And I'm A Horrible Blogger....As Suspected

WEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL it has been over 2 months since I've blogged and A LOT has happened I can't even sum up in one post what has been going on but I was so good at doing this before I left and now...well as you can see I'm making an "I'm sorry" post basically so let's just jump in and discuss some main point. I honestly can't write things that are too personal because a lot of people do read this but I can write some solid basics I would say....

FIRST OFF: My Weight

I've been getting a TTOONN of lovely comments from everyone back home about how skinny I look and how great my body looks which is basically the opposite of every other AFSer....Now I know what you're thinking what has this girl been doing that she hasn't gained a lot of weight! I have friends that have gained 3, 4, even 5 kilos which is 10 POUNDS! That's crazy to me! But as we all know the famous acronym AFS: Another Fat Student. Actually I'm pretty sure the average is 5 kilos and I can see it on my international AFS friends I hang out with all the time but me...I've LOST WEIGHT actually about 10-12 pounds to be exact. I'm not sure what I'm doing but those numbers are going down and I'm not really trying honestly. I would say it's because my host father really does enjoy cooking and trying new recipes but I am just a person likes to eat and have the food taste good and not have a lot of shit going on where as they have definitely a more refined palette haha. I actually don't think it's a "culture shock" though but more of what my family specifically does though because when we were in Bavaria I LLLOOOVVVEEEDD the food like give me some form of potato, with a large piece of hot meat, some delicious gravy, and a nice cold beer I'm a happy girl but that's just not the case here in my family. OH! Also I've never experienced bread being a meal but here it is.....

It's not bad. It's not good. It's different.

SECOND: My Hair

Now if we are friends on facebook...which I think we are most likely you have maybe seen my new hair if not here are some lovely visual aids:

Anyways enough of me being a camera whore as my best friend Julia would put it....haha but I just wanted to show you guys another thing that has changed about me thus far in my experience.

THIRD: My Personality 

Now before I came to Germany I definitely was never the immature kid that had their eyes and lives closed off the world. That was never me at all actually, but here I've definitely become more mature when I stalk people on facebook from my hometown and see what they say and are doing. I hear stories all the time about what's going on, who's doing what, who's getting in trouble and honestly there is nothing I miss about Bethel High School at all. If I NEVER had to enter that school again I wouldn't shed a tear at all or ever give it a second thought. The only thing that has me going back are my friends if I could take them all to another school with me I would....I mean even if my mother would homeschool me or if I could do school online which I am heavily debating I would love it! I've been in some disagreements here with my family where they have called me spoiled, immature, and rude but I honestly can say that those statements are completely false I know myself and I've matured to the point where I can admit that I'm wrong and when someone else's way is better so I can honestly say that is not me at all.


This is all I have to write right now for you guys...I could have written a book about EVERYTHING, but there are just somethings you just shouldn't talk about so openly. I think that's the decision when making a blog you can make it publicly known to help out a lot of other potential students or you can hide it so you can write everything you are truly and honestly thinking about everything and just hide it from the world....but nothing's a secret on the internet I guess. That's why you have to have a healthy support system back home and in your host country that will sit there and listen to you rant about the stupidest things so you don't do it somewhere you might regret.


Forever Putting My Foot In My Mouth,


xoxo


Kendra Rose :)

Living The Dream

OKAY! HI! Now I know you're like what is up with this girl she writes huge posts and then doesn't write anything for 17 days well let me tell you. When I don't write anything it's a sign that I'm having a good time and am not getting any breaks to miss home and all that shit that ruins your experience. Like honestly I love it here and I just can't fully express how much fun I'm having. I'd just like to write this post to mention all the things that I've been lucky to have because honestly it just amazes me.

Now the main thing that is making my experience so amazing is my host family. They are like truly top notch and are the BEST in my opinion, and anyone would be so damn lucky to have them if they host again. My father who I was expecting to be really serious because he's a judge ended up being fun and helpful when it comes to learning German he's always willing to help me practice my pronunciation and stuff which I am definitely thankful for. I think all of us exchange students can agree that it's nice to have a non stress filled environment to just practice and learn more without judgment. My brother Neels thinks it's funny that I can't say words that have an umlaut in it and actually I find it funny too. I sound so dumb compared to them but I have made a goal to speak without an accent by the time I leave here. I don't care if I forget all my English I want to learn German. Although at the moment we aren't really speaking that much German in my family......we are trying to switch though. I understand more and more everyday it's just hard because I don't understand all that much when they speak to me in German so they always end up translating. My mother and I have so much fun together I think because we have very similar personalities. I laugh at what she says and she laughs at what I say. All of my family's English is really good except sometimes they mess up on words and I find it extremely funny because they are usually critical words to the sentence. We have so many running jokes right now from this vacationn I can't even explain.

