Time to catch you up!!!

So through out this process I have found that one my talents DEFINITELY DOES NOT include Blogging. I have also found that the longer I am here the worse my English gets! I am sorry guys!!! I am hoping that a really long update can make up for some of that.

Well I have recently moved into a new family and I am overjoyed to have this one. For those of you who don't know it was a hard situation in my last family and I have been really glad to get out. My new family consists of my host mom Miake, who is always ready with a cup of tea if I need to talk. My host dad, Jorg, who is so busy I never really see him but I love that he lights the fire every night. My host sister, Mara, a typical twelve year old girl but seems to think i am the coolest thing since PBJ. My host brother, Mirco, 15 years old and lives at boarding school. He always comes home on the weekends but usually I am with rotary so we never really see each other. They all are super sweet and Mara is definitely the best German teacher ever. Her patience truly astounds me. OH and I cant forget the dog!! Ben . . lol . . he keeps me smiling on a bad day because his tail is always wagging and he quickly adopted me into the family. I think it is just because I give him so many treats but "you take what you can get."

My German is amazingly better. I enjoy just speaking it because I can. I have to admit the order of the words really confuses me and I am always pausing to wrinkle up my face to re-order the words. "The verb always goes last"<<<>

Friends in school was my hardest (long-term) challenge here. When the students have been in the same class for 5 years they have a pretty strong bond that is hard to integrate into. I am glad to say that I did. I have watched a lot of exchange students who haven't been so lucky and I can see that there exchange suffers because of it. It was so difficult though. . one of the lessons I have learned through it is to just let people laugh at me. I would never want that to happen when I was back in Gardner but now it doesn't bother me. (I realize I sound funny when I speak German but there laughter wont stop me from speaking) I had to come to a place where I excepted it to make friends. I think it is important that we talk first. . instead of waiting for friends to come to us because it wont happen in Germany! So I talked first and out of it came up with some awesome friends! Karina, is always a mystery, she has the outward appearance that would easily be characterised as goth. But she isn't, she does have strong opinions but is always willing to listen to mine. She is also an amazing fashion designer of any style!! I am hoping that she can spend some time with me in America later because her English is amazing and she really wants to go. I remember the day I asked her why she wore so much black and her answer was simple. "I just like black" I love that attitude!! Who cares what others think! Sarah on the other hand is quite the opposite. She is the pinnacle of blond on the inside and out. Which makes her just hilarious. Her man problems for the day consist of which (out of the many choices she has) guy to date. lol. . if only all girls had that problem! Adrean is the sweetest guy in our class! He isn't very smart but I just blame it on Rugby. And he totally makes up for it with his Rugby skills(he plays for the NDS teamLorenze is the clown!! But he is always sweet after he gets you good with a joke. I remember Lorenze, Tim, Adrean and I all played baseball with an orange and a water bottle. That is until Adrean hit it so hard it splatter on the window obviously ruining the game. It is the little things like that that I will always remember!!! It was a blast!

Food!!! The all important question! Well I can answer a few things. . like the school lunch food is better!!! lol. . . In my family they don't eat meat (un- German) and they buy milk only for me. It is a different diet then I am used to but I enjoy them teaching some healthier ways to me. The other thing that is quite strange for Germans in my new family is they don't eat bread unless it is dinkel bread. . . which I guess is better for you. But makes the bread harder. I guess it is just those little things I get the joy of adjusting too!!

Rotary!!! - - - IS KEEPING ME SUPER BUSY!!! I think especially during this time of year! Last weekend we had a rotary weekend (never as much fun as Rotex - coming next week) and we went to wenigerode. . . that is where the pictures up top were taken! A huge castle WITH WAY TO MANY STAIRS. . lol but it was beautiful!! This weekend wasn't all that great though I think alot the students caused some drama. Luckily our bond as exchange students helped us solve this one and I am hoping that Rotex weekend is better. We will be heading to Wolfsburg(where the Volkswagen is) I have already been there but am excited to enjoy it with my friends!!! These people I have met through rotary are like brothers and sisters and I am pretty sure we will never lose touch. . .we all have gone through too much together.

