came to Germany with one suitcase, and my rotary backpack...nothing else! An this time, when i left my host family, i had my suitcase filled to the absolute top, my backpack, another suitcase, and 8 plastic bags! Plus a huge laundry bag, just for the new shoes!! And that was after i sorted through everything and decided to give a lot of it away!! My host mother couldnt believe how much stuff i had! It was hilarious bringing everything down, and loading it all into the car!! Before we left, i went for a walk with my host mom and Sally again. It was really weird...knowing that i wouldnt be staying with Gaby anymore, and not seeing Sally everyday! Then my host mom drove me to my new family, and we finally brought all of my things upstairs into my new home.

The first night, my host sister turned 18. So, of course, that means a huge party! Before the party began, i pretty much just unpacked all of my things, and tried to find spots for it all! My younger hst sisters helped me out, and laughed out loud when they saw all the books I've managed to buy...In fact, we are now reading a book in English, together. Still Life, by Joy Fielding (Really good!) We read it together, in English, and then i ask them if they can say what just happened, first in German, and then i ask them to say the same thing, just in English. And it also helps me with my German, so its really cool    =)   Then the party began, i think there ended up being around 40 people there...i couldnt believe it! They all stayed up until after 7 in the morning, i was in bed around 2. lol =)


I cant remember if i have already talked about my new host family, in previous posts...so, heres a little information. I live with only girls =) I have 3 host sisters, Laura (18) Lana (14) Leonie (14) Yes, the last two are twins =) And my host mom, Sabine. They have one dog, Luna, a beautiful border collie =)  I now live in a super small town called Hundsdorf, its about the same size of Embarrass (lol Rhondalay!) But at least Embarrass has a gas station, my small town doesn't even have that =) Theres about 400 people, and we live on the top of this huge hill!!! And when i go with the dog, we can also go up this huge trail, and theres a Buffalo Farm!! And a bunch of sheep, but here the sheep still have their tails...it looks really weird! =) But most of the time, i enjoy going through the woods with Luna, for our walks. =)

I went out with a few friends, on Saturday to Unikat Halle again, it was pretty fun, but i was dead tired, cuz it was the day after Lauras party! And i cant believe ho w exhausting it is to change families. I hve to-locate everything all over again!!

School started again on Monday, after having nearly 1 month off! It was good to see my friends again, but still, school is school.  We got most of our exams back, and i managed to get an A- on my English exam...lol. I apparently forgot my American Humor, and wrote a little bit to seriously. =) People here seem to think that Americans have a special humor, mainly meaning that we exaggerate everything we say.

Weather is wonderful, it is spring, and warm =)

I met with my rotary president, here in Germany, yesterday after school. We went to his house for dinner, and basically just talked about our exchange year so far! And i also got the date to do my presentation about Wisconsin! June 15th! =) I'll also be attending a rotary ball, for the switching of presidents, and i am really looking forward to it!!!

Thats pretty much all thats happened these last 2 weeks.In May, we'll be doing another Wandertag (Field trip) in school, and we are going to Köln (Cologne) in the Zoo! =) And of course, shopping! =) Then i am going on a Musikal Reise, with my host family, in the middle of May! We are going to Hamburg, and are going to see a few different musicals, including König der Löwen! (The Lion King!) I'm looking forward to it!!!!

I'll prolly write again after Hamburg =)
<3

~ Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are. ~

March is by far my favorite month so far, but also the most challenging of my year so far. So many things have happened, but yet, i am still here smiling and enjoying myself as much as, or even more than, before.

My host sister came again, the weekend before we left for Berlin, because she was going to be dog-sitting, Sally. It was fun to sit and talk with her, and hang out again. We even played skipbo, and it was hilarious. The germans seem to really like this game =)

Anyways, on Tuesday afternoon, we left for the airport to go to Berlin!!!! We flew with the Ryanair, airline, and i was sort of disappointed, because it is an irish airline, it as all in English, and i was looking forward to see if i could understand it in German. Because, when i first flew here to Germany, Madelyn and I were on the same flight, and they spoke German, and we both couldn't understand anything, and i was looking forward to comparing it...oh well. Anyways, the flight took about 1 hour, and then we landed, and i had my first few glimpses of Berlin, in a taxi as we drove back to the Hotel. And the city, is HUGE!! Way bigger than Chicago, and much prettier. The buildings were so old, and so...idk how to describe it. Anyhow, it was beautiful. We unpacked our bags in the hotel, then went off for a drink, toasting Berlin. On our way there, we saw some amazing street dancers. It was unbelievable the stuff they could do. So, we watched for about 10 minutes, then went to Cafe Kranzler, which is a huge Coffee-Beer cafe. I tried my first sip of Berliner Weisse, beer and i loved it!!! Its beer, with raspberry syrup mixed. It tastes so much better than normal beer!!! =)  From there, we met up with my host dads sister, and her family, in an Italian restaurant, the food was SO good! But, i was so stuffed, i thought i was going to explode!! It was the most i have eaten in a longgg time!!!

