Hallo Readers,
This week is Euro Tour. I am so excited but with this long trip also brings a lot of things I still have to do. I have finished my speech I have to give. It unfortunately it is only 3 and half min long when it should be 5 min long. I have successfully thrown all of the clothes that I want to take on the trip on top of my suitcase and that is as far as packing will get until Thursday. The trip begins on Friday. I wil take a train early in the morning and travel to northern Germany. That night all of the exchange students will sleep in a hotel. On Saturday the real trip begins. Jaque and I are not going on the same trips together. There is two buses going in opposite directions. I am going east first starting with Prague, then Budapest, then Vienna, Salzburg,Venice, Rome, Florence, Nice ,Monoca, Avignon, Paris, Bruges, and finally Brussles. Jaque will start with Brussles. All of the exchange students will meet in Rome. It is will take 3 weeks starting Friday. I am so excited and I can't believe it is really happening.
I have found a 3rd family. I will be moving in with them the end of April during our vacations. I have one sister,14. I don't really know that much about them yet. They were over to my house now to have coffee and we only talked for a little bit. I am not going to be living to far from where I live now. As I now have to think about how I am going to get everything out of my room to move into a new house I have realized there is no way I am going to make weight requirements at the airport in July. I am going to have to do some major spring cleaning and send a huge box back home. Ok well that about wraps up my rambling for today. You wont hear from me until after the tour but I will have tons of great stories to write about
Much love
Allysa
Monday, March 14, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
6 months down.
Hallo,
Yesterday was my 6 month anniversary in Germany. (: I haven't done to much other than school since the last time I blogged. This week I am on vacation from school so on Wednesday I went with my host family to a neighboring village. There was a huge hill with a castle on the top. Luckily we got to a ride a bus to the to. It was so pretty you could see the whole town from the very top of the hill. Inside of the castle were 2 museums. One was full of facts and pictures about the history of the castle and the people who lived there just like any other museum. In the middle of the tour we saw a flag and the story behind it says that a military group of men from Bayreuth and the the neighboring town were sent to the U.S. They brought it with them and they worked with people at Westpoint in Virginia. The one here in Germany is a replica and the original is at Westpoint. This was intersting to me. There was also a chart of the royal families in Europe and how all of the are related. The other museum was all about little tin figurines. There was every kind of scene you could think of. They had one of a valley in Africa from wars in Europe, to pirates taking over a ship. Yesterday I went to Nurnberg to meet with 2 other exchange girls to go shopping for Euro Tour.. Which by the way is in 8 days! I am getting so excited but I still don't have my camera fixed. It is on my to-do list before next week. Next Tuesday or Wednesday I will post my itenerary for the Tour. I am not sure how much blogging will actually get done on tour but I will give it my best shot. I will be writing everything down every day. So I can also blog when I get back. My speech I have to give on the tour is almost complete. It is suppose to be 5 min long in German. I timed myself reading it yesterday and it was about 2 min 30 sec. I am going to have to talk super super slow... If there is any questions that anyone wants me to answer about Germany comment on here and I will make sure to answer it in the next few blogs.
Until next time,
Auf wiedersehen
Allysa
Yesterday was my 6 month anniversary in Germany. (: I haven't done to much other than school since the last time I blogged. This week I am on vacation from school so on Wednesday I went with my host family to a neighboring village. There was a huge hill with a castle on the top. Luckily we got to a ride a bus to the to. It was so pretty you could see the whole town from the very top of the hill. Inside of the castle were 2 museums. One was full of facts and pictures about the history of the castle and the people who lived there just like any other museum. In the middle of the tour we saw a flag and the story behind it says that a military group of men from Bayreuth and the the neighboring town were sent to the U.S. They brought it with them and they worked with people at Westpoint in Virginia. The one here in Germany is a replica and the original is at Westpoint. This was intersting to me. There was also a chart of the royal families in Europe and how all of the are related. The other museum was all about little tin figurines. There was every kind of scene you could think of. They had one of a valley in Africa from wars in Europe, to pirates taking over a ship. Yesterday I went to Nurnberg to meet with 2 other exchange girls to go shopping for Euro Tour.. Which by the way is in 8 days! I am getting so excited but I still don't have my camera fixed. It is on my to-do list before next week. Next Tuesday or Wednesday I will post my itenerary for the Tour. I am not sure how much blogging will actually get done on tour but I will give it my best shot. I will be writing everything down every day. So I can also blog when I get back. My speech I have to give on the tour is almost complete. It is suppose to be 5 min long in German. I timed myself reading it yesterday and it was about 2 min 30 sec. I am going to have to talk super super slow... If there is any questions that anyone wants me to answer about Germany comment on here and I will make sure to answer it in the next few blogs.
