Family trip, Birthday, Mid-Stay CBYX Style and Italy

Soooooo, three weekends ago I took a train back to Celle, where I spent my first month of Germany in. I went to see my friend Ilana from the US too. She was also in my language camp. I spent the night over her house and we just hung out and caught up on how our life here in Germany was going. It was fun, I really enjoyed it.
Then two weekends ago I was in the Harz Mountains with my host family and families from participators of the Jedermann Sport (Everybody Sport) group. We left Friday after everyone got home from school and drove about an hour or so to the Harz. When we got there it was a big house with a place where we could all hang out and eat dinner. It was warm but it was 10 degrees colder than what it normally would be here where I live. We stayed there until Sunday. We played lots of board games and card games, ate a bunch and laughed a lot. It was a great weekend to spend with my entire family. I had lots of fun, even without the phone reception :p
Then after returning home I had to repack my suitcase and prepare for my week long half time camp for CBYX. March 18th was the first day, I had to take 3 trains and it took over 4 hours to get there. For those of you who know me personally know that March 18th is my birthday. At first I was really bummed out that I had to be on a train and stuff on my birthday instead of spending it with my host family and friends. I got to Hannover and met with Bri and Brennan. They suprised me with cake and cupcakes, along with the apple cake that my host dad baked for me to bring with me. We were on the train from Hannover to Cologne for about 4 hours, and as normal, ICE was late causing us to miss our trains going to Bad Honnef... Meaning we had to wait an hour in Cologne until our next train. When we were in the train we ate a lot, caught up with our lives/exchange year and attempted to play Skipbo. When we finally arrived we were waiting on one more person. Angelica found me and gave me cheesecake she got for me. (I had lots of cakes). Then we started our onward journey to the Youth Hostel. I think it was on the complete opposite side of the city. Thankfully since it was my birthday Brennan carried my suitcase. BFFS 4 LIFE. (for my birthday) It was awesome because it was basically on top of a mountain. I don't remember excatly in order what we did but we went to Bonn one day, when to the place of prayer for muslims, learned about the religion, it was so interesting. Then after the people had made lunch and offered us to eat with them, it was really good food and tasted so gooooooood! Went too museums, did some workshops, watched movies, went to Cologne one day. Had city tours of both cities. We had a bit of free time for lunch in Cologne and I made it to the Love Lock Bridge. It was sooo pretty. The weather was beautiful that week, that I'm very thankful for.
Here are some pictures from Midstay Camp.

Shortly after that it was April, and luckily for me that meant Spring Break was coming up. 3 weeks without school. Niedersachen was very giving this year for Easter. From April 13th-20th I flew with Ilana, another CBYXer, to Italy. We stayed with Eleonora and her family. We flew from Hannover to Milan. It only took 1 hour and 1/2. Her family and her picked us up from the Airport and we drove back to her house in Cassano. The first night we went for a walk around her town, she showed us around. It was very pretty. Eleonora's mom cooked us dinner and lunch every day. It was so delicious. But waaaay to much in quantity. Pasta as an appetizer, then the dinner, fruit as before dessert, and then dessert.. every night. I don't know how everyone doesn't weigh so much! While we were in Italy we traveled to Venice, Verona, Milan, Bergemo, Treviglio, and Cassano. It was very fun, we actually met up with some people from England that was also visiting a girl from Italy, that was a friend of Eleonora.  Eleonora didn't have spring break as long as we did. She had to go to school that first three days we were there and then we traveled after. One day Ilana and I went to school with her to see what school systems where like, it was approved by the school for us to come as exchange students for one day and it is completely different then German school systems, and american.
Italian stereotypes that I have heard from Italy are true:
Pizza
Pasta
Gellato
How they talk with their hands
They way I envisioned Italy to be, before traveling there was also right on spot.
Small narrow roads that have buildings on both sides, mopeds, and brick/rocky roads.
It was beautiful and I'm glad it was a place I got to travel too.