The next day, i went with my host mom to the Berlin Zoo. It is the biggest zoo in Europe i think! It was so much fun, we got there a little after 9am, and then stayed for 6 hours!!!!!!! And we didnt even get to see all of the animals! We also went into the aquarium, which was awesome. It was my first time ever being in one, and i really enjoyed it. They had reptiles and stuff too!! The zoo had Elephants, Wolves, Hyenas, and so much more. the coolest part,was Knut. Knut is a polar bear who was rejected by his mother. So, he was raised by the Zoo keepers.He was the first polar bear cub to survive past infancy at the Berlin Zoo. Knut's need for round-the-clock care required that Dörflein not only sleep on a mattress next to Knut's sleeping crate at night, but also play with, bathe, and feed the cub daily. Knut's diet began with a bottle of baby formula mixed with cod liver oil every two hours, before graduating at the age of four months to a milk porridge mixed with cat food and vitamins. After we were finished at the zoo, we went to the Reichstag. Reichstag is like the German White House. We got in through special tickets, through rotary, and were able to have a tour, and see where the politicians always are. It was really cool!! After that, we went to the Fernseherturm, which is one of the tallest in Europe. We waited for over an hour, bu it was worth it. The Fernseherturm has an amazing view, of all of Berlin, and a rotating restaurant! Once we were finished seeing the view, we went to find a place to eat. My host mom and i just kind of followed behind my host dad, and brother. Our feet were killing us at that point, and we walked through another little part of the city, and couldn't find anything, then finally we went into what we thought was a Chinese restaurant. But it turned out to be some type of Japanese, and we had no idea what anything was on the menu...so, we left, and settled at another Italian restaurant. After that, we took te subway to a bar, and had some cocktails, and decided to stay until past midnight, so we could celebrate my birthday. And sitting next to us, was someone from a famous TV series here, called Tatort. It was really cool.

The next day was my birthday, and we decided to do a Trabi tour. For those of you who dont know what a Trabi car is, in English its called Trabant. For those of you who still dont know, it was one of the most popular cars driven in East Berlin. My host brother drove this car, through Berlin for an hour, and it was so much fun. Afterwards, we went on a Spree tour. Spree is one of the rivers in Berlin. Basically, it was a boat tour. It was tons of fun, and our tour guide was a typical Berliner. Meaning, they are very direct and brusque. For example, you can get on the bus and ask the driver for directions and you're likely to get a stroppy reply among the lines of 'Am I the tourist information office, or what?' They also have a bit of a dialect, making it hard for me to understand what they were saying. After the Spree tour, we went to KaDeWeh, which is a HUGE shopping center. I even found a section all for americans, which had pop tarts, relish, oreos, mustard, A&W rootbeer, and so much more. Needless to say, i bought some =) My host mom and i did a little more shopping, then went bck to the hotel had a small drink, and picked up my host brother an host father, and we went out to eat at a Turkish restaurant. I absolutely love the turkish food, it is amazing!!! Anyways, my host family gave me a beautiful present for my birthday. Its just like a charm bracelet, but instead it is a charm necklace. They gave me two charms for it as well. The first for peace love and harmony, and te second a flipflop, with the American flag =)

Friday was our last day, so we went through a few museums. I bought an amazing book, all about the seperation of East and West Berlin/Germany. Its so interesting, there was so much i hadnt known before!! We actually managed to lose my host brother at some point...but eventually we all met up again, on our way to the airport.

When i got home, i found a package from my family, and a cake. My host sister had made a cake, without a recipe, using oreos, and white chocolate!! I couldnt believe it!! She was so sweet!! And the cake tasted amazing!! =) And from home, i got cheetos!! nd a bunch of bath and body works, and a few others things. Also a funfetti cake!!! =) =) Finally, an american cake! =)

Sunday, yesterday, it was Easter. We had colored some eggs, and my host mom hid our easter baskets. It was fun looking for them. My host mom also gave me a book all about the Westerwald, which is the small section of Rheinland.Pfalz, i live in!! Then we got the rest of the food ready, and i learned how to make Lachsrolle, whhich is like a salmon wrap. Its delicious!! And then i made Devilled Eggs, but a much milder version. =) It was fun to meet and see the rest of the family, before i switch host families.

So, i switch host families on Saturday. As i wrote before, i am excited to go to my new family, but also sad to leave this one behind. I made my host family here, a small scrapbook, with some of m favorite pictures, and memories. It was fun to go through the pictures, and remember the events where i took them.

My new host family has 3 children. One is just about my age, one year older. The other 2 are twins, 14 years old. They are all super nice!! I am excited to be able to have some host siblings that i see every day!!! =)

My language is coming along good, just trying to learn the grammar, which is super hard. But otherwise, good. The weather is springy! Finally starting to get warmer again, and sunny!!

I'll write again after i get settled with my new host family. <3

*...Life IS simple, it's just not easy...*

Challenges come so we can grow and be prepared for things we are not equipped to handle now. When we face our challenges with faith, and are prepared to learn, willing to make changes, and if necessary, to let go, we are overcoming the challenge.

Over the last two weeks, i have started my internship, Easter break has started, Spring is finally here, i went to a rotary weekend, and the 13th class graduated!!

