It's almost been a week since I last posted, and quite a bit has happened since then.
First of all: school. My classes so far aren't too terrible. Math seems to be stuff I've already learned. In my French class, we're all beginners. Biology is just new words. Chemistry was not fun the first time I had it, however. We took this test to see how much we could remember. There were 11 questions, and we had about 30-45 minutes to complete it. I maybe answered 4. I had to look up just about every other word. That was not exactly my idea of fun. The rest of my classes I haven't really had too much experience with as of yet. Hopefully I'll get the feel of my classes soon.
Also on the topic of school: I love it when teachers are sick! Unlike school in America where you're stuck with a substitute teacher and busy work, German schools just don't have class for that period. It's happened twice now. One time was in the morning. We ended up getting a bit of busy work, but it wasn't hard at all. The second time was during the afternoon, and we were free two hours early. Gotta love it!
Yesterday, I went with a friend to Bremen. She showed me some of the sights like the Liebfrauenkirche, the Bremer Stadtmusikanten and the Weser River (just to name a few). We also did some shopping. I bought a few things, and I think I have a general idea of the fashion here, now. I'd really love to go back, and I'm happy because I'm sure that won't be too difficult to arrange!
Then today, my hostmom, hostsister and I went to Hannover. My hostsister had an interview with YFU, and I got to tag along. We went by train, and on the way there, we ran into a delay because someone had stolen some sort of cables. We then had to wait for a bus to take us to the next station. Once in Hannover, we got a bit lost and ran past the building the meeting was in. Once we finally figured it out, I sat in with the parent portion of the meeting. It was kind of interesting to hear them talking about the exact same things I heard. Plus, it's always fun to have people compliment you on you competence in a foreign language. Although, I'm sure they were more talking about my understanding than my speaking, seeing as I didn't talk much.
Next week is my class's Kennenlernfahrt. We'll be gone for 4 days and only have 3 hours of school on Friday. I'll be away from my computer and the internet that whole week, which will probably be good for my German. I guess I'll find out!
Bis später!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
First Day of School
As you probably already figured out, today was my first day in German school. Overall, I think the day went well.
I was late to my appointment with the secretarian because my hostmom's van had a screw in it. Luckily, we were able to get it fixed quickly and we were on our way. When I got there, everyone in my grade was in the cafeteria finalizing their classes. I had to decide between music, art and theater for one class I'll take the whole year and a second I'll take half the year. If you know me at all, you know which I picked for the year. As for the other one, let's just say I hate public speaking.
After that, the teachers were asking for people to switch from Spanish to French because there weren't enough taking French and too many were taking Spanish (they also did the same for Religion and Philosophy). It seems that no one wants to French, even in Germany. One of the teachers was on the stage in the cafeteria and asked me which foreign language I have. I told him that I don't. He put in me in French. Everyone laughed. I just hope I don't completely fail in it tomorrow when I have two hours of it...
Shortly after that, we split up by classes and went to our rooms. My class's main teacher is really nice and she walked with me to our classroom. She introduced me to a couple of girls in the class and I sat next to them. The one I was directly next to was really nice and let me tag along during the breaks. In English, the teacher called on me a couple of times to clarify or define some things (in English, thankfully). The girl next to me commented on how nice my English sounds.
On Mondays, I have two hours of Gym. It's not exactly my favorite class, but it's only Mondays and it's at the end of the day. So, I think I can manage. I just have to buy myself some gym clothes.
I take the bus home after school, and that was a whole different experience than even taking the train. With the train, there's only one way to go and the stops are easily recognizable/announced. Today, I missed my stop because I wasn't entirely sure which it was. Fortunately, I was able to get off at the next stop and just walk the rest of the way back. That wouldn't have been too bad if it wasn't so warm. Oh well, now I know better for next time!
Bis später!
I was late to my appointment with the secretarian because my hostmom's van had a screw in it. Luckily, we were able to get it fixed quickly and we were on our way. When I got there, everyone in my grade was in the cafeteria finalizing their classes. I had to decide between music, art and theater for one class I'll take the whole year and a second I'll take half the year. If you know me at all, you know which I picked for the year. As for the other one, let's just say I hate public speaking.
After that, the teachers were asking for people to switch from Spanish to French because there weren't enough taking French and too many were taking Spanish (they also did the same for Religion and Philosophy). It seems that no one wants to French, even in Germany. One of the teachers was on the stage in the cafeteria and asked me which foreign language I have. I told him that I don't. He put in me in French. Everyone laughed. I just hope I don't completely fail in it tomorrow when I have two hours of it...
