its not about the days anymore.... 22 HOURS!

My final blog for Germany is going to be about the person who I went through this year together with. My sister, Jaqueline! Jaque and I have been together from the very first day I was in Germany to her very last day in Germany. I could seriously go on and on for days about the crazy things we did this year together but that would get boring. I went to the airport with her yesterday and we had a good time just sitting around drinking coffee and talking about how fast the year went and how we can't even believe its over. She is going to be coming to my graduation in May.... 10 months and I am already excited. This year I got to know her family and she got to know mine. I feel like I have known her my entire life and I don't know what I am going to do without seeing her everyday. If I could write her a letter right now it would go a little like this.
 Dear Jaque,
First thing I want to say is that I love you. You are the best sister ever. At first I wasn't sure if we were really going to get along because you were kind of shy about talking with me but after a few weeks you got over that and now you never shut up but I love to listen to your stories! You were like a real sister to me. We never really got into any fights that lasted longer than a day and anytime that I wasn't with you I was texting you. I remember during Euro Tour when we had to be away for a week and when I saw you in Rome I cried like a baby because I knew I would have to be one more week without you. Well little did I know that was nothing compared to the airport yesterday. You are such an amazing girl and have a good head on you. You know what you want to do in life and where you are going and I admire that fully in you. I am going to make this short so that you don't have to read so much and I used easy words so you don't have to worry about understanding anything to difficult.. But the only thing that really matters is that you will always be my sister no matter what and I will always love you!
Bjoooooooo
EU TE AMO
Allysa...
See you all in Iowa on Thursday!
With love,
Allysa Spear

and then there were 3...

     DAY 3: Today is all about Rotex weekends and being able to act like an exchange student both of which I am going to miss and were simply amazing to experience. Rotex weekend were the things I looked forward to in the month during my exchange. I was so nervous for the first one but I made so many friends I couldn't even wait for the next one to come. I can still remember the first night with the girls in my room. We sat up all night talking about life back home and what we wanted to do in the year to come. With Rotex we got to see a new city each time we met and also did something fun each time. Once we sold our countries to the new exchange students who would be going on exchange next year. We made food from our countries one time. We spent one week in Berlin and one week on the Baltic Sea. All of us exchange students got to be like a big family. It was so hard to say goodbye to all of them not knowing when or if we would see each other again. As for the getting to act like an exchange student. We pretty much just got the best of both worlds we could be absoultly crazy or have to be well dressed and professional talking to the Rotary or giving speeches. It was truly nice and sometimes we could simply say we didn't understand and there was no more questions asked. I have truly loved this year and I would do it a million times over if I could and I wouldn't change one thing about it! I hope that more people choose to do a youth exchange or just to travel and see that the world is so much bigger than the town, state or even country you grew up in.

Bis Morgen

Allysa

This picture is of our first meeting together as a district and our last meeting together as a district. I will never forget any of the amazing people. I love them all like family!

4 Days left...

     Day 4 Memorable Moment: Growing up. This is not really a moment but it is something that I have had a lot of time to do this year. I came to a country alone speaking not a word of the language and had to stay with a family that I had never met before, to say the less I was a little more than just scared. Once I realized that my friends and family weren't just an easy phone call away I knew I would have to start figuring things out on my own. I still called them and sent them messages when I got the time or really needed something mostly money but when it came to talking to Rotary people or applying for my Euro tour it was just me, myself, and I. This year I also improved on my knowing what I was spending my money on and how much I would be getting in the month to spend. At first it was a little bit difficult for me but as I realized I was an exchange student and couldn't get a job to have my own income I had to be more careful with my spendings. I do have to say that Skype and Facebook could change my mood in a matter of a few mins for the good or sometimes for the bad. I got to see the people back home but I also got to see all of the things I was missing out on like Homecoming, Prom, Spring games, and all of the get togethers of my friends and family. If I could give any advice to another exchange student it would to not spend time on here when you are feeling homesick. Go out and do something with friends or host family. It will help the homesickness go away faster. This year I have also learned that there are all kinds of differnt people on this earth. Nothing matters about the way they look or where they come from you will have those people you get along great with and others that it just doesn't work so easily but you should always work hard to make the best out of any situation your put into. I have also learned to love Iowa. It is one of the most beautiful places and no matter where I go or for how long it will always be the place where I was born, raised, and foud out who I was. At first when people aked me about Iowa I was so "Oh its just in the middle of the U.S. not much there only corn and agricultural things" but as the year went on I was like you know what I actually miss small town Iowa where you can't go anywhere without seeing a friendly face. The quite country nights just hanging out with friends. It was kind of difficult to get used to being in a city where I knew no one.  I think I truly had to go away to see how much I missed my life back in good ol' Iowa!
Bis Morgen
Allysa Spear

Were half way there.... !

