Jingle Bells Jingle Bells

It's now December and Weinachten (Christmas) is around the corner. This is going to be my 5th month here in Deutschland and only 7 left to go. Where has all of the time gone? Have I been sleeping these past 4 or so months? It still catches me off guard when I'm reading signs in stores in German or when I find myself understanding what the people around me are saying, and yet it's not in English. I'm feeling very sentimental at the moment, so I apologize ahead of time if this blog is a little too sappy for your liking. I promise it won't be every post! Unless you like that sort of thing ;)

To start off, I went to a disco party yesterday night (my first one!). It has absolutely nothing to do with the word disco, other than the fact that there are bright, moving lights and loud music. Everybody decided not to wear platform shoes and flare jeans with sparkle-embroidered jackets it seems. There was of course alchohol and a room full of people that made it almost impossible to squeeze through to where you wanted to go. It was fun nevertheless, despite the fact that I'm not much of a I-like-to-be-in-a-mob-of-people type girl. Then I spent the night at a new friend's house and that was also fun, although it just consisted of sleeping. However, I spoke with her parents the next morning about being here (since when, for how long, do you like it, etc.) and was very pleased to find out how nice they are. I'm always afraid of not pleasing my friend's parents, not sure why, and the fear increasing with my German friend's parents. My friend also suggested that I write my blog in German and then translate it so both Germans and Americans can read it- I think that might have to wait until I can form better sentences though. Coming soon: Alex's blog in both German and English! Oooh. Ahhhh.

I'm currently expecting my Heimweh (homesickness) to increase now that the holidays are around. So far it hasn't gotten much worse, just missing my cat or speaking English here and there. I'm trying to keep busy to distract myself, however when I do too much I find myself becoming overwhelmed, so I have yet to find a balance. I'm doing aerobic on Thursdays (which consists of me trying to figure out what the lady wants me to do the whole time, although lately I'm starting to fit some actual exercise in!) and choir on Wednesdays. I have Mittagschule (school in the afternoon) on Mondays and Tuesdays and then on Fridays I usually help my host mom bake cookies or a cake, or go out with some friends. Weekends are usually more relaxed though, but there are Weinachts Markt(s?) that I have to go to! Christmas Markets that is, if I haven't cleared that up before. Those consist of pretty lights, Gluehwein (hot, spiced wine), lots of people, and a happy Christmasy feeling. I love going to them and I'm going to be sad when they're taken down.

My host mom bakes these heart-shaped cookies with marmalade between and half dipped in chocolate, and they taste amazing. This last week I was sick and a little sad about everything, and I received one of those heart-shaped cookies first from my host mom in my lunch box with a note saying "alles wird gut!" (everything will be okay), then from my 11 year-old host sister that she left of my desk when I was sleeping, and then from my host dad who brought me one when I was making a lasagna. It made me feel so special and reminded me again how much I love being here. However, a fellow blogger and friend that is also here for the year pointed out how she tries her best to avoid conflicts and confrontations with her host family because they don't have to love you no matter what happens, and I realized how true that was. I'm always trying my best to please them and make sure that everything between us is okay that sometimes it gets a little exhausting. I love them to bits, but I wish I was at peace with the idea that I'm not going to have to move to another host family any time soon, or hopefully ever. That was my biggest fear in coming here.

Another thing that's happened lately is I'm starting to drift apart from my friends that I had in the beginning, and that's a little scary. I think we're a little different personality wise and it seems as if they're a little unhappy with me, although I've yet to find out why. It could just be the stress of school (Germans in the 11th grade are now taking tests that counts towards their Abitur, which is a huge test that they study years for and they must pass in order to graduate) or it could just be that I'm not talking very much, mostly because I can't seem to find the words I want in order to contribute to their conversations. Either way, it's teaching me to extend myself to new people and become a little more outgoing which I've always needed. I've found that I need to feel comfortable with people before I can become my normal self, and I'm hoping to overcome that, if it's even possible. However I'm hoping that I can stay friends with everybody, I definitely don't want to start any conflicts while I'm here. I want to enjoy everything to the fullest extent while I'm here!

Well I guess this blog post wasn't as sentimental as I thought it would be, so you're welcome for sparing your eyes ;) No worries though, it'll be sure to come one of these times!

Bis Bald (see you soon)!

Turkey Day

Yesterday was the longest, yet most beautiful day I've had so far in Germany. I'm sure I don't need to tell you why, but just in case you were really doubtful of your guess, I took the opportunity and brought Thanksgiving to Germany. Well, to my host family and a few friends here.

