First Snow!!

Well incase you didn't notice....there is officially snow on the ground in Germany!!!! It snowed a little bit earlier this week, but I woke up this morning, looked out the windown, and there is what else, other than finally some legit snow on the ground in Berlin!! And it hasn't stop snowing since!!

Other than that, I have to fill you all in on the events of my week! Well like I said, it snowed earlier this week, and I also managed to get my Passport back! It was very complicated, but it is officially back into my possesion! I don't want to go into detail, but the school actually had to get involved with this one! But all that matters is that all is well! I also skyped with my family yesterday because it was thanksgiving! It was so nice because I haven't talk to my Grandpa, my aunt, or my cousins since I've left. So it was so nice, but at the same time, I finally felt a little homesick, which makes me officially not too excited for Christmas.

But nonetheless, I'm going to a Christmas festival, just outside the local mall in Berlin! I'm going with some people from my class, and I guess there was a bomb found there, or something like that. But I'm still going to go! There is too many threats, so basically no place in Berlin is safer than the next. So I'm just going to enjoy my time here, and not let them get in my way!

Kein Internet?!?!?

Well for the past 2 weeks I haven't really had internet. But this suprisingly hasn't really been all that difficult on me. It sucks because I can't be updated on things going on with the other exchange students or people back home, or I also can't post blogs or anything. But everything has been suprisingly fine without it! I've probably learned more German in the past 2 weeks than I have in this whole time being here, and I've been enjoying my school and my friends from school a lot more. But because of the lack of internet, it's time for another long boring post....

I'm trying to remember what important has been going on over these past couple of weeks now. Well first off my German teacher in school is sick, so I don't have German until next year, and that means only 3 classes total on Tuesdays because I have German for 3 hours that day. But last week I still had to work a grill at our school for German class because we need money for these books that we make at the end of the year. But it was pretty amazing because I got to eat so much German food!! But school really hasn't been too special other than that, I've written an exam for almost every class now. Generally they aren't too good, but I've been avoiding using my dictionary but that usually doesn't work.

Two weeks ago me and the other exchange students went to a concentration camp called Sachsenhausen, it's just a little north of Berlin. It was a very good and interesting experience, but I definitely want to go back by myself or with one or two other people, because it's sometimes hard to focus when you're with the other exchange students, it's too much fun. But it was still nice, and afterwards we grabbed some Mexican food and then hung out for Ago's last weekend in Berlin.

Then the following Monday, some of us went to the airport to say goodbye to Ago. It was so weird because the last time I was there was when I had arrived, and Ago was there to greet me! But I still wasn't too sad. It was very upsetting, but I guess I really never got to know her all that well. So far 3 of the oldies are gone, and there are still 4 left. I think that it'll be much tougher with the next 4, especially because we get so much more time to know them, unlike the first 3 in which we had only 2 months! I still really don't look forward to leaving, and I try not to think about it. But when I hear about all these people leaving, it's sometimes tough not to...

This past weekend me and my host family went to Sachsan-Anhalt again, to celebrate my Host Mom's father-in-law's birthday. I love it because we just ate authentic German food all day, and generally I can only speak German because many of the elderly people never learned English, and suprisingly my German knowledge is better than their English knowledge. So it's always interesting. And there was also a German comedy group there, and I understood most of it. So overall, it was a pretty good day!

Today I left school early to go get my Visa with my YEO and it ended up not going so well. He told me that he already talked to my club about a new family, and there are a few people interested. So this week I should have an official answer on where I'm staying. But anyway, after getting lost we finally found the place on time. We got in, got everything approved, and got my Visa for free! And then we walked literally 100 feet to the car, and I got in the car and realized my passport wasn't where I left it! So we walked back to where we had the meeting, and didn't find it. So the lady is going to call me in 2 days and tell me if they have it, or if not, she's going to help me get a new one! So hopefully eveything works out, and it is with someone that is good! I'll keep everyone updated on what happens, hopefully I have internet!

A year ago....

A year ago today, I was accepted into Rotary and sense then, I have changed tremendously! And in all honesty, I think for the better...I think the major thing is, I'm alot more openminded now! I'm just happier here! And I think that this will actually come back with me. Germany has changed me overall and not just in Germany, but forever...and I love that I still have so much more time left here!



But anyway, a year ago today I had my interviews, met a few of my future outbound friends, changed my mind about where I was going, and most importantly...got accepted into Rotary!!



I'm not going to go into details about the interviews and stuff, they went very smoothly! Before them I wanted to go to a Spanish speaking country because my aunt is fluent and she was the one that really originally wanted me to go. Then for some reason at the conference, I wanted to go to Belgium, but then I decided I just wanted to go to Europe!



And look where I ended up....in Berlin!!! So I'm happy that I changed my mind! If I hadn't then I don't think that I would be this happy! It's hard to say, but I am just glad that I'm here, and right now, I wouldn't have it any other way!

Hm, well I've been sort of busy lately. I feel bad because I promised a video post, and pictures from Paris! and I never did either. Maybe I'll get around to that someday. But not today either.

School was actually very good since I returned! I miss all the exchange students but I've been enjoying it. I also got my report card back. I had no 1's(a.k.a. A's!)!! I got a 2+ in English. I think I already shared why, but it's because I don't participate enough, but I never really saw a reason to because it takes away from the others. But it's ok because it doesn't even matter. Then I got 2's in Art and Gym and the rest was either a 4, 5 or no grade at all! I was also late for my first class because the bus decided not to come! But that wasn't really a problem because it's the teacher that doesn't know I exist.

This past weekend was great! It was my friend's birthday Friday and then Saturday we just hung out in Berlin because one of the exchange students is going home because his club failed to find him a new family! This makes no sense at all! Well he is still here and still might be here, I'm hoping things turn around, be we hung out, just in case!

Next weekend we're going to a concentration camp with Rotary. It should be interesting and I hope everyone is there! And I'll try posting after that!