Hi Everyone, Im sorry for my tardiness in responding to this blog but my laptop broke down and still wont work inside my host families home. I don't know why but they are letting me use one of their old computers until then , and if not for the duration of my stay. :D Well anyway let me start at the begining...
I arrived in Zurich after a 9 hour flight from Washington DC very tierd and very sore from the cramped spacing in the airplane. What was funny is that the YFU (the organiyation that im going as an exchange student with) had said I would be alone on the plane. Yet when I sat down next to this young blonde boy he took one look at my t'shirt and said `YFU?' I said 'yea' and turns out he was going to the same country only farther north than I was. How cool was that.:D We spent hours talking since it was too cramped to talk, although I probbably was the main one talking poor thing haha, yet when we got there to Zurich sleep depriverd and all my host father =Holger= and sister =Swaana= were already there with a large sign haha.
Driving the two hours home to their home I learned as much as I could handle and store in my brain. Such as Swaana's favorite color is blue and that she hates cold cheese. That Bodo, one of their son's, is a carpenter in a nearby village but only 20 and that Wilma is a teacher and also loves to teach Sunday school. As I learned all of this I took in the sights and it was very majestic. Nothing I had ever seen had ever been so green or so beautiful in all of my life. It was priceless...
When I got home everyone welcomed me and let me settle in for a little while before letting me, for I offered although my body screamed of tierdness, to help cook and prepare the supper-dinner of that night. I learned a new word that evening immediately...trauben...it means grape haha. IT was a good dinner potatoes and some more potatoes and even more potatoes ( I'm telling you these people love potatoes). We stayed outside takling and visiting until around 11 pm myself practicing phrases in German and they all speaking german/English back to me. I met Thaalke and her boyfriend Bjorn also that night = their eldest daughter she spent a year in the states= as well as their youngest son Immo = only a few months older than I am and already a year abroad under his belt haha.
The next day sunday I went to chruch it was nice not many people and all in German but I gayed outside at the fields and cottages listening trying to understand some. Later that day we ate together as a family and unpacked hung out with the family went on a as the father Holger, whom is the one whom took me, said 'Quick hike'...turned out to be 3 hour long hike....was sweating and probbably looked a mess when we finished climbing up and down these hills with Mika , their black labrador.
Monday Holger took me to Bern where I would go everyday = Monday -Friday= To School and showed me how the trains worked as well as helped translate how to buy a prepaid phone. It was bought in one of those Orange stores , a brand over here, as well as we stopped for lunch. Now most of you are probbably expecting something German...nein..(no in german)....WE ate McDonalds....XD haha ohhh well haha its very expensive though...
Today was a hectic day I went to german school after an hour and a half train ride to Bern from my village. We met the teacher and we then walked towards the school about a 15 min walk so not too bad but still my luck should have it my nice shoes gave me blisters XD. So much for looking nice. AS soon as we got there we all introduced ourselves everyone from Argentina to Ghana to Russia to me Usa haha their are aboure 10 of us... 9 girls and one lonely boy. Poor rotten luck on his part . XD The teacher was nice and spoke to us only in german...it was hard at times to understand but we tried to muddle trough. He gave us sometimes a few brakes so it was easy if we didnt understand to simply, for me anyway, speak either english or spanish and ask to someone else. The class is about 4 hours and then I took a train home arriving at 3 since the class finishes at around 1-1.15 pm. I had homework today and it was very stressfull I still dont understand or know if I did it all correctly but hopefully haha...Well thats all for now I'll write more soon....Love you all and miss you all ...Peace
Dear Kim,
ReplyDeleteIndeed, you are having an adventure. Let us all know what you are studying, and what is IN your homework.
A month ago, you mentioned the town or village where you would attend school was toward the west and a little south of where your host family lives. Was there a change?
The scenery must be wonderful. Your Host Family must be very nice people.
Continue to have fun. Be positive. Smile and always be Kim. They'll all love you.
Sincerely,
Pops