Today is the 9th of May. Time has passed quite quickly the last couple months. I don't know where it went. I supposed it's normal for exchange students, so I have been told. :) I have been undergoing a lot of traveling within the past month and have been realizing the end of my exchange is drawing near...very near. It's just about 8 and a half months since I have arrived in Germany. Here are some things that I have learned this year:
- German
- Confidence to meet and talk to new people...in a different language
- Time passes quickly
- Beware of European horse radish
- Importance and impact of friendship
- Languages take time
- Observing how another culter worships God
- Clinging to those who love me
- Standing up for myself
- Remembering that I can always come home
- Not everyone are like Canadians
- Thrills of going 180 down the autobahn
- Perfecting seeing things from retrospect
- I really miss skiing
- Relying on God
- It's not a good idea to leave your H & M shopping bag on the bus
- What to do better next time
- and among many other million things: realizing the person that I want to become.
On the 21st, I went to my first (and most likely last, as I will be gone before the next one) Abschlussball for my dance course. It was a lot of fun. It is this ball at the end of a season of a dance course. There are three every year.
From the 9th of April, we had spring holidays for ten days. During that time, I went to church and hung out with the family for easter. Then easter monday, I went by train to visit Eva and Elisabeth, the neice and great neice of Uncle Otto. It was reallying interesting to live with them for a couple of days. The welcomly with open arms, took me in, showed me all around Austria and fed me way too much! :) It was interesting getting out of the country to go and see how Austrians live, see some of my distant relatives and also just get away from home for a while. :) It was a nice short holiday. After coming back, on the friday, the next day, my host family and I went to a communion up north for the twin cousins. It was interesting, having never beein in a catholic church before. But...it was a little boring. Next thing I know, its monday, the 20th, and Spencer is coming to Stuttgart airport and I have to come and pick him up!!
I was so excited to go! It was a little weird to have Spencer here, only because I have not seen him or any one from home in so long. Also, just that I have changed and grown so much and here I am showing him in real life, my life now. We took off the next day to Switzerland and stayed with one of his host families while he was there on exchange. We toured around Switzerland for 8 days on little day trips, and it was great! Then we headed off to Venice and then Rome, by train! It was great! Everything turned out really well, and went fairly smooth. We got back on Tuesday evening and spent this last week hanging around Germany. I showed Spencer where I am living and what I do and just the round abouts of my daily life. We also did a trip to Dachau concentration camp on thursday. Today, I took him to the airport really early in the morning. It was sad. I got so used to him being here and not having to be alone anymore.
I guess it's only two months until I am home. It wont take long, I am sure. I have two weeks of school, and then there is the Europe tour for three weeks. Then once I get back from that, its only another 5 weeks until I am home. I have mixed feelings about going home. It would be nice to stay here to learn more German of course, because I have TONNES still to learn, and it would be nice to stay longer to develope more stronger friendships, etc. I have also grown to like the idea of being out by myself, without anyone. Mind you, I am glad to go home because then I will be starting school in the fall, I will be off of Rotary eyes, and I can see my friends and family again. It's all so catch 22. :) But, I am looking foward to it, none-the-less....as it is the third part of this exchange adventure. (the preparing, the experiencing, and the readjusting)
Well... I believe that's all for now. I believe that I can say that I am more confindent in my German, and am taking proactive steps (finally!!) to better it by not speaking English, and that I am sure that my bags will definately be over weight when I come back, dispite the load Spence took with him! :P But in the mean, I want to thank everyone, once again for helping me out with this year. I am so utterly greatful! I wish you a most wonderful month and Mom, Happy Mother's Day!! :)
K