The last but funny part about Italy, Ilana and I were in the Bathroom and couldn't figure out how to flush the toilet. There was a string hanging from the wall, and Ilana said she thought I should just pull that. I was like no I don't think so, I think that is an alarm. "no, no" pulls the string, the alarm goes off.How embarrassing. It sounded through the entire building and me and Ilana were just laughing not embarrassed, it was rather amusing. They shut if off and we said sorry. It wasn't too bad, but funny. We left the bathroom and everyone was looking at us. Eleonora and Giulia thought it was so funny too... Opppppsies.

Here are some pictures from it all enjoy:

Since flying is still a new thing for me... I still take pictures of the
"look I'm in an airplane"

Castle in Cassano, looks rather different from the ones in Germany

Right before walking down a thousand steps, Eleonora fell.

Found in Milano... rather impressive.

Church in Milan

Another castle

Venice

Venice

Venice

The arena in Verona

Climbed yet another church tower and a lot of steps to get to the top.

Kolner Dom and I

Love Lock Bridge.

Culture of the Worlds Museum

Rhein River

Birthday Train Ride

Eleonora, I and her friend Giulia

Activities.

This past week was the famous and not so american, "Carnival". It happens once a year, and since Halloween isn't very popular here its the one time in the year that many people dress up and go out. I went to the local Carnival Parade in Braunschweig and met with many other exchange students. There were many trailers with many differnet things. There where so many people there it was crazy! The outfits some people where there are so funny, and outrageous to say the least. Many of the floats throw candy out to the crowds. We found a spot close enough to the path that they were driving. We waited patiently for the next float so we could get some candy. Who doesn't like candy anyways? So as the next float comes around they start throwing the candy into the crowd anddd there is this old man in the very front row with an umbrella. Right. In. Front. Of. Us. Ohhhhh how heart breaking. Every time we were ready to catch some candy he gently moved his umbrella from left to right catching.... ALL OF THE CANDY. Finally found a new spot. But I can't believe people really take umbrellas to catch candy and not to mention right behind him where little girls maybe 6 & 7. It was a lot of fun though. We met with AFS exchange students, rotary exchange students and even exchange students without organizations. Every exchange student we knew that lived near us... we invited. I think there was about 35 or so of us. It was alot of fun. None of us really wore costumes. We just painted our flags on our face and the german flag, but that was enough because a big group of exchange students no matter where you are at is kind of hard to miss:

oh and we eneded up a group of us in a cafe we took up the whole back room. But it was fun.. As always.

Here are some pictures for the awesome day with everyone.

Okay so now the weekend before that was a ball from my school. It was a lot of fun. A girl from another school came with me, shes also an exchange student from Italy from the neighboring town from me. Before the ball I went to a friends house where a couple of us all met and hung out before we went there. All looking our finest we were on our way to the ball. My shoes were awesome for the first hour or two but then after they started hurting so bad. As many of you, who know me, know that I never wear heels. Well my heels were super big. Other exchange students were there too. A lot of people were there and it was a really fun night but here's the funny part; as my feet are already hurting I go to the dance floor and decide to try to dance a bit since I hadn't much that night. I dance with a friend of mine that is also an exchange student he spins me one time, okay that's fine, spins me the next time and bammm! I'm on the floor. Luckily nobody saw except us. I had to explain that.... 1. I'm not latino. I can not dance that good and 2. My heels were way to high to be spinning so much so fast so many times. But hey something to look back on and laugh at. It was a good night and I'm very glad that I went. Heres a picture from the night.
and when the photographers post the photos that they took of everyone I will post them tooo..... Later ;)

Us before the ball....
CHECK THOSE HEELS OUT!

