Late..

Hello Everyone!
    Sorry I'm so late.. I want this update to be pictures and descriptions then I'll get back on track of weekly updates in more detail! (:

  

 My way to school during fall. What a view!

 Across the way, there's just land!

 Our corn and windmill!

 I was super names at the host family get together!

 My host brother made me a boat out of my name tag!

 Twin trees, like how bizarre..

 Old factory falling apart

 The oven for the tiles made in the old factory

 Corn harvesting!

 It looks like a torture device.

 When you let your brother do your hair.

 Fog like crazy

 Thanksgiving 2013!

 Me and that good ol' turkey.

 Light the candle and let the festivities begin!

 Turkey turkey turkey!

 Everyone at our lovely thanksgiving fest!

 Oh Ryan and Hannah and their nonsense! (:

 I survived that and made the news!

 Nikolaustag, he put candy in my shoe!

 The church brass choir playing at the local christmas market!

 The gateway to christmas!

 Our church all decked out for christmas!

 The christmas tree at my bus stop, how sweet!

Our mini chirstmas tree for Oma (:

That Awkward, Late Update..

        I'm so late and I'm so sorry...

    So there past weeks have been full full full! But I'm going to get right back on track! I'll give the big highlights and then I'll go back to being in detail after this. Promise (: 

    First, we had a host family meeting/party the first Saturday of break. Everyone brought a dessert from their home country (I make no bake peanut butter and chocolate oatmeal cookies!). We all walked to the local lake, Dümmer See. There we all played tag, had acorn wars, spun on the playground spiny thing. It was a party and it was a great time! After the party, my host dad took us to see "Paulette". This is a movie about a racist grandma in France who begins to sell weed in her cakes! It was absolutely hilarious and if you get a chance, watch it! The movie theater we went to is the smallest movie theater in northern Germany. It has two theaters and they're so nice! Absolutely adorable!

    The next day, I went into the woods with my host dad searching for mushrooms. Yes that's right, I hunt mushrooms I the woods in my free time, and yes, we eat them! During our search though, he showed me the abandoned factory in the woods. If it was the middle of the night, I would have been really scared! They used to produce stuff like roofing tiles or something along those lines. The story behind the shut down was basically that the younger generation was always so drunk, there was no hope that they would ever run the factory. The dad basically said if they didn't sober up, he'd close the factory, and that he did. We looked in through windows and broken doors. We saw the old basement was full of water (and if you don't know, I have a phobia of how things look when they are underwater some how) and I was a little creeped out. The barn was still pretty stable though, so we walked in and looked at the old cow stalls, the old machinery, and all the other old farm stuff that was still there. Absolutely incredible! Once I got home, another CBYX'er came over for a little bit. We walked my way to the bus, we went through the corn maze, and we had dinner together with my family. I'd say we all enjoyed his company!

    A little later in the break, I went to a family member's birthday party. We seem to have a lot of those! But this was was really cool. It was at a local sports club building, there was a buffet, music, games. Loads of fun! Afterwards, around 11:00, my oldest host sister took me with her to meet some friends at a local market thing, Brockumer Markt. Her friends are so much fun, I couldn't believe it! I probably talked the most that night so far! But hey, university kids, they're always a blast! We were there until about 4:15 or so and I managed to get in bed at 5 and somehow wake up, on my own, at 7:30 and go through the next day without problem, until bed time.. I was exhausted!

    Then Halloween cam around. It is definitely not a thing here.. But, I did some "fall" things during the Halloween time! We were through the corn maze and straightened up filled corn stalks from a big wind storm we had. Then! I got to hang out with one of my friends, out side of school!! Man that was so awesome. We watched a movie, Türkisch für Anfänger, ate pumpkin muffins, and talked about both of our exchange years. Absolutely a blast with her! The day of Halloween included shopping in Osnabrück, riding the corn harvester machine thing, which looks like an evil torture device!, then we went through our corn maze to pick out the letters and treasure chest so that it could be harvested the next day. Since it was dark, he managed to startle me a good couple of times. We celebrated our good work with a soda and chocolate pudding!

    I've also tried two new foods; Schwarzbrot and Pickert. I don't know exactly what the "black bread" is, but it reminds me of Eziekial bread, for those of you that are familiar with that. Pickert is a German pancake (potatoes), pan fried in a type of meat fat. I don't know what exactly.. But you then put sugar on it to eat it. It was interesting. At first it tasted like French fries, but the after taste was like I just ate a spoonful of bacon fat. Not bad, but not particularly amazing. 

