My Very Own Dirndl!!

So! It is time for an update for the last couple of weeks. Last week was the last full week of the German course in Aalen. It was nice to be there, at the University, and once I started to talk to some of the other exchange students, it was more interesting, I found, than the High school in Heubach. Although, like Ralf had mentioned to me the other day, it's not necessarily good because we speak English, and not so much German, because we all are trying to learn German. But it is nice to have someone to relate to. Anyhow.

On Friday, I had my first dance class. It is a jazz\modern\lyrical\hip hop dance club with about eight or so girls. It was at the fitness center in Mögglingen, so we don't have to pay for it. It was good. The teacher speaks pretty good English and she is very nice. I think that I will keep going, but I would like to go in a 'standard' dance course (ballroom) because I think that I enjoy that dancing much better. So we are looking for a place to do dance perhaps in Aalen or Schwäbisch Gmünd. We will look. Then after dance class, I came home and was picked up by Kristina, from the church in Böbingen that I have been going to, and I went to the youth group there. It is really quite nice, because the average age for the youth is about 24 year old, I think. There are a couple of 16, 17 and 18 year olds, but the majority of the people are in their 20's, and they have quite a large group of them. It was great. We sang some songs and we heard from this guy named Herbert, who is also from the church and he had a message about our consciences then we sang one or two more songs, then we ATE! Yes, we ate. It was great, because I have never heard of a youth group that ate at the meetings. So it was nice, because we got to talk and fellowship. A girl, I can't remember what her name is, she translated for me, the message from Herbert, and I talked with a girl named Eva as well. Both of the girls have gone to the U.S. for a year a couple of years ago, so they spoke really good English. Also, I talked with a guy that had been to Canada for a year, and he is very nice. I like him. It seems like he understands a little bit more than everyone else, which is totally what I need. So I stayed about three and a half hours or so (long, but fun) and then went home. It was a nice time, because the people from the church are 20 times more nice than the people from school.

Saturday, we had our first inbound meeting. It was interesting. We took the train to Stuttgart to the airport. It was our meeting place, which was kind of cool, but odd that we had the meeting three weeks after arriving at the airport. Eugenio and I were late because of the train times and we had started out an hour early before the meeting started! So we were in a hurry, but the train went really slow to the airport. Anyhow, so we had a tour of the airport and where the firefighters went and all about the trucks that they drive, and the practice airplanes, and we saw planes take off and come in, as well as where they sort the baggage. It was kind of neat. Also kind of boring, but that's okay. After the airport, we went to Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart, which is kind of like Oktoberfest, but it is in Stuttgart, and not so internationally known. As soon as we got there, I was thinking; 'Man! This puts West Coast Amusements to shame!' It was a lot like the Armstrong IPE and it was so awesome! The rides were utterly crazy, and I went on two. (The first one seemed pretty tame, and to my surprise, it was more than what it had seemed. But it was wicked fun! Although the tickets to ride, were pretty pricey. The second one was a roller coaster, and I thought I was going to die! Then I coaxed myself to breathe, and everything was much better. I commend them for the thrilling ride, I really do.) There were some pretty outrageous rides there! I can't even describe them, because words just don't do them justice. Like I said, West Coast Amusements would have their jaws on the ground!

Anyhow, so at first, I was rather homesick, being at the airport and all, I desperately wished that I could go on the plane home, and at the Volksfest, it reminded me a lot of home and fond memories. There are about 18 inbounds here, in district 1830, and that really surprised me. I was hoping and expecting more! But the main countries of inbounds are Canada, U.S., and Mexico. There are about three or four from each of those countries, there is a couple from Argentina, one from Columbia, one from Japan, one from Thailand, and a couple others, but I forget. So you either speak English or Spanish, really. I was kind of disappointed, because I was expecting and hoping to have more people in the district and more people from different countries, like 5060, but I guess, with Rotary, everything is really, just different. So anyhow, at first, I was a bit bummed and sad, but then I started talking to this guy from Mexico, Emmanuel, and he was super nice. We were walking and talking when we went to one of the big tents to have our lunch\dinner. The tents, are really neat (besides the fact that the majority of people are drunk and there is a lot of smoke because people smoke in the tent) because there are hundreds of people squished into one big tent, and there is a live band playing festive music, people are dancing on the benches of the tables (you have to stand if you want to order something, then the waiter or waitress comes to you) and they are singing, and laughing, and people seem to have a good time! While we were at the tent, we sat in a reserved seating area (which was nice, because we weren't with all the drunk people) and we were served. Almost everyone ordered the typical 1L beer (which is half lemonade), but I wasn't into that, so I drank .4 L of 7 Up. I am not into drinking 1L of anything in one sitting anyways. But it was unbelievable watching the waitresses!! They carry like, 5 of those FULL GLASS 1 LITER beer mugs! IN ONE HAND!!! So they are carrying at least 10 mugs in their arms at once. It is really impressive. Everyone was served the same for lunch\dinner too: a half of about a 2 pound chicken and a bun. It was really good. The chicken was rotisserie style and you should have seen them cooking them. There are like, hundreds of those birds cooking on these rotisserie things. Its neat. And so we stayed in the tent for a while, and a group of us went out of the tent later on (after the meeting was 'officially' over). We walked around, bought some pins and souvenirs, went on a couple of rides, I bought a Gingerbread Love Heart Cookie (they are a typical souvenir) and some chocolate covered bananas and strawberries, which were to die for! It was fun once I started talking with people and started to open up a bit. It was really nice to have Alex there from district 5060, it made things a bit easier, knowing that there is someone there from my district. Although it was kind of sad, just comparing first day of school, etc, with her. People seem to be a bit more personable in her area.

