We in-line skated to the store :)

They tried to charge me 1 euro for taking a picture with him. The back of his head wasn't even painted silver, so I just said no.

This is the locke in W.R. It isn't very eventful, but I still think it's cool.

Front page!

Ritter Sport chocolate museum, mmmm.

First week of school

Family

Dju and Herr Hönuw (however that's spelled, he is my Rotary contact here)

Boat ride on Scharmützelsee mit other exchangers from all over, but they are not my Rotary club. This was really fun, a great day to miss school.

Things are great, I'm making friends, and doing a lot of different things. We went to make Pottery yesterday after school, today giulia and I went shopping (by the way, Mom and Dad, I might need a larger allowance or something, things here are rediculously expencive.) and tomorrow I am bringing Almut und Anni (host sisters) to meet with some Rotary friends in Berlin! Bis Später!

 Wendisch Rietz has about 200 people living there. It's a tourist town, so everyone else is a tourist. There was a big boat of people coming from other towns to see this place, it is very famous for the sauna here.

school is about an hour away and it starts tomorrow, I'm a little worried about going to school, I don't want to take the wrong bus and be late. Oh, and I still don't know my classes.

I didn't take pictures of the people dressing at the beach, but believe me, they were there.

To the lake/ BBQ

Pictures aren't really loading right now.

Today I met some of Dju's friends, two of which go to my school. We went to the lake with bikes. the bike I took a picture of a few posts ago was Oma's from 1957. Very old.
Did I mention the brakes don't quite work?

At the big beach ( at the lake)  I discovered that people just take off clothes like no one is watching. Mostly old and very young people. Why not the attractive ones for a change? No. Never. 

We, Dju and I, swam some, then vouged to start running so we won't get obese from all the butter Germans eat.

We got hungry soon and I odered French fries in German all on my own!
"Ich möchte, Bitte, zweimal Pommes. Einmal mit Ketschup, und einmal mit Mayo."

First thing she asked is " where are you from?"

And we spoke some, but I was telling her I came on lunch time rather than wednesday... Oops.
(Mittag vs. Mittwoch)

In the evening we had a BBQ for Giulia's last night in this Gahstfamilie (host family), It was nice.

There are lots of bees though.

Bis bald! Ich muß jetzt schlafen.
(time for bed, this morning I slept till 12:30 because I forgot to set an alarm, so its rest time now)

First time in Berlin

today we (Giulia and I) went to Berlin.  I've decided to live there someday because it is the most amazing city. I love it there even if we got lost a little.

this old rickety bike I rode to the bahnhoff (train station)

Which is where we bought this: the wrong ticket.

In Berlin HBF (like grand central station sort of)

A beautiful amazing very famous that some mean person decided to have a closed event at.

American Embassy

If you look close, there is some rocks in the street and that was the Berlin wall.

Cool walky man

Holocaust memorial.

The Fancy pants place, can't remember the name but there is an imax there

Yumm

(to tell you how famous and fantastic it is ) on the day of my arrival, Angelina Jolie was here signing autographs. This is the imax, there are a lot of premiers here and such. Really fancy place. Every movie is in its origional languege  and the bathrooms are free!

Classy European man ^^

Giant lego girraffe

I got it, shopping was really fun.

Berlin is amazing!

On the ride back we took the wrong train and spent 4 hours finding our way home. Still my favorite city though, and we made it out alive!

Erste Tag! (First day!)

Waking up at 4:30 am and arriving at my new home 28 hours later, showering hasn't felt so refreshing in quite a while.

I didn't have a seatbelt for the cross-Atlantic flight, but I didn't say anything because I actually would have rather sat there with someone I semi-know.

I slept for the first time on an airplane too. It was a good flight.

I met all these cool Americans on the way that are going to be in my same club this next year, I can't wait for the first meeting!

At the airport in Berlin (the last of my 3 flights) was some of my first host family  waiting to meet me. Here's them.

Left to right is: Christoph (Host Dad), Almut (Host Sister), me ,  and Giulia (Brazillian exchange student who just lived with my new host family.)

That's not the whole family, but that is who was at the airport and it was pretty great to be met with smiles and hugs.

before

I have 16 days before I leave for Germany. Isn't that crazy? I am rediculously excited and scared half to  death. I've already said a few goodbyes, but the whole "leaving for a year" hasn't quite hit me yet. After all, it's only one year.