I'll start with my internship. As i wrote in the last blog, i am doing an internship as a veterinarian! I started last Monday, at 8am. And my first job, was to show the other interns how to change a cat box...lol. So, after that, i got to play a little bit with this adorable white cat!! About an hour later, the cat was brought in for surgery, (neutered) and i was able to look in on the operation. At first, i was kinda freaked out, because the cats eyes were still open, and i was afraid it was awake, but then one of the vets, told me to pick up the paw, and feel how light it was...and it was super light, which meant the cat was in a heavy sleep. Then around 11, the cat finally started coming to, and i just kinda sat around with her for a little while. Then a dog came in, and i was able to watch Dr. Fischer, treat her. It was really interesting, because theres no way of really knowing what is wrong with the animal, since they cant talk. And to watch how she was able to figure out exactly what was wrong with the dog, was really fascinating!! Then from 12-3 i had my lunch break. Then i came back at 3, and it was incredible how busy the place is in the afternoons. I had a lot to do. There is also a dog, her name is Freier, she is the owners dog, and is always just walking around the vets. And between seeing the other patients, i played with her alot. But, i really loved doing the internship there, it was so much fun, and i learned so much.

Easter break has also started (I have 1 month without school, because of praktikum for 2 weeks, then 2 weeks for Easter Break) The Germans celebrate easter pretty much the same as we do. Except, they have an Easter Tree =) As you can see, and the Frohe Ostern, means Happy Easter! But we will be coloring eggs, searching for easter baskets, just like in America. I am also going to show them what Devilled Eggs are. =) And here, they make these cool cakes in the shape of either a lamb, or of a bunny. =) I am excited to learn how to make it =)

The weather the last couple of days have been really warm, but a little rainy. But, i am so happy to finally see the sun shining, and no more snow on the ground!! =) Here it rains alot, but not like the constant downpours we get in America, jus drizzling off an on through the day.

The 13th class here graduated this past week. And they do things completely different. First of all, they graduate in March, and not in June. And they graduate, the day, after they finish taking their Abi, which is kinda like an SAT or an ACT in the states, After they finished their ABI, they through  huge party outside at the school. With free beer. I didnt stay to long, just long enough to say congrats to the few of the graduates. For me, it was to cold! And i didnt want to stay out to late, because i had to do my internship in the morning.  And on their last day of school, they carried these huge...idk what they are called, but something similiar to bags, filled with candy, and would come in to the class rooms randomly, shout ABI and through candy at everyone. It was really funny. And then people played music in the parking lots, and it was just really funny to see the difference. In America, all the seniors are usually crying on their last day, and usually dressed up nice, here everyone was so happy, and dressed zup as little school children...

As for the rotary weekend, it was very interesting. I had fun being with the other exchange students, and getting to go shopping in the city, but there definitely a huge difference between rotary/rotex here in Germany, as in America.

In about one week, i will be going to Berlin for about 5 days with my host family. I am really excited!!! I cant wait to see the Capital of Germany! My host mom, even got me a book all about Berlin, and i am so excited to go there now!!! Speaking of host family, i will be switching host families in about 2 weeks...I'm sure i am going to like my new family, but i am really going to miss the host family i am with now. I loved staying with this family, they were always so sweet, and so nice. It'll be sad to switch families again. I've really loved being able to be a part of their family, and am really thankful for them for hosting me.

I already know my third family, and they have three children, 3 girly, and i have got to know them all, and they are super sweet, nice and funny. So, i know i am going to have a good time in this next family. They are even taking me to visit Hamburg!!! It's going to be wonderful!!

So, i will write again when i get home from Berlin! I am looking forward to spending my birthday there!! =) I probably wont be able to answer emails until i am settled into my new host family, so please be patient waiting for answers. =)

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

 März 3, März 4

“Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”

I can hardly believe how long it has been since my last post! Well, I'll start off with the basics, school, home life, language, weather...and then get to the more interesting stuff, like Karneval, and the last few weekend trips =)

So, school is going well. I can't believe half of the year is already finished! My classes are the same...i still dont understand anything in my Politics class, Biology is still my favorite subject. As for my other classes, they are going well. I recently participated in my Music class, that was great!! I actually knew an answer to the question, i was very proud of myself!! This week is exam week. Today, i took my english exam..and it wasn't too bad! Its so weird...English. I honestly find myself questioning everything i write in English, because i never know if it is actually right anymore. I never used to question my English...but now, even some things that i think look right, turn out to be wrong! I just have to get through next week, and then i have basically 1 month free of school!! For 2 weeks, i will be doing an Internship, as a veternarian!! I am quite excited to be able to work with the animals! I will do this for 2 weeks, and then i have 2 weeks free, for Easter break!! I am looking forward to sleeping in! =)

I have officially been with this host family for 2 months. I still feel really comfortable, and am really enjoying myself! I have a very good relationship with my host mom, and i find her super sweet. And my host dad quite funny. This last weekend, my host sister, Kerstin came home for the weekend. It was sooo much fun!! I really like her, she is super nice! We went shopping together, and played a few card games, and even Settler of Catan! It was an awesome weekend, and i really liked getting to know her more! In fact, this weekend i am going to visit her in Trier, and we are going to go in the city together, and do a little shopping. =) I am really excited!!