Until next time,
Auf wiedersehen
Allysa
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
March
Hello all,
As usual I have not been very good with the whole blogging. I am excited to say it is March. Here in Germany it is pretty much spring. We have had the most beautiful weather. Today I didnt have to wear my winter jacket for the first time since November. I have a countdown on my calender for Euro Tour. Next week I will post my agenda for the 3 weeks all of the places I will be going, seeing and everything.
I still have a list of things I need to finish before this whole EuroTour gets under way. Most importantly I have a speech to write all in German. It is so difficult. I am sure I would have trouble with it if it were in English. My English class still thinks that I don't know anything because I couldn't tell them what the "American Dream" is. I am still not so sure. I had to write the "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. on the board infront of everyone. It was the most nerve racking thing I had to do. There are some very difficult words in that speech. I also had to clarify some of the metaphors which is also difficult. It is not that I don't know about the information or that I don't understand it is that i don't know how to make it simple. I am finally used to only eating bread with salami at dinner time here. I have finished my U.S History class online for a credit to graduate. My german is improving everyday. Yesterday I bought the second edition to my workbook in german. Tomorrow I am meeting with my counselor and his wife. As usual I am so excited I can barely wait. School is well still school. I got information about going on a school trip with my class to Berlin the week before I come back to the U.S.. Oh yeah and most importantly I have my official date to come back
JULY 28th, 2011!!! I will be coming into Des Moines farely late. That next day I already have a family brunch planned. It also happens to be County Fair time. I am so excited. My mother has the official countdown on that one. I am sure she would be more than happy to tell anyone who wants to know.
Oh and in my spare time I have watched 5 movies in the past 3 days, I have listened to every song on my itunes at least 10 times I can't listen to them anymore and I have read almost every magazine in my host family's house.
That is all . Kind of a cheese blog but think of it more as an update,
Until next time
Allysa
As usual I have not been very good with the whole blogging. I am excited to say it is March. Here in Germany it is pretty much spring. We have had the most beautiful weather. Today I didnt have to wear my winter jacket for the first time since November. I have a countdown on my calender for Euro Tour. Next week I will post my agenda for the 3 weeks all of the places I will be going, seeing and everything.
I still have a list of things I need to finish before this whole EuroTour gets under way. Most importantly I have a speech to write all in German. It is so difficult. I am sure I would have trouble with it if it were in English. My English class still thinks that I don't know anything because I couldn't tell them what the "American Dream" is. I am still not so sure. I had to write the "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. on the board infront of everyone. It was the most nerve racking thing I had to do. There are some very difficult words in that speech. I also had to clarify some of the metaphors which is also difficult. It is not that I don't know about the information or that I don't understand it is that i don't know how to make it simple. I am finally used to only eating bread with salami at dinner time here. I have finished my U.S History class online for a credit to graduate. My german is improving everyday. Yesterday I bought the second edition to my workbook in german. Tomorrow I am meeting with my counselor and his wife. As usual I am so excited I can barely wait. School is well still school. I got information about going on a school trip with my class to Berlin the week before I come back to the U.S.. Oh yeah and most importantly I have my official date to come back
JULY 28th, 2011!!! I will be coming into Des Moines farely late. That next day I already have a family brunch planned. It also happens to be County Fair time. I am so excited. My mother has the official countdown on that one. I am sure she would be more than happy to tell anyone who wants to know.
Oh and in my spare time I have watched 5 movies in the past 3 days, I have listened to every song on my itunes at least 10 times I can't listen to them anymore and I have read almost every magazine in my host family's house.
That is all . Kind of a cheese blog but think of it more as an update,
Until next time
Allysa
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Blogging.
