Orientation and Deutschland

First off, let me complain a second about the fact that my computer adapter doesnt work so I have to use the home computer that has a totally funky keyboard. The y and z are switched and all the keys like $%(/ are in different places. OKAY cool, got that out of my system.

Orientation

Orientation was an experience that I will never forget. Though I think everyone came into thinking it was worthless, I dont think anyone would skip it after they went through it. Along with learning a lot about AFS and Germany in general, the orientation allowed everyone to meet great people who were all willing and open to friendship. It was absolutely astonishing how fast we bonded and how strongly. For the last day or so it has been hard to deal with how much I miss everyone from orientation. Luckily, today it has been a bit better but I still very much look forward to seeing them again.

Travel to Germany

So on Friday I got on a giant plane full of Germans to go to Germany. The flight was okay, though I got no sleep and did'nt get to read the Time Travelers Wife or do my game book. But thats okay, I could read it on the way back. On the flight I was unexcited only because I could never imagine the feeling of being in another country. When I stepped off the plane the Frankfurt airport greeted me in its utter beauty (corny right? horrah!). But seriously, thats when I had my "oh fuck" moment where I realized what have done. From there I was on the train ride to Berlin. Luckily there were other American cb's on my train and I didnt even notice how long it took to get there. Stop after stop, exchange students kept leaving until it was just me and Jack from cb. We both got quiet nervous and I personally felt quiet sick. But my family greeted me off the train and we got drinks and then headed home. On the car ride home I managed to fall asleep a couple times, doing that awkward head-snapping thing.

Germany

This is probably not a good day to write about my impression of Germany because Ive had a rather bad day. We went to see my school, principal (direktor), and my teacher. To my surprise and displeasure we also ran into my class and it was incredibly awkward and intimidating. I did not get one smile...fan-fucking-tastic. My kind of class right there. Oh well, I just have to remind myself that this is not the first time I have started a new school and I should take it one day at a time. Its just hard being lonely, misunderstood, and starting a new school all at the same time D:

Language

I'm absolutely baffled at my German skills. Somehow God blessed me with random German skills on the day I arrived. I came from a German class that hardly actually speaks german and Ive only had two years. But Ive totally held my own in the language department and have gotten compliments on how fast I talk. I think tomorrow that that will all go down the toilette when i go to school and realize that I cant really understand or speak much German. Blah...

So yeah, thats it. Right now Id kill for a hug from a cbyxer, or to have a good laugh with one of them. But I guess patience is a virtue and Im not supposed to be comftorble right now. Now I go to the bank to exchange my dollars and basically ask for the worth of my money to decrease.

Last Day

Today is my last day in Pennsylvania. Am I excited? Not especially. Am I nervous? I suppose. Am I packed? No. So pretty much, I'm not ready in any shape or form. But that's okay, I like doing things the old fashioned way where everything magically comes together the day before you leave. Tonight I have my final dinner with the rents at my favorite Italian restaurant and then hopefully get enough sleep to look half decent in the morning.

From there we drive to Washington D.C. for a delightful four day orientation...

And then somewhere down the road I end up in Forst, Germany. My host Mom has told me that my room is ready and that everyone's waiting for me. So I think I'll write an entry every two weeks... If I don't, don't blame me cause there's a million other AFSers who started a blog and forgot about it a week later.

So, auf Wiedersehen! <--- After years of German class, I just found out today that that phrase is not spelled "Aufiedersehen". This gives me loads of confidence heading into the coming year.

The Neverending Joooourrnneyyy....

Five days. What seems to me like an eternity seems to my parents like a minute. I've finally started packing, started wrapping up E-mails with my host mother, and more importantly planning outfits. I'm convinced that the Travel God has a vendetta against me. I have now received my AFS travel-information from Washington D.C. to Forst, Germany. And here is why it sucks:

Step 1: Six hour flight to Frankfurt <---not including time on the runway. I better be sitting next to someone who firstly doesn't sleep and secondly plays a mean game of Egyptian Rat Screw.

Step 2: Eight and a half hour train ride to Berlin. This step convinced me I'm going to die on this journey.

Step 3: Two hour car ride from Berlin to my house. I will be extremely surprised if I don't nod off in the car.

I will arrive in Forst around 10 pm their time. And considering my hair will not have seen a straightener in at least 16 hours, it will be what's commonly referred to as a m-i-r-a-c-l-e if I don't look like complete bollocks for my first introduction to the host fam. I only pray it doesn't rain. But maybe that God hates me too...