As for my German, it is coming along really well! I'd say, from a scale of 1-10 speaking is like a 9.5 and as for understanding, I'd say a 10. As I've mentioned in a few of my last posts, i have started to dream and think in German, and it was so weird at first. But recently, i had a dream in English, and it was weird...I cant really explain the feeling...of thinking and dreaming in another language...I have also decided to take the DAFS test, meaning deutsch als fremdsprache (German as a foreign language)  And, if i pass this test, it allows me to study in Germany...which means, i want to go to college here. I have come to really like the german language, and the culture, and even the education system. I want to study here. But, i first want to make sure my language is good enough...so, i am receiving tutoring once a week from a teacher, and we are practicing for this test...I really hope i pass it..!!! I will take it in July, or in June, which gives me 4 months left to study! However, i won't take the test, unless i am sure i am ready for it. In order to study here, i have to be C1 level, and right now i am  managing B1 (The system is a1,a2, b1,b2...)

As for the weather here, it is finally getting warmer!!! We have no snow on the ground now, quite a difference from my last post!! And, i am able to go with a normal jacket, no longer needing a huge winter coat!! The sun is finally shining again!! And the skies are finally blue again!! But, supposedly i is supposed to snow again on saturday, i am hoping the weather man is wrong!!   =)



So, as most of you know, in February, it is Karneval. Karneval, is kinda like Mardi Gras! It was one of the most...interesting and different things i have experienced so far!! I had a great time! For the first day of Karneval ( I had one week of school free!) theres something called Altweiberfastnacht. Which means, basically a womans day. This day, the woman are in charge, and cut off the ties of any man she sees! (Including the mayor of the town...)Anyways, i went to Martina's (My first host family) for this day. They had a huge party, complete with a DJ  (my host dad)   =)   It was a lot of fun, and then we went to Sirius, which is a small pub in my town, but it was so full, that i ended up leaving after about 10 minutes, with my host sister, Laura. Laura then came to my house, and slept over. It was a lot of fun!! I also went to a parade, in a neighboring town, Höhr, the parade was so much fun. I couldn't believe how all the people dressed up...there was even one group that dressed up as naked people..(It was like 3 degrees outside!) I also got to see my first host family in the parade, as Princess and Prince! But, karneval was really a lot of fun!    

The weekend before last, i was in Trier, with my host mom, to visit my host sister, Kerstin. Trier is the oldest city in Germany, and i found it beautiful. So, first we picked up my host sister, and then we did a city tour. In this cute little train (Look at the picture)  And we did the tour for a little while, then walked in the city, and went into different shops. I also got to go inside the church. Churches here are sooo nice inside, compared to America. I love being able to go inside the different ones, and see how each of them differ from the other. We also went to eat at Subway!!! It was my host moms first time, and i wasn't to sure if she was going to like it, but she did. It was funny though, because we each ordered a 6 inch, and my host mom thought that was the large one. =)  We also went inside a gummy bear shop! It had so many different types of gummies i couldn't believe it!! And they were in all different shapes, musical, and even playboy and playgirl! It was super funny. There were even some that had vinegar inside! I swear, they must have had any flavor you could have thought of! It was a really fun time, i really enjoyed myself!!  (As for the picture, i really am not so short, she is just super tall!!)

I've received so many emails, with people asking me what is typical for Germans to eat...and rather than write each of you back, i figured i would just write it on here real quick, and then you can all know.
So, for breakfast, it is very typical to eat a Brötchen. Which is like bread rolls, but it gives in so many different kinds...but one typical one is the Kannenbäckerbrot. (First picture) Personally, i dont like it. I prefer what they call, American Toast bread. I find theirs, way to crunchy...lol. And they almost always put butter on it, and then you have your choice at what else. Whether it be cheese, marmalade, different meats: ham, salami, bacon, or nutella. There is also something else people spread on their morning bread and it is kind of like meat in a jar..leberwurst...meaning liver sausage, and it is totally spreadable. (I haven't tried it...) Then for lunch, there is usually something warm. Lunch is their biggest meal of the day, and one really typical one is a sunny side up egg, on top of bread and ham, and then you eat it so. Or, my favorite, is potato wedges covered in this creamy spinach. I love it...and of course, yes they eat Bratwurst, and Sauerkraut.  And for dinner, usually the same as breakfast, a brötchen, with different toppings. They also drink a lot of tea here. And normally, drink Mineralwasser, meaning sparkling water...i personally can not drink it. I cant stand it...i normally drink water from the tap...






<3

One kind word can warm three winter months.

I can hardly believe I have been living with my second host family for nearly a month now. The time seems to be passing so much faster than how it did the first half of the year. i really like my host family. They are really sweet. I thought it was going to take a little while, to feel used to their home, but surprisingly it didn't. From the beginning on, i adjusted pretty easily, and felt very welcome. I'd say, one of my favorite parts of this host family, is going on the walks with my host mom, Gaby, and the dog, Sally. It is nice to just walk and talk, and its really  a good chance to get to know my host mom. On Friday, we decided to climb the Köppel again, when it was really, really snowing. And the snow was really deep, i would say about 15-18 inches! Normally, it takes about 1 hour, we hiked for nearly 3 hours, and then at the top, there is a little cafe, but they wanted to close, because of the weather, so we drank something quick, and walked back down again! By the time we got back to the car, my hair was completely wet, and i had no make up left on my face...!

