Can you belive it? I have been here for seven weeks, and now I am moving again.
I have enjoyed my time in Bonn. A constant supply of companions, unending sources of entertainment, unlimited travel in an hour radius, English all around me… A very comfortable existance. Now I must leave my comfort zone and go out into the real German world. Really, do I have to do that?
But on the other hand, I am going to see the real German world, on my own!
sha’ um pahr’ tee
a) a giant bubblebath with crazy lights and music, and lasts all night.
b) tons of fun!
Oh, I do. Everyday. Sometimes twice a day, depending on how late I am to catch the train to school in the morning. If it is sunny enough I don’t even have to stop in order to catch their fragrance!
I love flowers and I really appreciate people that can, and do, make them grow.
Why am I so interested in the Middle East/ Southern Asia while I am in Europe!? Maybe it is my neighborhood, maybe it is the Bollywood movies, maybe it is my hostfamily’s background, or maybe… just maybe, Germany is too much like Home for my adventurer tastes. That’s just fine with me though, at least I’m not homesick… yet.
(I also seem to really like using, well, you know… punctuation!)
As to be expected, some people back home have questions. This concise list from one friend will surely satisfy everyone.
Question 1. What was the very first impression you got of Germans or Germany as a whole?
Well, the airport was crazy, but there you couldn’t tell who was German. Now, on the train every morning on the way to language school I am impressed by how well-dressed they are. The only exceptions are the punks (they REALLY stand out!).
Question 2. What do you miss most (if anything)?
Right now I am so busy see new things and learning new things that I can’t think too much about home. That also is a defense mechanism to keep myself happy. However, I did admit to myself that I miss fresh fruit and vegetables. I fell in love with the market now and have fresh stuff every day. I also realized that I miss singing. There have been times in my life when I sang every single day. Now I don’t even sing on Sundays because I don’t know the words or where the books are. Last Sunday I really missed everyone involved with SPY. <><
Question 3. Do all german girls have blonde hair blue eyes?
Actually, the blondest people I see are in my group. Many Germans are dark blond, and a lot have brown eyes. This might change according to region though. In my neighborhood there are a LOT of immigrants. The most obvious are the Turkish Muslim women, but there are many others that I do not recognize their nationality. They of course are not blond or blue-eyed.
Question 4. Are Americans really much fatter than Europeans?
With all the walking the average European does it would be difficult to be obese. Natually then, anyone who does not walk is extremely heavy because of all the meat, cheese and bread the average German consumes. However, fast food is known as a bakery, so instant meals are somewhat healthier. So the real answer: the Europeans that I have seen are moderate. The “obese” and the “skinny” are all still healthy.
Question 5. How are you doing with the language barrier?
Language barrier? You mean people here actually speak something besides English? O.K., they do, but everyone I talk to speaks English. German classes are the exception, and I even had an entire conversation in German with my host family. I go to lengths to avoid speaking to anyone that I don’t know. I am embarrassed to be in their country and yet not be able to speak their language.
Question 6. What religion is most popular in Germany?
Hard to tell. Of course there are Muslim, Protestant and Catholic. Most it seems, including those in my group, just don’t practice any religion.
I walk past a Catholic church everyday between my house and the train station. I went there one Sunday and to the Cathedral the next. I would love to go to daily mass but it is really tough when I don’t understand the readings or homily at all. The Cathedral thankfully had papers with the readings and a reflection in different languages. The Sunday I went by my house I met some really nice people and they have youth activities, so I would love to get involved there. Pray for it.
Question 7. Do you have access to a telephone?
Question8. Do you have a current mailing address?
Yes and Yes, but you have to e-mail me for that. 
Question 9. How is the weather?
Rain, and rain, and suddenly hot and sunny, and rain again. I really don’t see a pattern. I love the nice days and the rain is great until we have to walk somewhere and we didn’t bring our umbrellas. They say this is summer, but I wear a jacket and scarf every day.
My other excitement so far? I danced Flamenco for my class today, and everyone wants to take ballroom and swing dance lessons. Also, we are going to a Fussball game today. Ole ole ole…
Friday we had a 4th of July party at the school. It seemed that all of the Americans in town were there, as well as many host families. A grill, a jazz band, and an American flag rounded out the scene.
Today is Monday and we just finished our first morning of classes. The tapes I listened to really did help. I wish I had tried harder, but so far I have gotten along well enough and my familie is very understanding. I can’t wait to be fluent. In just a few months…
We left Dulles International Airport around 6 pm Eastern time.
We arrived at Frankfurt Am Main International Airport about 7 am German time. If you didn’t sleep on the plane, tough for you. I managed a few hours rest, and supplemented it with two more hours on the bus ride to our final destination.
Fizzy juice, Kaffee and fancy pastries greeted us at the International School. A few relaxing minutes and host families arrived to take us home.
My host family speaks English, thank goodness. One look at them tells me to be careful of gaining weight. The daughters are 20 and 16 and both love to bake, so I fit right in. The father is from Sri Lanka, so one daughter is very dark and the other is blonde, so it doesn’t matter that I don’t look like them.
They escorted me to my room on the second floor. They explained the window (which has two ways of opening) and the water-saving way of taking a shower, but not the toilet (with the flusher on the wall) or the strange thing next to it. I was immediately allowed a computer to inform my family of my safe arrival, but the connection went down before I could write here. I relaxed next to my window, overlooking the garden, worked on the computer, and enjoyed my first “German” meal: peanut butter and cheese (surprisingly very delicious!)
So we drove for hours, and hours, and hours, and finally arrived. There we walked for hours, and hours, to make up for all of the time driving. After the touring with my family I met my future friends: auf Wiedersehen Familie! Again more walking, but this time with a camera. Only an eight hour flight left…
Well, I decided I should explain.
I am going to Germany next month for a year-long exchange program. It is called the Congress-Bundestag Vocational Youth Exchange and is organized by Nacel Open Door. I will attend language school for two months and then move to a more permanent host family for the remaining ten months. There I will probably attend some sort of school, whether their high school or a vocational school or such I do not know. Then or shortly there after, I will begin an internship, which I do not yet know either. That will come later, so you should definitely keep reading this blog every few weeks, just to know the latest news 
I plan to return home some time June 2009. Until then …
My cross country tour-de-family has gone well. My youngest relatives were very compliant and photogenic.
