Ich verstehe kein Englisch nur Deutsch bitte...

so I am home sick yet again. I have been sick the inter week and I am trying to drink something warm since nothing else seems to help. I figured I would take this time to update you on the PARTY. My german is way better. I can like hold a conversation now and only make a couple mistakes. Everyone tells me that my German is better then most Americans so take that! I just got back from Orentation Camp and even though i felt like I may die the inter time it was really nice. I love when all the different kultars can mix together and talk about what problems we were having. We put on a talent show which was really fun there were six Americans there so we taught every one how to play American Football. The two kids from Thailand sang this song which was so cool (thats what the video is of incase you are wondering).  Schools going good I have found great friends who I really like. Did you know that they don't have cheez-its or Campbell's Chicken Noodel Soup in Germany? that should be a crime or something! I am going though withdraws! How are you supposed to get better when you are sick! Here are some pictures from the past week:

germans carve pumpkins too;) mine was a german flag and american flag!

So I worry sometimes about the people I know. For instints my host sister who is jamming to Party in the USA right now!

European Mann Tasche

this. guy. was. old. If he hadn't been old I would have asked him to take his picture because he was rocking that European man bag and I am pretty sure he knew it. When i say he was old I mean like he look like he could fall into cardiac arrest at any second. So when he sat in front of me on the bus I was like score old guy with a sweet European Mann Tasche can this day get any better? Clearly it did because when I was in the city later on I drank the world's most lecker (delicious) hot chocolate, learned how to use a German atm, and guess what I saw? You'll never guess what I saw so i will just tell you. I say a another guy with a European Mann Tasche.
LIFE IS GUT.
I have become so fascinated by the idea of becoming "sehr Deutsch" or very German. Everything around me is so new and interesting. I laugh because i know my host sister is probably thinking these crazy complex thoughts and I am thinking la de da the Mosel is very pretty. I can see the Porta Nigra every day and still marvel at its beauty. I wonder how i got so lucky in my placement. Why everyone else has got to go to orientation camp but me. I want to go to camp..I love camp. Plus what's better than going to camp with a bunch of people who can't talk to each other!
I also have become obsessed with cleaning. I think its because i have nothing better to do. So I just start cleaning my room. I organize my clothes according to color and session and make my bed at least three times. I find joy in vacuumming because it takes a while. I am going to start playing the piano. Starting next Saturday I believe.Yes, very exciting if I come back knowing one song it will be a job well done. I am shooting for "Mary had a Little Lamb".

EIN MONAT im Deutschland!

having reached the one month mark I thought I would make a list of all the things I have learned so far starting from the moment i got off the plane...

1) No matter how hard I try the moment I open my mouth they always know I am American even if I keep it simple with things like Nein!
2) Germans have a starring problem! If you are a exchange student considering Germany I am now speaking to you I hope you have alot of self confidence because for the first week all they will do is stare and stare some more and possibly in passing scream ahh there goes an exchange student! then return to starring!
3) Germans eat and they eat alot. They eat breakfest which you are expected to be up and ready for. Then you have a series of " Pause" or breaks they last 15 mins and during each of those you eat. You then return home for Mittagesessen which directly traslated is like middle of the day meal its like Lunch but its much larger. This is a common practice found in my family snacking while watching Greys Anatomy so that one has no idea how much they have actually eatten or the nutritional vaule of the foos that they have consumed. I am okay with it...I have embrassed the fact that I will indeed gain weight. Its worth it when your eating what I am. 
4) Opening your window. You must do it. There is no choice. Upon arrivial I got the sweet surprise that there is no air conditioning in Germany which means constant windows being opened no matter how cold the morning is. 
5) Germans have the best words. I love german words. I wish I could say them better though. I form these perfect sentences in my head and write them amazingly. However, I lack the confidence to speak them. That brings me to my next point.
6) German music is so cool. I love it even though i can't understand it. If your ever looking for some new music I have lots of recommendations now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgCOUO-s8nY
7) Lastly, I miss ever one at home alot. I know everday I am missing something but then I look at all then amazing things I am doing here. my year is nothing compared to anything I would have ever had if I had stayed home  I am so grateful for my experencie and for everyone who has helped me. From making pancakes with choclate chips and bannanna or going to Luxemburg I wouldn't give up my adventure in Germany for a single homecoming dance or football game.
Hope everyone had a good month!
 

Ferien!

In Germany there are a series of four "ferien's" or breaks. Right now is fall Ferien aka fall break which last about two weeks long. On the first Monday of Ferien it is also Tag der Deutschen Einheit its kinda like Germany's independece day. Overall no one has to work on this day My host family and I took the day and went to Luxemburg a small country about 6 miles away from where we live. It is so small there army consists of 200 people an the palace is garded by one person. This is a picture of the changing of the gaurd.

What is a better thing to do then eat cake and drink hot choclate milk? nothing. The Choclate House faces the palace of the king of Luxemburg.

I have no idea what this is. There are odd sculptures like this everywhere.

Meine familie ( Marion, Alisha, Joshua, Me) Not pictured Joanna, Rudi and Oma because she was taking the picture!

So a normal night for us consist of the same routine at 7:30 Greys Antomey comes on. We all gather in our respective spots and watch it together. I have no idea that is going on unless they have cancer. Then we slowly take turns going into the kitchen for food. Joann wasn#t to happy when i took this picture but I had to capture the moment.