Castles and Familiar Faces

On the 22nd, I didn't do anything except go to German class. It was nothing new.

On the 23rd, I went with the Rotary club to the Fein Factory, where they make power tools. The man that was showing us around said that there is a factory in Canada too! (but I think that it is in Toronto, or somewhere east) It was kind of cool because we saw the workers doing their jobs and these robotic machines that made the different parts of the tools. But it really looked like a boring job to work there, though, because the job you do takes about 1 minute, then after your done that, you start over again, then you do it again, and again, and again, and again, for 8 hours or more a day. Oh, I would not last very long there. It was an okay tour. I also talked to more Rotarians, and asked if I could come over to Alex's and Ulrike's house (They were on the Hiking weekend, and I really warmed to them and they are super nice people!). So then, because we had holidays starting on the 24th, I went to Ulrike's and Alex's house. And I was totally in love with the house at first sight! It is a very old house, built in the 18th century, and the garden is absolutely exquisite! It has been kept in its original state, and is the last old garden in Schwabisch Gmünd (oh, yeah, that's where they live). And the house is so lovely. It has so many rooms and Alex has his Doctor's office on the first floor (he's a medical doctor and Ulrike is a type of therapist where if you get your driver's license taken away because of drinking, she can say whether or not you can get it back after a certain time..she works in Aalen), and it is so beautiful and so old!! After we had lunch, Ulrike showed me family photos and took me walking around Schwabisch Gmünd, where we went to two of the churches there, the library, and a small museum. Ulrike knows a lot about the history of the town, and it was like having my own tour guide! It was such a lovely day! My heart was so full that day, I had realized that that was what I wanted to come to Germany for, the old history and just enjoying the everyday things and the kindness and hospitality of someone that wants to share their culture and life and is willing to hear about mine. It was such a beautiful day!!

That night I had youth group, and it was nice. Then on Saturday, I had a dance class practice, and I had a new partner that was really nice, and a good dancer, so it was a very fun class. On Sunday the 26th I went to church, and later, dance, and my other partner didn't come, so I danced with the teacher (which was okay, because he knows how to dance, but a little awkward). Then on Monday, the 27th, I went to Gülsah! She lives in between Nagold and Fruedenstadt in the Black Forest and I stayed with her and her family for a couple of days until Thursday evening. It was so nice to see a familiar face! And it was nice to get out of the house and hang out with someone my age. We went shopping and went to a little castle ruin in the area, and visited friends, and even though we didn't do a whole lot, it was still a very nice time.

On Wednesday night, the 29th, it snowed a little, but by Thursday morning, it was gone. It was crazy though, because I am not used to snow in Oktober, and didn't really welcome it. But the last week has been really nice, and sunny. So it's very different weather here.

Then I went home on Thursday, and packed and didn't do a whole lot. But on Friday, my host family and I, as well as their two friends and their two sons went to Füssen to visit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau! They were so beautiful, but I wished that I could have stayed longer at the castles. We took the tours to go inside and it was so great! There are amazing stories behind the castles, and some crazy facts. Like the kings bed took four years to carve and the floor of the throne room took four years to finish, and the Singers Hall was finished only four days before the king died, so no one ever sang in it when King Ludwig was alive. And the kind only lived in the castle for about 100 and something days!!! It's insane, because it took such a long time and took so much money, then the king died. And the ironic thing is that no one from outside was allowed in the castle, and yet not even two months after King Ludwig's death, the castle was opened as a museum to the public! Also, Hohenschwangau is still inhabited by the family! Only some of it is open for tours, etc. The tours were very short, but the Neuschwanstein was the better one because there was a live guide and he was very good and you could ask him questions. It is so beautiful in that area of Bavaria, I like it very much!!! :) :P I hope one day to go back. I love that era of castles and knights. Oh! and Neuschwanstein has a man made cave in it too!!!! It had, back in the day, a waterfall in there, but not anymore. And there was crazy technology in that day, where there was enough pressure, naturally from the rain water, to provide running water to every room in the castle (even the servants rooms had running water, and they were really beautifully furnished, and looked really comfortable for servants rooms!). OH, the castles were so beautiful. But I loved Neuschwanstein the best! :)

Then we came home on Sunday, after taking a little hike up the mountain for about 20 minutes. It was nothing compared to the hiking weekend, my goodness!! But it was nice to be in the mountains again. It really feels more like 'Germany' in Bavaria! I love it!

So there are some pics as well, with me and the castles. I couldn't stop taking pics. I have tones more. I just love castles and was so glad that I was finally going!!! :)

Things with my host family are up and down. Some days are okay, some days are horrible, and some days are better. But all in all, I have been feeling very homesick the last month. Hopefully, soon I will make one really good friend and that will trigger more happy memories and overlook the bad days. But I am waiting still. Concerning my host family, I don't know what it is, but the month of Oktober was really not so great. I will have to work on it, I guess it's normal though, to have a low month. I pray this month with be better!

It was a little odd without Halloween this year, actually, without a lot of the holidays that I have missed. But it was nice to have a week holiday last week. A nice break from school, since I haven't really been here without being at school. (I started only three days after I got here...) But anyhow. I discovered a new singer that I like. His name is Xavier Naidoo...I will put him on the track list when I have time. He is a great singer, and he sings German and English (but I think he would sing better if it was all in English...German is not such a pretty language sometimes :P ).

Well, thank you to all, and I appreciate your prayers and your wonderful words of encouragement, you don't know how much they mean to me at this time! They are like sweet honey in the desert! Really they are! So thank you so ever much! Until next time,

K