Hello and welcome to my blog!
I will be living in Germany, thank you to the Congress- Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program! During which will be a cultural and educational exchange, I could not be more excited! My goal is to power global relationships in my native and host country.

To view certain posts click the desired date:

16/8/15...2/8/15 ...20/7/15


16/8/15
I have a week left with my language-camp host family, 17 days has completly flied by! It is crazy to think about how this time last year I was contemplating whether or not German was the best language to take. I have received conformation from my school that I was removed from Latin and placed into German 1, and was so excited that I got in. And now I am watching Mean Girls in German with my host family!

The language camp, has been very helpful. I finally understand the differences between the tenses/ articles. We work half the day on the language and then the other on German- cultures and answering all of out questions... which are a lot. I am really gratetful we can speak in English when we can't explain ourselves in German, and then learn the phrases auf Deutsch. I also finally got the whole bus thing down! It took me longer than I would have hoped... and a trip to the wrong town but hey! I can speak German to people when I need help.

Last Saturday my family and I went to Munich, I may have taken took too many photos. Although I can live with that! It was amazing to see and hear the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz. I also ate Weisswurst for the first time. I don't think it is for me, but I am glad I tried it. I would also like to that a second to exclaim my love for the bread, again. I love the bread here! I truly love eating it every day. I also have enjoyed eating chocolate on a regular basis, of course with Mineralwasser. Anyway back to Munich, that city is incredibly beautiful. While we drove on the Autobahn, we passed castles. Castles on the side of mountains, as normal as corn fields. No one was even phased by them!

Yesterday my language camp peoples, our host siblings, and the Japanese students with YFU all went to a neighboring city. We were able to see beautiful architecture and places that millions had walked through, plus we ate Eis. Afterwards my family and I went to a Star Wars birthday party for an uncle! I love meeting so many people, and every time my German improves too! I would also like to mention that during my time in Germany it has been the hottest in 20-ish years. Although lately the temperature has dropped and the fans have been turned off! Success!



8/2/15
Ich bin in Deutschland! -- I am in Germany!

I arrived to Frankfurt from O'Hare on Friday and now today is my third day! Thursday and Friday was all traveling, on Thursday I left America and Friday I arrived. Upon my arrival to Germany I rode the "DB" which is the Deutsche- Bahn, formally know as a train to Americans. I. Love. Trains. Despite my (extremely) heavy luggage I had an amazing time! I even bought mineral water and a German sandwich for the first meal here. While I took pictures of the Frankfurt Airport. When we left the train I met my host-sister and my host-mom at the station. Not only am I in Germany, but I truly love my host family.

My sister helps me translate and understand German by speaking Germlish- German & English! My host-dad and host-mom have limited knowledge, but I am really fortunate they do. It makes me try harder to talk with them and gives me a reason to wanting to improve, in addition to living in Germany obviously.

On Saturday I met the family and attended a German Wedding or Hochzeit in Deutsch (Literal translation is "high- time"). Everyone was very happy and enthusiastic. I really enjoyed it all besides not knowing what the heck anyone was saying! Thank you Samira and grandparents for directing me. Latter that evening we had a BBQ and I met Samira's Friends, I got to speak more broken German and enjoyed communicating even though I have the vocab of a six year old. It is really fun being able to speak here.

Sunday was pretty relaxed and the family [including Danny (an aunt), Max (an uncle), my host family and the grandparents] ate together and walked around their local river. In a park here is a high ropes course, we didn't attempt but I got to see the wooden obstacles up close! Wasps are everywhere and I learned the word waspas (pronounced Vaspas). All throughout my stay I have been learning vocabulary! A favorite of mine has been Kreisverkehr, which is a round about. Although for a whole day I kept saying Käsebrot! Käsebrot in Deutsch means "cheese- bread" certainly not a round about.

On the topic of bread, I have felt German soley by the bread! Here bread is eaten frequently, but I am certainly not deterred by that-- bread is heavenly. But bread is eaten differnly. Bread is fresh and not from a loaf! Again I am completely on board. Thank you Germans for loving bread and eating it wonderfully. Plus I know most of the music here better than most Germans. It may be because I am slightly fluent in English, and Rihanna and I are basically besties but who can know for sure?

Today is my first day of the language camp here in Germany and I am very excited to ride the bus in town with my sister. The language camp is all day and I hope I learn a lot!



7/20/15
Last weekend I traveled to Washington D.C. for the first time ever. It was so beautiful in our nation's capital, I could not believe it! I attended the National Pre Departure Orientation, YFU held for the outbound exchange students going to a multitude of countries. Youth For Understanding is such an amazing organization, and their event was extremely helpful. YFU has a strong volunteer network and many of those who helped at the event were alumni or have travel expirence. Everyone I met was so kind and was there to help in preparing for our exchange.

I was able to meet with some CBYX recipents, other Germany bound students, and made friends with people traveling to countries I had not even considered. There were nine CBYX students who were able to attend and we had the chance to meet with a staff member of our state senator! Which was quite amazing. CBYX-ers also met with the German embassy in D.C. that may have been the coolest part. My oppinion might have been swayed in their favor after we recieved German Embassy post-its, but who can be sure right?

Now I have ten days left in America and feel prepared to go abroad. Unfortunately feeling prepared hasn't finished my packing...