    During some bad weather, my host siblings and I made our way through 5 or 6 movies. We even made popcorn with sugar melted over it! Those days, we managed to stay in our pj's until lunch time! But that evening, I went with my host parents to a local comedy group's play about trying to put on the politically correct Snowwhite. Absolutely hilarious! There was even a Sachsen Opa to satisfy my craving for anything Sachsen!

    The day I went to get my personal ID card, my host mom and I did a wee bit more shopping. Then we came home to a rainy evening. That's why my host brother and I did each other's hair!! His in a pony tail Mohawk, mine in a sloppy side bun with all of my hair ties! He also thought it would be funny to take the keys to my dresser and desk. So we had a good long wrestling session over my keys. Eventually, he hid them in his room and I had to search for them. I found them, but he wrestled them out of me. But he was so sweet... Once I was in bed, he took them, tied them to a string, taped the string to the top of my door, put a note inside, and let it knock on my door.. How adorable?? And I went to get it and he was waiting behind the table to give me a hug and say good night!! How unbearably cute??

    Then I went back to school. I got my exam back in German and my teacher was really impressed with my German and the fact that I also understood the play we were reading! And my English teacher called me out for not doing well on the test. Apparently there's a very very specific way to write an English test in Germany and I haven't learned it yet. So she said to me in front of the class that I basically would have failed the test by her standards, but she would talk to her colleagues about how to grade my paper. Just bizarre. But hey, no point in a grudge. I'm not here to impress my English teacher honestly. 

   Last weekend! Friday night my host brother and I biked to watch the local kindergarten do a parade with paper lanterns down the street. It was so cute! The marching band also played music as they went along. Super awesome! Sunday was the most eventful though. I woke up to my host mom making Brötchen, breadrolls. That's a big deal in my family, when we finally get our own breadrolls! Then I went to play in the brass choir in church, which is really fun. I actually enjoy our church in Levern! Afterwards, we had a potluck kind of thing where people all say around and socialized and ate. Then, my host parents took me up the church tower. We saw the ceiling support from the other side, a bunch of pictures from what bad shape it was in when then restored part of the old church, the clock, and the bells at the top. Just absolutely incredible. How often do you get to go into a church tower of a church from 1200 something? Once I got home, I went and drank coffee and ate cake with my Oma. We sat around and talked for a long time. About her family, my family, how school is going, typical grandma stuff. Then she got the urge to show me old pictures of herself. But she couldn't find the album! So we searched the house for the albums but they were no where to be found! So then, we wanted to play a game. Again, not to be found! So instead, we sorted her mail. Then, we got family members on our porch, singing, with glowing lanterns. I had nooooo idea what was going on. Apparently, there's a holiday where kids going around and sing with lanterns to get candy. I was like Christmas caroling and Halloween put together!! It made my night!

    Since then, I've had a pretty normal week of school. Nothing too particular except many of my classes have been canceled so I have random times to just sit and read and it's awesome! Today though, I went to my other Oma's house to cook Dampfnudeln. But they aren't noodles at all! It's a sweet dough, cooked in butter, milk, and sugar. It looks like Hawaiian rolls you always eat at a buffet kind of a thing. But you eat it with vanilla sauce, ice cream, and plum jelly. I was so incredibly tasty, it basically dessert.

  So I hope this is an okay update. I'll be better about it and get back on track! And with pictures! They're coming, I just need to get on the computer to email them from my camera to my iPad. I hadn't even thought about that during packing! Anyway, don't lose hope, imagery is coming!

Love you all!

Katy Rose 

    

Deutsch, Englisch, Spanisch, Russisch, usw...

          Welcome back to my life!

    I apologize for the belated post, this past week and a half hast been spent preparing for and taking tests before the break. (Two week break, y'all!) So I'll make this one a good one!