It started out just an idea a couple of months ago- that we have a Thanksgiving dinner, and that I would be the one to cook it. Then a week ago I spent a couple of hours collecting different recipes and making a shopping list and started to get an idea of what I had really gotten myself in to. I was to cook for 16-18 people in total. I was generally okay with that thought- that is until the 17 pound turkey arrived from the butcher shop. After that I was completely nervous and anxious and having dreams about dropping the turkey as it came out of the oven, which it barely fit in in reality. How was I supposed to make all of these things that I've never made by myself before?!

On Wednesday, the cooking began. I made an apple pie and cherry cheesecake, as well as prepared the bread for the stuffing. As soon as I got home from school the next day, yesterday, I started on the sweet potato casserole, then the glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, peas, rolls, and the stuffing. After I hauled the turkey in the oven and everything else ready to cook, I took one look at the kitchen and decided it was just best to sit down. There was food everywhere and so were my thoughts. Needless to say, I was exhausted from spending quite a few hours on cooking. Where was help, might you ask? Well, I forbid it, at least from my host mom.

My host mom couldn't keep out of the kitchen and asked me several times if she was allowed to help. Several meaning at least once per five mintues. However, I wanted the dinner to be a thank-you for my host parents from me. That wouldn't work if I let her help! However after a couple of hours I gave in and let her cut the onions, but only because my eyes would be watering for hours if I had done it. Okay, maybe not for hours, but I had cooking to do and couldn't afford to waste any time crying over cut onions!

In Germany, it's very polite to bring a little something for somebody who invites you over for an event, so as people arrived I gladly accepted several boxes of chocolate. One thing that made the night extra special was that my neighbor decided to print out some information on Thanksgiving as nobody really knew what it was, so she explained a little bit about it as a sort of speech, including how Black Friday is perfect for women. The she turned to me and asked me what I'm thankful for, and I proceeded to thank everybody for making me feel like I have a home here in Germany. I also thanked my host family for how kind they've been and for allowing me to live with such wonderful people. They thanked me as well and all of them gave me a hug. Sounds cheesy, but it was absolutely perfect.

Next came the eating. The turkey came out wonderfully and didn't, thankfully, end up on the ground. Everybody complimented freely and told me how they liked everything. They're all such fantastic people and I felt obliged to cook for everybody. When I was eating, everything hit me. I'm in Germany! I'm sharing my culture! I just cooked a dinner for 18 people pretty much by myself! I also had invited one of the girls over who I had been speaking with a lot in my classes and she came! Everything was perfect. (Not completely actually- I forgot the gravy...)

To top it all off, I skyped my family after my night was over and was reminded how loved I am, what with my sister-in-law crying and everybody looking so thrilled with everything I said. It was really, honestly, a perfect day. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

17-lb Turkey

Sweet-Potato-Casserole

Stuffing!

Apple Pie

Advents Craft I made!

Story Time!

I'm not sure why my thoughts brought me here, I don't really have a point in making this blog post. However, I had this strong urge to write, so here I am.

Since I've been here I've had horrible back pains, which I think have resulted from stress, or just bad posture that I can't quite seem to remember to fix throughout the day. I told my host parents about it a couple of weeks ago and they told me I should go to the doctor who's pretty good friends with them so she could look at it. Weird that I couldn't just go to a chiropractor right away, right? So, I went to the doctor, and of course she referred me to a specialist, but Krankengymnastic (phsyical therapy basically) instead of just a chiropractor. Yesterday was my 5th appointment with them, and it's been working for the most part, the lady who helps me just shows me some exercises to build up my upper back muscles.

While about to go to my physical therapy appointment yesterday (I ride my bike there, it's about a 15 minute ride), I look for the key to open the garage to get my bike, and it's not there. I went outside to double-check that it was closed, and it was. Next step: ask my host sister where the key is. We spent about 5 minutes looking for it, and my host sister ended up calling my host mom. After no luck of finding it, I ended up having to take the bus, which came the same time my appointment started. This is just one example of something that I very easily become stressed over. "Come on Alex, there's nothing you can do about it! Take the dang bus and stop being so stressed over everything!" came to my mind several times when I felt like I needed to cry. Nevertheless, the public transportation didn't fail my expectations and the bus came about 4 minutes late, and having to walk to physical therapy from the bus stop, I was about 15 minutes late for the 30 minute appointment.

