One Week In

So, I've been with my host family for a week now. They are really nice. The second day I was with them I met the whole family... all five of my host sister's siblings and their signifigant others. They are really welcoming. They helped me with my luggage at the train station and gave me gifts to welcome me. They have been going out of their way to make me feel at home.

Of course, it's still quite a bit awkward but I have only been here for a week.... I think awkwardness is a neccessary step.

I started German school last Monday but I only got my own schedule on Thursday. I have Biology, Math, Deutsch, History, Catholic Religion, Sport, and Honors English.  But the schedule's here are really sporadic so most days I only have like 3 or 4 hours of class.

I haven't made any definite friends but there are some people in my classes that have been nice and have beeen helping me. So, maybe we will become friends.

Only time will tell... and make me feel less awkward. :)

Some Pictures! There are more on facebook

Above view of Quedlinburg (a town near my language camp in Hedersleben)

Example of beautiful buildings in Quedlinburg

 

A church ceiling in Leipzig

A different church ceiling in Leipzig

A comparison of bottle sizes. The bottle on the left was bought in Dulles airport in DC and the right was bought at the store in Hedersleben.

 

Some thoughts and observations:

Random:  I have to do my own laundry!?  I think I'll probably just throw it all in and put it on cold?  Now, I don't know what I'll do about drying.  There are no dryers. Hanging my underwear for all to see isn't very appealing.  Oh well!

Random:  Nude pics (porn) are right out in front in the grocery store...and book store (scarred for life).  There was a book cover of a vagina, no title, next to the kid's section.

Random:   You can (apparently) get a frap without coffee in it.  (I dare you to ask for one) LOL.

Random:  You can't find still (non sparkling) water ANYWHERE (ok, you can, but it is really rare).

Random:  Hedersleben smells (literally) like horse shit.

Random:  If you return your drink bottle, you get like 30-40% of your money back.

Random:  Paparika flavored is like the only kind of chip you can find here.

Random:  There is not one single hair in my sink, ALEX! 

One more week of Language Camp

Just a quick post...

So, I have one more week in language camp then It's on to my host family.

I'm not sure how I feel about that actually. I'm looking forward to meeting the Edelers (my host family) but I don't know that I want to deal with the awkwardness that will be the first meeting/day. Also, all the people here at language camp are pretty cool so...

I will be in the 11th grade at my school, which is rare because most exchange students get put into a grade lower than they would originally be in. Also, according to my host sister in the email I got from her, we will be riding bikes to school everyday and they have gotten me a pink bell for said bike.

My host family seems really nice but I'm anticipating meeting them...


Hope everything is going great in the States,
                                   Madison Jeannine Wallace

My first two weeks in Germany!

Hallo Leute!

I have safely made it to Germany and have been here for two weeks so far.

The plane ride was 7 and a half hours long and very boring… the food was okay but I couldn’t sleep… and then I had to sit in a bus outside of the airport waiting for the other group for 7 hours (their flight had gotten delayed). All in all it was a very long day.

So, I’m in this town called Hedersleben right now for a language camp that lasts until September 8^th. I’m living in a monastery on the third floor without air conditioning. There is a church next door that loves to ring its bells. This town has own grocery store and a shady ice cream machine outside a butcher shop (the ice cream is actually REALLY good… but there is a possibility of getting mad cow disease…JUST KIDDING). Also, this town smells like manure.

It can get boring at times but it’s cool because I’ve formed a group of misfit toys. They come in the form of humans named Kate, Fiona, Robert, Olivia, and Laurah with occasional others thrown in. J

I have six hours of classes Monday-Friday and three hours on Saturday. We get Sunday free except for the required meals at 8am, 12pm, and 6pm.

We’ve been on day trips to Leipzig and Quedlinburg so far and tonight we had a talent show at the monastery. It was hilarious.

I finally got my host family this last week.  They seem pretty cool. I’m located near the Dutch border and will be in the 10^th grade at my school. My host sister is 17 and has been an exchange student in the US on the program I am on. There is so much stuff to say and I don’t know how to express it all… so … maybe I’ll add more later.

Also, everyone here is getting sick… I hope I’m not next. Any questions about my experiences thus far? Comment and ask!

Picture to come!

I Think My Head Might Explode... Less Than a Week to Go

I'm reposting this because I accidently deposted it... It's from over a month ago...

There is so much do... but I don't know what to do.

I leave at 8am on August 12. That's this Sunday... less than 6 full days away.
I need to finish copying my German1-3 notes into one notebook. I need to make a list of things I want mom to send later (Food and stuff). I need to take photos of clothes that I may want mom to send me when it starts to get colder... and the clothes I don't want Alex to permanently kidnap. And, among all of those things, I have to pack clothes, electronics, and personal sentimental items for 10 months... and make it fit into a 50 pound max checked bag, an 18 pound carry on and a personal item no bigger than a laptop case.

Where do I even begin? I feel like I've been running on autopilot; I can't even remember half of the things I did today, which pretty much consisted of me sitting in the living room staring at my over full suitcase.

I have made at least 10 different lists... I'm not even sure I know what they all mean anymore.

I need to get my picture taken for mom, my picture taken for a visa, fill out paperwork for a visa, find all the paperwork I need to take, help mom at work, get my haircut, possibly clean my room (it looks like my closet exploded, which it kind of has), and maybe actually get to spend some time with my family.

I am SO stressed out right now.

Less than 6 days to go... and I still have 20 different things to do... that's what I get for being a procrastinator, I guess.

2nd Conference Call

So, we had our second conferance call orientation tonight. We talked about German Schools, how to pack, and what to give your host family as a gift. You pack light... but for all seasons, make sure you have something for all the weather. Take your class notes in english, a German/English dictionary, a backpack, camera, pack your valuables in your carry on. Don't pack past a certain weight. It's all  a lot to take in and is stressful... though I guess that should be expected. What to do with medication? How do I pack everything the right way.

It seems that the calls just leave me with more frustration and confusion... though that should be predicted. I'm stressed and confused but I think that's because I know I'll be missing my friends, family and school for 10 months. I know that I'll just have to wait and make mistakes myself... I'll then write about them so that everyone can know my stresses.

I'm not sure what else to write... my mom is the one who wants me to have a blog.

Only a month and one day until I leave...

           ~ Madison Jeannine Wallace