Everything Up Until Now!

I'm really bad at this blogging thing, sorry. I have been writing in my Journal everyday so now I have to get in the habit of writing it over the internet! So I made it safely to Dresden. Paul and I got off the train and right away we see a sign saying "Wilkommen Kayleigh!" and both of our families are waiting for us. So I saw my final goodbye, and go off to my new family! My mom, Kerstin, dad, Micheal, big bro Niklas, little sister, Nele, and a friend of Nora's (oldest daughter in family who is in Florida) Alex, were there to pick me up! We got home ate some dinner which consisted of Pumpkin soup (delicious) and lasagna. Then we went and explored downtown Dresden! It is crazy beautiful! Almost all the buildings are reconstructed from WW2, and they even used some old bricks from the leftover of the old *building. The Frauenkirche (Women's Church) is ginormous and glamorous! Nele and I were getting along very well, drinking the "best chocolate in town" chocolate milkshakes, while Micheal was telling me all the history behind everything. It was very, very interesting! There is even this wall with all the Kings of either Saxony or Dresden, I believe Saxony! Then we went and saw fireworks, they were for the opening of a  new bridge but my family said it was my "Welcome to Dresden, Kayleigh!" fireworks(:
**Mom, there is a star next to building because when writing the word, it reminded me of back in elementary school when you taught me the special way to remember how to spell building(:

The first week of school went pretty good! The first day I was pretty confident because it didn't seem so bad, and I met a couple of new friends right off the bat! But the second day hit, and my Geography class was just insane. The teacher was speaking a million words a minute, and he even wanted me to say all these rivers and seas the German way, and YES he did know I was an exchange student, and another kid read it instead. The week was nice though, the teachers are very understanding and I know basically nothing that is going on, but the girls translate for me(: Nele and I either ride the school bus or a regular bus home. We have to have a school bus because we go to school that is not our school building. The real school is under construction because Dresden went through a really bad flood earlier this year, and the school was wrecked. The strangest thing about my classes is in P.E. the boys are separated from the girls. And at Memorial, my school at home, we are just put with everybody. But I am looking forward to my next week!

This weekend we went to Berlin! We stayed over at the grandpa's house. Saturday night we met up with David and Lisa, really good friends of the Weidners, and David even came to Germany through YFU when he was 16! David plays in an Orchestra so Kerstin, Micheal and I went to the orchestra. It was a very nice time, and the music was really lovely! Anne-Sophie Mutter, a famous violinist was playing as well! Before the orchestra we had some time to spare so we went and looked at a remaining piece of the Berlin Wall. It was very interesting. It is all graffittied up and had A LOT of chewed gum on it d:  Then after the orchestra we went to a restaurant and had dinner and a few drinks. We met up with another woman from the orchestra and we were having a very nice conversation(: The next day we met up with everyone and went and saw a memorial for the holocaust victims. It was a very interesting piece, it's 19,000 meters sq. and it has 2,711 concrete blocks. Underneath is a museum  talking about the holocaust. It was very hard to read about and see pictures about. It was a very good museum. Then we went to a gate where there was a gathering for something, I'm not quite sure. Then we went to a small restaurant had lunch, and said our goodbyes. It was a very nice time in Berlin, and hope to go back soon!(:

Berlin Wall

Nele and I in Berlin

Memorial for Holocaust Victims

Sorry!

It's been crazy the last couple days, I said goodbye to my Family in Flensburg and hello to my family in Dresden on Saturday! It was both a sad and happy day! Tomorrow after school I will write what has been going on the last couple if days(: 

Now that I actually have my computer chord, and we have internet, I can start blogging more. We have been busy the last couple of days! Friday after school, some friends, and some host siblings went shopping down town in Flensburg. After walking around for an hour and having some dinner, Paul, his host brother Niklas, my host sister Johanna and I went to a handball game! It was so intense! Flensburg won(: The yesterday we had a long day. We took a train to go see a Viking Museum, which was a little dull. But then we went on a tour and got some of the history (in English, thank god). We got to check out some of the houses that were discovered, and how they lived life. It was pretty interesting! Then we took a fairie to go see a few more museum exhibits. Back during WW2 they had Nazi Chess, the chess pieces represented different parts of the nazi army. quite interesting. Afterwards we went to a little cafe by a castle, and had quite a few laughs! Afterwards Paul and Niklas came over for a bonfire, and we had sausage, and bread. What you do with the bread is take the dough and wrap it around a stick and bake it over the fire! It was quite delicious!

Flensburg Germany

I have been living in Flensburg for a couple of days now, getting settled in and getting to know my Family. They are very very nice, and have taken me in with no problem! I thought I was good on sleep but then I started my language course which is at the City Hall (der Rathaus) for 8 hours a day. Thank goodness I get the weekends off!! When my laptop chord arrives in the mail, I will post the Pictures I have taken. I got to meet my host grandparents the other day! One of them even brought me candy and 10 euro! I was surprised, but it felt nice because it seemed like I was just their other grandchild! Talk about feeling welcome into the family(: I hope to soon travel around Flensburg by myself, or with some of the friends from the language course, soon. It's a city that is screaming "EXPLORE ME!" I have gotten comfortable with my host siblings, Noah (15) and Johanna (18). We had a night of playing the Wii! I'm so glad that Johanna speaks almost perfect English, otherwise there would be a huge language berrier! She is my translator with my other Family members d: I'm very excited that they chose me to come live with them, They are amazing, and I'm so glad that they have accepted me! Bis Später!

I have arrived!

I am now in the Frankfurt airport. I didn't get any sleep on my 9 hour flight, but enjoyed the free movies and meals! I have to wait another 5 hours for my flight from Frankfurt to Hamburg. I'm exhausted! And I only get 30 minutes of free internet, and have no other way of contacting people. Great.  I'll see if I can understand all the German being spoken around me! Bis Bald!

Goodbye

Today I'm leaving to go down to Chicago. My flight isn't tomorrow, but we decided it would be easier to drive down tonight. Last night it hit me, tonight's the last night I'm going to be sleeping in my bed, in my house. I just thought about all the things I was leaving behind today, and let's just say it was a really rough night. This whole trip will be worth leaving things for a year, but so many things will be different, and I'm sacrificing so much to do so. It's going to be hard saying goodbye to my life today, but at least an amazing experience will come out of it all.

Almost There!

I have my suitcase just about all packed up except for the last few needed items. I have 5 days left, and it still feels like a dream thinking about being away for a year. I look at it and think, "How did I ever get the chance to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity. I am one lucky girl". I'm very excited, but very sad when I think about leaving everybody. It's crazy that the time has gone by so quickly!