Winding down

So my time here is drawing rather quickly to an end.I've been meaning to write for a while, but somehow just haven't found the time. Lot's of things have happened since I last wrote. My class threw me a surprise going away party, I've been to three other going away parties, I've had my own going away party, I've seen my rowing "family" here for the last time, there have been lots of tears and laughs, and one of the girls in my class here has even come back from her exchange year in the U.S.
As I think about the fact that I'll be flying back in three days it doesn't seem real. Ith's funny though becausse in a way my mind is preparing me for going back to the U.S. Sometimes I think of a word in German and then it just comes out of my mouth in English (ok so this does happen vice versa as well).
As I think back on this year and that it will soon be over, an overwhelming sense of thankfulness sweeps over me. I am so thankful to have had this chance. It has been and continues to be an amazingly rewarding experience.
My advice to any new exchange students or exchange students to be is just to put your all into it. You'll get even more back.

The 25 things I've learned in Germany

1. I'm more of a child than some people ever have been.
2. I'm more of an adult than some people ever will be.
3. A new life can be built in less than a year.
4. Rowing is my constant and the people I row with will always be family to me.
5. Riding is still important and makes me just plain happy.
6. I can ski.
7. Skiing is fun.
8. To be a "normal" and "abnormal" teenager.
9. Life isn't always about the big turning points. A lot of time it's the little things that make the difference.
10. I'm lucky.
11. The thing I find most in my good friends is support.
12. I may be one of the least cooridinated people on this earth, but I can finally scull!
13. There is a point where nothing is embarrassing anymore.
14. German stubbornness has new meaning.
15. The more you have to say goodbye the harder it gets.
16. It's not saying goodbye that's hard, it's going on living normally without those people afterwards. Sometimes just knowing that you can and will live without them.
17. I am religious.
18. In order to find yourself you might have to temporarily lose yourself (or part of yourself) first.
19. I'm not a "typical" American in German terms.
20. I have a very German family in the U.S.
21.American's are not as concentrated on outward appearance as our soceity thinks. Germans are (generally) much worse in this sense.
22. Handwashing and disinfecting wounds are not normal healthcare or everyday procedures in all "modern" countries.
23. I'm sorry that I've lost contact with so many people, and I won't let it happen again.
24. I'm happy in Germany and in the U.S.
25. The more you put into something the more you'll get out of it.

4 weeks

So, it's finally that point.
I fly back to the U.S. in exactly 4 weeks.
It feels like an eternity since I've seen my room, my school, and my friends.
Yet at the same time it feels like yesterday that I stepped off that plane, and came into my school knowing hardly any German.
Neither of them are exactly true, but I feel as though both of them are reality. They are my reality.
It's hard to think that I'll have to leave. I really have a second life here. My own life.
I've had a good time the whole time I've been here (with the exclusion of the whole biking accident).
I've felt like I've been a part of my family here and an integrated friend in school, at rowing, and with the other exchange students for a long long time.
There is something about this last month, however, where everything has just seemed to be going so perfectly. I don't even have to think twice when I do something. A new sense of belonging.
I can finally scull here for example. I'm getting used as an example for the younger kids on proper rowing form. I get comments now from my coach like "You can really scull now" and "I'm pleasantly surprised by how much you've improved!"
I can finally ride European style. I get comments from my trainer there too like "You ride correctly now" [correctly European that is ;) ]
Today one of my friends at rowing told me that it's a shame I have to go so soon.
I don't know how I can just pack up and leave, how I can give all this up. I've truelly built my life here and to have it seemingly deminish over night is a terrifying thought.
I know that I'll still have contact with my friends here and the other exchange students, but it's just horrifying knowing I worked so hard for all this and then just having to give it up.
Yes, I can come back and visit, but will I have the same relationship with my friends here?
I know that when I come back to the U.S. I'll be happy to see my friends, to be back in a school I like, but at the moment the thought of coming back is crushing.
I know, however, that going back to the U.S. is inevitable. All I have left to do is live up every moment I have left here, and that is just exactly what I intend to do.

Roma

So to put it shortly I took over 400 pictures of Rome although I only spent 3 nights there............
I'm not uploading all of them to the blog, but I'm planning on a pretty big number.
I'm also not going to be making captions for all of them.
I will, however, just start out by giving you all list of all the stuff we did/saw there:
-->Colosseum

-->Roman Forum and Palatines

-->Pantheon (twice)
Rafael's grave

-->Military Parade in front of the Capitol(wasn't planned, just happened to be the day we arrived)
Special Forces Unit
Horse Unit :)
The Capitol