I expected to walk in there and somebody tell me, "Forget it, you're completely late for your appointment. You don't get another one, go home." Walking in there cringing, my mouth already open to explain why I was so late, I was greeted with smiling faces from the receptionist and my Physical Therapist saying "Ah da bist du!" (There you are!). They explained that they had called my house wondering where I was and my host sister had told them what was going on. They could tell I was stressed, probably from my constant furrowed brow, and turned immediately into my counselors and kept telling me everything was okay. We used the remaining amount of time to go over another exercise. At the end, I was talking with the receptionist to apologize and tell her I needed to reschedule my next appointment (we're going to the Black Forest again and I wouldn't be here), and she asked me how long I'd been speaking German. I told her three months, and she was astonished- more enthusiastic then the other people's responses had been when I told them. She continued to tell me that I speak fantastic German (which I've still yet to believe) and that WAIT... I don't have an accent!! That was the first time I've heard it, and I completely and sincerely hope it's true. That immediately made all of my stress go away. No accent!!

Then, to top it all off, some random guy who was waiting for his appointment also commented on my German and helped me put my jacket on- how sweet! Needless to say, yesterday night was an improvement. I think it's so funny how when things are going wonderfully I forget how it is to feel so upset over something. For example, just the other day I was submitting my honors application for the college I want to go to. It wouldn't submit, and that was the last day I could turn it in. It wanted me to select a major when it wouldn't give me a major to select. After about 5 hours of randomly crying, screaming at my computer (which I've sworn off of because of how pointless it is- which shows you how seriously upset I was over this thing), and just about giving up, my mom ended up calling them and leaving them a message to tell them that it wouldn't let me submit it. It was about 3:30 in the morning when I ended up going to bed (bad Alex). I was so completely frustrated over this only to find out the next day that because I'm a nursing major, I have to wait for the school to actually accept me as a nursing major before I can confirm it and before it can appear on the application. There's a special honors committee that reviews this handful of applications in January, and the guy emailed me this and told me that he'd put me on the list. It was nice of them to tell me this before I worried so much over it... anyways. Stress = gone.

Now, when I've had such a good day and could just stay home and relax, I've forgotten completely what it feels like to be so stressed out. Admittedly, I can be a little silly sometimes.

Well, that's all that's really been going on so far! Besides the fact that one of my good friends from this program is going back to America tomorrow, which I'm sad about. However I think it's for the best for him, I won't go into too much detail about that.

Gute Nacht Leser(in)s! (Goodnight readers!)

Entschuldigung

Entschuldigung (en-chool-dee-gung) - excuse me. I need to work on writing more often.

That word will start us off with today's culture lesson. You can use this oh-so-polite word in many different sitatuations, the main ones being:

A) When  you burp or provide other natural bodily functions that aren't accepted in public.

B) When you run into somebody, step on their toes, kick them in the shin, etc.

C) When you come late to class. The teachers find it very rude when you don't say entschuldigung when you come to class with the door already shut, which marks the beginning of the period.

Seems pretty simple and close to the American culture, however you can't use this word when you want somebody to move. It won't work, trust me, I've tried. You have to say something like "get out of my way" with or without a bitte (bit-ta) - please- on the end. I've found the language to be very blunt here and straight to the point, which isn't always the best feelings-saver but at least you know what everybody's thinking about you. For example, a couple of weeks ago my host dad told me that I should paint my nails a different way because he thought it would look better. Needless to say, I took his advice, I just thought it was funny that he suggested it.

Sprache Zeit (sprack-ah tsite):

Language time.

Lately I've caught myself understanding what people are saying, and then being so surprised that I'm actually understanding that I wonder how it's even possible. German just seems to be this completely different world of a language to me, and I think I've learned so much without realizing it that when I can say something that I initially thought I couldn't, or understand what my host family is saying, my mind is blown away.

This is not to say that I'm bilingual, or even close. I still don't know half the things that are going on or what joke I'm expected to get when people look at me and laugh, which I find happens often. However, the best response is always to laugh along, smile, and change the subject to the weather which I think everybody can relate to, and I can understand.

How It's Going:

Just about how it should at the moment. I have a great host family, I'm making some good friends, and I'm able to do a little bit of my homework, nevermind that it's mostly just my english homework, I still feel proud of myself. I'm also starting to appreciate more things about the culture here, like how Germans love to decorate their houses with cute mushrooms or other random things that they make by themselves. It hasn't snowed yet but I'm sure I'll appreciate that when it comes around.

I can't quite think in German but I think I'm at least dreaming a little bit in German because it's not so hard to wake up and speak German right away like it used to be.

