Paris!

4.11.11 - 6.11.11

In November Rotary had a mandatory trip to Paris... How cool is that, a mandatory trip to Paris.  There was no reason other than to let 90+ exchange students enjoy France's capital city.  It was fun and crazy to say the least.

The Itinerary

Highlights from the Trip:
-Sleeping on the floor of the bus on the way to Paris
-Going to the Louvre
-Seeing the Mona Lisa at least 2 times (one due to running around the Louvre without a map)
-Trying to locate famous pieces of art without a map and then later using a French map with Noora
-Finding out elevators are really good at helping you get unlost
-Seeing part of Hammurabi's Code
-Walking through Paris
-Eating street food on the steps of the Opera
-Buying a mini 2x2 Paris Rubik's cube key chain
-Seeing the Eiffel Tower at night
-Seeing the Moulin Rouge from the outside
-Buying and eating a baguette while walking around Paris
-Versailles
-Trying to walk to the end of the Versailles garden with Sarah
-Taking a boat tour on the Seine
-Walking around the Eiffel Tower
-Eating a Nutella crepe in front of the Eiffel Tower
-Wandering around Paris and ending up in a non-tourist area - enjoying Paris at it's best
-Going to Notre Dame de Paris - dream come true, though I did resist singing a song from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
-Sleeping on the floor of the bus again, it's a comfier than trying to squish in a little seat

There was more space than there looks...

Österreich - Skiing!

29.1.12 - 4.2.12

      On the week of January 29^th to February 4^th I was privileged to go to Austria. It was bit of an adventure getting there because on January 28^th my father had to play in a concert so we were leaving once it was over (at around 10:00 pm) and then spending the night in a city half way to our destination. Also joining us was a fellow musician whose family was waiting in the same village we were headed to. We arrived at our hotel at 1:20 am and were planning on waking up at 6:30.

Later that morning (Jan 29^th) we dragged our tired bodies back to the car, planning on eating breakfast at a later time. At around 2:30 we arrived in Scheffau, Austria and SkiWelt. Well my family isn't one to waste time so we immediately went to rent our gear from Hansis. Because my family was German and Austrians speak German (albeit a slightly different dialect), German was the language of communication though it was noted that I was an American exchange student.

The first step to renting was getting ski boots. The man helping me explained that your toe should barely touch the tip of the boot, with the pair I was trying on I wasn't exactly sure if my toe was touching. So he gave me a size smaller. Then I went and was outfitted with skis, poles and a helmet. We were standing outside, fully equipped and about to head up the mountain, when I asked if your feet were supposed to feel like an African brush fire was raging in your boots. When I received a resounding no, my mother and I went to exchange boots (a handy deal that Hansis provides at no extra cost). I was the given the the correct size and headed out (Boots #2). My mother headed up the mountain but didn't do too much skiing because visibility was low (10 meters or less). That evening was a group dinner. There were 18 people in our group and it was split half and half – 9 kids (including me) and 9 adults. Group Role Call – adults: Andreas, Anna, Annette, Bernd, Kerstin, Sirke, Yenz, Marika, Ben; kids: Hanna(18), Jakob(14), Yan(14), Erik(13), Berk(14?), Finn(10?), Elina(17), Keno(10), Emily(5). After dinner the kids played poker, Elina and I teamed up because Elina had never played. January 29^th was also the 1 year anniversary of learning I would be living in Germany for a year. Hard to believe that it was so long ago.

View from my room

January 30^th

The next morning we caught the ski bus, a wonderful bit of free transportation from Scheffau to SkiWelt. Once there we proceeded to Hansis to pick up our gear (because in addition to free exchanges they store the equipment so you don't have to haul it around). My mother and I met up with Annette (our neighbor here in Brandenburg) and decided to ski the Talabfahrt (the run that is the entire mountain) from the Mittlesation (Middlestation) because it was foggy on the top of the mountain. The first run my feet started killing me so my mother and I plodded to Hansis and exchanged my boots... again. This time I got what they said were the newest technology, there were super fluffy and cushy (Boots #3). Then we proceeded back to the Mittlesation for more skiing. After thawing over lunch I headed out to ski with Elina, who was just learning to ski, and her father Yenz. It was fun and we even tried our hand at a red (middle) run.

F: Finn, Jakob
B: Bernd, Kerstin, friend, Annette, Berk, Yan, Erik, Andreas, Anna, Hanna, Elina, Yenz, Marika, Sirke, Ben

January 31^st

      I woke up feeling like a Mac truck had run me over which is not all together a pleasant way to greet the morning. My mother and I joined with Annette, Finn and Marika, we skied the entire Talabfahrt, which was super fun. Then we headed up a different mountain. After that was lunch with the group. I joined Elina and Yenz to ski one run with them but my knee was just hurting too much so I headed down the hill. During lunch I had talked with my mother about changing skis because mine weren't great on turns. So I headed to Hansis to return my gear and exchange skis. I explained as best I could what I wanted but ended up with longer skis, which was not what I was looking for (Skis #2). That evening after a delicious dinner my family and Elina and Yenz played a came that had little blocks for pieces. Once the game came to a close we got in touch with our inner child.