Ohhhh and I'd also like to say that today is my 6th month here.
Time is flying.
Bis Bald,
Nola <3

Halbzeit Zwischenbericht

If you were wondering about my German I had to write a small essay in German for my scholarship, 
its not perfect by all means but I wrote it all by myself with no help, but who knows how it will turn out in english. ;)

Mein Leben in Deutschland

Mein Leben in Deutschland ist fast komplett anderes von was ich habe gedacht, es wurde wie sein. Mein erste Monaten in Deutschland ich habe mit einem Willkomm Gast Familie in Celle gewohnt. Ich hatte Deutsch Kurs, wo ich habe deutsch jeder tag gehabt, Montag bis Freitag von neun bis dreizehn Uhr. Vor Deutschland, ich habe kein Deutsch gesprochen. Ich denke das seit mein zeit in Deutschland ich habe viel gelernt, und nicht nur die Sprache. Ich habe so viel gelernt über leben, Kultur, und ein bisschen neue etwas in der schule. Danach meine erste Willkommen Familie ich habe zu mein neue Familie gefahren. Meine Gast Familie hier kommt aus Niederlande. Ich finde dass es ist sehr toll weil ich habe beide Kultur zu lernen. Meine Gast Familie hilft jeder Tag mit meine deutsch.

Danach mein Ankunft, in meine neue Gast Familie, ich gleich zu schule gegangen bin. Ich bin in 11. Klasse. Ich habe viele Unterricht, wie Biologie, Politik, Kunst, deutsch, englisch und seminarfach. Es ist sehr schwer in schule für mich zu verstehen. Ich kann nicht viel Teilnahme machen. Jetzt ich kann ein bisschen mehr machen dann vorher weil mein deutsch ist besser. In der schule ich auch hatte, und habe Problem mit freunde zu finden. Die Leute in meine schule reden nicht mit mir. Jetzt es ist ein bisschen besser, und manchmal ich kann ein bisschen in Unterricht verstehen.

In Braunschweig, ein Stadt in die nahe von mir ist ein Mannschaft für Lacrosse. Ich habe auch in den USA Lacrosse gespielten. Ich gehe jeder Montag und trainieren mit sie. Ich mag es weil ich kann mit neue Leute treffen. Jeder Donnerstag meiner ganzen Familie gehen wir nach ein Sport heißt jedermann Sport. Wir machen Sport mit Leute aus unser Dorf. Ich mach viel Spaß dort.

In mein Komitee von AFS, AFS Braunschweig, gibt viel Austauschschülern und in meine Stadt, Wolfenbüttel, auch gibt viele Austauschschülern nicht mit AFS. Normal wir treffen ein Tag danach schule und gehen irgendwo zum Beispiel ist ein Café oder wir shoppen gehen. Wann wir sind zusammen es ist immer viel Spaß zu machen. Manchmal am Wochenende wir fahren irgendwo in der Tag. Wir haben einmal nach Bremen mit dem Zug gefahren. Da war Bremen Freimarkt. Es war ein schönes tag wo wir haben viele Fahrgeschäfte gefahren, wir haben Bratwurst gegessen. Es war ein Lieblings tag von mir weil wir haben die typisch deutsch gesehen und ich finde es sehr interessant.

Meine Gast Familie, das ich mit die ganzen Jahr bei wohne, ist total nett. In die weihnachten feiern wir haben nach Niederlande, zu unser ganzen Familie besuchen. Wir haben ein Woche dort geblieben. Es war sehr schön. Wann ich war dort, ich habe auch ein bisschen niederländisch gelernt. Wie schön in Niederländisch heißt mooi und auf wiedersehen ist doei. In meine Gast Familie ich habe ein Vater und Mutter und drei Schwester. Eine Schwester ist 19, eine ist 23, und die anderen ist 25 und in Mai heiraten. Die zwei jungen Schwestern wohnen zusammen bei uns. Meine Familie ist perfekt und wir verstehen uns sehr gut.