Christmas time is not as commercialized as it is in America. I really miss the Christmas Music radio station. 98.1. But I was able to find it on-line which made me feel better!! The nice thing about it is here is they have Christmas markets. Which are absolutely gorgeous. . they are always decorated up so pretty with a Christmas tree in the middle and they smell so good. I will miss them next year when I am back home!! But for now I am just enjoying them and taking lots of pictures!!! They also have December calendars! So every morning I get up and I get to open this very small package! It is a lot of fun and helps me get out of bed faster :) The last thing I got was a travel sized hair gel bottle! It is fun and coming up on the 6Th we have St. Nickolaus day.. . when I have to put my shoes out!! Should be fun!!!!

I am sorry I couldn't put everything that is going on it this letter! I would be sitting here all day and I have to go to school!!! If you have any questions though about anything just post a comment or send me an e-mail. I will get back to you. . . it may take me awhile but i will get back to you :)

Thank you guys for your support and sorry again for how late this was!

BERLIN BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Words to sum up Berlin: Beautiul, Big, Awesome, etc.

It was amazing words cant even describe the feeling of knowing that you are looking at history!

I saw museams, buildings and art but my favorite had to be seeing the ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW! It was so cool because the theater was small and the stage was big!

I stayed a youth hostel (lots of little rooms with bunk beds-cheaper than a hotel) and didnt sleep at all... just talked.

All the Americans loved Berlin because we found some food items that cant be found in the Hanover area. GRAPE SODA and DUNKIN DONUTS!!!!!!!

I just dont know what else I can tell you but it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nature Preserve!

When I type it all out I realize that I have been to a lot of Animal events lately... I suppose I am just trying to get them out of the way before it gets too cold... which it is well on it way to being!!!!!

Out of all of them, this one was the best because the animals were just right there! In there own environment... I REPEAT.... STANDING RIGHT THERE!!!!!

It was a long walk but a lot of fun and good for pictures... plus I went on festival day!! So there was stands and food everywhere!!!!

Sea Life

They had these awful snakes... and No SHAMU!!!
What a shame.... but I really like this picture!!!

THE ZOO!!!

Ok I have to admit it can't top some of the zoo's in America.... especially since it was raining that day...... but this elephant made the trip worth while!!

He was reaching out to his 'fans'!!!! So sweet!!!!

I have been bad....

....well at posting anyway and I know it. If it makes you feel any better though everybody has stayed in my thoughts and prayers!!!!

I really believe that the days go by faster here! WHICH IS AWESOME when I think about home but then I think about my friends here and well talk about mixed feelings!!!

School is going better now that I have friends in my class. My problem is understanding what the teacher is saying. My German really has improved but more in conversation not so much in Math and Chemistry. They have a whole different vocabulary to go with each subject and lets face it.... I wasn't very good at math when it was taught in English..... Tomorrow I have a math test and well... Viel Gluck as they say here.

I am extremely excited to be moving soon!!! I will have a 15 year old brother and a 12 year old sister! My sister, Mara, is a very good German teacher because her patience is amazing. The same with my new Host mother who is a stay at home mom and is excited to sit down and do some crafts with me!!!!!! I hope to be moving in the NEXT two weeks or so!!!!!!!

This coming weekend I will be visiting Berlin!!! I will make sure to take bunches of pictures and post them soon after!!!

The Presentation!! BLAH!

Yeah we always have to give presentations to out Host rotary clubs!!! Lucky for me the first one is in ENGLISH!!!

I was really nervous before I started talking but for those who know me I just cant stop once I start!

So all went over well and I even got congratulated because I tried to use German!

Heavenly duo!!!

PB AND NUTELLA!!!!


It is Delicious and the perfect thing to drown in sorrows in! In fact we did!!!!! After a really hard week we got together for a sleep over with the main entree being PB AND NUTELLA! The main entertainment MONOPOLY!!!!

<<<<<<<< Mia trying to remove unwanted nutella




I think one of the main draws to the delicious treat is the lack of Reese's peanut butter cups here!!! No worries we make up for it :)









Oh and who knew that Germans HATE PEANUT BUTTER!! Yep all the ones I have met so far, in fact every time I have some there is usually a whispered comment from someone about its similarity to baby poo! Just lovely


<<<<<< Brett helping out!!=/




THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE MISSING!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE REALLY FALLEN BEHIND!!!!

