Zell am See

Throughout the course of my exchange a thought has entered my mind: exchange to ones host country does not only entail the extravagant adventures that are to take place there, but also the great distances that exchange students float through. My original expectations of my exchange year to Germany had my mind in far and deep crevices, but they never ventured past the borders of Deutschland. But alas I can now be dubbed a seasoned traveler (or at least more seasoned that previously conceived).

Inter-country travel is simply an easier task to accomplish in Europe than in America. In a way I feel that the countries of Europe more relate the states of America than the countries of North America, but without all the complexities of economic and governmental differences.

My latest European destination is Austria – taken there by the kind hands of my Rotary club for a weekend of snow and skiing. The only problem is that I am not quite adequate in skiing and have too many brain cells filled with fear to fully take on the goal to become a good skier. But nonetheless I had a great time next to the lake with my book and sleeping in the luxurious rooms that were set out for me.

Zell am See – where you can escape the petty worries of everyday tasks and just relax lakeside and go for a walk with the breeze lightly caressing your cheek. Even the words inscribed in the book that weighs your hands down seem brighter and the images seem to spring out of the pages and dance on the glistening water. The sunlight cascades gracefully below only to be warded off by the massive trees overhanging the lush grass. The air is scented with a delectable smell of pure nature and is punctuated by the sounds of birds and the laughs of small children.

Its no wonder that I wouldn’t mind returning J

Das Geschenk der Freundschaft

Rotary YouthExchange hat mir nicht nur die Möglichkeit gegeben, eine neue Sprache und Kultur kennen zu lernen, sondern auch die unschätzbare Gabe der wahren Freundschaft. Den meisten Spass habe ich in Deutschland, wenn ich mit meinen neunen Freunden zusammen bin. In der zweiten Novemberwoche, wurde ich eingeladen, ein Konzert mit einigen Mädchen aus meiner Klasse zu besuchen. Es war ein Reggae Konzert, aber ich kannte die Band nicht.
Ich ging zu meiner Freundin Isi direkt nach der Schule. Sie lebt etwa eine Stunde von der Schule entfernt, aber wir hatten Spaßim Bus. Als wir zu ihr nach Hause kamen, aßen wir zu Mittag.Ich mag ihre Familie! Sie hat zwei Katzen und eine kleine Schwester.
Bevor wir zum Konzert gingen, mussten wirunsere Nägel und unser Make-up machen. Wir hörten Musik die ganze Zeit! Wir beide lieben es zu singen. Man kann gut mit Isi reden. So sprachen wir über einige der Dinge, diemir Sorgen machen. Ich kenne sie erstseit zwei Monaten, aber sie ist schon wie eine Schwester fuer mich.
Das Konzert fand in Ingolstadt statt. Vor der Fahrt nach Ingolstadt mussten wir ein anderes Mädchen abholen. Das Konzert begann um 21 Uhr, so hatten wir ein paar Minuten, um in der Bar abzuhängen.
Als die erste Band, Ribbonpics, herauskam, waren die Leute auf der Tanzfläche. Die Leute, die dort waren, waren wirklich chillig und cool. Es dauerte nicht lange, bevor alle zur Musik tanzten.
Es gab auch eine zweite Band, I-Fire. Ich hatte die Musik vorher noch nie gehört, aber ich mochte sie wirklich. Wir waren fast in der ersten Reihe, sodass der Sänger meine Hand nahm und anfing mich anzusingen. Es war großartig, obwohl ich nicht sicher bin,was er gesungen hat!
Ich war wirklich stolz auf mich, weil ich in dieser Nacht fast nurdeutsch gesprochen habe. Das einzigeMal, dass wir Englisch gesprochen haben, war, als wir nicht wollten, dass einige Leute in der Bar uns verstehen.

Die Bands waren so gut, dass ich eine CD gekauft habe. Nachdem wir zurueckgekommen sind, haben wir in Isis Zimmer noch die ganze Nacht weiter zu der Musik getanzt. Vielleicht nicht die ganze Nacht... aber noch lange. Irgendwann kam naemlich Isis Mama ins Zimmer und sagte, dass wir endlich schlafen sollen, weil wir am naechsten Morgen frueh aufstehen mussten. Isi hatte Saxophonunterricht und ich fuhr nach Regensburg, um meinen Berater vom Rotary Club zu besuchen. Es war richtig schwer in der Frueh aufzustehen.

Während ich im Zug nach Regensburg saß, dachte ich an alle Dinge, die ich in Deutschland gemacht habe. Ich habe Sachen getan, von denen ich dachte, dass ich nie in der Lage wäre, sie zu tun und auf welche ich auch stolz bin. Aber das Wichtigste ist, dass ich durch diesen Austausch mit so vielen wunderbaren Menschen befreundet bin.

