Berlin Again

(24.9.11)
    My mother had a general rehearsal in Berlin with the choir and decided that it would be nice if Jakob and I came to listen. Upon hearing this my father also decided to join the group.  So we decided to do a little sightseeing before hand.  We took the train and disembarked near the zoo.  We had a lovely stroll along what I would equate to the Boise Green Belt.  We could see several animals and often stopped to have a closer look.  We also proceeded to walk down Strasse des 17 Juli (Street of 17th July) to the Berliner Siegessäule (Victory Column).  It was quite fun climbing to the top and we had a wonderful view of Berlin.

Berliner Siegessäule

Brandenburger Tor

Winged Victory

 After our brief trip up the column we headed to the Philharmonie to listen to the rehearsal.  At one point I nearly fell asleep though the lack of leg room kept me awake.  My father, brother and I walked through Potsdamer Platz and saw masses of people.  It was the first day of the Berlin Marathon, which meant it was Inline Skates day.  Yep - a marathon on inline skates.  There was also a kids marathon which was considerably shorter.  It was quite enjoyable watching the skaters and I decided if I ever have the crazy desire to participate in a marathon inline skates is the way to go.

Inline Skate Marathon

(23.10.11)


Jakob, Anna and I drove to Berlin to meet Anna's cousin and her husband at the Berlin Wall center at Bernauer Strasse.  It was very interesting walking along the remaining parts of the wall and reading (or in my case, attempting to read) the information plaques.  It was amazing what the people of Bernauer Strasse did in attempts to cross the wall.  There is also a portion of the wall that is sealed off and left exactly like the border when have been like.  After reading and listening to what some people went through, the people who successfully crossed the Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall) became my heroes.

Stretch of Berlin Wall

Spire from Conciliation Church that was demolished in 1985

Tunnel in an attempt to cross the Wall

Preserved section of the Berlin Wall border.

After walking we went to eat dinner.  Anna and I split an Eisbein, which was delicious.  I also managed to break a glass.

Eisbein

A Small Tour of Germany

(10.4.11 - 10.12.11)

During the fall holiday, a result of Germany's reunification (Celebrated on October 3rd), my family enjoyed a nice little tour of southwestern Germany.  The towns on our trip were Quedlinburg, Eisnach, Neckargemünd, Speyer, Heidelberg, Neckarsteinach, Köln and Duisburg.

Some of the highlights from the trip included:
-Walking through old town Quedlinburg, a UNESCO site
-Seeing the treasures in the Quedlinburg castle/cathedral
-Spending the night in the Creuzburg Castle
-Visiting the Wartburg
-Standing in the room where Luther translated the Bible from Latin to German
-Seeing the Bach house and statue in Eisnach
-Seeing Luther's house in Eisnach
-The Eisnach Cathedral
-The Narrow House
-Spending several nights with Andrea's brother and his family in Neckargemünd (their house was gorgeous), we would make day trips from their house to other cities
-The Speyer Dom (Speyer Cathedral)
-The Crypt in the Speyer Dom
-Der Bretzel-Mann (The Pretzel Man, a statue on Speyer Dom)
-A quick trip to France for the afternoon
-Heidelberg Castle
-Giant Wine Barrel in Heidelberg
-Walking through Heidelberg
-Heidelberg Cathedral
-The castle ruins in Neckarsteinach (Mittelburg, Hinterburg and Schadeck)
-The castle ruins Eberbach
-The Upper Middle Rhine Valley (UNESCO)
-Stoping in Köln (Cologne) on the way to Duisburg
-Köln (Cologne) Cathedral
-Meeting Anna's sister (who speaks no English) and going to the SeaLife with her and Jakob

Quedlinburg Rathaus

Quedlinburg Castle

View from Quedlinburg Castle

View from my room in the Creuzburg Castle

The Wartburg

Eisnach Cathedral

Bach

Me in front of the Speyer Dom

The Crypt of Speyer Dom

Getting in touch with my inner child.