The Brandenburger Tor

 

February 1^st

      Got to sleep in today, usually we were up at 7, because my mother and I were planing on taking the day off.  But I came up with a brilliant plan.  Because my mother and I only had ski passes for 5 of 7 days we could not ski every day but my idea was to barrow ski passes from two other people and then ski the Talabfahrt once.  My mother thought this was a very good idea and we put our plan in action.  The ski was fun and afterwards we went shopping for food and I bought postcards.  After we got home I wrote my post cards and enjoyed the lazy day.  After Andreas and Jakob got home we went out for a group dinner.  Let's just say it was sure a crazy party, Jakob and Erik managed to break a glass while we were playing poker.  We also got to enjoy some traditional music which was very fun.

February 2^nd

      Today we did a SkiWelt tour with the big group.  It was crazy and fun.  A smaller group of us toured an Igloo which was super cool.  It was beautiful though very cold but that's to be expected.  Eventually Annette and I headed back a little earlier and enjoyed hot chocolate smothered in whipped cream.  Then we did a little more skiing before heading down the mountain.  For another evening of game playing with Elina and Yenz.

Igloo

February 3^rd

6 MONTHS IN DEUTSCHAND!

      Once again I got to sleep in because my mom and I were going to do a "card exchange" she would ski the first part of the day and I would ski the second part.  But as the day wore on I decided on the Talabfahrt.  So after getting a ski pass I joined Anna and we waited for the big group at one of the restaurants.  It was fun going down the run as a big group, thought it was a bit challenging keeping everyone together.  That evening we celebrated Erik's birthday and once again it was a party with poker and even spoons - though we played using poker chips instead.  Yan and I got particularly good at stealing Erik's poker chips much to his consternation.

The Group

February 4^th

      Last day in Austria.  But we did a little more skiing, only after having a few car troubles including the emergency brake freezing to the wheel.  It was fun skiing and I was definitely sad to be leaving, since I was just starting to get the hang of skiing again.  But as far as winter vacations go it was definitely one of the best ones I've ever gone on and I definitely plan on going skiing in the Alps again.

Last Day Skiing

Can YOU Believe I've been in Germany a Week, because I Can't

   A Momentous Event took place today, I've been gone a week.  And you want to know a horrible little secret, I don't miss anyone.  It has only been seven days but it has been a very busy seven days.

Day 1 (2.8.11) - Left Boise, Idaho, met fellow Rotary Youth Exchange Students, left Newark for Berlin, Germany.

Day 2 (3.8.11) - Arrived in Berlin, Germany, learned my luggage didn't make it, met my new family, saw my house, ate, took a nap, went to the Opera.


Day 3 (4.8.11) - Woke up in my new bedroom, went to town, had a small tour (saw the mayor driving by), registered with the authorities, helped set up a tent.

Day 4 (5.8.11) - Went grocery shopping, my luggage arrived, Party time (Clara's going away party).

Day 5 (6.8.11) -  Said good bye to party guests, went to the Brandenburg Bruckenschwimmen with Josi (saw the mayor again), had ice cream, biked home with Josi and Willy, got my first hug, met my councilor, help set up the tent again (I'm getting to be a pro).

Day 6 (7.8.11) -Went to Jakob's hockey camp, ended up canoing, experienced my first headache here in Germany, stuffed myself at dinner (they seem to think I don't eat enough).

Day 7 (8.8.11) - Savored a very nice thunder/lighting rainstorm, helped recycle bottles, sipped my way through a Koffee Klatch, and watched Inception in German.

Day 8 (9.8.11) - Went and tried to register at another bureau but instead got more paper work to fill out, read some Harry Potter, enjoyed a strange fruit tea drink, devoured homemade pizza and bid Clara farewell and good luck on her exchange in South Korea.

  All in all I think it was a successful week.  Time has flown by and I have less than a week until school starts.  I have learned many things in my brief time here (including but not limited to: how to say onions in German, wishing I had packed a real notebook with me, sleep does not seem to be necessary for living anymore, and time has a mind of its own).

Clara, Hanna - Rotary Exchange Students taking the world by Surprise!

    And now for those of you who I am not missing (which would be all of you), that doesn't mean I don't love you, just keep this in mind "If you love someone, set them free.  If they come back they're yours forever; if they don't, they never were." (Richard Bach).  You just need to have a little faith that I'm a Homing Pigeon rather than a Bison (who follows the grass - or in my case the adventure).

Love you Lots, Hanna