The end of the year is near
While school in America is approaching an end, classes here haven’t even started to wind down. It is May and I still have ten weeks of school left! I am so ready for summer vacation, but I know that when it comes, my time here will be at the end. I don’t think I am ready for that just yet.
I have had a lot of my friends here and in the USA ask me if I have been at all homesick. Overall, I would have to say no. Some points during Christmas were a little rough, but that was almost four months ago. I know a lot of exchange students have had a hard time, and one even went home after only four months because she was so miserably homesick.
some of my German friends
I think one of the reasons that I haven’t been is because I have a really great family and group of friends. Some people say that cutting off all contact with home is the key, and that could work for them, but not ever talking with my mom or friends would not work for me. I don’t have a regularly scheduled time to speak with my parents, but I usually call them every two weeks or so. My mom and I regularly message each other throughout the week. Staying busy also really helps. I don’t have a bunch of free time during the week to let my mind be idle. I am at school from 7-4 and I have to go to bed between 8 and 9 to be able to get up at 5:30 every morning. The weeks go by unbelievably fast this way. On the weekends, I either hang with friends or chill at home. It’s actually been a little annoying because I can’t sleep past 7! I am so used to waking up early, that I just can’t stay in bed that long. I get tickled hearing my friends in college complain about their 9 AM class and how they have 16 hours of classes this week. I am hoping college will be easy for me after going to school here….plus it will be in English.
Last week was absolutely crazy. It was the last day of school for the 13th class. They are now in the Abitur phase. Basically, they have a huge test every two weeks, but they are finished with normal class. On the last day of their schooling, it is tradition to go crazy. Everyone in that grade came to school dressed up.
the bike ride through the city!
We had people dressed up in everything from bananas to Teletubbies. There was a large assembly in front of the school building with DJs and everything. In previous years, students have completely pitted out the school building with toilet paper and honey. The teachers are basically at the will of the students and are made to play silly games and do embarrassing stunts. Near the end of the day all three Gymnasiums meet up and ride their bikes through the city center…causing havoc. It was definitely a sight to be seen.
The beautiful castle we visited!
A couple of weekends ago I went to Potsdam, which is a large city near Berlin. It was basically the city where all the kings and queens lived. I saw one castle called Babelsberg Schloss that was beautiful. There is so much to be seen in Potsdam. My host parents both work a ton, so traveling a lot isn’t really possible. I think that we are going to try to do a little bit before I leave. My host dad wants to take me to Dresden, which is in Saxon. I have begged to go to Wittenberg which is less than and hour north of where I live. It is the city where Martin Luther nailed his 99 thesis to the door of the Catholic Church. The movie “Martin Luther” is one of my favorite historical films and I would love to see where it all took place. There is also an amusement park similar to Six Flags several hours from here. I loooovvveeee roller coasters and so does my sister.
Time is just really flying by, after this weekend I have only 8 left! I will be in Europe until the 24th of July, but two days after school lets out, I am traveling to Norway to visit one of my best friends.
This is me and my best friend who lives in Norway
To do this, I am actually getting a two-week early release from the program. We are not allowed to travel alone while on program, and for good reasons. Many people opt to extend their time here when they are off-program. I didn’t want to do that. We are allowed to stay in Europe two weeks after school lets out, and I am using that time to do a bit of travel. I am getting really excited to go and see her and her family! She has come to visit me twice, once in October and once in March. I will remain in Norway until the 21st, and then I fly back to Germany and spend three final nights with my family before flying back to the USA.
Just thinking about leaving my host family makes me sad. I have come to really think of them as my own family. I honestly can’t believe how lucky I have been to be put with a family as good as them. I believe they might host another student after me and I hope whoever it is realizes what a good family they have and treats them with the respect they deserve.