     DAY 5 Thing I Will Miss: Essen=the Food! I have already talked a little about the bread here but in Germany there are some other foods that I am going to miss. Just to name a few: Schnitzel, Döner, Ice cream, coffee time, Milka, and a thing like potatoe balls. I know food is such a superficial thing to miss about Germany but it was a big part of the experience too. I still don't long Brawtwurst and I have tried about as many as Germany has, which is a million. I now make coffee and eat something sweet at 3 in the afternoon regaurdless if my host family is here or if I am just hanging out at the house alone. I think I am going to buy a coffee machine when I get back. I really think I will miss the way they eat too. Normally it is a huge breakfast with tons of jams and bread. For lunch it is a hot meal and for supper maybe bread or a slad but usually not something very big.

     DAY 5 Memorable Memory: Having such an amazing counselor. Lynn and Walter have been there for Jaque and I this entire year. We met with  them the first month and just hit it off perfect. That night we decided we would met together and have a meal once every month. Lynn is an American and Walter did an exchange year in the U.S when he was our age with AFS. They are two of the most interesting and cutest people I know. We would always have things to tell them and they had stories for us about their lives. They were very much like another set of Grandparents for me. We got life lessons and there was always some good advice they had for us with any situation that we had. I will truly miss them dearly and plan to come back and visist them as soon as I can.

Bis Morgen,

Allysa Spear.

6 days to go...

     DAY 6 Memorable Memory: This was one of the things I knew I wanted to do as soon as I found out I was going to Germany. In Oktober my host family took me to Oktoberfest. This was way better than I could have ever imagined it would be. First we had to drive to 2 hours to get there so the excitement was building the whole time the only bummer was that the entire day it was like sprinkling. Once we got to Oktoberfest you could see the traditional dresses and pants for kilometers and kilometers..... The first thing we did was walk through all of the stands to help you understand it is kind of like state fair walking around in the buildings packed with people and different stands. You could barely walk without being shoulder to shoulder with the surrounding people. The rain didn't keep anyone away from the fest thats for sure. I didn't get to wear a traditional dress but it was all the same amazing. I rode a roller coaster with my host sister and then we went on a huge ferris wheel to see the whole park.. After the rides we went into one of the beer tents to eat lunch. We ate meat with potatoe balls. Most host family told me it was one of the most famous Bavairan meals. Jaque and I also got to split a beer. It has a differnt taste but I liked it. I will never forget this day and hopefully I can go again in a few years this time with a dress and with my family.

     DAY 6 Thing I Will Miss: Well truth is I am running out of the specific things I will miss. I already made a list and I am missing 3 things. I don't know what I should write about today. So I think I will just talk about what I have done in the past week. This week my whole class was in Berlin so one say Jaque and I went into the school to teach the 5th grade class english and say our goodbyes. The next day I went into the Kindergarten to say my goodbyes and play with the kids a little while. On Wednesday I went to my last Rotary meeting and to see my first host family. Thursday I sat at home because I woke up late and then it started pouring and I felt like just sitting around the house picking up my room and organizing things a little bit. Yesterday I went to the school the whole day and then there was a school fest for the end of the year. All of the classes set up stands to play games so that they could raise money to put into their class accounts. Right after school fest I went with my host family to see Faust as a play in an outdoor theater. I only understood what was going on because I read the book in the past 2 months. It was very intersting, a little bit boring but in the end I was glad I got to see and have read the book. It is one of the most famous German plays in Germany. That is the reason I am blogging my blog for yesterday today because I had no time to even get on the computer. Today I am going out with all of the girls from my class and Jaque for our last weekend in Germany. Next week I am not sure what I am going to do other than try and get things packed and take Jaque to the airport.
Bis Morgen
See you tomorrow,
Allysa Spear

and then there was 7!

