Forchheim

Well, I have been in my host-city for a whopping: I week. I arrived last Saturday and everything has been unbelievably cool. Before you begin to read this blog though, I warn you I might sound like a Kindergartner, because let's face it - My English is going down-hill.
Anyways, I think I will tell you about everyday I have spent here, that way I won't miss anything. But, be aware it may end up being a novel.. Let's do this thing.

Saturday- I had all my bags packed got onto a bus full of Americans and some Thai students and there I said goodbye to all the wonderful experiences I had in Hedersleben and language camp... that including playing the ukulele and singing in the talent show the night before. It was extremely difficult saying goodbye to some people but all was well.
Anyways, I hopped on a train in Magdeburg to Leipzig. Let me tell you, It's not fun to carry 10 months worth of supplies on German trains and it's especially not fun to get off on the wrong stop. Which I did, but got right back on, don't worry. And then I arrived in Leipzig with Christianna Pope (gal from the program) and I walkked around and what not... and then we got on the wrong train because ours was 30 minutes late. Right then and there, I knew this country was going to be a challenge for me. But... we figured it out, thankfully.
Then I rode the train all the way to Bamberg and there I met my host family! Emilia, Marion, and Juergen. They decided to speak in half german and english so I would understand what was going on.. They took me home, I got settled and unloaded my stuff and then they took me to a Fraenkishe Schweiz (franconian switzerland) resteraunt.II Fraenkishe schweiz is the area I'm living in, by the way. North Bayern... but, I learned my first day that they do not consider themselves Bayerns... they are Fraenkishe and they don't speak Bayerisch they speak Frankisch. Anyways, I knew I was in Germany right then and there because outside the resteraunt there were men in Liederhosen and women in Dirndes drinking beer. I odered my self some Bratwurst and Sauer Kraut and I was on my way to becoming a true Forchheimer (my host city).

Sunday- I went to catholic church with Emilia and Marion. It was interesting. It was my first time experiencing a catholic church and it was even in German. I fealt a wee bit awkward at some points, but all was well. After that I went down into Forchheim with Emilia, she showed everything in Down Town Forchheim and we ate this really good icecream. Forchheim is sooooo pretty. When you're here you can actually tell how dirty former East Germany is. Everything is clean and nice... what the heck? and I am by-no-means complaining. After that ordeal I went on a run in the forest with my host mom (Marion)... It was unbelivabely beautiful. My goodness.
and then we got home... I saw some September 11th memorial speeches and it touched me grately, even to the point where I had tears in my eyes. And I leave sunday at that.

Monday- I became a true Forchheimerin, I filled out paperwork , signed things, got my indes fingers scanned, took picutres and then met Tizia's friends (Tizia is my host family's daughter living in South Carolina at the moment.) That was cool. And then my family took me to a traditional Franconian festival. "Bettsfest"... Sheep fest (in franconian dialekt) I enjoyed it thoughroughly. Oh and Monday was the day when my family began speaking to me only in German... Because, let's face it- it's going to take a lot for me to get this beast of a language down.

Tuesday- I began school! Tizias friends helped me out a ton. We only had homeroom and had to pick a class president and then school got out at 10:30... so, the school had the option to go to the catholic church and I chose to go. It was yet again interesting. :) s So, after that I ran with my host parents running team. 2 pairs of 3 km fast. It was so nicce to get back into running mode :)

Wednesday- Real school began. I had German, Math, English, Art and Religion. German was extremely hard, because let's face it.. there was no way I was going to find a theme out of advanced German literature. But, thank goodness my German teacher is extremely sweet. He says that my worry at the moment is just to try and learn German :). Math was hard to understand in a different language and the fact that they are ahead of me in Math. English was my favorite. And then instead of going to religion because they weren't sure whether to put me into Protestant, Catholic, or unknown.. I got to go to 6th grade English class because my "councelar" was teaching it then. Es war ganz toll. And then, I rode my bike home.
Then I went on a run with my host mom and ended up gettng really sick. That's all I am going to say

Thursday- Instead of going to French and Latin... which these kids pretty much know fluently, I went to German with the 9th graders and then also English with them too (don't ask me how that came to be)... and then I went to last hour of Latin because I was extremely confused and just sat there, while the Germans laughed at me for my mistake. I have gotten used to getting laughed at. All I can do is laugh with them :)
And then after school, My host sister and I baked brownies that I brought them, we also made a cake for her friend's birthday and then we made Jello that I brought too. So fun. I love my host-sister.

Friday- German, Chemistry and English. Chemistry was crap... because I have never actually taken chemstry and throw German on top of it was ever-so-more difficult.
But, don't be alarmed, I am changing my schedule around tomorrow.
After school I talked to a lady from my exchange program over what was all going on and so forth..
And then I went to a "Back to school party" with Caro, Vicki and Katha in Erlangen. It was like stag dance at home but 100 x better. That including the fact that they were playing high school musical, silent, on the fall. But, it finally made me feel out home... because Germans suprisingly listen to the same music as Americans and they dance the same way too. It was cool.

Today! I ran my first 5 KM race in Germany and that being the first one since footlocker. I got 23:33 which isn't great. But, I cut me some slack because of the fact I haven't been running consistantly in the past 5 weeks and the fact that the food tastes so much better here. I came out 4th woman... and guess what? they gave out beer and pretzels at the end. Unfortunately, I chose to drink water instead.
My parents drove me to the Mormon church in Erlangen to figure out where it was, because next week I will attend it. Yes, people of Provo, I am not inactive quite yet.

Tomorrow- my host mom will play her trumpet in the catholic church tomorrow because the Bishop is coming or something like that... after, I will change my schedule and then Marions parents are coming back from Hungary and we will celebrate by eating Carp. Yes, Carp is a traditional dish here.

Well, I couldn't ask for a better host-family, they have helped me so much. And... I will be sure to post pictures soon. Okay??? actually, don't keep my word for it.