Ich habe einer Präsentation gemacht vor Weihnachten in die große Kirche vor alles Leute in meine schule. Ich habe über wie in den USA feiern für Weihnachten gesprochen. Ich hatte viele Angst aber es hat gut geklappt.  Die Leute hat zu mir gesagt dass alles haben es interessant gefunden. Die Weihnachtmärkte sind auch interessant weil in den USA gibt es nicht. Ich habe zu ein Weihnachtsmarkt mit meiner Gast Familie jetzt in Wolfsburg gefahren. Da haben wir mit meinem letzten Gast Familie getroffen. Es war ein schönes tag alles zusammen mit gutes Essen.

 Ich bin froh mit alles das ich habe schon gemacht, und ich freue mich für die nächste fünf Monaten. Ich bin sehr glücklich für diese Gelegenheit. Ich kann nicht warten, zu sehen, wie die nächsten fünf Monate ausfallen und Besserung meine deutsch, und das schönes Wetter.

Feiern, Schule und mehr!

Okay, so I've know maybe you've been itching to know what I've been up to. Yes I'm still alive in this German world, and I'm doing quite well you know. I feel guilty since the last time I blogged was over 3 months ago in the end of October. There are some things I want to address before going on:

Shout out to: My parents back home for understanding how my busy life is here and taking my seldom contacting as a good thing and understanding that no news is good news. :)

My welcome host family! you guys are great and really made my first month awesome and helped me learn so much in my first month! (P.S. I'm still in contact with them now)

To my Aunt Carole and Cousin Kelly, you guys are great and helped make this dream come true, and support me while I am here. :*

To my Aunt Julie and Uncle Joey, you guys send me cards for every holiday and I love it, they all hang on my well. Its always good to hear every once in a while how missed I am.

My friends back home: You guys stayed in contact (you guys know who you are) and I really appreciate it that even though your lives are continuing you're all still thinking about me. You are all great and deff my BIFFYS.

My new host family/permanent host family. You guys are awesome. We get along perfect. I've been living with you all for 4 months now and I can say that I really feel like "one of the family" you all treat me as if I was and it finally feels like "home" to me. I feel comfortable being myself around you all and can't wait to spend another 5 months together :D

And to all of my new friends, you guys are all awesome! I'm so glad I've met each and everyone of you.

Next thing I wanted to talk about just because I feel everyonee that I know asks me this:

"Have you rode on the Autobahn?"

Autobahn translates to Highway. There is not just one Autobahn. Although many of us think that. There are highways everywhere. Sometimes in Germany there are no speed limits. I've cant count how many times I've been on the Autobahn but I would say that its almost a day thing. Which brings me to my next topic....

Street lights. And I'm pretty sure its just Germany that does this and if anyone from another countries reads this and is like "no, it is like this in my country too" please comment and tell me because I'm curious as well as not wanting to false inform someone.

When you are sitting at a street light and it is red, before it turns green the red light stays on and the yellow light comes on for a second and then turns green. To me, it reminds me of a race track. All of Germany is a racetrack. 'On your mark, get set, GO!'

So I guess my first topic will be school:

The good, the bad, the worst:

School is extremely hard for me. But of course coming to a country where I had no previous knowledge of is going to be hard to learn from. I'm learning some things that I didn't learn in English, so it makes it extremely hard to learn in German. But some things I've already learned and I'm just relearning in German which is cool to compare the words/ terms for it all. Although my classes may be hard that isn't what I found hardest. I had a lot of trouble making friends in school. I'm not quite sure when it was a culture difference or if people don't like me. A couple of people have invited me places but most of the time they would cancel their plans. It really started to bum me out in fact started to make me super homesick. One day I was at home, alone and I just felt alone. I cried. But its normal, I hadn't really felt homesick up until then. I took a walk with no iPod, no phone, nothing except a key so I could re-enter my house later ;)

It really helped me get a grip on my homesickness because at the point I just wanted to be home. Where everyone understood me completely. The fresh air and just looking around. Taking it in, this is Germany. Something I wanted so bad and worked so hard for while I was in the US. I wouldn't let just one bad day make me throw it all away. School is getting better, and more and more people talk with me when I go up to them first. I've taken many test ones that are honestly impossible for me to do, like my politic class, it was reading a text and interpreting it and responding with what we learned in class. Not possible for the German part of my brain.

