My Not-Very-Interesting German Concert Experience

So... I went to my first German concert last night. And by German concert I mean a concert in Germany with a German band that sings songs in English... but honestly, fo all I know they could have been singing in Mandarin Chinese or Hebrew. It was a small room with 100-200 people in it and the band was playing super loud. I was in the very back with 2 girls playing with their iphones and talking to each other in front of me as well as a super tall guy.

But, the atmosphere was good... a bunch of people who really like the band and enjoy dancing (jumping) to the music and just rocking out. I like the band... I've heard the CD... live it wasn't all that great.

Also, it was my first non-country music concert, concert in a small space with no seats, and my first concert without my dad with me. Honestly, it kind of made me feel grown up. I was with my host sister, Julia, her brother, Markus, and his girlfriend, Lissi (I hope I spelled their names correclty...).

So, not much to this post....I just thought I might share my first German concert experience with everyone.

I hope all is good in the States....

- Madison Jeannine Wallace

A Completley Uninteresting Post about Baking Cookies

So, I made chocolate chip cookies for my host family yesterday (Did you know that they don't have chocolate chips or chocolate chip cookies in Germany?)(I got the chocolate chips in my care package from home). The cookies turned out  a little different then usual but, that makes sense...

1. I cut the portion size in half (my host mom wanted it that way because there was only a few of us)and it's pretty difficult to get exactly half of 3/4 cup or 2 1/4 cup...
2. Brown sugar here has no moisture because it's not packed.... it has the consistency of regular sugar...
3. There was no vanilla extract so, I had to use vanilla sugar... again lacking moisture from this that is in the cookies when I make them in the States...
4. Because of the difference in the mentioned ingredients I had to add water.... I probably should have measured how I much I used but, I didn't
5. The ovens here (or at least in my host house) give odd temperature intervals... the recipe called for the oven to be heated at 375F so about 190C... well, the oven here skips by 40s (50...90.....170..210) so, I kind of had to guess on the heat
6. Because of the differing temperatures/oven, I had to watch the cookies but, I didn't watch well enough... some of the edges were overcooked
7. The kind of baking pan I used permits that you grease it or use a baking sheet.... I did not know this until I had to scrape all of the cookies off the tray... and then scrape the pan clean

My host family did, however, enjoy the cookies...and I now know what to do and not do for next time.
I however, didn't enjoy them a lot... but, I know what they are supposed to taste like... they'll be better next time.

11.10.12 (October 10, 2012)

Hallo. So, it's fall break here for two weeks... it's been going on this week so, I only have one more week left before I go back to German school.... and I can't wait.

Honestly, I've been completly bored this week. I just don't know what to do. If I did what I would do at home if I was bored (be online all day), it wouldn't be very helpful in learning German.... and watching TV, in a language you don't know very well, gets old pretty fast.

I feel like my host family thinks I'm anti-social because I'm often just in my room (this is the same in the states but it just feels like I shouldn't be doing that here) So, I'm at a lost... and I don't feel like I've really learned much German... and that's probably because I just don't have the determination to sit for hours and study... I really just don't know what to do.... I kind of just feel awkward and out of place. I feel so frustrated [and for those of you who really know me (mom), you know how well I deal with that.... a lot of crying and luckily there is no arguing this time {I don't even want to think about arguing in German :)}]

Well, I have hung out with people a couple times since I last posted... but I only hang out with people when they initiate it... I know I should take the initiative but when it comes to trying to make friends (in a foreign country and language), I apparently have none.

My host mom keeps telling me that it I want to have people over to hang out then I can but, I don't know who I would ask and I don't know what I would do to hang out....

All in all, I am feeling incredibly bored and awkward right now and I'm kind of worried that I won't make freinds that I hang out with consistently and/or that I'll go home not having learned much German.... I know I still have 8 months left in my exchange and this adventure.... I'm sure it will all improve.... and by the end of the year, I hope I am no longer the awkward American exchange student (which might just be in my mind.)

I'll be just fine and I just keep telling myself that others are and have gone through the same feelings and changes in environment as me... and they all have and will survive..... so I will to.

All in all.... I'm spending 10 months in Germany... it's meant to be filled with uncomfortablness. And anyway very few great things come easy... that just means that when I finally have a conversation in German that I fully understand (although, that may not be until June when I leave :)) and make solid friends (that I hang out with consistently and outside of school), it will all be much more worth it because I have felt awkward and uncomfortable and have had to work at it (a lot).

Easyness is over-rated anyway.... and what's life without the uncomfortable moments....

My only real problem.... it what to do with all this free time I have without debate and all the other activities I do.... and how to have whatever it is I'm doing in my free time not relate to the English language.... Any suggestions?

I'll be just fine.

Sending my greetings for Germany,
                Madison Jeannine Wallace