Shortly after that, we split up by classes and went to our rooms. My class's main teacher is really nice and she walked with me to our classroom. She introduced me to a couple of girls in the class and I sat next to them. The one I was directly next to was really nice and let me tag along during the breaks. In English, the teacher called on me a couple of times to clarify or define some things (in English, thankfully). The girl next to me commented on how nice my English sounds.
On Mondays, I have two hours of Gym. It's not exactly my favorite class, but it's only Mondays and it's at the end of the day. So, I think I can manage. I just have to buy myself some gym clothes.
I take the bus home after school, and that was a whole different experience than even taking the train. With the train, there's only one way to go and the stops are easily recognizable/announced. Today, I missed my stop because I wasn't entirely sure which it was. Fortunately, I was able to get off at the next stop and just walk the rest of the way back. That wouldn't have been too bad if it wasn't so warm. Oh well, now I know better for next time!
Bis später!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Finally in Hambergen
Saying goodbye to my hostfamily in Harra was harder than I thought. It was nice to travel the first leg with people I knew, though. The four of us traveled to Leipzig together, but that's where I had to get off. So, I had to say yet another goodbye. I might have gotten more emotional about that one, but I was too preoccupied with getting off the train and to the next track.
After an hour waiting, my next train finally came. I had to ask someone if I was getting on the right one, but all went well. The ride was kind of long, but it wasn't horrible. Along the way, I got to see some pretty crazy soccer fans. It's fun to see people totally decked out in their team's colors.
Shortly after we got to my hostfamily's house, we had dinner and I packed. It's nice to finally be able to totally unpack and place things how I want them. I like knowing I'm going to be here for a while. A bit later, my hostmom and I went to Hambergen's Erntefest. I honestly saw more German youths in the short time we were there than I did the entire time I was in Harra/Bad Lobenstein. It a kind refreshing.
Today, my hostdad and I went to see my hostbrother and hostmom in the parade. It was fun to see. There were a few differences between this parade and the ones I'm used to in the States. For one, this one wasn't as long. I'm used to ones that last an hour or longer (or at least they feel that way). Second, a lot of the floats had young people drinking and partying on them. My hostparents say that's kind of frowned upon, but people do it anyway.
So, overall, my first chunk of time here has been pretty good. Tomorrow is my first day of school and my hostmom and I are going in to get my schedule. Wish me luck!
Bis später!
After an hour waiting, my next train finally came. I had to ask someone if I was getting on the right one, but all went well. The ride was kind of long, but it wasn't horrible. Along the way, I got to see some pretty crazy soccer fans. It's fun to see people totally decked out in their team's colors.
Shortly after we got to my hostfamily's house, we had dinner and I packed. It's nice to finally be able to totally unpack and place things how I want them. I like knowing I'm going to be here for a while. A bit later, my hostmom and I went to Hambergen's Erntefest. I honestly saw more German youths in the short time we were there than I did the entire time I was in Harra/Bad Lobenstein. It a kind refreshing.
Today, my hostdad and I went to see my hostbrother and hostmom in the parade. It was fun to see. There were a few differences between this parade and the ones I'm used to in the States. For one, this one wasn't as long. I'm used to ones that last an hour or longer (or at least they feel that way). Second, a lot of the floats had young people drinking and partying on them. My hostparents say that's kind of frowned upon, but people do it anyway.
So, overall, my first chunk of time here has been pretty good. Tomorrow is my first day of school and my hostmom and I are going in to get my schedule. Wish me luck!
Bis später!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
On the Road Again
In less than two hours, I'll be boarding the train and beginning my journey to my year family. It's crazy how fast this month has gone!
This past week was pretty cool. We went to the Therme, went on a boat tour, had our Abschlussparty, watch a movie in school, and then I went bowling with my hostmom, hostsister and a friend of theirs. I think it was a good way to end my time here.
I have to say that packing the past couple of nights has been hard. If this is any indication of what it will be like at the end of the year, it's going to be a nightmare. Maybe it's because I only packed over two nights instead of a few weeks like I did when leaving Wisconsin. I guess I'll find out when the time comes.
This first month has felt kind of strange to me. I don't really feel like I'm in Germany. It just feels like some sort of summer camp. I'm pretty sure that's just because I've been spending most of my time speaking English with the other exchange students here. However, that feeling is starting to change. This is starting to feel more real. And I'm pumped!
Bis später!
This past week was pretty cool. We went to the Therme, went on a boat tour, had our Abschlussparty, watch a movie in school, and then I went bowling with my hostmom, hostsister and a friend of theirs. I think it was a good way to end my time here.