I'm still missing things like my family and my friends and the movies (which they have here but it's not quite the same), but I'm trying to keep in mind that I'll end up missing all of the things here too when I come back to America, so I'd better take advantage of it all.

Well, hopefully next time I blog it will be soon, and hopefully I'll have seen some snow by then. Or maybe not, I think I have to buy a new jacket and some shoes which I'm trying to avoid. I'm secretly hoping it doesn't get any colder than this.


Thanks for reading and allowing me to speak English!

In Love

It is now about my fourth Monat (month) in Deutschland.

How It's Going:

Roller-Coaster-like. Some days I'll find myself completely content with where I am and all that's around me. I'll catch myself smiling for no apparent reason and wanting to go dance around my room to songs on the radio (which are the popular songs on our radios in America). That's right, I'm in love with Germany!
Then of course, there are some days where I feel traurig (sad) as well as completely overwhelmed with this new language constantly surrounding me. Most of the time my feelings vary by moment rather than day.

Schule (school) is pretty tough, but I'm starting to understand so much more than I could at the beginning of this journey. It's fantastic when I can sit there and listen to the teacher, and when he/she is done talking my friend will turn to me, about to explain in English what was happening, and I'll turn to her with a smile on my face and repeat a summarized version in German. Of course, it's not every day or every class that I can do that,  but when I can I feel like I'm on top of the world.

My host family is still as wonderful as the beginning. I'm staring to feel more comfortable in the house and being around them. It's good to feel like I have a home to go to. I'm becoming fairly close with my host sisters, in the way that close sisters are, what with tickling, pinching, and messing around with each other. My baby host sister is starting to ask for my help for things that in the beginning she wouldn't let me touch, like pouring her a drink or reading her a book. I find it so sweet.

From the last episode, I still haven't begun to fancy public transportation any more, however nothing of the sort has happened since thankfully.

About the Culture:

A week or so ago, I was with a group of friends during a free period. The bell had just rung and I was saying goodbye to everybody. One of the boys was about to hug me, and seemed very hesitant to. Me, being willing to hug anybody that comes within a foot of me, gave him a hug and said goodbye. Later on, my friend asked me if I had "liked" him. I was immediately taken back by the thought of it, said no, and asked her why she would think so. She told me that she only really hugged the people that she "liked". I checked this later on with my CR, and she said that she too only really hugged people that she liked as more than a friend, although she explained it more as a "good" hug type of hug for those people. People here aren't as open to others as much as Americans are. It's very interesting to observe.

I'm very sorry that my posts have been on the slow side. I hope that once everything becomes a bit easier I can post more often!

I'm going to the Schwarz Wald (Black Forest) this weekend with my host family. I'll let you know how it goes!
-Alexandra

Public Transportation

Today was probably the longest days I've had in a very, very long time.

A week or two ago, my English teacher had told us that on Monday, today, we were going to meet up at a pub in the next town over and have a quiz night. It seemed odd at the moment, but I'm assuming class meetings happen a lot outside of school. Nevertheless, I figured that it would be really fun and I was hoping the quiz was in English (which is was!).

Before this exciting new adventure (and I mean adventure) took part, I needed to get through 9 "hours" of school before I could follow through with any plans. As History, Biology, and Music went by (2 hours each plus 3 free hours) I was ready for my plans. First, I was to meet a friend who is also from America on this same program at the train station in order to get to the next town over. He's not technically in my English class, or goes to the same school, but it was an informal class meeting and he wanted to go. So we met at the train, with me almost missing my bus in order to get there, and not to mention waiting an hour or so for him to be done with school, and traveled to the next city over. We walked around for a while and decided we should try and find the place where I was supposed to meet my classmates in a couple of hours, just in case something went wrong and we couldn't find it. We had to walk quite a ways, but after asking for directions, we finally found our way. We decided staying there was best, as it wasn't really near any other places with food, and I was getting pretty hungry. So we grabbed food there, played a game of chess, a couple games of tic tac toe, and just hung out for a while. After about 9 or so my classmates and teacher came and the quiz night began. It was over star wars, brain puzzles, sex toys (whether the picture on the screen looked like one or not- I didn't pick the subject), and a couple other topics. There were a total of 25 questions, and my team tied for third place, in which I had to arm wrestle another lady in order to win. I won! Then after that, we had to run in order to catch the bus to go back to the train station. We made it barely in time, and then barely in time for the train. The next part is the part that made the whole day and evening seem very very long.