-->Piazza Navona

-->Vatican City-Vatican Museums, Sistene Chapel, St. Peter's Cathedral
The pine cone courtyard
The Octoganol courtyard
The birth and death of Jesus, Michaelangelo's first and only signed piece
The dome of St.Peter's is high enough to fit the Statue of Liberty inside of it with 90 plus feet to spare....
Swiss Guards
St.Peter with the keys to Heaven

-->St.Angel's Castle (I'm not sure that's translated correctly, oh well)

-->Lots of churches (most of which names I don't remember, I know we were at least two St.Mary's and St.Ignatius Loyola)
SFA (St. Francis of Assisi)

-->Trevi's Fountain (twice)

-->Spanish Steps
St.Peter's from the Spanish Steps

-->The Jewish Ghetto from WWII

Ok so the moral of this story is I'm way too tired to write a full Berlin report. We did way too much to write it all down so I'm just gonna summarize the photos and then a couple sentences at the end :)
Secondly these are totally backwards, but oh well.
We totally started this dance party at culture fest in Berlin :)
Susan starting the dancing with this crazy old guy.
The awsome Swiss drumming group we were rocking out to.
Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate)
Hillary Clinton made a video for us CBYXers to tell us how important we are.
Roughly translated the sign reads: This synagouge is 100 years old.
And was on the Kristallnacht (night of broken glass) set on fire by the Nazis.
During World War II in the year 1943 it was destroyed by bombs.
This house of God should for all time stand as a place of warning and rememberance.
NEVER FORGET IT.
The board of the Jewish community of Berlin.
September 1966
Berlin Wall sinking.
The Berlin bears!!!!
Model of Berlin, everything built in the last 20 years is in white.
The Berlin Wall.
Amis hanging at
Brandenburger Tor at night.
Looking down from the top of the Reichstag (German Congress Buliding). I think it's awesome because it's made so that the people literally walk on top of where Congress is held. And it's made so that the Congress can constantly see them.
Again from the Reichstag.
Reichstag.
"The Washing Machine"/Kanzleramt
The wierd horse thing in front of the train station. Like the one in Heidelberg!!!

So I got to hear part of a sitting in German Congress (Bundestag). I also got to see Angela Merkel, which was cool. I really came to appreciate her as a person. She came late to the session, and then proceeded to chew gum and talk with other members (while someone else was giving a speech). Some might find this offensive, but I find it very human and I like that.
I also got to go in the Kanzleramt, which is where Angela Merkel's office is.
I got to do a lot in Berlin it was all really fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it. We also went to a culture fest which was fun (as shown in the pictures).
I just had a really, really good time and although I'd love to write it all out. I'm exhausted and leaving for Rome tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

Stuttgart and Tübingen

In the past two days I was in Stuttgart and then Tübingen.
I visited Chiara and Maridalys in Stuttgart yesterday. Wissaf, Arthur, Rebecca, Nehle and Melanie were all there too!!
We went out to eat, and then just hung out on the castle grounds. Took pictures, played volleyball and tag, and just talked. It was fun!!!
Then today I was in Tübingen (a small city near Stuttgart) with Oda and Tabea. We visited Herbert's oldest brother there. We went to the castle and then walked around the city, which I find very cute. We then went on a walk where we got to see many different types of Orchids.
Again, very good time.
Wednesday I leave for Berlin, very excited!!!!!!!!!

Between the whole bike thing and Jachenau

So I actually did stuff in between my biking accident and going to Jachenau. I just didn't manage to write a post about it. Although a little delayed here it is:
First off, the first of May is a holiday in Germany. It's the day almost every family goes out for a hike or bike tour or something outdoorsy
I went on a "hike" with my host family in the Pflaz. It was really nice weather. Hikes here in Germany are not what I would call a hike in the U.S. I know I've probably mentioned this before, but I just don't know what we would even call them in the U.S. Probably something along the lines of nature walk. Anyways it's a walk (maybe with hills) from restaurant to restaurant. On this particular day it was to four different restaurants. Where we stopped each time and had something to eat or drink. At one of these stops the adults took it apon themselves to say how strange it is in the U.S. that when we go hiking there are never any restaurants along the way. They all agreed (those that have been to the U.S. included) that they have no idea how we Americans can hike that way. I found this very amusing.
As said it was a gorgeous day though.There was a cool botanical garden on the walk. It even had a redwood!We even met a horse along the way. He was huge!!!(which you can't see in this picture) But really really big.
My next adventure was visiting Straßburgh and Europa-Parliment!!I must say I love hearing French spoken and knowing enough French to be able to help people order things in pastry shops. It was soooooooo much fun to see all the exchange students again, because we hadn't seen each other in a while actually.The pastry shops were, needless to say, amazing.
Europa-Parliment was really cool. We got to see the last session before the new officials are elected this June. We also got to see a couple of new bills passed.
Long story short it was a good time.
Oh and I of course went to visit (with other friends) my good friend the castle gardens :)