Anyhow, so at about 8 we started for home. I was unimpressed with the lack of responsible drinking within the exchange students and some of the rebounds. It was not a happy night after that. Eugenio and I got off at the wrong stop, people were drunk and throwing up, and I was very upset and homesick. Ralf came and got us from the train station we were at. I felt very guilty that he had to come and pick us up, but he said that it was normal, and that it was okay. I am very thankful! So the experience coming home and after was not so great, and made me very homesick. But the time that I spent there was nice.

The next day, Sunday, it was a thanksgiving service at church (Erntedank fest). It was really neat. They don't have it like a thanksgiving in Canada or the U.S.. It is more thanks to God for everything that He gives us. So it was super awesome because it was focused on God and being thankful for what we have! (the thanksgiving holiday is actually this Sunday but we celebrated it last Sunday) So we had lunch after the service and we talked (Herbert translated for me and I ate lunch with Addi and Kristina and a girl..I forget her name, they were all very nice) and had a nice time. There was another short service at 2pm, but I went home after the lunch. When I came home, I helped Bebe made necklaces and bracelets for her art exhibition in the coming weeks. And that was nice, to relax and spend time with her. Then I had a nap and tried to do some studying. Then at about 6 45Pm, Kristina picked me up to go to this youth service at the school in Böbingen. It was cool. It reminded me of church a little, because there was more contemporary music and there were drums and piano, and bass, and guitar and someone singing. It was much nicer, because I like the live music, instead of the CD music. The church, though is more conservative and traditional than the Salmon Arm one. Which is okay. It is different, but the people are very friendly. A girl translated the message that was said at the youth night. There was a guy from Austria that was giving the message about not getting enough from life, and finding satisfaction in Jesus! It was good. There were a lot of people there, and again, the age group was from about 16 to 30. So it was an older group, but nice. It gave a different perspective and audience than I am used to, but it was good. I love how they pray though, the thought of prayer in a different language and culture, is so awesome to me. It boggles my mind! Because I think, well, yeah, of course, God must speak German too! (and every other language) I felt my eyes open a teensy bit.

So I stayed for a bit, and everyone stayed WAY longer than I did, but I had school Monday. So on Monday, it was a very long day, I had to go to Heubach AND Aalen. It was not a good day though. I had a confusing first class. I didn't know if I was in the right class, because we had been away for the first full two weeks and I think the class might have switched classrooms, but it was weird. The teacher didn't say anything to me. Not even ask what my name was. It was funny. I was sitting in the back of the room, and then he looked over, after, when everyone was doing work (I was working in my German workbook) and he came over to where I was sitting. I took out my schedule for school, and pointed to the classroom, and he just smiled and made a funny mark on the paper, and then went back to the front of the class. It was funny and odd. I didn't know what to think about it. He didn't even ask me anything the whole class. The class was NWT, which is like natural sciences and technology, I think.

Then when we came back to the regular room that we are in, I sat in what I thought was the back of the room, but I saw Eugenio take a desk and put it one row back. I was like 'what are you doing??' and then this guy from my class came and stared at me. And I was like, okay, there is a spot here and here on either side of me, pick one. (of course, I did all this with body language) And he just stared at me. I was like, well, whatever. Then he said that I was sitting in his spot. OH! A light went on, and I guess the last row of desks was gone, so I was sitting where he normally sits. Well, I had a choice to make. Get up and go to another seat, or just stay where I was. Okay, well I quickly thought about this. No one talks to me in school because I don't sit next to anyone, because they have their own friends. I am not doing enough to integrate myself. I am not being assertive. I won't make friends if don't sit with people, and I have to be assertive. Obviously no one else is trying to make me feel welcome in the class, so I have to take the first step. So I said, okay. I will stay here. What is the harm in sitting somewhere different for one day???

Obviously I did something VERY wrong. The guy was very upset by this. He was not impressed, and the rest of the class thought that I was crazy and stupid for not getting out of my seat. But I innocently thought that I didn't want to be segregated from the rest of the class like an African American in the 60's. And so I sat. Like Rosa Parks. Or so I thought.