DAY 7 Thing I Will Miss: My host families were a big part of this year. In fact I wouldn't have been able to do it without a place to stay and someone to give me food. They were so amazing. It wasn't always my ideal situation but it is all a part of the experience. Bad and Good I wouldn't have changed any of it and would do it a million times over if I could. My first host family I had 3 siblings. 2 sisters and 1 brother. The whole family was so nice and welcoming. It was like I was actually a part of the family. My parents argued with the kids infront of me and when I did something that was wrong my host parents treated my just like one of their kids. It was so nice and I will never forget them! Yesterday I had my last meeting with them and we sat just like family and talked about the time I spent with them and laughed about all the funny things I did or said. Afterwards I said my goodbyes and my host mom gave me a pair of socks from when I was living with them. For those of you who have forgotten I left their house back in December. She told me that the dryer didn't eat them afterall. (: My host families over all have done so much for me and I couldn't even begin to tell them how thankful I am for everything.
DAY 7 Memorable Moment: DEUTSCH!!!!!!! My German was one of the biggest difficulties I had to get through this year. I started off not knowing anything to now only speaking German. I have messed up so many times but I just keep smiling and keep on talking. Everyone has helped me in the process. I took an intensive course in the fall which was very beneficial after the course I went to the school everyday and continued to pick up on words. I am always asking questions and still trying to learn more and more. German grammar is so difficult but with some luck I will hopefully get the hang of it. Once I am back in Iowa I don't know how often I will have the chance to speak German. I am hoping to skype as much as possible with friends here in Germany. Well it is about 12 in the morning and I have to go to my last day of school tomorrow so I will call it a day.
Bis Morgen,
Greeting from Germany
Allysa Spear
Pictures to come due to it being late.

The Countdown is still going...

     DAY 8 Memorable Moment: Well this item I am writing about today is not really something to special. It kind of stinks and I would never want to have a job working with it. Here in Germany the people have at least 4 different places to seperate this thing. I never really gotten the hang of sorting it out because in my house we are not so good about being aware of what is better for us and the environment. This year I have quite often but the wrong sort into the wrong place and had to resort it back out. Can you guess what I had so much trouble figuring out and still can't manage to put it in the right place!? If you guessed Müll you are dead right! (:  For those of you who don't speak or know a little German. Müll is Garbage! Here in Germany it was something I had to figure out quick everything that a person would normally just throw into the big black garbage bags in the U.S has to be sorted into differnt bags here in Germany. In my house I now have a Gelb Sack for plastics and empty cartons or containers, Paper bin, Bio bin for everything that can help the earth like bad fruit leftovers and so on and then finally the bin for everything else that doesn't already have a place. I have gotten more used to sorting but still sometimes mess it up but I think it is something I would love to bring back to Iowa and hopefully spread around my community. It is so much better for the Earth.

Sorry for the picture of me with a sticky note. I will take a picture of me sorting the garbage tomorrow and upload it too! (:

     DAY 8 Thing I Will Miss: My school schedule in Germany. Here the school day is so much different than at SEW my school in Iowa. Both schools have their ups and downs but I will miss the school day here in Germany. I am not sure if I will miss the fact of how the school schedule was or the fact that I didn't really have to do that much homework. (: The school here you have different classes everday in a different order for example I have German the first period on Monday but the fourth period on Tuesday. My schedule this year I only had 2 days where I had to be in the school the whole day 7:45 until 3:00. The other days I was finished at 1:00pm. When we had school until 3pm you didn't get what we as Americans think of as a school lunch. There was a cafeteria but it wasn't prepared so that every student already had a meal. The lunch ladies made a menu for the week and then when you liked something you had to go in a buy what you wanted. If you couldn't find anything to your likings you could just go into the city and buy something from Subway, Burger King, the super market or my favorite a Döner. During the school day we would also have a break after two periods for 15 min. Then usually we ate our bread that we brought from home. At first I didn't really like the snack in the school idea but by January I picked up on it and now I don't leave the house in the mornings with out my bread and juice.

Unfortnately my other photo won't upload. ): I will try again tomorrow. Sorry for the problems

Have a nice day!

Bis Morgen

Until Tomorrow,

Allysa Spear

The Countdown Continues with 9!

     DAY 9 Thing I Will Miss: I am going to miss being able to get everywhere you need to get in the amount of minuets or even hours in the entire country of Germany. Public Transportaion has gotten pretty much everywhere this year. I have taken buses everyday to school, to dance, or to go to visit friends. The trains have taken me all over Germany and even though it was super long and boring I am going to miss getting on the train in my town in southern Germany and being able to make it to Berlin the same day in norhern Germany. I have also had the chance to ride a bike. It is very useful and can get you anywhere in the city in a very short time... depending on how fast you pedel. (: At first I missed having my car and having to depend on a bus schedule to make my plans but now I am getting used to it and will miss it dearly.

