I.Love.Germany.

The good

So now I have been with my host family for over a month. It has been really interesting and I’ve really enjoyed it. In fact, love it. Ha. The food is delicious and I’m in love with the bakeries. I could eat bread all day… But I try not to. Usually. I find the architecture so cute and quaint! I probably only like it so much because it’s different from what I’m used to in America, but still. I think it’s beautiful. I really like the public transportation here. If I know where I want to go, I can just hop on a bus or train or tram and TA-DA! There. It’s so simple and convenient and works so well. I love it. I have used it several times already. Alone, I might add, which is so liberating. It makes me feel so independent or whatever. Ha! Who needs cars. I love the general atmosphere of the shops and culture. The markets are so interesting for me. I’ve walked through 2 small ones briefly with my host family so far. A lot of it was food that looks sooo delicious, but there are also stands with other things, perhaps. I find the small ones so cool, so I’m excited for the Weihnachtsmarkts, which I hear are awesome :). Wiesloch has a farmers market every Friday, and my host mom goes there to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, and perhaps a special meat for my host dad to make into a delicious Goulash or some such. Yum. Though that leads me into the “not so good” part :P

And the sort-of-not good

With all the good, it hasn’t always been sunshine and daisies. I’ve definitely gained weight, which doesn’t make me too happy. I do what I can to exercise, but the food is SO.GOOD. Can’t resist. Must.not.eat.more.bread….. And with as much as I love the food here, I find myself CRAVING American food.  Aaah. I suppose that’s part of the missing home part? Because I do, a bit. But it’s not like the “I’m so homesick!” sort of missing; I just miss familiarity, being able to express myself clearly, to understand what people are saying, and having friends. Because I am tired; oh, so tired. Concentrating in school on German all day is draining. Though my German has improved a lot, I still make plenty of mistakes or don’t know how to phrase something, and I don’t always understand what people are saying. Which is frustrating. And that doesn’t help with making friends. For example, I’d like to say something to someone, start a conversation, but I don’t know how or what to say. It’s a work in progress, this language-learning and friend-making business. Which sometimes stinks.

So anyways, school is going better and better, though some classes I think I’m going to straight up FAIL no matter how hard I try. Like physics. And chemistry. Good thing I don’t need the credits. I’ve been enjoying it overall though. English is my favorite, not because it’s in English (though that is a bonus), but because it’s the most amusing and interesting and interactive, I think. Things are going good with my host family. I’ve really enjoyed cooking things for them, like pancakes, apple pie, mac’ and cheese, and omelets. Haha, they really liked the pancakes. The differences in how their family functions is interesting, because it’s different from what I grew up in (obviously, I suppose). If you’re not Mormon, then this part is probably not very exciting for you, BUT I went to the Frankfurt temple, which I really enjoyed, and there was a conference with Monson in Germany that I got to go to which was SWEET. I’ve been taking art classes at the Volkshochschule (offers a bunch of courses, like art, theater, languages, crafts, reading groups, etc.). Ha, it’s funny, because I’m DEFINITELY the youngest there, but whatevs. I enjoy art for art, not the company. The teacher is an amusing, old, Italian guy, but he really knows his business, so it’s cool.

Overall, as the title states, I’ve loved being here, and can’t wait for more experiences!