Hello All,
Well I have been in Germany for about a week and 5 months. The time has just flown by. My mom already has a calender with the countdown for my return day. I am not counting yet. I think it will make the time go faster than it needs to go. Being in another country for 5 months away from everything I was used to has made me realize alot of things about life, culture, and most importantly myself. I have learned I can make it threw anything I just have to give it my best effort. That there is so much more in this world than the little town you grew up in. I have gone through every emotion possible. The other day I was watching a TV show about a girl and she was going to college. Her brother and dad starting crying because she would be away for 3 months. As I sat there and thought about it I started crying thinking about all the time I had been away and all of the little things in my familys' lives I had missed but after about 3 min of thinking about what I had missed I told myself that I am in Germany only for 1 year and I am having the time of my life. I am missing most things I will not get to relive but I am also experiencing many things that most kids my age will never have the chance to do. I have made life long friends that have changed my life. I now have the sister I have always wanted. I can somewhat speak german. I don't have all the grammar down but I am looking into another German course.
On Monday I went to a Valentine's Day celebration with my counselor. It was with the German-American organiztion. I met new German and American friends. Most of the are older than me but they still had a lot of advice and good people in general. I met a man who I thought was german but he is from Wisconsin. The only other midwest American I have met. I knew because when he started speaking english he didn't have an accent for me. Most of the others are from everywhere but the midwest.
The snow has all melted away and it is starting to warm up a little bit. I don't have to leave the house with 10 layers on to walk to school. The last few days I have opened all my windows so the fresh air could come in. I am starting to get a little bit sick which is not good. I am sure it is just a little cold and will pass in no time. Tomorrow I am going way up north again to meet with the other group of exchange students to go on Euro Tour with me. I am not sure what we will be doing but it will be fun with all of us together. (:
Oh yea I almost forgot. As for the title of this blog. I have also learned that it is extremely difficult to blog as much as I blogged in September and October. I was nuts. I no longer know what to talk about but I will keep it up so everyone can follow me on my exchange year. In March when I go on the Euro Tour it will be a little hard for me to blog but I am bringing a planner and I am going to write everything down I did each day and then blog about it when I get back.
Thanks for reading.
Gruße Allysa
Well I have been in Germany for about a week and 5 months. The time has just flown by. My mom already has a calender with the countdown for my return day. I am not counting yet. I think it will make the time go faster than it needs to go. Being in another country for 5 months away from everything I was used to has made me realize alot of things about life, culture, and most importantly myself. I have learned I can make it threw anything I just have to give it my best effort. That there is so much more in this world than the little town you grew up in. I have gone through every emotion possible. The other day I was watching a TV show about a girl and she was going to college. Her brother and dad starting crying because she would be away for 3 months. As I sat there and thought about it I started crying thinking about all the time I had been away and all of the little things in my familys' lives I had missed but after about 3 min of thinking about what I had missed I told myself that I am in Germany only for 1 year and I am having the time of my life. I am missing most things I will not get to relive but I am also experiencing many things that most kids my age will never have the chance to do. I have made life long friends that have changed my life. I now have the sister I have always wanted. I can somewhat speak german. I don't have all the grammar down but I am looking into another German course.
On Monday I went to a Valentine's Day celebration with my counselor. It was with the German-American organiztion. I met new German and American friends. Most of the are older than me but they still had a lot of advice and good people in general. I met a man who I thought was german but he is from Wisconsin. The only other midwest American I have met. I knew because when he started speaking english he didn't have an accent for me. Most of the others are from everywhere but the midwest.
The snow has all melted away and it is starting to warm up a little bit. I don't have to leave the house with 10 layers on to walk to school. The last few days I have opened all my windows so the fresh air could come in. I am starting to get a little bit sick which is not good. I am sure it is just a little cold and will pass in no time. Tomorrow I am going way up north again to meet with the other group of exchange students to go on Euro Tour with me. I am not sure what we will be doing but it will be fun with all of us together. (:
Oh yea I almost forgot. As for the title of this blog. I have also learned that it is extremely difficult to blog as much as I blogged in September and October. I was nuts. I no longer know what to talk about but I will keep it up so everyone can follow me on my exchange year. In March when I go on the Euro Tour it will be a little hard for me to blog but I am bringing a planner and I am going to write everything down I did each day and then blog about it when I get back.
Thanks for reading.
Gruße Allysa
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The weekend.
