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:
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 :)