Just a few pictures of us on vacation so far I'll write more about what we're actually doing and more pictures soon! Until then!

Grüße Gott,

xoxo

Kendra Rose :)

P.S.

That was supposed to be "greetings to god" which is a Bayern greeting thingy but I don't know blame Google Translate if it's wrong.

DeutschlandDeutschlandDeutschland

Moin Moin. It's now time for the second half of my catching up posts. I need to do September 11th until now September 18th...wow I've been here for more then a week now...hhmm it feels like I've been here months already. The time is about 1:33 am at the moment and I'm not sure why I'm up because honestly I'm so so so so tired but you know of course I haven't gone to sleep yet...

September 11th:

Okay so this was actually a sunday so nothing is open on Sundays really...so my host parents just took me for a walk around our village and it's BEAUTIFUL. I didn't bring my camera (mistake) or else I would have some pictures to show you. I'll get some later to describe in more detail but at the moment I have none! After this I kinda chilled in my room and then at around 8 or 9 their...well I guess our neighbor came over for their every sunday crime show watching mini party. It was just my second day in Germany so my German of course was basically non existent but I was still able to pick up on what was going on and slightly understood.

September 12th:

On this day I started my first day of language classes! These things have basically been a lifesaver for me because coming from no language experience any type of education is amazing. I totally suggest asking your future host family about them if you are in the same situation in the fact that you didn't take that language before you came. Mine is through AFS but if you have no other kids in your area I'm sure you can find SOMETHING to help you out! Anyways that day was basically just a "Hello I'm...I'm from....I live in..." and such. My parents brought me all the way to Wilhelmsburg which is one train to Hauptbahnhof and then another to there. So on the way back Flavia, Gabi, and I all hopped on the train before our teachers because we really didn't want to wait and so we're chatting sitting in the back munching and comparing our lunches. I notice a lot of people get off our train and I read Hauptbahnhof on the wall and for some reason I think..HEY! this is our stop. So before the trains can close the doors I hop up with my stuff and tell Flavia we have to get off. She was unsure though so we quickly asked the other passengers who said yes it was. We literally hopped through the doors all discombobulated and stuff while Gabi and the other passengers sat there laughing at us.
Next we had to go through the challenge of finding our host parents...this was like a 10 minute affair of us running around Hauptbahnhof calling our parents them calling us and then of course our teachers Yvonne and Tobi catch up with us and they end up speaking on the phone with our parents and telling them exactly where we are haha. It was just one of those times where you just keep missing each other as you are running around. We then went out to lunch at a chinese place and I showed them what I did on my first day at school. When we were on the train home Neels called and asked if I wanted to hang out with him and Beke and thus with the motto of "don't turn down opportunities in mind" I accepted. After becoming an official resident in Aumühle Suntke drove me to Beke's house where we ate waffles, watched Gossip Girl, and broke down stereotypes.

September 13th:
I had just regular class today except we got to sit in the rooms with the couches which was awesome instead of the ice box with the hard chairs. There was nothing fun really that went on except all of us became kinda closer in class. Later that day I had a meeting at Maxi's house for our AFS Committee. It involved meeting everyone, introducing myself again, and getting interested looks when I say I was born and raised in the USofA. I met a lot of fun people like Vanya and Evgenia(Jane) who were fresh off the plane from Russia that day and were extremely tired, but they were both still pretty funny and I will be hanging out with Jane soon. Also I met people who went to the US and they asked me where I was from, then me asking where they went, and then me pitying them for going to such boring states. Like honestly does no one in NYC or the east coast want to host???? Instead of taking the bus and then the train like everyone else, Gabi and Suntke decided just to pick me up from Maxi's house because they could do some shopping in that area anyways.