    Last Monday, I spent most of the day with one of my friends since we have similar free periods. We sat in the school library and talked about our exchange years. (She just came back from a year in Austrailia). So we made plans to get together over the break to make foods from her exchange, from my home town, and other German foods we like. So that is what I'm really looking forward to right now. Not to mention, I came home to bratwurt and sauerkraut for lunch :D

     Wednesday I spent a lot of time with my other friend since we had the saem free periods that day too. We went into the cafeteria at one point and really talked about family, friends, school trips to London, and all that good stuff. She was absolutely blown away when I said we don't take class trips to other states or rarely other cities.. So I also explained that a class changes every year, unlike here where you're in the same class from 5th grade until 9th.

 

   This weekend was actually pretty chill, I must say. Friday night my host brother had his final dance performance so my host parents were out, leaving me and my host sister at home. Not to mention it had been raining all day and through the night. And you know what a cold, rainy day means. Yes, cuddle up on the couch and watch a kid's movie on VHS (Ice Age to be exact!). Also on Friday, I recieved a care package from my mom! I was soo happy, you don't even know. I had spices, poptarts, my favorite hoodie, Halloween window stickers, and so many other cool things. It made my whole weekend so much better. It's funny, my hoodie really makes me feel more at home. I can wear it and feel more confident, even though I kind of stick out in the Hubbard Lake, Michigan sweatshirt rather than an Adidas or Puma hoodie. But I've gotten to the point where I know I dress differently and I'm okay with sticking out because of it! (:

    

    Saturday was so ungodly busy! We had the family get-together for my host brother's birthday. That includes cooking, cleaning, more cleaning, and then more cleaning. But it was fun since I always had someone there to talk to as I helped out. Once everyone got there, we had coffee and cake, Black Forest cake and apple strudel. I must say, I had a lot of traditional German food lately! Then we all sat around and played random games such as SET or Mexican Train. We ended the night by eating dinner. Rice with a curry-pineapple chicken. Soooo tasty.. I think I ate that for lunch for the next couple days!

    Sunday was really laid back. I spend probably an hour and a half at the breakfast table simply talking with my host parents. They are hilarious and they love to talk. Somewhere in the multiple topics, we made plans to go to the Museumshof in Rahden. They were having an open house kind of a thing where people could go in and watch demonstrations about how the farms in that area worked hundreds of years ago (Rahden is 975 years old or there abouts, to give you an idea of old cities ;) ) We saw how pigs were normal cut up, we saw a restored barn and house. With cool beds built into the walls of the office so that one could roll out of bed right into the office! It also had an old flour grinder. You know, where you tie horses up and they walk in circles, grinding the flour. Sooo nifty!

    And now finally for today, Tuesday the 15th of October. I started my day with history, we talked about the French Revolution and that was that. Afterwards, I met up with a friend group and I decided to go to spanish with them since it was their first year of spanish and I took one year already so I figured I could see what goes on in German-Spanish class. It turns out, I have free when they have lessons, so now I am also taking spanish in German. I asked my teacher if that was okay, she said yes and that I'm more than welcome to take the test tomorrow.. Even though I haven't had spanish in four years! Four languages in one week, I'm loving it! I want to learn as many languages as possible. And somehow, it helpes to learn a language in another. it solidifies both languages.. And I;ve gotten to the point in school where I can understand my teachers literally 98% of the time. I really realized this in Spanish when the teacher was talking, anf I got every joke, I understood every explaination, and even answered a grammar question in German! All of my other classes are still a little difficult since I don't know so much vocabulary. But speaking with a person casually or listening to explainations of why something works, I totally understand, crystal clear. And that is an awesome feeling to understand something in a new language just as well as I would have in my mother tounge. And if I can learn really a good chunk of languages pretty thoroughly, at least conversationally fluent, I will be satisfied. This trip has really solidified the fact that my passion is language and culture. I can't be more thankful..

  So Pawpaw, I'm learning spanish again. I'm hoping we can start speaking spanish together (or at least Spenglish) once I get back! (:

    ANd I got my camera working. I jut need to email myself some pictures and then I'll upload them here to this post once I finish that, so check back in a couple days and there will be pictures! I promise ;)

Until then

~Katy Rose

"Hast du Lust, Pizza zu essen?"

     Morgen!

