Hey guys,
This past week I met with all of the other exchange students for our last little meeting before everyone starts going home. It was the most amazing week of my exchange year. I really felt like we were all family hanging out everynight and always being together. During the week we did group activities like going to the beach for 2 days, a bike tour, boat rides, a midevil festival, and a last little party on the beach together. At the end of the week we had to say goodbye to the ones who will be going home before the District Conference this weekend. It was one of the hardest things I have had to do. I have gotten so close to all of the others here in Germany. I will truly miss all of them so much but it is great to know that I have so many families around the world now. I can't wait to travel and see everyone in a few years. I have made friends for life.
During the last day we all looked back on the time we have spent together. We all remember the first meeting when we were all soooooo different. We have all grown so much in this year abroad.
I will miss all of them so much when I return to Iowa.
This week I am going with my host parents to an amusement park and then District Conference.
Until next time,
Allysa Spear
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
9 Months down
Hello reader,
I am going to take a break from Euro Tour and write about things happening in my last few months in Germany. Today I have been in Germany for 9 months and I can't really believe it. The time here has gone so much faster than I thought it would. It feels like just yesterday I was learning German and getting on my first train ride to go to our first exchange meeting in Weisswasser. I have learned so much this year and I will never forget all of the wonderful people I have had the chance to meet. I am so thankful for everyone but mostly my families, all of them. The ones here that hosted me and let me have a place to call home for a while and who also took me to see as much of Germany as possible but also my family in USA. They have had to go the whole year without me wether they admit is was harder than they thought or if they missed me or not is a different story. I love them anyways. I think I have overall learned the most about myself and found out that I don't really need everything that I thought was essential before. I have also learned how to see anothers point of view and to listen to what others have to say before judging anything. I will miss Germany so much, a lot more than I thought I was going to.
Last week I got a new class in the school and all of them are so nice and invite me to do so many things. I will miss them dearly.
This week I am going to the Baltic Sea with all of the other exchange students as our last little get-together before we all fly home. After the Baltic Sea I am going with my host family to an amusement park for a few days and then to visit an aunt from my host mom. After that I am going to my district conference in Dresden. It will be so much fun but sad at the same time because I will have to say goodbye to all of the other exchange students. It makes me sad to just think about it.
I will blog when I am done with my 2 weeks vacation.
Until next time, Allysa Spear
I am going to take a break from Euro Tour and write about things happening in my last few months in Germany. Today I have been in Germany for 9 months and I can't really believe it. The time here has gone so much faster than I thought it would. It feels like just yesterday I was learning German and getting on my first train ride to go to our first exchange meeting in Weisswasser. I have learned so much this year and I will never forget all of the wonderful people I have had the chance to meet. I am so thankful for everyone but mostly my families, all of them. The ones here that hosted me and let me have a place to call home for a while and who also took me to see as much of Germany as possible but also my family in USA. They have had to go the whole year without me wether they admit is was harder than they thought or if they missed me or not is a different story. I love them anyways. I think I have overall learned the most about myself and found out that I don't really need everything that I thought was essential before. I have also learned how to see anothers point of view and to listen to what others have to say before judging anything. I will miss Germany so much, a lot more than I thought I was going to.
Last week I got a new class in the school and all of them are so nice and invite me to do so many things. I will miss them dearly.
This week I am going to the Baltic Sea with all of the other exchange students as our last little get-together before we all fly home. After the Baltic Sea I am going with my host family to an amusement park for a few days and then to visit an aunt from my host mom. After that I am going to my district conference in Dresden. It will be so much fun but sad at the same time because I will have to say goodbye to all of the other exchange students. It makes me sad to just think about it.
I will blog when I am done with my 2 weeks vacation.
