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!