I have to say that packing the past couple of nights has been hard. If this is any indication of what it will be like at the end of the year, it's going to be a nightmare. Maybe it's because I only packed over two nights instead of a few weeks like I did when leaving Wisconsin. I guess I'll find out when the time comes.
This first month has felt kind of strange to me. I don't really feel like I'm in Germany. It just feels like some sort of summer camp. I'm pretty sure that's just because I've been spending most of my time speaking English with the other exchange students here. However, that feeling is starting to change. This is starting to feel more real. And I'm pumped!
Bis später!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
A Little Less than Normal
After school today, some of my classmates and I watched the movie "Goodbye Lenin". It was pretty good, even if I couldn't understand all of it. I did manage to laugh at some of the funny parts, though!
However, because of the movie, I had to miss the 6:00 train. That meant I had to wait two hours for the 8:00. So, a classmate and I went and got something for dinner. We decided on döners (which were really good! if you're ever in Germany, have one!). After that, we had about 40 minutes until my train came. So, we headed to the trainstation to wait.
About 15 minutes or so before my train was supposed to come, a group of 20+ police officers came to the station. I had no idea what they were there for. My train ended up coming late and being on a different set of tracks. Once it pulled into a station, a group of 30-40 young people got off. They seemed to be coming home from some kind of a trip. I think the police were there to make sure they didn't end up getting rowdy. They also seemed to be ready to search some bags. I'm not sure, though. I didn't get back to Harra until 8:30.
Also, I bought a jar of that Duo spread I posted a picture of earlierl. It's delicious! I had some on bread for breakfast this morning. Hopefully, I can make it last a while!
Bis später!
However, because of the movie, I had to miss the 6:00 train. That meant I had to wait two hours for the 8:00. So, a classmate and I went and got something for dinner. We decided on döners (which were really good! if you're ever in Germany, have one!). After that, we had about 40 minutes until my train came. So, we headed to the trainstation to wait.
About 15 minutes or so before my train was supposed to come, a group of 20+ police officers came to the station. I had no idea what they were there for. My train ended up coming late and being on a different set of tracks. Once it pulled into a station, a group of 30-40 young people got off. They seemed to be coming home from some kind of a trip. I think the police were there to make sure they didn't end up getting rowdy. They also seemed to be ready to search some bags. I'm not sure, though. I didn't get back to Harra until 8:30.
Also, I bought a jar of that Duo spread I posted a picture of earlierl. It's delicious! I had some on bread for breakfast this morning. Hopefully, I can make it last a while!
Bis später!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Weimar and Buchenwald Part 2
So, after visiting Buchenwald, we went on a tour of Weimar. We stopped at a few notable buildings. Despite the rain, we had fun and saw some pretty interesting sites. Here a few pictures from that leg of the journey.
First is a picture of the statues of Goethe and Schiller (respectively):
Here are the ruins of an old church in the park near Goethe's garden house.
This is a picture at the town market place. This is the tourist building:
And last is a shot of the city hall:
Also, I added a new picture to the post titled "Update". So, if you've seen it before August 9th, then have another look.
Bis später!
First is a picture of the statues of Goethe and Schiller (respectively):
Here are the ruins of an old church in the park near Goethe's garden house.
This is a picture at the town market place. This is the tourist building:
And last is a shot of the city hall:
Also, I added a new picture to the post titled "Update". So, if you've seen it before August 9th, then have another look.
Bis später!
Weimar and Buchenwald
Today was my OLC's trip to Weimar. First we went to Buchenwald.
Let me tell you that it was such an experience for me. It's hard to put into words what it was like. I could have spent hours in each building just imagining what it was like when the camp was in use. Here are some pictures from Buchenwald that maybe can impart a bit of what it is to visit this place.
This is what the barracks area looks like now. Almost none of the barracks remain. Where the rocks are black is where the barracks used to be.
Here is a look into one of six cremation ovens in the camp.
This is the smoke stack of the crematorium.
This building was used to store all the belongings the prisoners came with.
This is the gate to the prisoners' area. The words have two translations: the more literal "to each his own"; and the less literal "you get what you deserve".
It seems I can't add more pictures. So, the ones from Weimar itself will be in the next post (even though that post will show before this one on the blog page... silly blogger).
Let me tell you that it was such an experience for me. It's hard to put into words what it was like. I could have spent hours in each building just imagining what it was like when the camp was in use. Here are some pictures from Buchenwald that maybe can impart a bit of what it is to visit this place.
This is what the barracks area looks like now. Almost none of the barracks remain. Where the rocks are black is where the barracks used to be.