Until next time, Allysa Spear
Euro Tour Part 5
Roma, So pretty and filled with as much history as you can get into one city. I went another part of the city tour and got to see the Collesum. This was so surreal to see. Just like in all of the movies and I was there taking my picture with it. Around it were men dressed up as gladiatiors waiting for you to take your picture with them to get some money. It was way beyond words to be there. After the Collesum we had free time for lunch. A group of girls and I went to eat spaghetti and afterwards we went and got ice cream. It was the most amazing ice cream I have ever had in my entire life. We also got free cream to go on the top. After the free time and walking around Rome the whole group met back up. We then seperated up into our sandwhich bar groups and eat supper together. It was so nice to sit with everyone and talk about what we had done and what all we got to see. Later that night we walked back to where we were staying at and met up with the West Tour. It was so nice to see Jaque again. I actually cried when I saw her. We all partied at the disco in the little village place we were all staying at until 3 in the morning. The next day we had to get up really early so that we could see the Pope give a speech. In the morning after going through security to get to our seats we had reserved for the Pope's speech. The speech was given in 6 different languages and at the end of each speech they announced groups that were there that spoke each language. After the German one all of the exchange students got announced and we all stood up and screamed waving all of our different flags. It was so neat to see all of the different cultures represented together. After seeing the Pope the East tour was off to Florence, Italy and the West stayed in Rome one more day.
In Florence we did a city tour and got to see all of the statues like David, Hercules, and many others. After walking around looking at various monuments we had free time once again to buy gifts for family and to eat lunch. That night at the hostel we had a talent show. Everyone was to think of something to do for the others. The funniest act was the Brazilians dressed in opposites. So the boys were girls and the girls were boys. They did a little skit. The next day we left early to get to stop at Pisa and then to Nizza. In Pisa we saw the tour and took tons of pictures with the leaning tower and then we all got back on the bus and drove to Nizza, France. There we went to supper and then to the beach at night to sit around and play music. it was kind of cold but it was so much fun. The next day in Nizza we got up early to drive to Monaco to do a city tour. In Monaco we got to see soldiers switch positions infront of a government building which was very neat to see. We then had to walk to the complete other side of the city which was up a huge hill to see the casino. After that we split into groups, one went swimming and the other went to look around the city more. I went swimming the water was absolutly freezing! I jumped in and then swam back out to warm up. It was not a real beach either just a place with stairs and then you jump in the deep water. Once again we drove back to our hostel in Nizza and went to the beach to hang out some more all together. The next day in Nizza we did a quick city tour. We walked up a hill and got to see the whole beach that we had spent the last 2 nights at. It was so pretty so see the beach and all of the ocean. After seeing the city we were back on the bus and off to Avignon, France there is where we had supper that day. I ate escargo for the first and last time. It was ok but I am not a big fan, but for dessert we had a chocolate cake that was amazing. That night the exchange students stayed in the hostel and played cards together. Next stop Paris, France.
Until next time
Allysa Spear.
In Florence we did a city tour and got to see all of the statues like David, Hercules, and many others. After walking around looking at various monuments we had free time once again to buy gifts for family and to eat lunch. That night at the hostel we had a talent show. Everyone was to think of something to do for the others. The funniest act was the Brazilians dressed in opposites. So the boys were girls and the girls were boys. They did a little skit. The next day we left early to get to stop at Pisa and then to Nizza. In Pisa we saw the tour and took tons of pictures with the leaning tower and then we all got back on the bus and drove to Nizza, France. There we went to supper and then to the beach at night to sit around and play music. it was kind of cold but it was so much fun. The next day in Nizza we got up early to drive to Monaco to do a city tour. In Monaco we got to see soldiers switch positions infront of a government building which was very neat to see. We then had to walk to the complete other side of the city which was up a huge hill to see the casino. After that we split into groups, one went swimming and the other went to look around the city more. I went swimming the water was absolutly freezing! I jumped in and then swam back out to warm up. It was not a real beach either just a place with stairs and then you jump in the deep water. Once again we drove back to our hostel in Nizza and went to the beach to hang out some more all together. The next day in Nizza we did a quick city tour. We walked up a hill and got to see the whole beach that we had spent the last 2 nights at. It was so pretty so see the beach and all of the ocean. After seeing the city we were back on the bus and off to Avignon, France there is where we had supper that day. I ate escargo for the first and last time. It was ok but I am not a big fan, but for dessert we had a chocolate cake that was amazing. That night the exchange students stayed in the hostel and played cards together. Next stop Paris, France.