    I want to start this week with a funny story. On Wednesday, my friend asked if I wanted to run to Combi, a store right around the corner similar to a CVS or Walgreens, to meet her mom so that she could pick up her phone during the break which was about 20 minutes long. So we ran through the city to get there. Her mom wasn't there so she used my phone to call her mom to ask where she was. However, her mom misread the plan and said she'd come during her free period later in the day. So we laughed and decided we had enough time to simply walk back to school. She and I met up during the free period since I also had it free and we walked to Combi again to meet her mom. And again, she wasn't there! So we stood in the parking lot talking about cars and German grammar. Once we realized what we were talking about, we laughed at ourselves and simple walked back to school. As soon as we sat down, he mom walked up right behind her and gave her her phone! Talk about awkward! But right after that, her whole friend group had a double period (so basically a block class) free. They invited me to go eat pizza with them! I was lucky, I had my next class canceled. So, guess who has two thumbs and had her first hangout with German friends this past week? This girl! As for the pizza, I had Spaghetti Pizza. Blew me away. Who knew you could put pasta on pizza ;)

    The next day, Thursday the 3rd, was the Tag der deutschen Einheit so we had no school. During my hunt for bread for breakfast, I started helping my host mom with baking pizzas. There were so many that needed to be made that I was doing that from about 11 until 2! But it was really fun. She could talk forever and she always has really funny, interesting stories to tell. I can actually follow along pretty well, so my German has to be getting better! Then I helped my host brother build an attachable wagon for his Kettcars. Really, this guys builds all of his stuff! It's absolutely incredible! 

    Then the weekend came! Saturday was my host brother's 15th birthday! It was interesting really. There was no big celebration or a special dinner. It was like every other day. We went to a Middle Ages market about 45 minutes away in Minden. My oldest host sister and her boyfriend drove us there so we didn't have to take a train or anything like that. They had jousting, sword fights, and a lot of weapons and clothes for sale. So we just walked about and looked at everything. On the way home, my host brother kept falling asleep and he would wake up and just look at me then turn away to go back to sleep! It took all my power to not bust out laughing!

    That evening, he wanted to watch the movie he got for his birthday, Iron Man 3. Instead of going upstairs to the living room with the DVD player, we took the TV downstairs into my twin-hostsister's room, plugged it up to her DVD player and her surround sound system, and all got into her bed with 5 different blankets and watched Iron Man 3. Probably one of the most hilarious moments of my year so far! 

    And Sunday, the church brass choir played at mass by the Leverner MArkt. So I got to play trombone with the choir that morning. And one of the members had a birthday so she invited everyone to the drink stand after mass for a little. So I joined and she was really nice and started talking to me. ONce I said I was from America, she told her son he could practice english with me. He hid behind his sister! I laughed and simply said that I know english is boring so we can just speak German and he laughed. So It was a good time. (Culture difference!! When it's your birthday and you invite people to drinks or dinner, you pay for it all, people don't pay for you. Just remember that ;) )

    I realized something else today about my host brother. He likes to play fight. So what do we end up doing every time we pass each other in the hallway? Try and hit each other's belly? Yes. Try to get each other in a headlock? Yep. Bend arms behind backs? Most definitely. I will be big and strong when I get home ;)

    I was talking to Hannah, my roommate from camp, about how being an exchange student it both new and exciting, but also awkward and more awkward. Awkward moments don't even phase me anymore. I'm used to starting a sentence and then realizing that I don't know how to end it. I'm used to zoning out during a lecture at school then being asked by my neighbor if I knew what was going one. I'm used to understanding the whole class lesson, until my teacher asks a question. And most of all, I'm used to Germans not being afraid to stare at you, even when you stare back. Life here in rural NRW is kicking butt and I'm excited to see where it takes me, but in no particular rush to get there (:

An afterthought, 

  The Dalai Lama is at Emory in Atlanta the 8-10 this month. If you get a chance, go see him. You don't have to be a certain religion or certain age to really appreciate what he has to say. If you can't make it, there are live broadcasts of his visits online. If you have 5, 10, 30, or more minutes to spare, just give it a shot! 

If there are questions, let me know. I don't know what you're mostly interested in hearing about; differences, day to day activities, etc. Until then, enjoy your week!

~Katy 

I love my sunsets..

What a Week!

      Moin!

    Another week came and went. This weeks wasn't really the best week, but this weekend sure made up for it all!

    I was having some issues with my school admin and my band director. They thought I was skipping the third period of band on Fridays. But what really happened was that the Q1 (11th grade) would take their instruments to the locker room and come back for a theory lesson. I figured, when everyone packs up and leaves, I would leave too. Common sense, right? Well, I had completely failed to notice the 5 people who didn't leave. So I explained it all, they laughed and said it was all good.