First off, let me tell you that I had a plan to go home. I was to go on the train to the station that I had met my friend, then go with my friends to a bus stop semi-nearby and from there go home on a ruf-taxi, which is free because I have a max-ticket, which is a bus pass that works on a lot of the buses that surround me. So there was a little confusion in which train to go on. My friend picked out a train that he seemed pretty sure of, and I had lost the group of people that I was also with, but I figured that they were just on a different car. However, not too long after our train had left we realized our mistake. At the same time that I got a call from one of the girls that I had been with before we got on the train, my friend that I was with made an upset-looking face along with an "uh oh". We were on the wrong train. Not a problem, right? Get out on the next stop, take a train back to where we just left from, then take another train back to the other station that we planned to go to. Good theory. No ruf-taxi after I think 11:30, and the next train that was coming was due for after that time. Great. I talked with my friends for a long time over the phone, which proved to be a little bit of a challenge as our languages are different, and decided the best plan to get home, which ended up to be way too late for my liking.

So, I am now home.

I had to figure out the public transportation system on my own at some point and time right?

Spaß (having fun)

Gestern, ich bin zu ein Festival gegangen. (Yesterday, I went to a festival).

Needless to say, I had a fantastic time. There were beautiful lights, good music, lots of food, and of course a lot of people.. (had my first real conversation with a boy, we're finally getting somewhere!). It was sort of like an American fair, a small-city fair that is. There was cotton-candy and rides and children. However, I think they call it a festival because there were definitely more alcoholic drinks than what you would see at a fair, and more drunk people. I met more people from my school and was able to speak with them a little bit, which made me happy.

Culture Inform:
Here, Germans stock up on drinks. Apfel-Saft (apple juice), Wasser (water), Bier (you should know this), and anything else that they drink often. These drinks come in glass bottles that are fairly large, and when all of the glass bottles are leer (empty), you bring them back to the local beverage store, and they give you a certain amount of euro for each bottle you have, maybe about .25 euro pro (per) bottle. Then they give you another 10 bottles or so and then you go back home. It's rather interesting but a very good idea. It's a better way of recycling.

How It's Going:
For the past couple of days I've been a little down, what with little knowledge of the language. I find it hard to express my ideas and my opinions in German, obviously because my German isn't the greatest. This is a little disheartening if only because people can't get to know me if I can't express my ideas and opinions, and one of my goals in coming here was to make great friends, which I can't do if people can't get to know me. It's a bit of a cycle that will never-the-less be fixed once I learn more of the language.

However, other than the language, everything is going amazingly. I'm having a great time, as it has been since I stepped foot on this beautiful country. I can't explain how great my host family is. My host parents are very understanding of everything and very helpful. I can tell that the language barrier is wearing them out a little bit as it is for me, but they're very patient and kind. My host sisters are very sweet and always helpful as well.

Not to say I don't miss my family and friends back home. I might even miss my home city a little bit (a tiny bit, that is). I've been a little homesick lately, but everything gets better with time.

The other day I took a German-placement test to see what evening class I could take in a college type school. I got a 34 out of 65 (which I don't think is too bad for only being here for a month or so), and placed in an Intensiv Deutschkurs (intensive German course) with about 6-8 people pro class. Sounds great, right? Well, it's also 410 euro, which is about 600 or so dollars, which is quite a bit for one class. I have to see if my program will cover any of it and then I'll see if I can take it. It's not necessary, just a speed-up-the-process type thing.

Well, ich denke das ist alles! (I think that's all).

Bis später! (Until later!)
-Alexandra

P.S. I've been highlighting the German words for you, just in case you were wondering why some words were purple, but I'm sure you figured that out ;)

schönen grünen Wald von Deutschland

Hello again! I'm sorry I haven't kept up with my blog quite as much as I should be, although I've been very busy with settling in and becoming used to my surroundings. Yesterday I think everything kicked in a little bit and I started to feel a tiny bit homesick.

My CR (Community Representative) came to visit yesterday in order to check up on how everything was going with school, my host family, etc. , and when I was driving with my host dad to go pick her up from the train station, we stopped at a local bank. For some reason, I started to realize that I don't know where anything is here. I can't even find my way around school, much less the villages! I've been so used to being familiar with everything around me because I've lived in the same town all of my life, and now all of a sudden changing gears to being unfamiliar with everything is a little unsettling. I told my CR this when I went to show her my new room, which is beautiful by the way, as everything is here, and she reassured me that in a couple months I should feel like I've lived here all of my life too. I'm definitely looking forward to that.

