~ 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