Der Bretzel-Mann

Heidelberg Cathedral

Heidelberg Castle

Giant Wine Barrel in Heidelberg Castle

In front of Köln Cathedral

After climbing up the tower

Köln Cathedral

A Very German Thanksgiving

So this Thanksgiving was a little different than normal. First of all I didn't over eat. Second there was no Turkey involved. And third it wasn't in the U.S. This morning I had History, only problem is that on Thursdays I get to sleep in (this is changing as of next week) a little and this morning I slept way to late. During my oversleeping I had a nice dream and there was definitely some German in it. So I in fact did not have History this morning. Opps. My next class wasn't until 2:30 so I was privileged with spending my morning reading and writing (and listening to 80's music). Once I arrived at school for my class I found out the teacher was sick, which meant as an exchange student I would have nothing to do because I don't speak enough German to successfully complete the tasks we were given. I also was informed that Sports was once again cancelled. So I came to school and did nothing. Not bad for Thanksgiving considering it's not a holiday on the fourth Thursday of November in Germany. After school I went to Laura's and we listened to music from past years deciding it was by far better than anything that is coming out these days. And she straightened my hair. It's getting really, really long. She said I could be a mermaid. Then I biked home in the cold and found a lovely Thanksgiving meal waiting for me.

Lamb with Potatoes, Carrots, Corn and Peas

While we were eating I was asked what else we did besides eat on Thanksgiving. I was momentarily stymied until I said cook. And play cards. The asked how long it took to clean up and I said not long because most dishes go in the .... Spülmaschine. That would be dishwasher in German because I couldn't remember the English and almost said wash machine instead. I'm glad that there is some evidence that I am learning and using German.


All in all it was a wonderful Thanksgiving.


What I'm Thankful For:
- My parents (Todd and Karry Fischer)for supporting me in all of my mad adventures and taking care of me for 18 years.
-My sister (Ida Fischer) for being there when I need it and for putting up with me for 18 years.
-My grandmother (Manna) for spoiling me endlessly, even when I don't deserve it.
-My aunt (Kelly) for editing my first novel and my school essays (I'll miss that in college).
-My Host Family for being great and taking amazing care of me.
-My friends both in Germany and everywhere else, you guys keep me sane.
-All of the wonderful women who have shared their love of horses with me (Cindy,Gabrielle, Wanda).
-My fellow writers for sharing ideas and offering constructive criticism (Emily and Gabrielle)
-My fellow exchange students in Brandenburg (Noora, Laura, Dani and Tae-yeon ).
-Boise water, there's nothing else quite like it in the world.
-My houses (in the U.S. & Germany) for providing me shelter from the elements.
-Good food, the world holds many delicious cuisines.
-NaNoWriMo 2010 for allowing me to actually write and finish a novel after years of trying.
-JMO for allowing me to grow as a horseback rider and for being my Happy Place - where all troubles fall away.
-What Laura says sometimes - it puts a smile on my face when nothing else will.
-My imagination/My Muse

My Speech in English

Hello. My name is Hanna Fischer and I'm from Boise, Idaho in America. Boise is located in the western part of the United States. I have been in Brandenburg for three months. I'm eighteenyears old and I have finished school, after twelve years, in America. My father, Todd, is an engineer and a Rotarian. My mother, Karry, works in the library. My sister, Ida studies hydrology at college in California and she is twenty-one years old. I am in the eleventh grade at the Domgymnasium and am learning mathematics, physics, German, sports, history, art and English. My favorite subjects are math and sports. My hobbies are reading books, horseback riding and writing novels and I am a Girl Scout. I have already visited Berlin, Eisenach, Quedlimbug, Speyer, Heidelberg, Cologne and Duisburg. I found Cologne Cathedral, the Cathedral of Speyer, Heidelberg Castle and the Wartburg interesting. I like Döner and the architecture in Germany. I love Germany! 

The German Original:
Hallo. Ich heiße Hanna Fischer und ich komme aus Boise, Idaho aus America. Boise liegt im Western von U.S.A. Ich bin seit drei monaten in Brandenburg. Ich bin achtzehn Jahre alt und ich habe die Schule nach zwölf Jahren in America beendet. Mein Vater, Todd, ist ein Ingenieur und ein Rotarier. Meine Mutter, Karry, arbeitet in der Bibliothek. Meine Schwester, Ida, studiert Hydrologie an der Universität in Kalifonien und sie ist einundzwanzig Jahre alt. Ich lerne im Domgymnasium in der elften Klasse Mathematik, Physik, Deutsch, Sport, Geschichte, Kunst und Englisch. Mein Lieblingsfächer sind Mathematik und Sport. Meine Hobbys sind Bücher lesen, Reitsport und Romane schreiben und ich bin eine Pfadfinderin. Ich besuchte schon Berlin, Eisenach, Quedlimbug, Speyer, Heidelberg, Köln und Duisburg. Interessant waren für mich der Kölner Dom, der Dom von Speyer, das Heidelberger Schloss und die Wartburg. In Deutschland mag ich die Architektur und Döner. Ich liebe Deutschland!