After the Köppel, we came home, showered, and then we went to Pongs. Pong is a Thai restaurant and cocktail bar, and the food there is so good! I had some Fruhlingsrolle, and this spicy chicken and vegetable thing. And then we just sat, drank, and talked for a few hours, it was a lot of fun.


Last week, i went with my host family to a birthday party, and ate some REALLY good cheese cake. And then my host mom said, oh, we can make that at home. So, my host mom and i made a cheesecake, and it tasted really really good!! It was a lot of fun too, just baking together, and laughing because i am still not used to the metric system, with 300 grams of sugar, i much prefer 3 1/2 cups of sugar. (Lots easier!) I also baked a traditional Wisconsin, Banana Spice Cake yesterday, topped with home made vanilla frosting! It tasted really good, but i think the frosting was a little to sweet for my host family. (And i even put 3 less cups of sugar than what it said in the recipe..) But they never had frosting before!! I couldn't believe it! At first, i translated it, into Zuckerguss, but then when i made it, Gaby said it wasn't zuckerguss. And then i made some no bake cookies! ANd that was a lot of fun! But instead of melting the ingredients on the stove, i did it in the microwave, and it was hilarious. At one point, i went to open the oatmeal, and it went everywhere..! But they tasted reallllly good!

I also received a package from the USA from my family, and inside were different candies from America, and some other small things. One thing that was sent, was cheese zip, that go on the sandwich crackers! And my host family had never seen anything like it before, it was hilarious! So, my host mom tried it, and liked it. And last night, i had my host dad try it, and the first thing he asked was, how many calories are in it! (90 calories per serving, 7 servings) He didn't like it...but we are planning on having an American dinner night soon. with different sorts of American food, and the urny girls will join us, =)






Last weekend, was a karneval Sitzung. My host parents went as pirates! As they were at the sitzung (meeting?), i went with a couple of friends to a beat-party, in a city called dernbach. A beat-party, is just like a disko, and a disko is just like a club in the states. It was pretty fun, just a chance to dance and hang out with friends! I came home shortly after midnight, and my hosts came home shortly after me. i stayed up for a little while, and talked to my host mom, then around 2 , we both decided we should get to bed.





 The next day, my host dad went to Norway. He was there from Sunday-Tuesday. So, we all had breakfast together, and then when my host mom came back from brining him to the train station, we went to a 'Wild park'. A wild park, is kind of like a zoo, but the animals are allowed to be free. (Not the super dangerous ones of course) but like the deer, and billy goats. I finally got to see a wildschwein!!! (Wild pig?) They are the BIGGEST pigs i have ever seen in my life! And the noises they make are incredible!! And the males really do have these huge tusks!!! At first we tried feeding them some of the food we bought to feed the animals, but they werent to interested. So, we went a little further, and just looked. And we saw a little family, a dad, mum, and 2 piglets. And the dad and the mum started fighting, and then the little one ran off, then the other little one chased him, and they were squealing SO loud!!!! I could only say how big they were!!!  (Since i have gotten here, i have wanted to say one these wild pigs, because apparently they are always running around in the forests, and i have wanted to see one, so my host mom thought to bring me to the wild park, then i could finally see one, and i still cant believe how big they are!!)

As you can see in the picture above, there is finally snow on the ground!! From the last two days, it has finally snowed. I feel a little bit like i am in Wisconsin, we really got a lot of snow!! Over the past few days, i would say we have gotten at least, 16 inches of snow! My host parents said they haven't seen this much snow in this area of the westerwald, in over 20 years! (I told them, it is because i am here, i brought the snow with my from Wisconsin..!)

I attempted to make a snowman, with my host mom, but it didnt work out very well the snow was still way to powdery, so, we recognized defeat, but still took a lovely picture   =) My host dad and brother, also used the sauna this weekend, and ran in the snow, and then back into the sauna! Reminded me of when all the south American exchange students were in the states last year! But, we are determined to make one before all the snow melts away!

Today, i went with my host family to a husky race! It was so incredible! There were over 100 dogs there, and i would say at least half of them were all huskies! As we first got there, all you could here was barking, and you could see the mushers getting them ready to run. The huskies looked extremely excited! It took, 4 huskies only 28 minutes to run 8 kilometers!!! It was really cool to see all the different dogs there, and all the huskies!




I went with a Rotarian recently to a musical. Sweeney Todd. First, she picked me up, and we drove to koblenz, and had some time to sit, eat, and talk and get to know eachother a little bit. Then the musical started, having already seen the film, i knew what it was about, and as she read what it was about, she was shocked. It turned out the musical wasn't as bloody and gory as the movie, but it was still pretty...similiar to the movie. But, i still enjoyed being able to be in the Koblenz theatre, since we don't really have them in Wisconsin!