So the teacher said sit down to the guy, and he took a seat beside Eugenio in the back, because I wouldn't move. I thought that it was both good for me, Eugenio (because now someone was forced to talk to him too..sometimes I feel bad for the kid because no one talks to him either...except me) and also this guy, because perhaps it would enable him to talk to someone different for a change. Anyhow, I felt like I had accomplished something by stepping out of my quiet, reserved shell and that I was doing something that took a little courage, something that I lack in when it comes to making friends, when I am not used to the setting (especially in another country and I don't speak the language...yet). So I was thinking about it, at the time, and was feeling like finally, I did not take the passive position, where I am not talked to, or don't talk to anyone and sit in the corner alone. But then after two classes, the guy came up to me and asked me again why I was sitting in his seat. I said 'to integrate' and his reply was 'you are already integrated.' In my mind I did not believe this, since no one talks to me at school. So he again asked me to move. When I didn't, he asked me if I understood. It was a little too much for me at this point and when I was thinking about everything, I felt horrible. Like no one wanted me there, like no one wanted to be my friend, and no one understood what it was like. So I told him that yes, I understood, and I packed up my things, and went to the bathroom and cried.

I was in there for about 10 minutes and a girl named Jacky (who is the class speaker, I believe) came in and found me. It was nice. God answered a prayer, and she talked to me, and I asked her why no one talks to me at school. I think she was a bit embarrassed about this, and she talked to me about things. I guess, it's that I am shy, and when no one expresses an interest to be my friend, I just close up. And I guess if it is the other way, I would open up right away, but they don't know this. Anyhow. I talked to her, and then I wanted to go home (both to Canada and to the Sporys. But I knew that I couldn't do either.) So after she said that she would talk to her friends and the class, I told her she should go back to class, and I went to the area where there are tables and did some work until the next break. Then I went to Nils' class to tell him I was going to wait for him and the teacher invited me to sit in on their class. That was fun. They are in grade 5 and are learning English. I liked Nils' class much better! The kids were nice, and more interested in the fact that I was there. It was great for Nils too, Ralf told me that he loved it when I was there. :) Anyhow, and so the day wasn't so great.

Anyhow. But in the evening, after the German course, I spent some time with Ralf and Bebe and we talked, and it was a nice evening. I love hanging out with them. It is nice too, because they are understanding.

Then today, I was very worried about going to school. Because Eugenio told me that everyone thinks that I am crazy now. But I am convincing myself that I don't need to care about what they think of me. Its what God thinks of me that matters, and I know that He loves me no matter what. I was thinking though, about how I need to deal with this situation. If I didn't show up, I would be a coward. Although I feel like one for running from the classroom yesterday. But anyhow, I went and today was better, because I hardly cared that no one talked to me. I was more focused on how God sees me. And today was better. It was good to face that fear, it was an accomplishment today. And after school, Jacky and her two friends came and asked me to come with them to Aalen for dinner on Thursday. So that was super nice too. I think that I will go (even though it is the same night as youth group this week, I think that it is important to go with them for the first time to show them who I am outside of school). Anyhow. So today was much better.

Last night I was reading over the papers that we were given from the Outbound Orientation Weekend in the spring, and oh my goodness, does it ever hit home! I was thinking at the time, that these things wouldn't apply to me so much, and that I wouldn't need to bring them, but am I ever glad that I did! Rotary knows their stuff! And am I ever glad that I have 5060 behind my back, supporting me! I am super glad, and I felt so much closer to Rotary, realizing that they understand how I am feeling, and other people have been through this too. So it was comforting! I was very reassured that I was not alone in this, that every exchange student goes through something like this, and hard times, especially with the language at first. Was I ever glad!!

Anyhow, so today I went to get my passport type photos for my visa (yes, I know it should have been done two weeks ago, but don't worry, it's okay) and that was really great. They turned out really nice, and I love the guy from the studio we took them at.. He is super nice, and did a good job. His work is really good. Kathryn Kemp phoned me today and I am meeting her on Thursday, from my district 5060. So that is nice. She is a Rotarian. And then we came home, ate, and Bebe had a present for me!!

A DIRNDL!!! My very own!!! I was super, super excited, because I wanted one so very much!!! I can wear it to Oktoberfest, and it is great! Bebe and Ralf bought it from a friend and eBay for me, and it is white with lime green flowers! I love it! And I have a white apron! And it is a bit short, so Bebe will make it a little longer for me tomorrow (it was way too long when they got it, and she had hemmed it, but she thinks that I will be always pulling it down, so she said that she would make it longer for me! She is so sweet! :P) and she also made me a leather little purse with a strap made from the dirndl material!! It is so lovely! I hugged them and said thank you many times! They are so wonderful! And Bebe and I put on our dirndls and tried to find the best shoes that looked the best, and then were trying on necklaces and earrings that went with the shoes and dirndls the best. It was so fun. And it was great too! I feel very loved and spoilt. :) It was a nice change from the not so great day yesterday. I love hanging out with my host family. They make me feel very at home. :)

Anyhow. I have to go to bed. I will write more possibly next week. Sorry that I am not able to reply to every email, but I am will try to keep the blog as up to date as I can! Thank you everyone for your support and emails. It is nice to hear from home, and thank you that you have made it possible for me to be here. I am ever so thankful! I hope to learn lots from these experiences, and I feel that I am really starting to get used to being here, and to overcome some fears and differences of culture and character. So danke! And bis später!

K