Translation:

Warning: due to incredible foulness and lazyness on my part, I have no desire to translate this piece alone. Therefore, I have used Google Translate to do for me, what I do not wish to do. You see, I complied this piece for a promt from Rotary. We were to construct a piece in relation to the best or worst experience we had in our few months with Rotary. It was with this essay that I excelled so in the German test. The original text was in German, thus that is why I must first translate it into English for all to understand.

Rotary Youth Exchange has not only given me the opportunity to learn a new language and culture but also the priceless gift of true friendship. The most fun I have had in Germany, is when I'm with my new friends. In the second week of November, I was invited to attend a concert with some girls from my class. It was a reggae concert, but I did not know the band.
I went to my friend Isi directly after school. She lives about an hour away from school, but we had fun on the bus. When we got to her house, we had lunch. I like their family! She has two cats and a little sister.
Before we went to the concert, we had our nails and our makeup made. We listened to music all the time! We both love to sing. It is easy to talk to Isi. So we talked about some of the things that worry me. I know her only two months, but she's already like a sister for me.
The concert took place in Ingolstadt. Before the journey to Ingolstadt, we had to pick up another girl. The concert started at 21 clock, so we had a few minutes to get into the bar.
When the first Band, Ribbonpics came out, people were on the dance floor. The people who were there were really cool and chill. It was not long before all danced to the music.
There was also a second Band, I-Fire. I had never heard the music, but I really liked it. We were almost in the front row, so that the singer took my hand and started singing to me. It was great, although I'm not sure what he was singing!
I was really proud of myself because I've talked that night almost exclusively German. The only time that we spoke English was when we didn’t want some people in the Bar to understand us.

The bands were so good that I bought a CD. After we came back, we danced the whole night in Isi’s room.  Maybe not all night ... but still long. Sometime Isi’s Mama came into the room and said we should sleep at last, because we had to get up the next morning early. Isi had saxophone lessons and I went to Regensburg to visit my consultant by the Rotary Club. It was really hard to get up in the morning.
While I was sitting on the train to Regensburg, I thought about all the things I've done in Germany. I've done things that I thought that I would never be able to do it and what I'm proud. But the most important thing I have gotten from exchange is the wonderful people and friends I have met.

And just for giggles, I will try my hand at translating it into Afrikaans :)

Rotary Youth Exchange het nie net vir my die geleentheid gegee om 'n nuwe taal en kultuur te leer nie, maar ook vir die kosbare geskenk van ware vriendskap. Die meeste pret wat ek in Duitsland gehad het, is wanneer ek met my nuwe vriende. In die tweede week van November, is ek genooi om 'n konsert by te woon met' n paar meisies van my klas. Dit was 'n reggae-konsert nie, maar ek het nie geweet van die band.
Ek het na my vriend Isi direk na skool. Sy woon ongeveer 'n uur weg van die skool, maar ons het pret op die bus. Toe ons by haar huis kom, het ons middagete. Ek hou van hul familie! Sy het twee katte en 'n klein sustertjie wat.
Voordat ons na die konsert, het ons ons naels en ons make-up gemaak het. Ons luister na musiek die hele tyd! Ons is albei lief vir sing. Dit is maklik om te praat met Isi. So het ons gepraat oor 'n paar van die dinge wat my bekommer. Ek ken haar enigste twee maande, maar sy is reeds soos 'n suster vir my.
Die konsert het plaasgevind in Ingolstadt. Voor die reis na Ingolstadt, het ons 'n ander meisie te haal. Die konsert begin op 21 klok, so ons het 'n paar minute in die kroeg te kry.
Wanneer die eerste band, Ribbonpics uitgekom het, het mense op die dansvloer. Die mense wat daar was, was werklik 'n koel en chill. Dit was nie lank voor die hele gedans op die musiek.
Daar was ook 'n tweede-band, ek brand. Ek het nog nooit die musiek gehoor, maar ek het dit regtig graag. Ons was amper in die voorste ry, sodat die sanger my hand gevat en begin sing vir my. Dit was groot, maar ek is nie seker wat hy sing!
Ek is regtig trots op myself want ek het daardie nag byna uitsluitlik Duitse gepraat. Die enigste tyd dat ons Engels gepraat het, was toe ons nie wil hê dat sommige mense in die kroeg om ons om te verstaan.
Die bande was so goed dat ek 'n CD gekoop het. Na ons terug gekom het, het ons gedans het die hele nag in Isi se kamer. Miskien nie die hele nag ... maar nog lank. 'N Rukkie Isi se Mama het in die kamer gekom en gesê ons moet slaap in die verlede, want ons het die volgende oggend vroeg opstaan. Isi het saksofoon lesse en ek het tot my konsultant Regensburg deur die Rotary Club te besoek. Dit was werklik moeilik om op te staan ​​in die oggend.
Terwyl ek sit op die trein na Regensburg, het ek gedink oor al die dinge wat ek in Duitsland gedoen het. Ek het dinge gedoen wat ek gedink het dat ek nog nooit in staat sal wees om om dit en wat ek is trots om te doen. Maar die belangrikste ding wat ek van ruil gekry het, is die wonderlike mense en vriende wat ek ontmoet het.