School is going well. I am starting to be able to participate more and more in my classes. And i am starting to meet some new people, so, i usually have something planned on the weekends! I dropped my math class however. I was in a calculus class, and i have never even taken pre-calc...but now i have another german course...we'll see how that goes. WE got report cards the other day, i didnt get one, but was told by several of my teachers, that they were proud of how far i have come in my German.

As i mentioned before, my host family is great. I really welcome in their home, and they make me feel as if i am a member of their family. I'm thankful to be living with them these next couple of months. Speaking of host families, i was able to catch up with my first host mom recently. It was nice to just be able to sit and talk with her for awhile.



***Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire***

=)

Change is the essence of life.Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.

     All of us experience change in our lives. Change is the one constant in our lives. There are changes that we look forward to and change that we fear. However, one thing is for sure. Things will not stay the same no matter how much we would like them too. When a life change occurs, we have two choices in how to respond. We can despair that a change has come and assume that things will be worse, or we can look with excitement at the new possibilities that the change presents.

Do you ever stop and think? Just reflect on everything that's happened to you in the last few days. Months. Years.

Do you wonder where all that time went? All those special moments or just the ordinary daily activities that are now only memories. Memories that are unique and the only way you can hold onto them is by replaying them in your mind over and over again, until the details all merge together and you're left with a fuzzy recollection that doesn't seem to fit anymore.

Do you remember the exact time when you started to grow up? When the conversations you had were not about dolls or imaginary friends...but about the more important things in life?

Have you ever felt that the closest people to you are also the furthest away? Felt that everything was happening too fast?

And who tells us when we have grown up?  Do we ever stop growing up or do we continue to just grow in spirit?

And if I make my own choices, try different things, slowly growing up, will others notice that I'm changing too? Will they accept that i am changing? Will they like the new me?

But if I hold onto the memories too tightly how am I to move on? How am I to grow up and LIVE MY LIFE? How am I to make decisions and take on responsibility if I'm living in the past, and never moving forward? Never changing?

I guess time continues whether you want it to or not, leaving you behind or taking you for the journey of your life. Change is inevitable....
 _____________________________________

Over the last half year, i have changed so much. I've grown up in so many ways. Being in a new country, really makes a person think, and makes them mature and grow up.

When i first got here, i was 16. In America, i relied a lot on my family, whether it be to drive me places, to help me, to give me money, etc. Then, i came here to Germany, and realized for the first time, i was really alone. Not 'alone' in the sense of no one else being around, of course i had my host family, friends, friends and family back home, rotary, etc.

Every morning, i wake up, get ready for school and take the bus. As i think about the first time i took the bus, (Not like a school bus in the states, this is a ppublic transportation bus, that DOES NOT take you directly to your home...) i reealize how scared i was. If you have read my previous posts, then you know the first time i took the bus, i got on the wrong bus...but now, it seems totally normal. I've even taken the train by myself, and have managed to get where i need to go each time, without getting lost.

To you, maybe those things seem little. To me, they were huge. I am in a foreign country, and at first i didnt understand the language to easily, and i didnt speak very much German at all...and everything was so new. And the fact, i managed these things alone, was a huge deal to me.

 i realized for the first time, it was my chance to grow up, and become an independent person. To learn. I am so thankful to be on this trip!
<3

There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them.

I cant believe nearly 3 weeks have passed since i have last written! Its incredible how fast the time is flying by. Over the last few weeks, i havent done to much.....

a few weekends ago, on a Sunday, I climbed the Köppel with my host family, and Sally (the dog!) As i mentioned earlier, it has finally snowed here, so being able to climb up the *hill* was really pretty. The Köppel is one of the highest hills in the westerwald region, measuring 540 meters high! And there are different trails you can take. this time, we took a trail i wasn't familiar with, and it was beautiful. We went through the forest, and the trees with the snow glistening was a beautiful sight to see! Once we got to the top, there were so many people there, so we stayed outside and had something to drink, before hiking back down again. It seemed like each family that was there, had brought a dog with them, so it was really cool to see all the different dogs.


 Then it was time to go back to school again. On Monday, i have either 8 hours, or 10 hours of school, this Monday, i had only 8 hours. When i have a longer day of school, i normally stay at school through the lunch hour, this time, i went with a friend, Sophia for Chinese! It tasted really good!! And every Chinese restaurant i have been to so far, serve these things called Fruhlingsrolle, (sp?) and they are my favorite!! And at the Chinese restaurants, they have the same type of hot sauce i use at home!   =)

On Wednesday, i had a friend come over after school (Sophia). WE ate lunch with my host family, then we talked for a little bit, and then went to Sirius, it is a pub in my town. I had a really good time, because i am finally able to realize i can speak German pretty well. I don't think i am 100% fluent with speaking yet, but it was awesome to sit and talk with a friend in a whole other language (and have that friend understand what i am trying to say!!)