I am so Sorry!!!!

Lately it has just been a whirlwind of emotions and craziness.. . . .. I have had some problems adjusting to my host mom. The atmosphere in the house is less then pleasurable! But with a lot of prayer and people praying for me, I have been able to improve communication with my host mom and keep my out look positive!!! I have realized that it isn't so much my host mom but the situations she is going through that make her react that way.

I have been making some really good friends through Rotary!!! The great part is having that support system along with the many people who understand exactly what you are going through.

The picture here is at a Rotex ( rebounds who take us places) Dance! I think the best part was getting dressed up. Though the dancing was fun too!!! This is Luan - he is like a teddy bear and gives hugs like one to when you need them!!!!

I will be keeping up with my blog better from now on!!!!

- Much Love and God Bless

1st Rotary Meeting. . .

And making new friends! It was a blast! We went swimming, played volleyball, and archery! I am learning some new Brazilian dances and find that I like them better than the dances we have. More fun and less of the jumping!

The picture is of all the Rotary Students from the states.. . .and the second one is just the mid- west. . . Brett(Oklahoma), Mia(Missouri), Me(Kansas!!!!), and Max(Nebraska).. all we are missing is Colorado = ] . . until next time God Bless!

A Month!

Today was my one month mark!!!! Can you believe it! It seems this might not be as long as I thought it would be!

The picture is of Myself, Brett, and Sergio playing a big game of sorry in a book store in Hanover!!! Just to pass the time =]

Meet the Peeps!

They keep me sane! I miss my friends from home a lot but these guys are awesome! Just a quick overview of my pals.. . . Brett (Oklahoma). . Sergio (Brazil ). . . Mia (Missouri ) I have other friends as well and I will make sure you meet them along the way as well. . . . but I wanted to show you pictures of my HAT DAY!!!! We didn't have much to do so we went into random stores looking for bad hats! It was a blast!

There is NO way. . . .

. . . .OUT!!!!!!! Today I decided to go with some of the other rotary students into town. We originally didn't have a plan but we ended up at the top of Hanover's town hall. BREATHTAKING. It was amazingly windy and the air felt so cool and fresh. . . but I hated it!

I know it doesn't make sense but when you are down on the ground you know your in Germany but you feel as if you still have the option of running. Of running so hard that you will be home. . . . . that you can go back. Not up in this tower, you can see all around you for miles and you know that no matter how strong you are or how long you can run there is NO WAY of getting home! I was standing up on this tall tower really enjoying the view until it hit me RIGHT IN THE GUT!!!! I am here and I am not going to get out for a year! NO MATTER HOW HARD I RUN!!!!!!!

One Step At A Time

Really that is all I can do. It is really hard to look at the future and it is really hard to look at the past... .. so I will take it one step at a time. If I just think about today I dont even relize how many tomarrows there will be!!

The red "Thread" in the picture is what Hannover is famous for... if you follow it you see all the sights in Hannover..... I just have to follow the yellow... I mean red brick road.

The LINE UP!!!

Announcer : " Today instead of our regular programming and participants we will introduce you to our new LINE UP"...." Yes today instead of the normal quarterback or runningback, we will be having.."... DRUMROLL..."gnomes!!!!" ... EVERY GERMAN SCREAMS IN EXCITEMENT

Ok maybe that is not exactly how it happened, but somehow gnomes became a huge deal in Germany. It is said to have origanally started in Germany because of the myth that they came alive and helped in your garden at night. I thought it was helarious that my next door neighbor had so many. . . . Her garden will be amazing!!!

The Grass Really IS Greener.....

.....ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY!!!!! And nobody knows why. Ok maybe there are a few scientific reasons like it rains all the time or that it isn't as hot. But really what does that matter. I don't see how that would affect the softness of the grass too. Really the grass is Greener and Softer!!! Well Until next time God Bless!!!!

Swan Lake!!