As I predicted, the hardest part about being in a foreign country is of course, the language. With the culture, you can easily pick up on what's going on, what to do, what not to do, and so on, because you see the same thing happening over and over again. However, with a completely new language, there are always new words that you haven't heard or haven't learned yet, and it's a lot harder to pick up what everybody's saying than what they're doing. Of course, I do learn at least twenty new words every day (whether or not I remember them is a different story), but there are still thousands of words I haven't heard yet. I do feel like I'm making progress though.

A little bit about the culture, you ask? Well, to start off, the German students like to push you out of their way in the hallways of school. Does anybody care? Nope! I always do a quick anger-check whenever one of my friends gets pushed out of the way, but whenever it happens to one of them, they always have a bright smile on their face as if nothing happened. The best example of this is on the "school bus" (it's really just a public transportation bus, which is a lot different than back home). Most of the students get off after the 6th hour (there are a total of 12 in a day that you can take, although it's rare to have all 12 filled up), and so when the bus comes, everybody screams (literally) and rushes into the bus as if there are free ipods inside. This is only because there aren't enough seats for everybody to have, but I've found it unnecessary. I've decided it best to wait outside of the screaming mass and have accepted the fact that I, indeed, will not get a seat on the bus. Alles gut.

Another thing that I find a little bit funny is that I can always tell when somebody is trying to speak to me, especially in English, because they always start their sentences out with "erhm...", or if they're speaking German to me, they'll say "erhm... Alex" with a cute German accent on my name. I love it! However, I can never, for the life of me, tell when they're speaking about me. I always try my hardest to listen in on the conversations around me and see if I can understand, but when I can't understand, I usually just stop listening and think about something else. However, if I knew that they were speaking about me, I would listen harder and try and join in. I have been very unsuccessful, if only because when they're speaking about me, they don't say my name, and they don't look at me at all, but then somebody will randomly say something like "ehrm... so today, did you want to go to so-and-so with us?". What? Where did that come from? So it turns out to be that they were speaking about me the whole time and I had no idea!

I'm debating with my host parents whether I should take a night-German class, and hopefully that might help. It seems a little expensive though. I'll let you know.

Last but not least, I wanted to share my thoughts on dreaming. I've always thought it to be really cool to dream in a different language. I hear about it all of the time, although it hasn't happened to me yet. You'd think that a little over a month of being surround by a different language, I'd be dreaming in it! But no, I dream in English, and I definitely think it sets me back in the morning. I'll go upstairs after waking up to eat breakfast, and my host mom will say something to me, and I'll just stare (tiredly, of course) and try my hardest to understand what she's saying, especially something simple like "Willst du Kaffee?" (Do you want coffee?). However, I'm still in English mode in the mornings because of my dreams! I need to get on this whole thinking and dreaming in German thing. I think it will help immensely.

I hope you've been able to learn a little more about Germany today. I will of course update you again very soon, and post some pictures of Germany and show you how beautiful it is here!

Guten Nacht!!
-Alexandra

Deutschland So Far

So, ich bin in Deutschland. So far, everything is perfectly amazing.

First, I went to language camp with the other fifty or so students. Many adventures occured from that, such as naming stairs or finding a million spiders in your room and being too afraid to do anything about them but scream. (Not me, I was the hero). Along the way I found a few really close friends that I know I'm going to talk to for the rest of my life. I guess that's what happens when you put a bunch of people together that all have one gigantic thing in common.

During language camp, I learnt enough German in 6 hours of class Mondays through Fridays to be satisfactory for speaking with my Host Family and others around me. I learnt how to eat correctly without offending anybody, and how to read city-maps and ride in public transportation without getting lost. We had a "Romantic Night" which didn't turn out to be made for an actual "romantic" night but rather just a night to sit together and listen to music, and we had an exhibition with the local Fire-Brigade and got to spray each other with firehoses, which left us soaking wet and muddy. We had many journeys to the local store, named NP, if only to buy out all of the chocolate. Along with this, we also had two talent shows, in which I sang in the second one the song Arms by Christina Perri with a couple of my friends. Overall, a perfect way to start my 10-month stay in Germany.

On Saturday, 10.9.11, everyone traveled to their Host Family's house, most of us by Zug (train). I traveled to stay with my CR (Community Representative) in a city near where my Host Family lives. They were just coming back from their holiday in Italy and couldn't make it back until later that night. I went with my CR to see Friends with Benefits in German and stayed the night with her.