I recently went to the hair salon, and got my hair cut, and dyed, and straightened, i am quite pleased with the outcome! Then on Saturday, yesterday, i went to a ball with my host family. In the mornings, we went shoe shopping, dress shopping, and then  went out to eat at Pizza Hut!!!! It was almost exactly the same inside as it is in the states, and they serve the same exact food as in America. I ordered the chicken wings, with barbecue sauce, and was shocked to discover the BBQ sauce, was exactly the same as it is in America!!! We came home, and shortly after, started to get ready for the ball. I had my hair really straight, and it looked really cute! (Picture is me with my host mom, Gaby) Once we got to the ball, i was able to see my first host family. it was nice being able to tell them what i have done over the last few weeks. The first hour we all stood around and talked to one another, and drank sekt. And then we went into the real ball room, and sat at the table, and listened to the opening speeches (Made by my first host dad, Rudolf) Then everyone got up and started dancing. Here, in Germany, everyone knows the real dances, like waltz, and so on and so forth. I love watching everyone here dance (I personally find it better, as in America) Then the möhnen (the group i was going to dance with) did their dance...and shortly after we went home. We came home pretty early, around 10, and i sat with my host mom, and we just talked a lot, till around 12:30am, and went for a walk quickly with sally, and went to bed around 1:30am.




Everything is going great with my host family. I really love it here. My hosts really make me feel welcome, and like i am a part of their family. My favorite is being able to play different card games and stuff after dinner. It reminds me a lot of our family game night, that my family used to do when we were all smaller.  And of course, this host family has a dog, which is great!!   =)

Language is getting better all the time. i feel like i understand pretty much everything. Normally, i can answer most questions. Sometimes i find it difficult, for example, when someone speaks so fast, or uses dialect, then i have more trouble understanding.

Weather, it is still snowy, so i am happy! But here, it seems to snow, and then rain...so most of it turns into slush...but, i still find it better then the constant rain, like in September.

Today, i am going with my host to family, to a birthday party, and then next week Carnival starts. And i will be going with a Rotarian to a musical!!

=)

*...Times flying, never to return...*

You know the old saying, time flies by? I never really thought about how true that was. Back in August, when i first came here, i thought wow..i am going an entire year without seeing my friends and family...1 year, 52 weeks, 365 days...its incredible. I thought, 'wow, a year is such a long time...can i do it?' Here i am...6 months have gone by. And i can not believe it. Half of my exchange is already finished...it is unbelievable...6 months down...6 to go. As i think about my exchange year ending, i cant stop asking myself where the time went! I only have as much time left, as has already passed...it's sad.

I look at my last post, and realize it has been over 1 month since i last posted...my whole, update every 2 weeks didn't work out very well... =)   I have been really busy since my last post. So, i will try my best to remember everything i have done...


 A few weekends ago i was able to hang out a lot with friends, it was really cool! I went to my friend Brittas house on Tuesday, and we went to the Christmas market, with another friend, Dani, it was really neat. I really like the Christmas Markets!! I am really happy i have finally made some good friends here, and actually have plans and a social life again =) Then on Wednesday, Dani came over, and we made puppy chow!!! =) Which, she liked and that was good! Some American snacks =)




We started having a lot of little Christmas parties in school, in fact, i actually went with my German course to a Christmas Market, and for my bio class, we baked cookies, and did secret Santa, which was pretty neat! After this, we started our winter break!

On a Saturday, i went out with my friends in the morning to the Christmas market, and we had coffee and lunch, which was cool. Then, i went home and got ready for the Opera. We saw Zauberflöte. I dont know what its called in English, but i thought it was really nice. It was in Wiesbaden, which had some Americans, and you could tell exactly where they lived, because the houses were decorated extravagantly! We went out for dinner first (We, meaning host mom, host father, host grandma, host brother, and his girlfriend) It was a really nice restaurant. And from there, we went to the Opera. It was kinda hard to understand, but i think by the end i understood...

Well, my last post was about Thanksgiving...so naturally this one should be about Christmas. Here in Germany, on the 6th of December, they celebrate something called Nikolaus. (sp?) It is sort of like our Christmas eve in the states. We have a big dinner, with close family, and then we get small gifts. In a bag...which acts kind of like a stocking. But, before i get into more detail about Nikolaus..i finally had a rotary conference.


It was on the weekend of Nikolaus. We all met in Aachen, and it was for the entire weekend. So, me and another inbound, took a train from montabaur to Cologne, and then from Cologne, to Aachen. From there, we me with the other exchange students, and met the people we would be staying in host families for the weekend with.  We then drove about 45 minutes to where i would be staying. For the first night, we stayed in host families, and the second night we were all together....so, i met my host family, and they were extremely nice!! We stayed up and talked until late (all in German!) and then the next day we all had breakfast together, and drove back to meet the other exchange students. We then went into Aachens Christmas market. It was nice...but the weather was crappy...rain! =( But when we got back together in the gym, it was warm and dry again. Then we did a gift exchange (i got a lighter and cigarettes) and then we started dancing. People were dancing till around 6 am, and then we were all awake at 7. Half of us, including me, didn't sleep!!! We then boarded our trains back to our home towns.
It was a pretty nice trip, very different compared to the conferences i went to in the states for rotary, but fun all the same.

