tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89927906455652239762024-03-13T18:18:29.454-04:00Valerie in DeutschlandA documentation of my year abroadValeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12192632170485532728noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992790645565223976.post-87623173624455017502011-10-01T18:02:00.002-04:002011-10-01T18:28:16.790-04:00Austausch: Die erste vier wochen<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wow has it really been almost 2 months since I posted something...? So alot happens in a MONTH as an exchange student, I will just start from the beginning....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The week before I left I had a going away party, to…well say goodbye…to family and my friends. That was really great, but I’ve never seen so many people at my house at one time! Saying the goodbyes was hard; But leaving my friends & family to spend my junior year abroad [as a Rotary Exchange Student] in Cologne (Köln), Germany has been an adventure. In the security line at the airport, I was finally forced to say one last goodbye before I left, to my parents, my two younger sisters, Monica & Jill, our exchange student we are hosting, Sarah, and my best friend, Sabina. Lots of tears. Lots of hugs. Sooo many mixed feelings.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIbd6Kmz5JiLRSHEy2LN9LAxs5EmsiM1-v6_yoG2kV5EJz9CGGz7ZUj8ZSDLrQ-WPRXP_kCr7DsyrDDeMY8Yij8wlpaiAvQqdObU3q9CeIZPtBZ2dRAi674zB85CdNn138EsakNifZylz/s1600/307311_248686315170796_100000882892911_737003_1399202_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIbd6Kmz5JiLRSHEy2LN9LAxs5EmsiM1-v6_yoG2kV5EJz9CGGz7ZUj8ZSDLrQ-WPRXP_kCr7DsyrDDeMY8Yij8wlpaiAvQqdObU3q9CeIZPtBZ2dRAi674zB85CdNn138EsakNifZylz/s320/307311_248686315170796_100000882892911_737003_1399202_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">My parents, sisters, BFF & I right before leaving for Logan Airport ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">(ps photo credit goes to my awesome host-sister, Sarah)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>As I stepped on that plane, all alone, I was oblivious to the fact that I had just changed my life...</strong> I cried a good portion of the flight, and did manage to get a little sleep.The plane landed in Paris at 8am (2am, NH time). Knowing no French was great when asking for help, but i got to the waiting area for my next flight fine. I had nothing to do for the next 5 hours of my layover, and being bored while wanted to do nothing but sleep is not a fun combination.... Somehow I made it through awake, but I am pretty sure that I fell asleep on the plane going to Cologne before we even left the ground. At 3:30pm (9:30am for NH) I arrived at the Köln-Bonn Airport. I found my luggage and made my way out of security, where I met my host family for the first time, holding an American Flag and signs with my name on them! Hugs, and we left the airport…by train! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRryNI8syUOA9JLnRhmmvVPgM_E7yg0G8w56NGmlmwk8n-Kh0FaJNxdBYc6sTKrMvZ2dUIzoAwWMyMTvaiIw1Fgp_TS1gC_ViKnVP-UG3aeOI25mKo6Pk4PjP_0aw9gLosDiw5wxctSBC7/s1600/306443_248689921837102_100000882892911_737076_4457007_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRryNI8syUOA9JLnRhmmvVPgM_E7yg0G8w56NGmlmwk8n-Kh0FaJNxdBYc6sTKrMvZ2dUIzoAwWMyMTvaiIw1Fgp_TS1gC_ViKnVP-UG3aeOI25mKo6Pk4PjP_0aw9gLosDiw5wxctSBC7/s320/306443_248689921837102_100000882892911_737076_4457007_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">My host family & I in the back yard, right after I arrived</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">(photo credit goes to my -other- host sister, Leonie, who is currently on exchange in Argentina)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The 2nd day in Köln, my host parents and I went into the Stadt (aka city) & visited the Kölner Dom.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwwgcmWwuiebzImpmO8U82WwJ68-gIe3a2xVgiKbmHSdhg73xjJCyONnJJvNQc3iZucxizizaglBa10svm6dnJFuo7YKUKes8gwfgznQHAayci1Zs1fTd3u94jucnz2lqdYBkz1VmvUe/s1600/299699_250444584994969_100000882892911_743300_1352459421_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwwgcmWwuiebzImpmO8U82WwJ68-gIe3a2xVgiKbmHSdhg73xjJCyONnJJvNQc3iZucxizizaglBa10svm6dnJFuo7YKUKes8gwfgznQHAayci1Zs1fTd3u94jucnz2lqdYBkz1VmvUe/s320/299699_250444584994969_100000882892911_743300_1352459421_n.jpg" width="234" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Kölner Dom</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsRSDI4pOrBFG82yERu9yCfSnZEXSbhNjW230uc-z_ojkwbV35WJPxnSwPvqqUjeVttH03O6N4LESGbk7cngBO7r_TwU4lybRxubHF4TLiXraSCyE1xn_OgHqr9bGb6Md-VJXmbhJwXFt/s1600/302816_248691055170322_100000882892911_737095_518259_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsRSDI4pOrBFG82yERu9yCfSnZEXSbhNjW230uc-z_ojkwbV35WJPxnSwPvqqUjeVttH03O6N4LESGbk7cngBO7r_TwU4lybRxubHF4TLiXraSCyE1xn_OgHqr9bGb6Md-VJXmbhJwXFt/s320/302816_248691055170322_100000882892911_737095_518259_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Me with the Kölner Dom & Rhein River in the background</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On the Monday after I arrived, I started at a Sprachen Schule, for a 4-week course, with other Exchange Students living in the area. I just finished the course on Friday.. and real school starts on Tuesday for me! <br />
