30.11.12 (November 30, 2012)

So.... my mother wants me to update my blog so.... here it is.

There really isn't much to say, life here isn't SUPER different in the states however:

1. Less TV is watched
2. Very little free time is had (I've seen the schedules of some of my classmates... they barely have time to breath) (on that note.... my amount of free time has just expanded by being here)
3. Streets, yards (if they have one), houses, space between houses.... it's all smaller
4. People ACTUALLY study and do homework... and BEFORE it's last minute.
5. Bread and Water .... you know how in the US we think of that as bad and punishment.... here it's ok... It's an everyday thing... snack or meal
6. People will just stop by to say "Hallo" and talk for awhile without forewarning
7. Coffee to go.... or anything to go doesn't really happen... From what I've experienced, there is a lot more sit down and drink your coffee or eat your meal... at a table... together.... where we can talk (or sometimes watch the TV by the table) and just relax form the day....
8. Breakfast is a big deal if more than one person is home to eat it... the table will be covered in bread and meat and cheese and coffee and other things to top your bread with and , in my host family, a mix between a boiled and poached egg...

I actually find the sitting a discussing rather than taking your food and drink in front of the TV is a good thing ans something we should do more in the US...

Not much has been going on... just the average day to day to living...

December begins tomorrow... with it comes the beginning of the Advents calender...

I think my host mother and I are going to do some Christmas baking tomorrow.

Next week I am going to go to a Christmas Market (2 actually) and meet my Community representative for the first time.

Not much new here in MadisonLand

Sending greeting and love all the way from the Germany,
 
        Queen and president of MadisonLand (Madison Jeannine Wallace)

Thanksgiving

So, today is/was Thanksgiving. I would normally spend it at my grandparent's house eating food and talking... of course, that didn't happen this year.... Germany is a little far away for weekend trip home :)

Being that it is Thanksgiving, I think that it's as good a day as any to list all of the things I am thankful for.

1. I am alive and healthy (maybe not in shape but still)
2. I am abroad in Germany (amazing) on a scholarship (rare)
3. I have an incredibly nice and welcoming host family (and from what I have heard from others on my program, that is something to be thankful for)
4. I have some great friends
5.I have a great family that loves me (I hope :) )

I know that there are many more things I am Thankful for....

I am thankful that there weren't more people that were hurt from Hurricane Sandy.
I am thankful that the world is evolving slowly but surely.
I am thankful that tomorrow is a new day.
I am thankful that we live in a world that allows the sky to be the limit and anything to be possible if you try hard enough.


I hope that everyone allows themselves to recognize how lucky they are in one way or another and continue to try.


I hope everyone had/has a fantastic Thanksgiving full of love, thanks, and lots and lots of food.

Sending my love, thanks, and greetings from Germany,

                         Madison Jeannine Wallace

November 18, 2012

So, this last week has been good. School is school... not much has changed on that front but, sport was really easy, English was english, math was BLAH!, all of the classes were all in German and... well, yeah.

On friday night I was invited to hang out with a group of girls. It was under 18 night at the disco (night club). It was a lot of fun. At first the music was all horrible music from the 90's but it got better later. We danced and I got elbowed and hit by some people while dancing... but, that's as bad as it got. All in all, it was fun... once the music wasn't quite as horrible.

Yesterday, I went to a birthday celebration for a girl in my grade... she's really nice and helps me in biology. There were 14 girls there... all but one from my grade here. We made mini pizzas and talked. The BEST part.... I actually understood most of what we were talking about... progress!

There isn't really much else to say... school, Karneval training, progress with hanging out with people, actually understanding in conversations. I think it's going well.

Of course I still miss home and everyone but, I know it'll all be there in seven months.

     Sending greetings and love all the way from Germany.  
                                                      ~ Madison Jeannine Wallace

Und jetzt Deutsch.... I hoffe es ist richtig und all versteht es:



Dieses letzte Woche war gut. Schule war schule... sport war einfach, englisch war englisch, mathe war BLAH!, alle meine Klassen war auf Deutsch und... yea, auf Deutsch.