So, my host mom met me at the train station, then we drove home, and i told her i was going straight to bed, i was sooo tired! So, i was able to sleep for 2 or 3 hours, and then she woke me up, telling me, we had a Christmas party (Nikolaus party)...so, i woke up and went to experience Nikolaus. First, everyone got together, and lit a candle for the advent, and then we sat down and ate a nice meal...and then the little bags with gifts. My host mom got me a snow globe, and a purse! I was really surprised...as my friends and family know, in the states, i really like brown clothing, and brown accessories...etc. I didn't know my host mom was able to tell that...anyways, the purse is brown, and exactly my style! =) Oh, and a weird thing, that i do not quite understand...on Nikolaus, in the mornings, there is a piece of chocolate in your shoe...

So...after Nikolaus....we had normal school for about 2 weeks, and then Christmas break begun!!! We had 2 weeks and a few days for christmas break, it was wonderful!

In Germany, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th, and not on the 25th. And, we do it in th evening, not super early in the morning. So, i woke up on Christmas eve, and i helped my host mom prepare the dinner. We made fondue, meat fondue, with a bunch of different sauces. It actually was pretty good!! So, the close family relatives came over, and we went in front of the Christmas tree, and sang a few songs. Here, you sing a few songs, and then you get your gifts. After singing, we handed out the gifts...i had made my host family a small scrapbook, with most of the pictures i had taken during my time with them. I really enjoyed making it, because i was able to remember all the things i had done since August. And with each picture, i tried to write a small memory that went with it. And in the end of the book, i wrote a letter thanking them for hosting me over the past 4 months...I really did have a wonderful time with them. I lived such a different life, compared to the states...and they were always so sweet and caring, and extremely patient with me. I am really thankful to have had such a wonderful host family. From my hosts, i got jeans, harry potter DVD set, in German, lotions, jacket, and a bunch of other things, it was great!!! We stayed up late (Martina and i, even later than the rest) then the next day, we woke up and went to my host grandmas for lunch. It was cool to sit and see all the other members of the family.

Then, on what they call, the second day of Christmas, we drove to Austria. Drove...i love how close the different countries are here. we are simply able to drive a few hours, and end up in a whole new country...anyways, we drove for only 4.5 hours, and we were in Austria!  We went to the hotel, and then out to eat, and i went to bed. The next day, i started my ski school. First, we had to go and get ski materials. And i have to say...ski shoes are definitely not my idea of comfortable! you are always on ur toes, and ur knees always have to be bent, and i swear it is so hard to walk!! Anyways...then w went to where i would be attending my ski school. First, we began with only one ski, we did a little bit of going back and forth...then, we did both skis...and that was the first time i fell. I was hinking, great we arent even on a hill yet, and i have all ready managed to fall...how wonderful. Then, we started with the hill. And that went okay...of course, it was a ver very tiny hill. No lift...we went up by our skis...then, our teacher had us start to learn to stop...HAHA! That was extremely difficult. Because, of course, first you need to learn how to slow down, before you can learn how to stop...i was having problems learning to go slow...And as for stopping, since i go ice skating, i would always stop the same way i did in ice skating...and technically it isnt the right way to stop...eventually, once we got up to the first 'big' hill, i learned how to control my speed, an how to stop.  I celebrated New Years, in the hut on the mountain. Here, they do loads and loads of fire works, and being on the mountain, you could see so many different sets of fireworks, sadly it was a little foggy, but i was able to see the different areas of the fog light up, which looked really cool too!! It was a fun time.

The funnest part was definitely being able to go all the way up the mountain. I had an amazing time skiing!! I really really like it. I am definitely joining the ski club when i get back to Clintonville! =) I did the ski school for 5 days. On the last day, we did a race, and i came in second place! I was only beat by .3 seconds! =( But, regardless, i think that was one of the funnest time i had in my life! (Vielen Dank Rudolf und Martina!)

When we came back from Austria, it was time for me to switch host families....so, i started to repack my suitcase...i couldnt believe, i cant believe, it has all ready been 5 months...it is so weird... It was sad saying goodbye to my first host family...but, i know we are going to stay in contact, and we dont live too far away from eachother now...so, visits are always possible.

So, i am now in my new host family, and i really like it here! They are extremely nice!! They live differently as my first host family, but it is still really good! I all ready feel really comfortable here, and i think the next couple of months are going to go very well. I love the fact that this host family has a dog...it makes me feel a little bit more at home. And, i can eat vegetarian meals here, which is really cool. In the evenings, we play a lot of card games, the whole family, and that is also really cool. I am able to learn german card games, and they learn the ones from America. (German card decks are so weird! they are only numbered 7-A, there are no 2-6...weird) Over the weekend, i went with my host brother rock wall climbing, and that was also a lot of fun...a little to high for me, but still fun.
Anyways, i think the next couple months, with this host family, is going to be great. It helps that i all ready understand German, and know a little bit more as to what to expect. And i have a good understanding with my host mom all ready. =)

Language, i think is going great. I have started dreaming and thinking in German...which is the weirdest feeling ever, but a good sign i think! =)  I am starting to feel comfortable speaking German, which is really good.

School is going well, we just started our first day again today, after break. Its good to be able to see friends and everyone again =) The classes are getting easier and easier to understand. And i am able to understand the homework pretty well, and dont need to translate it so much to understand.

THe weather here is finally getting colder, and there is snow!! =) Homesickness was really not an issue over christmas...i was really suprised, but it went pretty well. I think because i was kept busy!!!