The next day, I traveled with my Host Family to their house. All I can say is that it's beautiful here. Unlike Arizona, it's green and not burning. There's crisp air that makes you actually want to be outside! My Host Family is incredibly sweet and they always make sure I don't need anything. I love it here.

I started school the other day and all I can say to people when I get really tired is "viel Deutsch", or, a lot of German. It can get really overwhelming to try and speak a completely different language that you've only been studying for about a month, and trying to understand what everybody's saying to you, much less what's going on in your classes. Although, since I've been here, I feel like I'm starting to understand way more than I thought I would for being here for such a short amount of time.

All I can say is that if you ever get a chance to stay in Germany, wholeheartedly, do it.

I will give you more updates on everything's that been happening for the past month or so, but for now, Tschues!

Hello blog followers! Just wanted an opportunity to say goodbye as I won't be blogging for a month due to no internet in language camp.

If you want to know how it feels to be leaving everything behind you for 10 months, here's how:

Frightening, joyful, sad, exciting, extremely exciting, horribly depressing, and so on.

Basically, it's a mix of emotions that I have yet to tame. Leaving everybody you know and trading familiarity for unfamiliarity is as scary as being blindfolded on a rollercoaster. You don't know when you're going to go up, or going to dive down, but the reason you're on it is because you wanted a good time, and you know that you'll arrive at the end safely. (Unless of course it's like Final Destination 3 and you do not get to the end safely..)

So, here I go on my rollercoaster. Wish me luck! I love my family and friends and boyfriend, and I will be back in 10 months! In the meantime, I'll expect to write after September 10th. Follow me on my journey of learning a different language, meeting new people, and enlightening others of my culture as well as breathing in another.

Talk to you in a month!

One Step Closer

Yesterday, I began the next step to my trip: leaving North Carolina and staying with my aunt and her family in Maryland. My parents thought since we were already up here, why buy a plane ticket to come back in a week to fly out to Germany? So, here I am.

I keep forgetting to tell you how beautiful these eastern states are. They're so green, and although they're humid, they remind me of my favorite days in Arizona, the ones where it's not quite raining, but there are dark clouds in the sky and a cool breeze blowing. Maryland is just one of these states that I definitely wouldn't mind living in in the future, although I'm sure the winters have feet of snow, which I'm not particularly fond of. Yes, I know Germany has snow, and I'm going to try my hardest to get used to it, but when you've lived in a desert state all of your life, it's kind of hard to like the cold. So no promises.

Another thing I'm trying to overcome: I'm not with my immediate family anymore. It hasn't sunk in yet, but oh, it will. Ten months without seeing them! Nobody said this would be easy. In fact, I imagine that this will be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I can't wait for the rewards of this trip.

If you didn't already know, the 49 other students and I are living together for the first month in language camp, in other words, a strict schooling of German. I know a little bit right now, phrases and small words and such. However, this is where I will set my basis of the language for the rest of the year. All of the students are extremely nice and passionate about going, and they're all going through the same thing, so it'll be nice to have them to talk to. However, I won't have internet access (except for the internet cafe in the town over which I can only use on Sundays and is rather expensive to get there) from August 14th to September 10th, so if you've noticed that I've disappeared for a month, you'll know why. This, it seems, will be the hardest part. I've gotten used to talking to my friends, boyfriend, and family, although I'm not with them. Now, I won't even be able to talk to them. This is what's setting me back right now it seems.

I'm sorry I won't be able to update you until September after the 14th, but I promise I'll have lots of stories to tell when the time rolls around! Don't give up hope on me!

Rest Assured

The ocean waves crash towards me and wrap around my feet, and only seconds later, gently receed, carrying the sand between my toes and underneath me along with it as I sink.

Sound familiar? Something beautiful taken away from you within a short time of receiving it. My whole life changing because of a receeding wave. However, I'm not only joyful, I'm ecstatic! After the wave goes away, another bigger, more beautiful one comes along, a.k.a. Germany. I can't wait for everything to happen!

Nevertheless, I'm in North Carolina now, a state much prettier and greener than the desert of Arizona that I know so well. The beach is beautiful, I'm getting to spend time with my family, and there's good food! It's time to settle and get used to change though. I left my boyfriend and friends and town behind and I'm not coming back until next June. It's starting to get easier though, that's for sure.

I just finished the last of my 3 summer school classes, so never fear! I will graduate high school on time, in case you were oh so worried.

Talk to you soon!

