Well, the first month has absolutely flown by. Actually, I'm pretty sure it still hasn't sunk in that I am in Germany and will be until next JULY. So my one-monthaversery with Deutschland means a few different things for me:
1) Sprachkurs and Orientierungskurs are done.
2) I no longer have daily contact with my English-speaking YFU buddies.
3) I have left my first host family.
4) I've just completed my first week with my new host family.
5) I have to go to school.
6) I'm starting to create a schedule here.
7) I can actually understand a fair bit of German and even can talk to people.
Explanations:
1-2) I was in a language and culture course for my first three weeks in Germany with other YFU/CBYX exchange students of similar lingual level in German. In Sprachkurs, we talked about grammar, watched a movie, talked about the news, and whatever other language related questions we had. In the culture course, we talked about the German political system, food, problem solving strategies, cultural difference, stereotypes, YFU's mission, and so many other things. Although at first it seemed like it was going to be a drag, my awesome group of ten students really bonded and had a great time. Basically, YFU planted instant, sympathetic friends for me to ease my transition to life here and it totally worked. Having teachers to force me out my comfort zone and answer my questions as well as peers who could understand my situation and accompany me out of my safety bubble was so so so so so so so helpful. Whoever thought of this is (kind of) a genius (this system is kind of rough in other respects). Anyways, at the end of the course we had an adorable little potluck thing and we thanked our teachers and families and our teachers told us how awesome we all were and we all hung out and whatnot. Finally, after three weeks of class, laughs, and denglish, we tearfully parted with the families that helped us through the wild first three weeks and the real exchange year began. Now, we are scattered all over Germany to have our own experiences to share at the midyear trip.
3) Dang, was that sad. They helped me so much and were so awesome and my limited language ability made it difficult to properly take part in everything I wanted to be a part of. Luckily for me, I didn't move far from them so I could see them during the year.
4) I'm super excited to be a part of my new host family! In this family, I have a host mother and father, a host sister and a host brother (who is going to the US at the end of the week for his own exchange year).
5-6) SCHOOL again... Even though I've graduated...
School here:
I am in the twelfth grade
Uni basically made sure that no high school could have more work.
We have block scheduling.
For the most part, students stay in the same classroom (with the same classmates) and the teachers come in to teach and then go to their next class.
They have so many breaks.
The school day is super short.
On Thursdays, I have two periods of German with the eighth grade and then two periods of German with my class. There is quite a large difference between the two.
I walk to school.
I don't eat lunch at school.
In the Oberstufe, the teacher use Sie with the students.
There is very little homework and the majority of grades are based on class participation.
I'm playing viola in the orchestra, singing soprano in the chorus, and playing piano in the Big Band.
There's probably going to be more on school in the future but for now, that's enough.
7) More later. Too large of a topic for here.
So, basically, I've survived a month and it's been awesome. There has been so much change in the last month that I'm looking forward to settling in here in Norderstedt.
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