September 14th:
Once again I had boring class and then Flavia and I went into Hamburg. Her host family had showed her on the map which way she should go for the best food and electronic shopping because she needed a phone. Well we went to Saturn which is like this HUGE store that's like 5 levels with it's own parking garage. We made it inside and up to the phones just fine but of course when we try to buy one...that's where things kinda went down hill. An employee found a man who was apparently from England so he could help us. Two things though...1. I don't know where in England he was even from because let me tell you his English sucked 2. He was getting more and more frustrated with us as the time went on and on and let me tell you I didn't enjoy his attitude one bit. We ended up buying some SIM card with some random pay as you go phone which Flavia went home and got her host sister to help her out with. We ate lunch at Preggo and man did I love that! I wanted to get home slightly early because I really wasn't sure just yet how late was late and when everyone was going to be home that day.

September 15th:
I believe this day was just one of those normal days where I went to school came home and attempted at writing a blog post.....so that's all haha.

PICTURE BREAK!

September 16th:
IT'S FRIDAY FRIDAY....wow that was obnoxious..anyways we had fun in language classes because King and I became the dream team at Kicker and our rivals were Flavia and Sebastian. That was honestly A LOT of fun! I don't know if I've talked about King yet but let me tell you he's the funniest kid and he doesn't even know it. I'm constantly just watching his facial expressions because he'll nod his head and smile while your talking to him and then when you stop he'll go "what?" It's just honestly too funny.

September 17th:

I went into Hamburg for the first time technically with Neels, Beke, Merle, and Fabian. I think we had a lot of fun, I mean I know I did! We went all around Hamburg and all the way down to the harbor and then we had nachos at the Hard Rock Cafe on the roof. We ended up going home a little bit earlier because Fabian wasn't feeling too well I guess....who knows though I only understand half of everything said honestly.
September 18th:
I think we just stayed at home that day and chillaxed. My parents and I skyped because we just decided on sunday being our day to skype. We've skyped like 6 times already and I don't regret it at all honestly. I mean maybe it makes some people home sick but it makes me feel better to know they are happy and I'm happy as well. Oh yeah! This was the day I woke up sick....awesome....my head was throbbing and my nose was completely stuffy basically.
September 19th:
I didn't go to school actually because I just physically couldn't get my body to work and I wouldn't have made it all the way to Wilhelmsburg. So I slept until 11:00 and then I got dressed and walked to the train station to maybe get something to eat at the restaurant but of course with my luck just being fucking awesome they were closed. So I walked all the way home and bought lemon juice and boil bag rice from the grocery store. Right when I was finishing boiling Gabi came home, we ate together and then she drove me back to the station because I had to catch a specific train so that I could meet up with Suntke in Schwarzenbeck to drive all the way to Ratzeburg for me to become an official resident of Germany. So of course I get on and I make it all the way to Schwarzenbeck and I have to pee a little bit...so I wait...we were driving for maybe an hour or so and I honestly couldn't hold it anymore. Luckily we were in the woods basically so Suntke just pulled over and I sprinted for coverage while I peed. Not my proudest moment really, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
After we finally got there and I was fingerprinted Suntke brought me to this really really old church that was actually beautiful and really cool. Here's some pics:

Okay well I am going to stop here even though it's September 26 so I basically have a week's work of shit to write I just have to do smaller chunks I guess so that I remember everything. Today was my first day of school...lol. On my way Neels and I discussed how I should really work hard on my German so that I get to stay in their class instead of a 9th grade one. Which I don't want to do. 

Mein Deutsch ist Scheiße.

aus dem Land des Brotes,

xoxo

Kendra Rose :)

Kendra's Tips For Orientation

Guten Abend! I know I already posted today and I'll have to hear someone say again "you post a lot" but I have time right now so I'm gonna post as much as I want. :)

Now these tips are from personal experiences that would involve long paragraphs of explanation but I am just going to do bullet points and you'll love it because what I have in mind are kinda funny...or at least I think so....anyways if you are an AFSer as well and you don't agree with what I think...I really don't care we all have our own opinions and that's life. (that's not meant in an offensive way at all, so don't get your underwear in a twist) Now let's get started with the number one thing I have to say...it's really the only reason for this post:

DON'T ask questions trying to be funny or sound cool because 99.9% of the time...it's won't make you sound either way.

DO ask questions that you think everyone else is wondering about or you feel pertains to the actual discussion being held.

DON'T ask innapropriate things about drinking, smoking, drugs, or sexual actions...think it through first and make sure it sounds right to you.

DO make sure you are clear on the AFS rules and if you aren't ask a volunteer or the leader of your orientation.

DON'T talk obnoxiously to others around you while a speaker is talking (should be obvious right?)

DO pay attention to everything because it WILL help you out in some way I promise.