    Also this past week, I had no English, German, or Russian classes. The teachers went a week-long class trip with the 8th grade. So since these teachers also had an 8th grade class, I didn't have those classes for a week. Cool, huh? So a lot of my days were shorter or just had more free periods in between. Believe it or not, having 90 minute free periods CAN get boring, no matter how nice they sound coming from my school (5 minutes inbetween every class). But classes are starting to come a little easier, I've been able to talk more, and I've even helped present in group presentations in class. So I can happily say, it does take time, but I can learn German! (:

     Saturday was particularly fun, however. The Hof had about 160 people planned to come. So after breakfast, I helped make buttons for the guests, I helped clear out the second firepit with my hostbrother and managed to cut my finger open doing so.. Then I went on to help make 6 or 7 pizzas for people. My oldest host sister kept giving me ham and shredded cheese to eat and we laughed because we ate them secretly and made faces while doing so. Voll krass, eh? ;)

    Then on Sunday I went to a Middle-Ages Festival with my host mom. She even dressed up with me to go! It turns out, however, most people only dress up on Saturday. SO, everyone there thought we were working that day! It was funny explaining ourselves everytime someone asked. Right after that we went to church since my host brother was having recognition for his Confirmation. It was my first German church experience. It was really actually a lot of fun. The church had a part of the harvet up by the alter and the service was about the confirmed kids, the harvest, and knowing what you love. The church I went to was so pretty on the inside. It almost makes me want to go regularly, even though I'm more on the buddhist spectrum! But being in the church brasss choir will keep me in there pretty regularly. 

     So that's about all for this time! 

    

    

 My name button that my host brother made for me!

 The view from my room!

 My "Staff" shirt ;)

 Simply a selfie (:

Best Day So Far!

               Good Morning!

    As I promised, it's Sunday and I'm here. 

 

    Time has become a really interesting thing here. Each day feels so long and I'm always really tired at the end. But by the time Sunday rolls around, I have no idea where the week went.. Part of me is excited because I'm one week closer to being really good at German, having friends, and simply feeling completely a part of my village. Then the other part knows that I'm that much closer to the end. I know it's really too early to be thinking about the end and I know that's always been my problem, always worrying about the future. I can't really explain this feeling. I'm still in my euphoric phase during the day, doing everything I do. When I lay down for bed though, I already think about how I'm going to miss here like I miss home. It's really bizzare. But it doesn't keep me from enjoying everything. Love what you have while you have it (:

    On that note, I wanted to say that yesterday was probably the best day of my year so far. The weather was perfect, sunny, light breeze, moderate temperature, so I spent a lot of time outside. My host brother and I worked on the Ketcarts since their chains were a little long. Then after lunch, my host dad and I sat around for an extra hour or two and talked about funny TV shows, Turkish people around the area (anyone who knows the movie "Die Fremde", something like that happened in my little village..), and made fun of the neighbor's chainsaw. My host dad was saying once the neighbor stopped, he'd lean out of the window and yell the chainsaw noises back at them. We were both laughing so hard, he couldn't even do it! Then my host brother, sister, and I all worked on the hammock together for a good while and it's getting really close to being finished. My host parents went out for the night, so my siblings and I biked to the nearest store to get groceries for a curry-peach-auflauf. We went home, cooked it, and ate a big dinner by candle light, just to be cheesy. And for whatever reason, I had a laughing fit and started to cry. My siblings were cracking up because I laughed really out of nowhere and they went on to say how my laugh is really funny and contagious.. I don't think I've laughed that hard since a couple months before I left. So all in all, yesterday was just so happy.

    Other updates: I had band practice and was allowed to play along. And I didn't suck too badly! And tomorrow my little sister back home has a birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILI!! I LOVE YOU DEARLY!!!

    My camera is still being mean, so no pictures this time, but soon. I promise it! Just be patient and they will come! (:

Not the best picture, but here's the corn from the kitchen window!

 And here's the corn from the living room window. 

More to come once I have my real camera (:

Any questions, feel free to ask!

Until next week,

Katy Rose

Two Weeks in and Still Feeling Estranged

           Welcome back y'all,

    First off, I apologize for being a day late. Just balances out being a day early last week!