See You Later Arizona

I've always wanted to know what's going to happen in the future. Who I was going to marry, what I was going to look like when I turned 16, where I would go to college, what it would be like to drive... all of the things that seem so exciting when you're young. I don't know what it is about knowing things, but I've always been a fan of it.

If I knew that I would be traveling out of the country for 10 months when I started high school about three years ago, I think I would have sat on my bed until the day the opportunity came to me. I don't think I would have cried as much as I did today. I also don't think that I would have taken for granted the things that I'm leaving behind.

Don't get me wrong! My posts sound utterly depressing, but I'm completely happy with my decision and this opportunity. It's a once in a lifetime kind of thing, I haven't even considered the option to turn it down! I think I'm just getting through the harder parts at this moment.

As for Arizona, goodbye! I'm leaving tomorrow at 5 p.m. (hopefully) sharp to go on a family vacation in North Carolina. Rent a beach house, make smores, relax for a week with family? Sounds good to me! So, if you happen to be wondering "Where is Alex?" I'm right on the beach!

I Feel So... Oh So...

Feelings. What do they mean anyways? We can't trust our heart to lead us out of a chess game that will win us a grand prize of money, or to perform surgery and save somebody's life, so what's the point?

Obviously I can't be talking about the happy feelings. I absolutely love feeling happy. I'm more complaining about the heartache and hurt that accompanies the good, joyful, and inspiring. Yeah, that's about what I'm feeling right now.

I spent the day with my mom and it was full of seeing the dentist about my aching missing wisdom tooth that was just extracted along with three others, and shopping for necessities to bring with me to Germany, and it was absolutely wonderful. I was glad that I had the chance to spend alone time with my mom for one of the last times for a while, but unfortunately it reminded me at what heart strings were going to be tugged once I was away for ten months. I took a good long look at my town as well, and hugged my boyfriend for a while. It's so easy to think about how much I'm going to miss things.

However, because of how supportive everybody is being of me to go to this strange new place, I know that they really wanted this for me, and I become reminded of how much I wanted this for myself, no matter how much I'll miss everybody and everything.

What I learned today: the heart is the thing that drove the chess player to do what he loved, the surgeon to care about some stranger, and me to go explore new parts of myself and the world;

and, things change.

Global Online Exercise

A. What are the five things that you are most looking forward to about studying abroad?
1. meeting incredible people
2. bonding with my host family
3. becoming fluent in the German language
4. total immersion into the German culture
5. maturing as a person
B. What are the five things that currently worry you most about going overseas?
1. will they like me?
2. not being able to communicate
3. many unknowns
4. dispersing from my family into someplace completely new
5. what will happen while I'm there
C. What are the five things (people, places, activities, etc.) you believe you will miss most from home when abroad?
1. My family
2. My boyfriend
3. My friends
4. My town
5. Performing in concerts, plays, musicals, etc.
D. What are the five things (people, places, activities, etc.) you believe you will miss least from home when abroad?
1. My school
2. Working
3. Taking standardized tests
4.
5.
E. My greatest single challenge overseas will be:
To accomplish everything I have in mind: learning the language, bonding with many people including my host family, and learning in school while learning the language.

Hallo!

Hello for the first time! My name is Alexandra Glick and I'm 17 years old and I'm a senior in high school. Because my school has a strict dress code and a closed campus lunch on occasion, I'm leaving it forever. No, really, I'm just kidding. However, I am leaving my school. This may not be of interest to you yet, but in November of 2010 I applied for a scholarship that Congress-Bundestag was offering. Congress-Bundestag is a combination of Germany's government and the United State's government, and their goal is to connect Germans and Americans in a way that nobody could ever teach in school. Moving on about 3 or 4 months after I applied, I received an email telling me that I was a semi-finalist. Next I went to Big Bear, California to be interviewed and I met some of the most amazing and interesting people in my life. Next step was anxiously awaiting the verdict. My mom was upstairs one morning while I was emailing my teacher that I was sick. The next thing I knew, an email popped up and my answer was a shriek. I was a finalist! I had to complete a secondary application that was full of doctor's appointments, immunizations, and a preference for a host family. In May, I received my final email telling me I was a member of the CBYX exchange trip of 2011-2012, and yes, I cried. So in a month, I will be traveling to Germany, fully-paid, and living there for 10 months, and I have the opportunity to tell you about everything that goes on! Keep in touch with me and I'll let you know about German food, German culture, my journey of learning the German language, and anything else that might be of your interest!

I'll see you soon!
-Alexandra