Next subject. I have the worlds HEAVIEST accent. I can't say 3-4 words to someone new without them asking me "where do you come from?" But I don't mind because normally people can understand my accent very well.

Okay now to the Holidays:

Thanksgiving I made pumpkin pie for my host family... There is no such thing as "canned" pumkins. I got two jars of cubed pumpkins and smashed them all myself. The kitchen was a mess by the time I finished, because I had to make my own dough too. It was a super huge project, and I ended up forgetting ingredients in both of my pies but they both tasted very good :D (anyone that knows me I have trouble making things out of the box) I always forget something or burned it. That was all we pretty much did for thanksgiving but I didn't really miss it that much because normally I end up working anyways. (6 months of no working, and I'm not missing it)

Christmas: I had an Advent Calender with little presents everyday up until Christmas day, consisted of nail polish, fuzzy socks etc. Christmas presents are opened on Christmas Eve, I got a Everyday Calender to learn more german with. A necklace with 2 charms (A dog, and shoe) I got a little dog because I always joke about how I want a dog and they say if we got one I'd have to take it back the US with me, and I say I can't because it wouldn't speak English, and my family doesn't speak German. (which is very logical) So they said this one was small enough to fly home. I really love it, it was so thoughtful and is something I'll always have to remember them by. We have this little fryer and then you can pick food put it on a stick and fry it. So for the dinner I saw all this raw food on table and I was like oh my gosh. I've tried many things but I just can't eat raw meat. I don't think I could get myself to do it. I was thinking I'll just eat the entire veggie plate of cucumbers and peppers. After I found out we were frying the meat I told my host family. It was a very scary 2 minutes for me. Christmas day, my oldest sister and her fiance came to us and we opened more presents. We spent the day together and then had a delicious dinner all together. 

It was completely different than my normal christmas with my huge family, crazy and loud. It was very different and I missed my family, a little ;) but I wasn't homesick. It was a great experience to see how other families celebrate. My host sister, Mara and I went to the Church christmas evening for the christmas service it was very ineresting and I enjoyed it very much. I even got to sing silent night in German (Stille Nacht)

After Christmas, My family and I traveled to the Netherlands to visit the rest of our family. We spent a week there, I even learned a couple words in Dutch ;) Spent a day in Amsterdam it was very cool to hear so many different languages all of the place within the first 5 minutes there some lady come up to me and asked me where something was, good thing I'm a natural at speaking english ;) but it also felt good speaking in a language that not everyone there could unterstand "my undercover language" A very pretty city and I enjoyed the day there, and the good pizza we ate.

Pictures from Amsterdam

My normal weekend involves going out with my best friend here, my host sister Mara. I'm so lucky to have her she is truely my BFF or meeting with other exchange students.

Mara and I :D

Oh I also wanted to say I finally worked up enough courage to step on the scale and since I've gotten to Germany I've only gained 2-4 pounds, I call that a win :D

My German & My English:

German gets better, english gets germanized. not much more to say.

Future plans:

Half time camp PPP/CBYX starts on my birthday. What better way to celebrate than on a train for over 4 hours :D :D :D JK but I'm okay with it. You win some, you loose some ;)

In the past 2 months I've had many exchange students fly home because their time was up, and I'm so glad that I've gotten to meet them, they were all amazing people. 

If there is anything special you want to know just comment below and I will try to blog about it I know that it has been way to long and that I'm forgetting a lot of things.

XOXOXO

With much love from Germany,

Your new German-American Friend

Nola :*

Thanks for reading<3

Es Tut Mir Leid

I am very sorry for the long period of no blog posts, I find myself very busy. Check back in a couple of days and I will have a super long one filled with pictures :)
xoxo
Nola