    From where I left off is where I'll begin! My family has been the coolest family I could have ever hoped for. My host brother and I are always doing something childish and fun together. For example, build acorn launchers from an old bow, or corn Kerne shooters from paper towel rolls and rubber glove fingers. My host mom is definitely less intimidating now. She's really become super friendly and helpful. My host brother said it's so stressful here from summer to fall since that's when people are mostly doing the Heuhotel and Maislabyrinth and that all will ease up once winter comes around.

    Gymnasium is probably the most intimidating thing I've ever been a part of. The people aren't particularly warm, teachers are very "matter of fact" (for lack of a better term), and the content is simply more demanding. I was sitting in my math class in a group and I tried to ask questions about the assignment so I could possibly help. Believe it or not, they completely ignored me. Looked at me and didn't say a thing. That was definitely the biggest shock I've had so far. Teachers are not afraid to say exactly what they're thinking about someone, even me as an exchange student. For example, I tried a new level of math class to see if it was maybe easier to understand. The teacher introduces me, the says something like, "she moved down a math since 11th grade math is too hard. Okay, not for us but for Americans". Well, that could have been a joke that went over my head, but that definitely made me feel a wee bit uncomfortable. And the funny part was, I've done everything they did in class already. So, I believe I will just move back up. Then, talking in class. Bwah, that is something else. I tried to answer some questions in class, even though my German is not up to these topics. And no one really seemed to care that I tried, rather to point out that my German wasn't good enough. So in conclusion, I feel a little defeated after this past week.

    In my little city, there are a group of people who have a game night for the exchange students in the surrounding area. So this past Friday, I played games with exchange students from Brazil, Finland, Italy, Japan, and America. I don't think I had ever been around so many people from so many different countries. They downside way however, that everyone spoke English. So I felt like I could have been practicing German at home but I ended up speaking English for multipule hours. Another this about this city, people are really quick to speak English. I try to speak German with peers, some people older than me that I come across regularly and they almost always switch to English (except my host family, thank goodness). I was practicing with a family friend who was taking me home from the game night and I had asked for one word in German, and then she switched to English, even when I used German for the next couple of answers. That's pretty frustrating.. But everyone says the German will come, the German will come. But I'm definitly hitting a frustration patch..

    And for all curious, I still have not made friends yet.. I have a couple of potentials, but they might take some work and some convincing to speak German. However, I had a breakthrough with my host brother. He came into my room last night as I was working on some homework and for whatever reason, something in my mind decided that I was going to speak German and not give two crapsabout  whether I was right, wrong, "fluent", or choppy. What do you know, it came out pretty cleanly and relatively more correct that I thought it would! So my conversation skills have been improving without practicing too intensely (but that'll change very very soon).

    Well, I can't say I don't have any friends. I don't have German friends yet. I'm actually pretty good friends with the exchange kids at my school. We go and get Käsebrötchen together, have study pow-wows, and practice German together. And they've been so cool. So I can't really complain.

    I don't want this post to make it sound like I'm having a bad time, because that's not it. This is such a cool, unique experience and I wouldn't trrade it for the world. I'm soaking everything up and living every day to the best of my ability. And you know, that's really all we can do. 

Until next time! 

~Katy

 Willkommen in Deutschland! I was lifted into a tree to look like I was standing on my house!

It's Only Been a Week??

               Moin!

    I must start by simply saying that time is going by quickly and slowly at the same time. It's the weirdest feeling. But yet, enjoyable and comfortable.

    So in my first week, I think that I have accomplished a lot. I've met all the grandparents, I've helped build a hammock, attended school (and succeeded in getting lost!), been to a local festival that has been happening every year for 400 something years, and completed the corn maze at night. So now each individually!

    The grandparents I've met have been awesome. We sat around a ate icecream. We talked about her cousin who paints a lot and looked at some of her artwork. They were super nice and totally good at speaking clearly enough for my still growing German.