That is not what it is called and to be quite honest I dont remember what it is called. I think they should call it Swan Lake, but sadly they didn't ask me.

It is so gorgeous!!! I love that when you sit down on the steps a swan and a few ducks will just walk up to you. Just to check and see if you have food. It has been a really long day but I just wanted to share a quirk of Germany.. until next time God Bless

The Controversy

Oh you know!!!!! The which way does the water in the toliet bowl spin controversy. I am no expert but I am sure any unexperienced traveler is dying to know = ] Well I have taken it upon myself to stop those many sleepless nights today..... In Germany IT DOESNT SPIN AT ALL!!!!! Yep you heard me. The water just goes straight down. So sleep well tonight =]

Lol my original interest in the toliets was not dealing with the water but rather the pressure it put on me to make a decision. Yeah !!!!! There are two buttons to flush!!!! I hadn't previously gotten a lesson on which one to press when so I stood there finially feeling a connection with Robert Frost.....Two roads diverged in a yellow wood/And sorry I could not travel both..... lol ok that might not have been the meaning to the poem but at least I remember something from school!!! Well consider this your odd fact for the day... many toliets have two buttons and the water does not spin it just goes straight down!!!! Until the next lesson you really didnt care about learning GOD BLESS!!!!!

There's So Much!

I dont know where to begin. It is crazy being here.... I have officially stepped in to something off Alice in Wonderland. I really don't know where to begin so I will start with the basics.....

Time to Meet the Family!!!!!!

First off is my host mother, Beate (the pronunciation is incredibly difficult) She is very nice and always so busy she comes across rather scatter brained. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt... I mean the poor lady has to deal with me... Then there are the sisters( Schwesters - don't I sound smart ) Lena and Louisa. Lena has just now left for Texas. I think she is alot like me when I left Kansas. She doesn't relize how hard it will be but she will do well as soon as she gets there. I wish her the BEST OF LUCK!!!

Then Louisa... she proves God has a sense of humor... is just like me!!!!! She is 10 and one pure ball of energy. I watch her being extremely over dramatic and think " God bless my mother." She also loves art and thinks that I am the best thing since Charles Shultz (Peanuts Cartoon) She really is crazy but she keeps me moving and is the best Deutsch teacher I have ever had.

The others in the picture above are extended family (not in the house) But consist of Phillip, Lena's boyfriend. Beate's late husband, Klause. And the Grandma and Grandpa (Klause's side)

So now you have met my newest family, and though it is difficult right now I know I will learn to love them. Because I have enough room to keep my old family and invite a new one.=] So until next time GOD BLESS!!!!

Leaving on a Jetplane

I leave tomarrow... crazy i know. My mind is racing harder than a rat running for cheese on a wheel. My bags are packed (barely under the fifty pounds) and i have said my goodbyes to Gardner, KS. My problem is i am not ready to give up the safe and comfortable couch that surrounds me. My mother is always there and the idea of not having her to catch me when i fall scares me. My friends have been my arm rest when i need laughter or even advice and now i must put myself out there to make NEW ONES. I am GOING ON THE BIGGEST ADVENTURE OF MY LIFE and my favorite support is gone. It is like moving from the most comfortable couch you can think of to a plastic chair!!! I can only pray my bum is padded enough to make up for it =] I want my friends to know that i refuse to replace them but i will merely add new ones..... Because it is time! I am ready! I hope = ]... till next time God Bless

Just A Month!!!!

It hit me really hard today, like a bat to the head.I only have a month left!!!

It was one of those moments where you think to yourself, "What in the world have i gotten myself into???" I am pretty sure everyone as had a day like this and if you can't think of one.......... ........... .....well than maybe you can think of a moment where you have felt like Van Gogh's painting Scream. It is practically the same, in both you freak out and eat a bucket of ice cream or cry into your pillow. Who knows, if it was really bad day you might of done both.

Well,that was my rather depressing day. The good thing about it though is that "bat" to the head woke me up. Believe me I will be hugging my mother more often. The whole idea of my friends making plans for next month (not saying my friends are good at planning) and me not being there feels really weird. I will be packing this month with as much activities with my friends as I can!!!