Until next time
Allysa Spear.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Euro Tour Part 4
Venice, Italy one of the most pretty cities on the tour. To start off we had to take a boat ride to get to the city. Which is totally awesome and the only way of transportation is walking or taking a taxi boat. They also had so many gondolas and personal boats in the waterways through the city. The hostel we stayed in was seperated boys on one side girls on the other. The rooms were one big room with lots of beds spread out. This was very fun because all of us could be together the whole night. In the restaurant we ate at they only serves fish this would have been fantastic other than the fact I don't eat fish. Everyone said it was really good. Something in Italy I noticed was that the appetizer was like a full plate of Noodles and then you got your actual meal. It was always so much food and afterwards we couldn't possibly say no to the dessert. In the city streets there wasn't much space to walk because most of the streets were only like little passage ways. They also had big streets but the majority were little streets. In the Venice I went on a gondola ride with 4 other girls in my tour. We went through the city for 45 min. It was the coolest thing ever the man we had wore a striped shirt and that little hat. He was also very good looking. On the boat ride he also sang one song in Italian. We only stayed the one night in Venice and then were off to Rome.
To get to Rome we had to sleep on the bus overnight this was one of the worst nights of sleep but it was totally worth it. Once we got to Rome we toured a little section of the city on the way home we missed the last bus and had to be taken back in groups with the Rotexer car. I will write next time all about Rome that I don't have to split the days we spent in Rome up.
Until next time,
Allysa
To get to Rome we had to sleep on the bus overnight this was one of the worst nights of sleep but it was totally worth it. Once we got to Rome we toured a little section of the city on the way home we missed the last bus and had to be taken back in groups with the Rotexer car. I will write next time all about Rome that I don't have to split the days we spent in Rome up.
Until next time,
Allysa
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Friendship Fair
On Wednesday the 25th of May I got the chance to skype the Southeast Warren Elementary school during their friendship fair. All of the kids had spent an amount of time learning about Germany and its culture. I got to skype with one class at a time and talk to them about living here and what some of the differences are between the two countries. After talking a little bit and showing them some money, a bus pass, and little souveniers they all got to ask me questions of their choice. It was so cute. I got asked a lot of things but some of the ones the stuck out the most to me were the following:
Do they have tvs in Germany?
Do they have horses?
What is your favorite color? I answered in German to this one and they told me what it was in English.
What does your house look like?
Do they have a ton of German Shepards?
Favorite Number in German?
How do the Germans pronounce my name?
Whether I live in east or west Germany.
Have you seen the Berlin fence?
What was my biggest Challenage in Germany?
Do you have to be a good student to go to another country?
If soccer is the national sport.
What is my favorite food in Germany.
Why did you want to go to Germany.
and to finish What is your favorite thing about being in Germany?
Some of these were very easy for me to answer but some of them I really had to think about. It was such a good experience for me and I would do it a million times over if I could. At first I was super nervous and wasn't sure what I was going to say exactly but the longer I kept talking the more comfortable I got.
I would really just like to thank the Southeast Warren staff that let me be a part of the Friendship Fair. I hope that the little ones seeing me sparks a little fire inside of that says they can do whatever they want if they believe and make it happen. There is so much more out there than small town Iowa. There is a whole other world just waiting to be discovered.
Until next time. Allysa Spear
Do they have tvs in Germany?
Do they have horses?
What is your favorite color? I answered in German to this one and they told me what it was in English.
What does your house look like?
Do they have a ton of German Shepards?
Favorite Number in German?
How do the Germans pronounce my name?
Whether I live in east or west Germany.
Have you seen the Berlin fence?
What was my biggest Challenage in Germany?
Do you have to be a good student to go to another country?
If soccer is the national sport.
What is my favorite food in Germany.