Anyhow, I read a blog entry the other day that entertained me with lists about some guys AFS experience in the Netherlands. Being the blog pirate that I am, I decided to jack his idea...or I suppose his "booty" for less of a better word. I was also asked through a comment for any advice to get the CBYX scholarship. So I shall combine both brilliant ideas, neither of which are mine.

Five Things That May Help You Win a CBYX Scholarship

1. Dress for success. You'll have an interview somewhere along the road against other kids vying for the scholarship. When I woke up that morning I put on jeans and a T-shirt like a complete twit. If it were not for an argument with my Stepmom in which I wanted to punch her in the face for trying to help me, I would have came into a room of claddly dressed kids dressed like I was going to school. Luckily, I acquiesced to her wishes and wore big kid clothes. When I was doing my interview, they promptly complemented the color blue I was wearing. Kudos to Marilyn.

2. Have things that the interviewer will remember you for. Whether this be experiences you bring up, sayings you use, or how polite you are, make sure you're not just another face in the crowd. As an example, I talked about dealing with my mothers disease as an example of why I'm mature enough to go abroad and was also full of unintentional sayings. Like, when they asked me how I would deal with German bluntness, I decided I would use the saying, " I would take it with a grain of salt", but being the dimwit I am, I forgot the words to the saying. Was it rocks...no...sand..no... and out of my mouth came "I'll take it with a grain of sugar". Instantly I knew it came out completely wrong. But then all the interviewers started laughing and going "Oh she's so clever, take it with a grain of sugar! Cunning!" thinking I did that on purpose. In fact, no. I did not. Did I admit this? Of course not. They remembered me for it.

3. Don't come off like a total tool. Remember that although seeming polite is important, you're not trying to be a lapdog, your trying to prove your capable of handling the responsibilities of an exchange student. Prepare examples of things you've done in the past that tells them you've faced challenges in your life that may have given you skills needed for a year abroad. This being said, there's something to be said for admitting a year abroad would be a huge challenge for you BUT one your ready to face.

4. Have your parents at the interview. Not only does it give a comfort level, but it shows that you have a steady support system that will help you get to Germany. They also get to ask questions and speak with the parents of other interviewers.

5. Breath. You'll be hit with some rather odd questions that you can't prepare for and I'm convinced are designed to throw you off. Think them through! Don't just have verbal diarea explode out of your mouth. Make it a conversation with the interviewers because they are people too and you'll be more relaxed if you laugh a little and aren't so stiff.

I know I mostly talked about the interview, but as long as you have decent grades and fair teacher recommendations your set. Its the interview that I found the most pivotal. Also, good bit of luck might help as well and probably attributed to my acceptance. I mean, can you imagine if I had said " Take it with a grain of sand?"...yeah, no.

And now a picture for your viewing pleeeeaa-sha.

Peggy and Chris in Amsterdam.

How is five pictures a reasonable amount?

Chris and Sven in Japan

They have a pool in their garden, not something I am particularly ecstatic about.

This will be my class in Germany. They don't change rooms, just teachers. So basically these kids better be cool because I'll be in one room with them all day. Also, can you say "Claire needs to buy a black jacket"?

Their kitchen. The girl in the yellow is their former host daughter, Mika, from Japan.

Peggy and Chris holding up my application picture. When they sent me this I was mega glad I chose a non-embarrassing photo for that application.

For some reason this blog only let's me post 5 photos at a time...lame.

I delete you!

I have officially deleted both my facebook and my twitter accounts, big moves for a 16 year old girl. I wanted to do this before leaving because I know how addicting both of them are (seeing as I checked them frequently even during finals week) and how much I would be impelled to check them. I did not want to be using English on a regular basis or hogging the computer at my host's house. Now I am left with the life question of, what do I do now?

This weekend has probably been my most productive weekend all Summer. We bought a new camera for my trip, shot and printed pictures of my home town, and also figured out my money situation. My family decided to get me both a mastercard and a visa card for my trip (because some places don't accept one or the other). They are debit cards cosigned with my parents. This way, they can put in money and also check my spendings. We also had two of my final favorite meals for dinner including chicken parm and spinach pasta : D omnomnom

As far as interactions with the host family, they are counting down. I planned to send an email tonight to my host Mom but it takes a lot of time and well...I'm just ganna do it tomorrow (aka Lazy). I am a bit scared as they have not mentioned that birthday card I sent Chris which makes me suspect it didn't go over so well. I'm not sure my neverending sarcasm will go over well there, as it many times bites me in the ass even here. I have also decided to pass up on bringing my laptop or even my Ipod to Germany. Neither will really be of use to me. I say this now, but I may regret the decision about .2 seconds after arriving.