Hallo Readers,
This is not going to be a very intersting blog. Not much has beening happening in Germany lately. Only going to school and then hanging out with friends. The normal teenage things. On Friday night Jaque and I went to a birthday party for a boy in our class. We had a lot of fun sitting around talking and meeting new people. He lives in a neighboring village so everyone was new. On Saturday I went to a farmers market full of fresh food. We bought things we would eat for lunch. This was very cool to me. I would upload pictures but I don't have a camera because the battery is broken and yesterday i dropped my new handy in the toilet. I don't have good luck with electronics. Thank god my computer is still alive and kicking. After the market we came back home and at 8 at night Jaque and I met up with another exchange student and went to a diner and sat and talked about our whole year and all of our experiences so far. Today I went to a castle here in Bayreuth. It was very neat. I was in a ballroom. I can't even imagine all of the people wearing their old fashioned clothing dancing around in the room. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I am going out with my counselor and his wife. I made 3 cards one for my host sister, my host mom and Jaque. It was just like old times in Elementary school. I used markers and cut out hearts. It was fun. Ill write tomorrow about Valentine's Day.
Auf wiedersehen
Allysa Spear
This is not going to be a very intersting blog. Not much has beening happening in Germany lately. Only going to school and then hanging out with friends. The normal teenage things. On Friday night Jaque and I went to a birthday party for a boy in our class. We had a lot of fun sitting around talking and meeting new people. He lives in a neighboring village so everyone was new. On Saturday I went to a farmers market full of fresh food. We bought things we would eat for lunch. This was very cool to me. I would upload pictures but I don't have a camera because the battery is broken and yesterday i dropped my new handy in the toilet. I don't have good luck with electronics. Thank god my computer is still alive and kicking. After the market we came back home and at 8 at night Jaque and I met up with another exchange student and went to a diner and sat and talked about our whole year and all of our experiences so far. Today I went to a castle here in Bayreuth. It was very neat. I was in a ballroom. I can't even imagine all of the people wearing their old fashioned clothing dancing around in the room. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I am going out with my counselor and his wife. I made 3 cards one for my host sister, my host mom and Jaque. It was just like old times in Elementary school. I used markers and cut out hearts. It was fun. Ill write tomorrow about Valentine's Day.
Auf wiedersehen
Allysa Spear
Monday, February 7, 2011
International Meal
Hey All,
This weekend I went on yet another exchange weekend with all of the other kids but this weekend was a little bit different. Instead of the usual everyone being all crazy running around a hotel in big groups we were split into 1,2,or 3 students. Then we stayed with a host family for the weekend because on Saturday we had to make something to eat from our country. So everyone had to use a kitchen and it is easier to cook in small groups. I was with 2 other girls from the U.S. Patricia and Libbi. On Friday both or our guest parents had meetings so we were in the house all alone. We cranked up the music danced around the house a little bit and then started watching game shows on TV. We called it an early night because we kne it was going to be a long day/night on Saturday.
Saturday morning we all three got up at about 8:15. We did some morning Yoga and then ate breakfast. I went and got ready after that while the other two started cutting things for their meals.Libbi made Apple pie, Patricia made Potatoe Salad, and I made Pizza. Yes I know germans have potatoe salad and pizza is italian but every part of the world makes is a little bit different. After the others were finshed our Guest dad took us on a walk around the city. Freiberg is a very old city. There is the usual old church and then a staute of a famous man. Everything is starting to look the same to me. There was also a building where an element on the Periodic Table was found. I can't remeber the name of the man or the element. Later that afternoon I started to work on my pizza. I started to cut the peppers and on the very first cut I cut my thumb. It would be just my luck to do something like that. So Patricia helped finish cutting everything. All I had to do was the crust, which was pre-made, and then add the toppings on top. After everything was finshed all of the students brought their foods to the local brewery. Everyone got to taste everything. It was such a nice night.
On Sunday we got another tour of the city with all of the Rotary. It was the same building differnt people. After the tour all of us went back to our homes. It was a very nice weekend. In 2 weeks I am going on another one with a differnt group of exchagne students. I cant wait. Well that is all that is happening or happend this weekend.
Auf wiedersehen.
Allysa Spear
This weekend I went on yet another exchange weekend with all of the other kids but this weekend was a little bit different. Instead of the usual everyone being all crazy running around a hotel in big groups we were split into 1,2,or 3 students. Then we stayed with a host family for the weekend because on Saturday we had to make something to eat from our country. So everyone had to use a kitchen and it is easier to cook in small groups. I was with 2 other girls from the U.S. Patricia and Libbi. On Friday both or our guest parents had meetings so we were in the house all alone. We cranked up the music danced around the house a little bit and then started watching game shows on TV. We called it an early night because we kne it was going to be a long day/night on Saturday.