DON'T fall asleep in the middle of an information session, it makes you look uninterested in the program and really doesn't put you in the best light.

DO actually get sleep that one night even though talking to your roommate until 2:30 am will be tempting...you'll thank me later.

DON'T seclude yourself from everyone, I know for some people it's hard to put themselves out there but try because you'll be surprised at the people you'll meet.

DO introduce yourself and ask about those you are talking to, it makes you sound interested in the conversation even if you are completely homesick or tired.

DON'T think about what you are leaving behind.

DO think about the adventure you're about to embark on and how many memories and stories you'll be able to tell.

DON'T act immature, you want to reassure AFS USA in some way that you won't be giving the United States that bad of a reputation.

DO have fun and embrace every single minute.

DON'T just settle down with specific people right away.

DO get out and try to meet everyone even though it might be hard to do especially if you are going to Germany which had 91 kids this year.

DON'T act like you would at home alone.

DO show some class.

DON'T be that kid that shows off and shoves their language ability in others faces, only "help" when people ask.

DO pool your knowledge together with your friends and see if you can learn some new vocab!

DON'T get caught up on the small things that happen.

DO roll with the orientation even though some times it agonizingly slow and boring.

DON'T think no one is gonna like you because I promise there will be at least ONE person there for you!

DO eat even though you might not believe me now...you kinda get all caught up and don't really think about what you're doing and you forget that yeah you probably should have eaten that lunch.

DON'T make immediate stereotypes or generalizations.

DON'T ask questions that involve six beers.

DON'T go to Taco Bell.

and of course

"DO get in some foolishness, but don't tell anyone until you get back" - Darren


Frieden. Liebe. Brot.


xoxo


Kendra Rose

Let's Talk Orientations

HALLOOOOOOOOO!! Okay well I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write this. I've sat down three separate times to write and I just have not done it..why? God only knows. I just get so distracted and being in GERMANY!!!!! doesn't help much either. Oh yeah so if you've been completely in the dark I am here with my AMAZING host family. But this post is just going to be like a recap from each day so far starting from when I left my house. Then I'll go into more depth about my family, house, location, and such. I do believe Neels will be reading this though...ssssoo shout out to him haha :)

I AM HAPPY.

Those three words just basically describe what's going on with me. I'm just..happy. Like there's no other way to describe it. I've been waiting for so long for this and it just feels unreal that I'm actually sitting on my bed in DEUTSCHLAND! I'll put the pictures of my house in my next post alright? Let's get down to business.

September 6th:
This is gonna be short because I wanna get to the good stuff ya know? Anyways my mother and I were late of course I mean we are the Curry family when are we ever on time? I said goodbye to my father Bobby and my darling dog Sebastian. The crazy monster Titan was in the crate in the back.

Bobby

my luggage

Titan the Terrible

And then this is my Aunt Stephanie with her new kitten we visited

her on our way down to D.C. and dropped off Titan with her.

September 7th:

I just saw some colleges on this day, Georgetown and George Washington to be exact. They were actually really awesome and fun to see. Except by the end of the day I was SO SO SO tired! I went to bed early that night because the next morning I would be picking up ELLLLLEEENNNNNN from the airport pretty early and then we had orientation!

September 8th:

That day was the day I had been waiting for...for one heck of a long time. It was orientation day and I was majorly pumped to just meet everyone and be in Germany I mean come one who wouldn't be. First off was Ronald Reagan Airport which my mother drove around the parking lots for a while not really knowing where to park haha. Then we went inside with my beautiful sign.

I should have gotten a picture of Ellie looking around for us but I sadly did not. We went to lunch at Bertuccis where we honestly had THE funniest waitor EVER. Ellie goes "What's the soup of the day?" then he proceeds to go "I don't know" and like doesn't even say he'll go check immediately then after like 2 minutes of awk silence he says "I'll go check" Man do I love Americans sometimes haha. Then we came across Emma a fellow USA-->Germany AFSer we waved to each other while Ellie ate her veggies. Then we went up to my hotel room and got my luggage (I will review luggage later because I have all the wrongs and none of the rights to talk about from personal experience) When we check in they don't give you any of your stuff until your parent leaves you which I don't think should really matter because I mean what's the problem with them being there an extra minute...? Anyways my mother and I did a quick hug goodbye and some good lucks were thrown in there as well and she was off on her way. There was no crying...like I think it's because I've been away from home before and I KNOW I'm going home like I'm not on Mars plus they have a chance to come visit me ssssoo why waste time wallowing in my sorrows when I can experience this beautiful country!!!