Potsdam San Souci

(4.9.11)
     Once again I ventured to Potsdam, this time to tour the parks and palaces of San Souci Park.  My mother, father and I decided to bike through the park.  This would take less time than walking and would enable us to see more.  Unfortunately my mother's rear bicycle tire kept going flat so every time we stopped we had to pump it up again.  The grounds and buildings were beautiful but due to the time of day we went several of them were closing or closed.  So we just enjoyed the beautiful exteriors.

Take while biking, an art I perfected as the day progressed.

At the Chinese Tea House, my father,  mother & I.

The Chinese Tea House

Me at Sanssouci - Fredrick the Great's Palace

Apparently potatoes are left in homage to Freidrich der Große.

Fredrick the Great's 11 dogs, buried next to him.

They just don't make things tall enough for me.

The Church of Peace

The Obelisk - with fake hieroglyphs 

The other side of Sanssouci Palace

Orangery Palace

Belvedere auf dem Klausberg

A Post, Finally

     So as far as keeping my blog up to date I really suck at blogging.  It's a sad state of affairs considering I am a writer by trade.  So in the future I will attempt to stay more up to date.  Instead of having separate blog posts for some of the events that happened in the oh so distant past I think I will combine them.
     On 11.11.11 I celebrated my 100th day in Deutschland.  And I have to say as far as dates for your 100th day are concerned 11.11.11 is pretty darned cool.  Unfortunately I had class during 11:11 am and was asleep for 11:11 pm so the true awesomeness of the day was not fully realized.  Still it was a great day.

So a recap of the posts you should look for in the near future:
       Potsdam San Souci (✓)
       Berlin Again (Two visits to Berlin) ()
       Neuruppin! - Rotary District 1940 Inbound Orientation ()
       A Small Tour of Germany (✓)
       Paris ()

Paris Group, about 100 exchange students, at the Louvre

    On 27.10.11 Noora, Tae and I had a Rotary Youth Meeting with our club during which we had to give a speech in German about ourselves and a little about our family.  We also met two rebound exchange students who were very cool. Below is my speech in German - I challenge you to try and understand it without Google Translating it first.  I'll post the English translation in a few days.

Hallo. Ich heiße Hanna Fischer und ich komme aus Boise, Idaho aus America. Boise liegt im Western von U.S.A. Ich bin seit drei monaten in Brandenburg. Ich bin achtzehn Jahre alt und ich habe die Schule nach zwölf Jahren in America beendet. Mein Vater, Todd, ist ein Ingenieur und ein Rotarier. Meine Mutter, Karry, arbeitet in der Bibliothek. Meine Schwester, Ida, studiert Hydrologie an der Universität in Kalifonien und sie ist einundzwanzig Jahre alt. Ich lerne im Domgymnasium in der elften Klasse Mathematik, Physik, Deutsch, Sport, Geschichte, Kunst und Englisch. Mein Lieblingsfächer sind Mathematik und Sport. Meine Hobbys sind Bücher lesen, Reitsport und Romane schreiben und ich bin eine Pfadfinderin. Ich besuchte schon Berlin, Eisenach, Quedlimbug, Speyer, Heidelberg, Köln und Duisburg. Interessant waren für mich der Kölner Dom, der Dom von Speyer, das Heidelberger Schloss und die Wartburg. In Deutschland mag ich die Architektur und Döner. Ich liebe Deutschland!

Quick Update

To My Wonderful Readers:
   I will be on an 8 day vacation and will not be able to update my blog during this time.  I know, tragic really but never fear upon my return I will finish my promised posts and include one about my travels.  Yesterday was the official 2 Month mark.  I can not believe how fast time has flown by.  Frequently I forget that Fall is approaching until I ride my bike to school and see my breath or the thick blankets of fog. There are some things that remain the same though.  Like the group of blue overall bedecked people always standing smoking on the bridge by the locks when I bike by in the morning.  Sometimes I wonder what they think of me or if they even notice that I bike by every morning except Thursday.  My school schedule has stayed the same I have not added or dropped any classes and yet I still don't know my Tuesday or my Thursday schedules.  I have met my fellow District 1940 in-bounds, visited Berlin twice, Potsdam three times and Neuruppin once.  My German has improved in leaps and bounds though I still feel woefully uneducated.
Good Travels Until Next Time,
Hanna