Saturday morning we all three got up at about 8:15. We did some morning Yoga and then ate breakfast. I went and got ready after that while the other two started cutting things for their meals.Libbi made Apple pie, Patricia made Potatoe Salad, and I made Pizza. Yes I know germans have potatoe salad and pizza is italian but every part of the world makes is a little bit different. After the others were finshed our Guest dad took us on a walk around the city. Freiberg is a very old city. There is the usual old church and then a staute of a famous man. Everything is starting to look the same to me. There was also a building where an element on the Periodic Table was found. I can't remeber the name of the man or the element. Later that afternoon I started to work on my pizza. I started to cut the peppers and on the very first cut I cut my thumb. It would be just my luck to do something like that. So Patricia helped finish cutting everything. All I had to do was the crust, which was pre-made, and then add the toppings on top. After everything was finshed all of the students brought their foods to the local brewery. Everyone got to taste everything. It was such a nice night.
On Sunday we got another tour of the city with all of the Rotary. It was the same building differnt people. After the tour all of us went back to our homes. It was a very nice weekend. In 2 weeks I am going on another one with a differnt group of exchagne students. I cant wait. Well that is all that is happening or happend this weekend.
Auf wiedersehen.
Allysa Spear
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sherlock Holmes.. With a German accent
Hello Readers,
On Monday night my host family and I went to Sherlock Holmes the play by another school in Bayreuth. This play was all in English. The actors did a really good job with their lines. Sherlock was very good. He could act and speak very well and clearly. Only one person forgot their line but it was nothing major. I really enjoyed going to watch a whole play in English and it was not one of the actors first languages.
Other than the play not too much exciting has been going on here in Bayreuth. On Friday I get to meet with all of the other exchange students and cook things from our countries. I am making Pizza, yes i know it is not American but it was what I was given. I am just going to add a bunch of cheese on the top and it will be super yummy. I hoping it all works out, I am not the best cook in the world.
School life is as usual anywhere in the world boring and more boring. I just sit in my classes and when my english teacher asks me something I try my best to answer or just tell him i don't know. He likes to call on my in grammar situations which I am terrible in. I am actually regreting not paying more attention in my english classes. Today he asked why we say discriminated against. Why not just discriminated. I have no answer to that question.
The other day a man was visiting my host family. We were talking and he asked me a very difficult question that I have not really thought about. He asked "What are you going to miss about Bayreuth/Germany when you go back to your home country?" Usually it is the other way around asking ohh what do you miss about home? How are you feeling? Are you homesick?
I really don't know how I am going to answer this question. When I make a list or think of what I will truly miss I will make a post all about that.
Auf wiedersehen.
Allysa
On Monday night my host family and I went to Sherlock Holmes the play by another school in Bayreuth. This play was all in English. The actors did a really good job with their lines. Sherlock was very good. He could act and speak very well and clearly. Only one person forgot their line but it was nothing major. I really enjoyed going to watch a whole play in English and it was not one of the actors first languages.
Other than the play not too much exciting has been going on here in Bayreuth. On Friday I get to meet with all of the other exchange students and cook things from our countries. I am making Pizza, yes i know it is not American but it was what I was given. I am just going to add a bunch of cheese on the top and it will be super yummy. I hoping it all works out, I am not the best cook in the world.
School life is as usual anywhere in the world boring and more boring. I just sit in my classes and when my english teacher asks me something I try my best to answer or just tell him i don't know. He likes to call on my in grammar situations which I am terrible in. I am actually regreting not paying more attention in my english classes. Today he asked why we say discriminated against. Why not just discriminated. I have no answer to that question.
The other day a man was visiting my host family. We were talking and he asked me a very difficult question that I have not really thought about. He asked "What are you going to miss about Bayreuth/Germany when you go back to your home country?" Usually it is the other way around asking ohh what do you miss about home? How are you feeling? Are you homesick?
I really don't know how I am going to answer this question. When I make a list or think of what I will truly miss I will make a post all about that.
Auf wiedersehen.
Allysa
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