Also, who would have had the first day of school today had she not been going to Germany?! Yes, ME! I was tempted to wait at the busstop and then when it came, get on and go "oh yes, how silly of me, I don't have to go to school!" and walk off. Instead I slept in, which was equally as satisfying.

So I will now post pictures because that's the only part of blogs people actually look at...

The 10 Longest Days of Summer

I've officially decided that the last two weeks in the United States will be my longest and hardest part of this whole experience. This means a lot considering that its competitors were summer school and waiting to find out whether I got accepted for cbyx (my scholarship). But no, indeed the last few days have been killer. Somehow the free time that I would have murdered my best friend for during finals week, has lost its shine and sparkle. One can only play online bingo so long (and not win once) until they have no other option but to sit and stare at walls until the days pass.

I have 10 days left. Technically, I have 14 because there's a four day orientation in Washington D.C... but 10 days to entertain myself at home. I no longer even have companions in my Summer boredom. My brother Tyler moved out on the 17th and my brother Colin left this morning for his Sophmore year at Dickinson. He also took my bedroom TV...*inserts incredibly angry face*. I have considered starting to pack, but seeing as I'm packing a years worth of clothes, I'd be better off doing it closer to me leaving. Some cbyxers started packing last month, which makes me question what the hell their wearing, if anything, right now?

As my last gift before I leave, my stepmom has offered to cook my favorite meals for the week preceeding my departure. Kudos to my stepmom for this brilliant idea. I am helping with the prep process which will be tomorrow. I can't cook, I can just cut shit. So that's what I contribute. My list of "Last Suppers" include black beans and rice, crab cakes, chili, and spaghetti. I obviously have a very sophisticated palate.

Oh yes, so now for the translating disasters that I know you so crave to hear. I seriously start to wonder whether I'm the only kid pulling this stuff. Anyway, in one of my E-mails to my host mother I attempted to ask whether we could purchase a hair straightener when I arrive there (This is because AFS has assured me that if I try to plug it in while in Europe, it will surely blow up. As much as I would like to pull a mythbusters and see if this would actually happen, my parents might not be so proud to hear I set my host families house on fire my first night). Unfortunately, I don't know the word for "straightener". As the lazy teen that I am, I would much rather plug that into a translator than actually look it up in my German-English dictionary. So, I did..finished the E-mail...and sent it. When I got an E-mail back, I was promptly told that I had just asked if I can purchase hair plugs when I arrive. So pretty much my host family is expecting a prematurely balding chick to show up at the train station. Damn you Babble Fish!

School and Birthday Card Fiascos

Haaaalllllooo<--- I actually hate saying hello like that because there is a German blogger named Katrina who literally starts off every single video (she does like two a day) with "haaaaallllooo". Grrr. Sucker punch her in the face. And by that I mean...absolutely nothing. I hardly ever have a method to my madness.

So, I have finally finished summer school. Yey for only having 18 days of actual summer now. Important to note is that I do not in any way promote the summer school program I used- Aventa. It has continually disappointed my family and I by being unreliable and inefficiently run. For example, I got my online report card for the class today and I had an 82 in history. You know why? Because my online teacher decided not to grade any of my discussion questions I turned in, thereby giving me 0/100 for discussions. I know, fascinating. Basically, if you have the option, don't use it.

Moving on to a topic slightly more stimulating. Last Friday was my host brothers 17th birthday. I thought it would be a nice gesture to buy a card for him. Unfortunately, my sense of humor tends to override my sense of judgement. I try so hard to be funny that many times I get myself into a pickle. See, I decided that instead of a regular card, how funny would it be to get one of those music cards, right?? And that's really where I should have stopped. But knowing me, God forbid I not make a total ass out of myself. I then chose the Cinderella princess birthday card for this soccer playing 17 year old boy. When you open the card it makes a magical *dodododo* sound and then has cinderella wish him a happy birthday. The kicker is that inside it wishes "the beautiful princess" a happy birthday. So I crossed out the "ss" and made it prince. And I sent it.

Now, I totally regret it. Of course I would never second guess it before I sent it because that would be all too convenient. Even though in the writing I made sure he knew it was a joke, I feel as if it may not have been my smartest move. This is especially since I have never once talked to Chris or even sent an email. So my first impression is sending him a princess card. BUT they keep raving that they are a very funny family so this will be a true test of their sense of humor. Then again, I have also heard that German humor is completely different than America slap-stick humor. And if it completely bombs, then little to say, it will be a very long year.