There was an Inbound Weekend in a small town, about 3 hour train ride from Cologne, 2 weeks ago. That was lots of fun, and i got to know alot of the other Exchange students really well. Its amazing how much in common you can have with someone whom you have never met before. That is one of the up sides of Exchange, especially Inbound-Inbound, speaking: you will always have <em>something </em>to talk about!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLu5g-VsZV1KeCz4In8ZIxE0zUBOTVzW3B9UEV0a2VoaWoG2ICbxkIhTJPSNNfA5V1psXJxmOvAfzdIUegsuMXdX9q8T6n3UBsaWCWG6S-oXEP2K758ON0ClZFRcDp2d9oPCB8RjCct7pK/s1600/296155_166540676762733_100002204059621_343004_1350394039_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLu5g-VsZV1KeCz4In8ZIxE0zUBOTVzW3B9UEV0a2VoaWoG2ICbxkIhTJPSNNfA5V1psXJxmOvAfzdIUegsuMXdX9q8T6n3UBsaWCWG6S-oXEP2K758ON0ClZFRcDp2d9oPCB8RjCct7pK/s320/296155_166540676762733_100002204059621_343004_1350394039_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Inbound Weekend</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The inbound weekend made me realize how difficult eating right is, especially when being allergic to <em>alot</em> of common foods, plus being vegetarian. That weekend I pretty much lived off of just Brotchen (bread or a roll). Brot in general is a staple food for the Germans. Breakfast, lunch & dinner it is served. Dinner in my family consists of mainly bread, and various toppings ex) cheese or marmalade. Its good, but I'm still not adjusted to eating so much bread. Also, the warm meal is served at lunch (typically between 1 or 2 in the afternoon). That has also gotten some getting used to. And after a long search, we were able to find gluten-free bread for me, and vegetarian alternatives:) Life is good.<br />
<br />
Overall, Exchange so far is amazing. I have met so many nice people and learned alot about the culture, and about myself. Its hard to put the experience into words, but I'll do my best & keep posting (maybe more often than 1x a month), to give you a little taste of my new life here in Köln :)</span></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12192632170485532728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992790645565223976.post-35778578493582221732011-08-03T23:12:00.005-04:002011-10-01T18:21:09.021-04:00T-Minus One Month & Counting<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So. Here I am, thinking about what I will be doing one month from now... All my friends will be back in school, and I, will be in another country. I never pictured myself being an Exchange Student, yet here I am... Its exciting; the anticipation is growing everyday, as I ready myself for the year to come. I've continued to work on my German all summer, and I have been talking to my host family via chat/email. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My itinerary:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I leave Thursday, September 1st from Logan Airport in Boston at 6:50pm, for my 7.5 hr flight to Paris, France. I should arrive there at 7:55am (their time), and then I have a 5 hr layover, until my flight to Cologne, where I should arrive at 2:35pm on Sept. 2nd. (8:35am NH time).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My host family has 4 kids: twins who are 11, and two daughters, 15 & 16; Leonie (the 15 year old) is also going to be an Exchange Student this year, in Argintina. She is, ironically, leaving the same day I am arriving. But at different airports : (</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the first month of my Exchange I will be attending a Language Camp, that all the Inbounds have to go to, which is right in the city. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As for right now, I eagerly wait for the next 4 weeks to pass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIO5-GV5gM5t1r_Ur9gfbcoFKuCldcnGFJanWX-vwVuOlaOhd0Ji3k95_ISl5DM41okhZhcfKNFzdC0GIrO12XqxfGBb8W_Vh-2MFVts7KsuiB40WmD0MBOrCrZlBqvHGiDqyJUw711l5/s1600/Wallingford-Rotary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIO5-GV5gM5t1r_Ur9gfbcoFKuCldcnGFJanWX-vwVuOlaOhd0Ji3k95_ISl5DM41okhZhcfKNFzdC0GIrO12XqxfGBb8W_Vh-2MFVts7KsuiB40WmD0MBOrCrZlBqvHGiDqyJUw711l5/s320/Wallingford-Rotary.jpg" t$="true" width="224" /></span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The 2011 Outbounds with the 2010 Rebounds</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">at the Paul Harris Memorial Building</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">for the Rebound Meeting </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">on July 31, 2011.</span></span></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12192632170485532728noreply@blogger.com0