*...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!!!