    So my siblings started to build a hammock before I arrived and they've let me help build it. I help with wood staining, drilling, and numbering. It's absolutely crazy that they can just build these things in their free time! The things you learn to do in your freetime on a farm in a dorf of 600 people I suppose! (:

    School has been totally different, I must say. I picked my classes on Tuesday. All except Russian are with 11th graders. So history, English, sport (health and PE), physics, German, philosophy, Politics, and math are with 11th graders. But I think I may go into 10 grade physics and math since they are so over my head in the level I'm in now. English is pretty funny actually. We will be learning a lot about British history and all that fun stuff. Then we will actually have a chapter on America and the American dream. That will be really really interesting to see from their view. I've managed to go to the wrong German class, so I will have to explain to my teacher why I wasn't there Friday (because I'm an exchange student and didn't notice that 0-219 and E-219 were on different floors :D ). 

   Hannah (another American exchange student. Maybe you remember her from camp?) and her host dad invite my host dad and me to go to a festival with them Friday night. It kicked so much butt, I can't even begin to describe the fun, but I'll try anyway! Basically it was like American ones, but more intense. The rides were crazier, the lights were brighter, the food was niftier. Plus, I got to see how hilarious my host dad was when he is having fun. Cracking jokes, dancing, laughing like a maniac. It was super awesome. When we got home, he and I did the corn maze at night. It was so dark, I could hardly see! But the stars were breathtaking.. Imagine a corn field, a windmill, and bright stars. That's how my night was.. (And once I have a working SD card, I can actually show you all my surroundings) When we went to the kitchen for Abendbrot (evening bread, that's quite literally what I have for dinner! :D ), he was telling me so many awesome stories. I really think it was a good bonding moment. He also talked a lot about being a family and how it would start to annoy me as an exchange student to still be a guest after about a week. So that was really comforting. 

    I think I really lucked out with my family. They're totally in love with hosting, they 're funny, they're friendly, and they show me how welcome I am here. It's just been awesome. So, these next months will be so comfortable and so helpful.. 

More to come next week! 

~Katy

First Day! (Short verision)

        Moin Moin!

So today was my very first full day with family. They just are so awesome, really. They are hilarious and really talkative, which makes me feel so at home. I met all the animals (including little kittens which made my heart melt!). Helped start another hammock with my sister and brother. I rode Ketcarts with my brother to the bus stop and around the "dorf", which consisted of a fire dept., bus stops, a kindergarten, and two other housing buildings! Absolutely adorable. Then, on top of that even, I did the corn maze with my brother. And not to mention, I was in overalls! I was so happy that overalls came up in my start in Europe!

As for German, throughout one day of only hearing German, I understood more, even when they weren't talking to me, and picked up so may new words that my head might explode! But that's a good thing in this case! (:

As it is already late and we have plans in the morning, I'll head off to sleep. But I'll update further hopefully tomorrow, if not, definitly after the first day of school (4th).

Tomorrow is the Day!

             Hello all! (:

   So tomorrow I am on the train to my host family. Camp has gone by so quickly.. I can hardly believe it! In words that I heard at GHP, "The days feel like weeks, but the weeks feel like days..". This totally applies to camp here! 

   

    So I don't want to give too much away about the actual camp, but it's been really fun. We talk a lot about adjusting and learning how we react to certain situations. Honestly, it has been really helpful to see where I stand in terms of my reation to awkward or uncomfortable situations.

   About homesickness: I haven't had any yet really since it still feels really American here. I spend all day with mostly Americans, speak mostly English, and have the meetings in English. But I have started to miss people back home. It hasn't been hindering my ability to soak up Germany and my other experiences here.

   My group and I have been walking into town a good bit. I feel like my calves are going to be rock hard by the end of the year! One day, I even walked up and down the mountain twice. Once for class to ask the locals about Gesellschaftspiele (multiplayer games), then later to meet the mayor of Bad Laasphe. That trip was really really cool! They gave a cute little powerpoint about the town and then we all sat and had a coke and talked to him . He is a really really neat guy!

    In my last small group meeting yesterday, we learned how to fold paper boats with our feet! I am so excited! I've made like two since the meeting! I will definitly have to show all my new German friends, since THAT is why German's talk to Americans!

   Also, I would like to apologize now. My SD card for my camera broke so I only have a couple pictures for this post, but I will be buying a new one as soon as I am at my host family. So, more pictures to come!

My First Days in Camp

Hello all!

So let me update all of you with my happenings! 

First I had a great time with my family in D.C.! It was really great to be around together before I left.