Now actual orientation......it was boring as f***. (Keeping it clean haha) There's not other way to put it. I wish they did more interactive things then just sitting there spewing info at us. Like hello we wanna meet each other. We kinda formed our own little group though like we just became fast friends and I couldn't ask for better people to be sharing this experience with. Let's see some pictures!

us roomies all together!

Amy, Caroline, Ellie, Isabel

Amy, Emily, Me, Caroline(lol), Melanie

ROOMMATE PICTURE!! <3

we stayed up until 2:30 am just talking....

MY TAG!!

September 9th:

That was the day we boarded the plane into the unknown experience that was gonna come I honestly was having freak out moments of "who's idea was this" and "i can't turn back now". But everyone has them and you kinda bond over them I would say. We had a little bit more of orientationing before we all got our luggage and boarded coach buses. They warned us that security would take like hours and stuff but I got through in like 5 minutes. Except here's two stories for ya. 

Ellie got directions on where we were supposed to go so Paul and I were kinda absentmindedly following her while chatting about the instruments he plays and the fact that he'll be going to a music school. Well she led us all the way down to security where we saw no other blue shirts...awesome. So we had to go all the way back up these giant escalators and find the group that for some reason we didn't see before. So Ellie really shouldn't lead us anywhere...lesson learned. :) Next while I was going through security the man like took out my makeup remover pads, makeup remover cloths, and like face cleaning pads and since I thought my carry on was just fine I but a lovely lacey bra on top. Let's just say that caused a slightly awkward moment between this little old security man and I....

our last moment in America picture

September 10th:
Now we flew through the night and landed in Frankfurt after a 7 hour plane ride which let me tell you was the plane ride from hell. There was turbulences the WHOLE TIME. Like it never stopped until we were completely over the ocean and then when we got over London..it started again. They weren't even baby turbulences they were huge big momma 700 pound man equivalent turbulences like the plane was going up and down and shaking and I thought we were gonna go down and that would have sucked that I got that far and I was gonna die then....

Bonnie Emily Me Caroline Melanie

on the plane if you can't tell!

Ellie and Amy

After we landed from the worst flight in the world we practically ran all the way to the place where we would be sitting for 1,000,000,000,000 hours. Then we had to change our shirts because of course AFS didn't really think of the fact that us USAers would be wearing the same color as the AFS Germany volunteers. I changed all of my clothes completely though and decided to put on jeggings and my DASH shirt because it made me look a tad bid nicer when I met my family rather then looking like a hobo. I'll post a few pictures but I think that this is where I'll stop for now! I'm gonna write a tips for orientations right after this and then maybe tomorrow night I'll write about from September 11th until now!

our mini right off the plane pic

...everything's in German

our retarded plane

the time when we arrived!

our whole group arrival pic

<3 these girls!

my nails! :)

just another tag to add to my bag!

Tschüss To All You Moose,

xoxo

Kendra Rose

Kevin the Schloffolicious French Traveler

Bonjour Mes Lecteurs,

Now that that's out of the way I would like to say that this post has nothing to do with AFS at all. It's just my first goodbye and it's special because this is for Kevin who is enjoying his final day in the states today before he's off to France. Let me tell you this, Kevin and I have not even known each other for a year but I already know that we will be friends for a LONG time. Compared to other boys that are my age Kevin is SO SO SO nice, funny, and actually talks like a normal person instead of the stupid mumbling that I hear all to often. It's so funny to me to think that he's from the next town over and we would have never crossed paths if it wasn't for AFS!

Kevin I just want to say that I hope you have the best trip ever because this is a once in a lifetime thing here! Don't take any moment for granted because the clock's ticking! As soon as you get there realize that this is something you'll be telling stories of for the rest of your life! Take advantage of all the opportunities open to you and realize that your true friends and family will be behind you every step of the way. Times are gonna be hard buddy but we are all going through the same thing! You're gonna have ups and downs but in the end the downs are gonna be some of the funniest stories told while the ups are gonna be some of the best memories.

I can't say every time is going to be easy or that I know what's going to happen. I just know that we are going to have the most epic lunch/dinner together when we get back telling each other a play by play of the oncoming 10 months. 

I'll miss ya!

Stay in touch...or else.

I chose the one with my crocs!

;)

http://kevinschloff.blogspot.com/ <----- Kevin's Blog

xoxo

Kendra Rose <3