Am Freitag Abend Ich war mit viele Maedschen zu Chillen Einladen (?). Es war unter 18 nacht  am die Disko. Es war viel spaß. Für die Erst Stunde die Musik war schlecht und von die 90's aber spaeter es war besser. Wir haben getanzt. Es war spaß.

Gestern Ich bin zu eine Geburtstag Party für eine Maedchen gegangen. Sie ist sehr nett und hilfst mich in Biologie. Da war 14 Maedchen da.... alle im meine Stufe hier. Wir haben Mini Pizzas gemacht und wir haben gereden. Die beste Teil.... Ich habe viele Deutsch verstanden!

Da ist nicht viel mehr zu sagen.... schule, Karneval Training, und Freunde machen, verstaehen Deutsch. Ich denke es ist gu gehen.

Ich vermiss home und alle Leute aber Ich weiß dass ich werde da im sieben Monate sein.

             Alle meine Gruße und Liebe von Deutschland.
                             ~ Madison Jeannine Wallace

My 17th Birthday Abroad and Karneval Begins

So.... I haven't updated my blog in a while (I am a master at stating the obvious).
So... I am only going to talk about things that have happened that may be considered somewhat interesting....

I turned 17 in a foreign country.... that's pretty cool I guess. Birthdays are a pretty thing in Germany for most people.

I started out my birthday magnificently.... by reading all the birthday cards from family at home. (By the way.... my sister's are always the best.... they always make me cry)

Then, we ( had a huge buffet style breakfast at the house. (We is my host mother, host father, Julia (my host sister), all of Julia's siblings (Sabrina, Verena, Kristina, Hendrick, and Markus), Oma, both Hendrick's and Markus's girlfriends, Sabrina's husband and her 1 year old daughter. )As you can tell, there were a LOT of people around and almost all were hear through breakfast, lunch, and coffee and dessert.

Later, I had some girls over for UNO, Take it Easy, and snacks. It was a lot of fun.

My host mom and Julia gave me a winter hat and scarf as well as the very thoughful gift of an elephant necklace, since they have heard mention how I like elephants multiple times. Oma gave me socks that she knitted and yummy candy. I recieved flowers from Zoey and Sabrina as well as Hendrick and his girlfriend, a disney princess themed advents calender from Kristina, and a mixed CD of German hits from 2012, an advents calender by the company with the best chocolate, a new card game, and a variety of girly hygiene products all from different girls that came that night to hangout.

Then of course, I skyped with the family at home... ALL of the family at home.... except for those that don't live in Kansas. It was great getting to see everyone and talk to them a bit though, it would have been better if the video was working properly. my birthday was fun.... and I can now have something new to say if I ever play "never have I ever" (the non-drinking boring version) with my theater friends again :).

My host family and the friends that came over later in the day made me feel at home and made my birthday away from home memerable and enjoyable.


So, Karneval began on Sunday. There was a parade and then lots of talking, dancing, hanging out, and drinking. In the parade all of the dance groups march in there traditional Karneval costumes a few blocks and then there is a formal introduction of this years prince, princess and the mundschenk (which is the person in charge of alcohol or something like that from what I understand. Only people that do Karneval and the dance groups every year march in the parade because the costume that is required is complicated and I believe expensive. However, Verena (Julia's sister who is in our dance group for Karneval) couldn't make to the parade.... so I took her place.

And then, when everyone was going to go up and get there medallion like medals that they get every year (I got one too!! :) and I get to keep it) they presented me on stage.... I felt a bit awkward...

However, It was all fun. And... I was told by the guy talking to me in the picture above (he's president of the Klein Koln (Wüllen) Karneval) that I am the first ever American to wear a guard uniform (it's what they call the dance group costumes).... :) I guess that's cool.


Other than my birthday and Karneval, there isn't really anything interesting to present.

  I miss everyone, but I think the fact that Ican no longer remember some common English words is a god thing.... I hope it means that my German is improving...

Sending my greetings and well wishes all the way from Germany.

               Madison Jeannine Wallace