     DAY 9 Memorable Moment: Well I am doing these memorable moments in no specific order so day 10 is not any less important that day 7. Today I am not going to write about a moment but more about a thing that I have noticed about the Germans. In the very beginning I picked up on this right away it is time. The Germans are very punctual! When they tell you that they are leaving the house at 10:35 and you show up to the car at 10:40 chances are that the will be angry that you are late. The same goes with arriving to a party. If the party starts at 6pm at night the party starts at 6pm a night. Not later or earlier. I also had to learn to read in Military time. I am still not used to seeing 14:20 on the clocks and I usually have to think about the time before I tell someone when to be somewhere. I have also become more punctual this year. I hope to keep it up once being back in Iowa.
Bis Morgen,
Greeting from Germany,
Allysa Spear

The Countdown starting with 10.

     Ok this is going to be a picture countdown of the most memorable things that I have experienced while being in Germany and also of the things that I will miss most once being in the U.S. Hope you enjoy!

 

     DAY 10 Memorable Moment: Trying to speak in English/German to order a sandwhich at Burger King withouth pickles my first month in Germany. I have just realized in the last few months why the man taking the order looked at Jaque and I so weird because pickles translated into German means pimples. The whole time we were asking for a sandwhich without pimples. Needless to say that was one of my first attempts at German and one of the great first moments I had in Germany.

    

  DAY 10 Thing I Will Miss: The German bread! Here in Germany you can to go the backery and buy almost every kind of bread imaginable: dark, white, thick, thin, dark with nuts, toast bread, bretzel, rolls, croissants, donuts, cakes, and many many more. For lunch time in the school I would always buy a sandwhich with different bread. I am going to miss having so many options when I get back to Iowa. Hopefully I can find somewhere to buy all of it or maybe just bake some myself.

See you tomorrow

Bis Morgen,
Greetings from Germany
Allysa Spear

10 days.

Hallo,
Today I have 10 days left in Germany. I still can't believe how fast is went. I already have one suitcase packed with all of my gifts for Iowa the other one is half full with clothes but I still have so much to pack. I am hoping I can get it all into my 2 suitcases. This week I have no school but I have already found so many things that I need to do before I leave. Today I went into the school first period with the 5th grade to help with the english class for the last time. We took pictures together and had a little fun together. Then Jaque and I went into the city to tell the city hall that we are both going back to our home countries and get a paper signed. Then we went to the local grocerie store and bought Milka chocolate bars and Haribo a kind of gummy bears with different varieties. On Wednesday I am going to my last Rotary meeting to talk about Iowa, say thank you, and goodbye. There are still a few things I want to see before I go back in a week. Hopefully I accomplish everything in the next 10 days.
As for going home. I am ready getting a little nervous about what to expect when I return. I know that everyone will want to talk to me and tell me what I missed out on and want to know all about Germany. I am not sure how to handle everyone wanting me at one time. I already have plans to take a German course when I get back into school and finish my senior year but after that I am still undecided on what to study in college.  I will try to update my blog a few times as I am getting used to being back in Iowa.
Until next time.
Allysa Spear

18 Days left

Readers,
My year in Germany is coming to an end. I have been here for 10 months now and am starting to be ready just to be back in the United States again. I have had so many good times here and it will be so difficult for me to say goodbye but it will also be good knowing I will get to see my family soon after that. We are already 10 days into July and it just keeps going faster and faster. I can't even believe is will  be over so soon. I have grown custom to all of the things I once thought were strange about Germany culture. My schedule is beginning to fill up with meeting with friends before I leave and the to-do list just keeps growing and growing the closer we get. I have started to pack and have decided that I am going to need another suitcase to bring all of my things back. I have accumulated so many things in the past 10 months it is actually quite unrealistic.
Like always the weather is starting to get nice because it is summer but that is making so much harder to get up and go to school the whole day instead wanting to go to the swimming pool. Here in Germany the last day for my school isn't until July 29th but I will fortunately be turning in all of my books the week before that becase my class is taking a trip to Berlin and I don't have to attend the school for that week. I think I will work in the kindergarten once again.  I will write again soon
Until Next time
Allysa Spear