Here is a look into one of six cremation ovens in the camp.
This is the smoke stack of the crematorium.
This building was used to store all the belongings the prisoners came with.
This is the gate to the prisoners' area. The words have two translations: the more literal "to each his own"; and the less literal "you get what you deserve".
It seems I can't add more pictures. So, the ones from Weimar itself will be in the next post (even though that post will show before this one on the blog page... silly blogger).
Monday, August 8, 2011
Update
My visit to Gera went well. It was extremely hot because there wasn't a breeze, but it was a cool place to visit. My hostparents and I went into the museum they have about the history of the town. I couldn't understand the majority of what the signs and such said, but it was still interesting to see the pictures and artifacts. And don't worry. The worst I saw of the Neo-Nazi demonstrations was a bunch of police, one group of people carrying the Nazi flag, and a bunch of anti-Nazi signs and stickers. I kind of wish I could have gone closer to the action to see what was going on, but those things can get dangerous. So, it's probably good that we stayed away.
Here is a picture from Weimar (yes, I know there's a bit of time traveling going on here) that shows a poster I saw in Gera:
Yesterday, I walked with the Heil's and their horse, Laila, to a nearby town called Arlas. It was fun to spend time with them again. We talked about how my exchange is going. I taught them some of the American names for plants. I told them where maple syrup comes from. They showed me a few mushrooms that are safe to eat and how to tell when they're spoiled. I even rode the horse a bit on the way back. However, I have to say that walking that far has left me pretty sore...
Part of school today was pretty interesting. We split into three groups and came up with interview questions about Buchenwald. Then we went into the market center of Bad Lobenstein and we each had to interview at least one person. All in German. It was kind of nerve racking, but it's good practice all the same. Plus, it was really interesting to hear some of the people's responses.
After school, I did a bit of shopping. First, I went to the grocery store to get a bit of food for lunch tomorrow. While I was looking for things, I saw this:
That's right: chocolate and caramel in spread form! I have to try it sometime. I'm not sure what I'd put it on (bread doesn't sound right), but I will try it, even if it's just on a spoon!
After that, I went on the hunt for jeans. Silly me brought only three pairs, and only two I feel I can wear often. I've essentially been wearing one pair a week, with my skinny jeans or leggings thrown in now and then. So, I decided I should get myself another pair. I ended up having to go to four stores before I found one pair that fit me well and that I liked. First of all, I had no idea what size I am here. Second, most jeans aren't made for people my height (meaning they're way too long). Third, German fashion (or at least the fashion popular here) seems to revolve around faded jeans. That's not so good when I like dark wash. When I finally found a pair I liked, I had to fork over 67€ (that's over $95!). I have never paid that much for a single pair of jeans. That's crazy!
Anyway, after I got over the sticker-shock, I checked my makeshift watch (aka, my iPod) and saw that I had two minutes to cover a 10-minute distance before my train came. So, to pass the next 45 minutes before the next train came, I sat in the park and read. I wouldn't complain about that, except that it was cold and windy and I'd decided to leave my jacket on my bedpost.
Tomorrow, I get to wake up at 5:30 to get on the train at 6:40, because my OLC is going to Weimar tomorrow. We're going to visit some historical buildings in the town as well as the Buchenwald concentration camp. I'm looking forward to the trip. I think both parts will be very interesting and amazing experiences.
Bis später!
Here is a picture from Weimar (yes, I know there's a bit of time traveling going on here) that shows a poster I saw in Gera:
Yesterday, I walked with the Heil's and their horse, Laila, to a nearby town called Arlas. It was fun to spend time with them again. We talked about how my exchange is going. I taught them some of the American names for plants. I told them where maple syrup comes from. They showed me a few mushrooms that are safe to eat and how to tell when they're spoiled. I even rode the horse a bit on the way back. However, I have to say that walking that far has left me pretty sore...
Part of school today was pretty interesting. We split into three groups and came up with interview questions about Buchenwald. Then we went into the market center of Bad Lobenstein and we each had to interview at least one person. All in German. It was kind of nerve racking, but it's good practice all the same. Plus, it was really interesting to hear some of the people's responses.
After school, I did a bit of shopping. First, I went to the grocery store to get a bit of food for lunch tomorrow. While I was looking for things, I saw this:
That's right: chocolate and caramel in spread form! I have to try it sometime. I'm not sure what I'd put it on (bread doesn't sound right), but I will try it, even if it's just on a spoon!