Once I got to the program in D.C., I met many of the people I would be spending camp with. Including Hannah, a girl from Florida going to the same Gymnasium as I will be and living only a few minutes away! I think that's actually really exciting to have someone close by just in case one of us is having a bad day. 

We flew from Dullus airport to Frankfurt and got there alright. I didn't sleep on the plane, so by the time it was bedtime here in Germany, I was out like a light bulb. So, believe it or not, jet lag didn't really hit me. I got right in the groove and that was that. 

Camp has been really cool. We stay at a boardning Gymnasium in Bad Laasphe, NRW, which doubles as a castle in the mountains. It's been really cold since we are so high up. But I've loved it. I tested in the highest German class and have been working on a lot of grammar and whatnot, which, to me, is actually a lot of fun! I really think I'll be okay for a while with my family and I will catch up in school a little quicker than I would otherwise. We've been eating a lot of German bread, so I feel really fat sometimes! But we walk down the mountain to "town" which takes about 20 minutes, so I think we burn most of it off. 

When we went into town, we stoped by the local beerfest and left after a couple minutes because there were simply too many people. We went to a Kunstcafe (art cafe) and had some wine and played this table bowling game. Our wastress was the nicest person I've met here so far! She was so nice, joked around with us, and really loved what she was doing. And we only spoke German with her, so my confidence with my German is definitly going up practicing with some natives in person here!

We recently went into Marburg, Hessen and had basically a free day there. My group; Hannah, Morgan, Lilian, and Will, went to visit the Schloss (castle) of the area. It was incredible! The view from the castle onto the city was breathtaking! Just like a bigger version of what we have here in Bad Laasphe. Then we worked our way to the gardens and found a look out balcony to eat lunch on. Then we went into town, got some drinks, visited some shops, and then, I finally had my first döner of this trip! It was just so fantastic, I can't even express it. 

So in conclusion, I love it here so far and yes! Keep up if you can ;P

 Here's me, my mom, and siblings 

Me and my roommate, Hannah, who is going to the same school as me this year! 

 Our awesome room in Bad Laasphe!

 A Dalai Lama picture here in the Schloss!

 Our awesome view!

 The city from the hill on the way down.

 Marburg!

Hannah, me, Morgan, and Lilian at the top of Marburg!

The church in Marburg

 city buildings in Marburg

Here It Comes!

Hello All (:

    I have been in D.C.since the 5th with my awesome family. My family has been nothing but support, so thanks you guys!

    Tomorrow, August 8th, I head towards the hotel to meet everyone in the program and start the journey! It's a mixture of feelings, just like anyone would expect really. I'm beyond excited. Living in Germany really is my dream. I'm worried. Everything in school, especially German, has always come so effortlessly to me. I know I will have to work so much harder than I have before and that I won't naturally be one of the best. I worry about my host family. I have many things I could say about this worry, but they're all irrational and I know that it'll all be for the best. So that all can wait until there is an actual issue (which probably won't even happen).  So everything is going as expected so far!

    My school back down in little ol' Kennesaw, GA started up today. So many of my friends have been posting pictures of our "Senior girls wear black dresses on the first day" tradition. It makes me so happy to see everyone in the spirit! I also got a text from my best friend, Nic, saying that since I'm still on the roster for ten days, the teachers have been calling my name for roll. He said that he and I would have had four classes together this year.. That just is so sad that I am missing that, but I can't say I'd rather be there. You probably know what I mean. 

    And with the Philipp. All is well. I am hoping to swing by Chemnitz during my first school break for a week. It'll be at the end of October and I really hope that I can make the trip! I have quite a few people I want to visit from my last exchange. And after a year and change, it might just be nice to see my boyfriend! ;) 

    So in D.C.so far, my family and I have visited the Air and Space, American Indian, and American History museums. We also stopped by the Washington and Lincoln Monuments plus the Capitol building. Really, this area blows my mind! Everything is so much bigger in real life!!

    So, expect more to come as I get further into the program! I just wanted to give everyone an idea what has been going on. (: More pictures to come later, keep an eye out ;P

~~Katy

 Me and my little brother on the Metro

The metro station.. Makes me remember my time on the German system!

This was such an incredible memorial. Everything in D.C. has just been great..

Not the best picture, I'll have better ones later, but this gives you an idea. I was standing at the Lincoln memorial and the Washington was right behind me (:

As I said, more and better pictures will come soon. No worries! Bis dann!