Bailey's September Update

September 2015

 

I have been kept very busy during September. Throughout September my school has been writing their class exams. On days that there are exams I have a free period. My host parents and teachers have told me I do not need to write them considering my education here does not count and I would not understand everything yet. I did however write the exam for my English class, I thought it was fairly easy.  I have learned that Germans are very reserved. I have tried to engage in conversation with multiple students at my school, however I don't believe they like small talk. The other day I tried to ask a girl I have multiple classes with how she was, instead she looked at me and walked away, even when I asked in German. I have however made a small group of friends. I even went shopping the other day with 2 of them. There is a group of girls that I get along with and have plenty of classes with.

 

On September 6th, I volunteered with my Rotary Club at a children’s carnival. We had a booth set up to sell popcorn, hot dogs, coffee and pop. We made more money than we thought, so it was a successful day. At the carnival I met this women who asked if I would be willing to tutor her in English. So now I tutor her once a week in English. She is a University professor, however she needs a refresher in English. In exchange she teaches me some German. I have a German tutor already but it's nice to have the extra lessons. My German teacher is a rebound who spent his year in Ecuador. I see him twice a week and I really like that he is my age because we have similar interests and he quickly became my friend.

 

My host father surprised me with tickets to a local soccer game. The stadium is roughly 30 minutes away, and the team is really popular. The team had lost their last 5 games, but won the game I was at. I really loved the atmosphere in the stadium. Everyone was cheering and singing, very different than games in Canada.

 

Last Saturday I also visited an amusement park called Phantasialand with another exchange student from Peru and her host family. They had invited me to tag along, which was very sweet of them. It was a 1 and a 1/2 hour train ride to my friends host city, and then an hour drive to the park. I was tired before the day even started. We spent the whole day riding rides and seeing shows. The park was really nice, even though it was freezing cold.

 

In my last update I said I had joined a volleyball team.  We have had 3 games since then, and lost all 3. I like my teammates a lot, I enjoy going to practice because they are so youthful and funny. We just had a game last Sunday.

 

I have still been going to Rotary meetings every Tuesday, and at each one I still speak for 1 minute. The Rotary members really enjoy it because they get to see our progress and hear what we are up to. On Saturday I am leaving for a 2 week trip with my district. Roughly 65 exchange students are going, and we are travelling across Germany. We start in Duisburg and visit Munich, Berlin, Dresden and Munster. I am really looking forward to the trip. I have meet up with the other students twice this month. One time was for a birthday and the other was for a tour around Düsseldorf.

 

Thank you!

 

Bailey Elliott