The Koesler's :)

As of the second Christmas day I have been experiencing a different German setting. Yes, I had packed my bags (not an easy task, I assure you) and lugged my life to Regensburg. There I was welcomed with open arms by my new host family, which was coincidently also the family of my counselor.

The Maluche’s gave me a life in which I experienced the greatness (and sometimes the pure annoyance) of two brothers, all around the same age, which was an added benefit. But these last two weeks I have been in a family structure that is the complete opposite. I became the older sister to two younger girls (aged twelve and eight). It really brought back the memories of when I was a youngin’. And also, no matter how I hate to admit it, I realized that the things that used to annoy my mother about the eight year old me (that I promised myself that would never annoy me) – annoy me.

But truthfully I have had quite a great time here, channeling my inner youth. Whether it’s reading stories about princesses and princes (which I think I enjoy way too much) or playing the Wii or crawling around on the floor in a battle against good and evil – I have proven that a small part of someone never really becomes adult. And I hope that mine never diminishes, because to be so young again, even for only two weeks, makes life a little easier. It shows that not everything should be taken so seriously, life is a gift that should be enjoyed.

German Test

Stress may be one of the most misunderstood emotions that humans harbor, but saying that I realize that human emotion in general is difficult to comprehend. But stress is on my mind at the moment, and trying to dissect the causes and benefits and negative side effects of this complex beast has left me a bit tattered. It’s all ironic actually, the stress that invokes the discussion of stress.

Stress can be so hindering that one can no longer make progress, but the absence of stress can be just as wicked, for then there is no driving force to progress.  The stress that had crawled into my life recently had been the looming German test.

All of this weekend has become a blur in relation to the grand scheme of things: the German test. Yes, we may have gone to a few parties and toured a museum or two, but nothing too interesting. Beer, wine, and cold weren’t too enjoyable for me, when I was determined to conquer. I was also in search for a lifestyle change, in which I wasn’t found to be so annoying or such.

The German test came and passed and so did I. Not only did I pass, but I received a score above the rest. From all those that had already been in Germany for three or four months, I received the best grade, which was a very good antidote for my ego J

DanceKlasses

Today was one of the many Mondays where I'm dragged to a small room in the basement of the Church to be practically boiled to death. You know what I'm talking about right? Dance class, where 50 sweaty teenagers learn how to move there bodies in sync to each other. To me that sounds like the most beautiful sight, but we haven't yet reached the point to where the bodies actually move together. But I think the sweat and the heavy breathing just add to a totally immense atmosphere.

Just like as America Prom, the German Abschluss Ball is totally formal and set. Thus, I had to scope out a dancing partner for myself. Lucky Micheal Meier got chosen, and today we danced together for the first time. Let me just say that it is a lot different to dance with a boy than it is to dance with a girl. But I was quite pleasantly suprised at how well we seemed to dance together (at least that was my opinion).

All in all (I remember my third grade teacher telling me never to say that), I love dance class. And also found out that I am not that bad of a dancer :) Maybe (and that means surely) I will be contining to dance, even after I am no longer physically able.

Deutsch Kino

Tonight I had my first experience with the German movie theater, and let's just say that it was quite enjoyable. While in America I walk into AMC 24 Highlands Ranch and expect to see at least 20 screens, playing all different movies, here I walked into Roxy to find only one screen, playing one movie. But it made me feel like I was kicking it old school while watching Breaking Dawn.

Girl's Night Out

I know that I say this a lot, but last night was one of the best nights I have ever experienced. It just amazes me how much fun I can have with the people I have grown to love in the last three months (can you believe I have been here this long?) I think in the absence of my parents, I have grown unnaturally close to my friends in a quite a quick way, and that excites me greatly for without it, I am not sure that I would be coping so well with homesickness.

Last night I drove to the biggest city near Offenstetten, Regensburg, to a party with Isi. It was the birthday of her auntie, and it was awesome! She has a 14 year-old cousin that has games galore, and for the three hours we were there we lived the lives of Rock stars (Guitar Hero <3)

Isi plays the accordion, and her sister the flute, and in the season of giving they did a show for the local center in Sandharlanden. There, while sitting in a pub, I got to talk to and meet so many great people. It was quite early in the night, so luckily the drunken people were missing from the crowd. After listening to cheery Christmas music and eating, we set out for a girl’s night out on the town with Ali.

The night concluded with a concert and another pub, where I danced and laughed and had such a joyous time. I have really grown to love the people around me hereJ.