After that, I went on the hunt for jeans. Silly me brought only three pairs, and only two I feel I can wear often. I've essentially been wearing one pair a week, with my skinny jeans or leggings thrown in now and then. So, I decided I should get myself another pair. I ended up having to go to four stores before I found one pair that fit me well and that I liked. First of all, I had no idea what size I am here. Second, most jeans aren't made for people my height (meaning they're way too long). Third, German fashion (or at least the fashion popular here) seems to revolve around faded jeans. That's not so good when I like dark wash. When I finally found a pair I liked, I had to fork over 67€ (that's over $95!). I have never paid that much for a single pair of jeans. That's crazy!
Anyway, after I got over the sticker-shock, I checked my makeshift watch (aka, my iPod) and saw that I had two minutes to cover a 10-minute distance before my train came. So, to pass the next 45 minutes before the next train came, I sat in the park and read. I wouldn't complain about that, except that it was cold and windy and I'd decided to leave my jacket on my bedpost.
Tomorrow, I get to wake up at 5:30 to get on the train at 6:40, because my OLC is going to Weimar tomorrow. We're going to visit some historical buildings in the town as well as the Buchenwald concentration camp. I'm looking forward to the trip. I think both parts will be very interesting and amazing experiences.
Bis später!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Halfway to Hambergen
So, it's been a week since I last posted here. I'll try to sum-up the week.
Sunday, I went on a horseback ride with a friend of my hostmom and her daughters. It was so much fun! They took me to the top of one of the tallest hills in the area and then down into some beautiful forests. The ride lasted about three hours, and I was so sore after. It probably didn't help that I didn't have a saddle, though...
School was a bit different this week. On one of the days, we did a sort of scavenger hunt in Bad Lobenstein where we were split into two teams, and then we had to race around the town using a GPS to find the location of letters. These letters then had to be unscrambled to spell out a word. It was fun, and I believe my team won (even though we had stopped to get icecream on the way back). I don't think there was a prize, though.
Then on Thursday, we took a fieldtrip to Mödlareuth. It's a small village right on the border between Thuringia and Bavaria. During the East-West division in Germany, it was one of 20 or so other towns that had a physical wall dividing it, like Berlin. The Americans gave this town the nickname of "Little Berlin". The town still has a large piece of the wall in tact and on display for visitors. The also recreated what it looked like at one of the checkpoints in the area. There was a small museum of artifacts and photos. Also, there was a large shed filled with both military and civilian vehicles of the time. Overall, I think it was really interesting and a great experience.
Yesterday, we watched a movie about Goethe. We're going to Weimar on Tuesday, and we'll be visiting Goethe's house among other things. The movie was pretty good, even though I couldn't understand it all. We ended class a bit early that day, which was nice.
Today, my hostparents and I are going to Gera. It's a fairly near-by large town. I'm not exactly sure what to goal of going there is, but I'd bet I'll find out soon enough. My hostmom also said that there might be a Neo-Nazi demonstration as well as a counter demonstration. We'll see how that unfolds.
Bis später!
Sunday, I went on a horseback ride with a friend of my hostmom and her daughters. It was so much fun! They took me to the top of one of the tallest hills in the area and then down into some beautiful forests. The ride lasted about three hours, and I was so sore after. It probably didn't help that I didn't have a saddle, though...
School was a bit different this week. On one of the days, we did a sort of scavenger hunt in Bad Lobenstein where we were split into two teams, and then we had to race around the town using a GPS to find the location of letters. These letters then had to be unscrambled to spell out a word. It was fun, and I believe my team won (even though we had stopped to get icecream on the way back). I don't think there was a prize, though.
Then on Thursday, we took a fieldtrip to Mödlareuth. It's a small village right on the border between Thuringia and Bavaria. During the East-West division in Germany, it was one of 20 or so other towns that had a physical wall dividing it, like Berlin. The Americans gave this town the nickname of "Little Berlin". The town still has a large piece of the wall in tact and on display for visitors. The also recreated what it looked like at one of the checkpoints in the area. There was a small museum of artifacts and photos. Also, there was a large shed filled with both military and civilian vehicles of the time. Overall, I think it was really interesting and a great experience.
Yesterday, we watched a movie about Goethe. We're going to Weimar on Tuesday, and we'll be visiting Goethe's house among other things. The movie was pretty good, even though I couldn't understand it all. We ended class a bit early that day, which was nice.
Today, my hostparents and I are going to Gera. It's a fairly near-by large town. I'm not exactly sure what to goal of going there is, but I'd bet I'll find out soon enough. My hostmom also said that there might be a Neo-Nazi demonstration as well as a counter demonstration. We'll see how that unfolds.
Bis später!
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