Why did you want to go to Germany.
and to finish What is your favorite thing about being in Germany?
Some of these were very easy for me to answer but some of them I really had to think about. It was such a good experience for me and I would do it a million times over if I could. At first I was super nervous and wasn't sure what I was going to say exactly but the longer I kept talking the more comfortable I got.
I would really just like to thank the Southeast Warren staff that let me be a part of the Friendship Fair. I hope that the little ones seeing me sparks a little fire inside of that says they can do whatever they want if they believe and make it happen. There is so much more out there than small town Iowa. There is a whole other world just waiting to be discovered.
Until next time. Allysa Spear
Euro Tour Part 3
The bus ride to get to Vienna was not a long one because I slept the entire way there. A little ways before we were actually into the city we stopped at a big outlet mall. I decided not to buy clothes and things that I really didn't need so me and 3 other girls went to Starbucks had a coffee and sat there for 2 hours chit-chatting. The first stop in the city was a yellow palace. We walked around the whole thing finding out tons of information, getting gifts for family and friends back home and then were off to spend the night sitting outside talking with everyone at the hostel. The next day we went to Stephans Dome and then had the complete day full of free time. Everyone split up ino seperate groups. The Brazilians tried to earn money by singing and playing music until they got told by the cops that it wasn't allowed to do that where they were at. After Vienna we were off to Salzburg through the Alps. This was the most beautiful bus ride the whole trip. We went directly through all of the huge mountains full of white snow at their tops. In Salzburg we went got a tour in a salt mine. We all had to put on jumpsuits so that we woulnd't ruin our clothes. We were on a train most of the way in and then in the middle we got off and then slid down a slide adn got photos taken. We then got back on the train and went a little further and got into a boat. I was a little bit scared because it was so dark that we couldn't see where we were going. At the end of the boat ride we got to taste a little bit of the water. It was so salty and not at all good. Then we got on the train for the last time and went back out of the mine. After the mine we went into the city for a tour. We got to see a lot of things about Motzart. After that we all went to the hostel to once again spend time with each other.
Next stop Venice, Italy.
Allysa Spear
Next stop Venice, Italy.
Allysa Spear
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Kindergarten
I'm going to take a little break from writing about Euro tour to tell you about my Easter Break in Germany. Well first thing that is very differnt is that we have 2 weeks vacation. In those two weeks Jaque and I worked in a kindergarten. It was like an internship, we worked with the kids, we played with them, we read books, told about our contries and most importantly had to speak German the whole time.
When I had to tell the little kids about the USA I first explained everything in English. All of the little kids were wide eyed and didn't really know what to think after a minuet or two I then translated what I had said into German. They were all just kind of in shock and didn't really have to many questions for me. We got out the globe and showed them just how far Germany is away from Iowa.
This was also a good experience in helping with my German. I had to use only german and couldn't use an english word when I didn't understand because the kids only know German instead I had to explain what I was trying to tell them or have them do. The children were very good at telling long stories and very fast. I was always reminding them to speak slower and they would for about 3 words then they would continue to speak fast again.
I really enjoyed the two weeks that I worked there. I am planning on going back at the end of July right before I come back to Iowa. I am trying to upload 3 pictures but it is not working. I will try again tomorrow.
Allysa
When I had to tell the little kids about the USA I first explained everything in English. All of the little kids were wide eyed and didn't really know what to think after a minuet or two I then translated what I had said into German. They were all just kind of in shock and didn't really have to many questions for me. We got out the globe and showed them just how far Germany is away from Iowa.
This was also a good experience in helping with my German. I had to use only german and couldn't use an english word when I didn't understand because the kids only know German instead I had to explain what I was trying to tell them or have them do. The children were very good at telling long stories and very fast. I was always reminding them to speak slower and they would for about 3 words then they would continue to speak fast again.
I really enjoyed the two weeks that I worked there. I am planning on going back at the end of July right before I come back to Iowa. I am trying to upload 3 pictures but it is not working. I will try again tomorrow.
Allysa
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