Hey everyone, I´m finally posting on my blog.
As I´m sure most of you are aware my flight didn´t crash like a firey ball into the ocean however it was long and extremely boring. I made do with the inflight entertainment while staying clear of the movie ´New Moon´- sparkly vampires are just not my cup of tea. I also read some plane letters that friends had written me that made me feel better. The food was crap but still slightly eatible...:s
Anyway after my flight from Perth to Singapore which was about six hours or so I had another thirteen hour flight to Frankfurt before ariving in Frankfurt German time at 5.15am. Germany is seven hours behind Australia so that basically meant I travelled back in time (I felt like Dr Who) but also that I felt really tired as I had been travelling since 3.30pm australian time the day before. Then Justine (the other girl I travelled with from Perth) and I were greeted at Frankfurt by AFS volunteers and we waited in a special section for AFS students for other students to arrive as we were the first. Finally I left to take the train to my host family with other students at about 12.00pm. Upon arrival in Dusseldorf I was greeted with hugs by the AFS local chapter and my host family. Then I was taken to my home in Homberg, a suburb in Ratingen, before exporing the town. Coming from Perth where everything is pretty much made of concrete and new, the buildings seemed very old and beautiful.
On the Monday I had school where I got to choose my subjects which are maths, german, english, history, art, sport, biology and religion. Most of these subjects I share with my host sister Pia who is in the same grade as me (Yr 12). School is Germany is very different than school in Australia (it´s pretty much our version of university)- you only have to go to school when you have a class and you can leave the school grades at any time during the day. Also there are no assembelies and no school uniform (which makes deciding what to wear a difficult choice). Kids in Germany also get a million breaks, every period they get a five minute break and every second period a fifteen minute pause. Then at 1.15pm there is a 45 minute break for lunch. However most days you don´t need this as you´ve already finished school. Only on Mondays and every second Wednesday do I need to stay at school or in Ratingen for lunch as these are the days that I have sport. On Mondays I have eight periods but because my art teacher broke her back I have only six. Every other day I only have four or five (because my art teacher isnt there I have free periods-however I heard today that she might be coming back next week). As most days I´m finished by lunch, Pia and I catch the bus back home and have lunch with her sister and mother. Lunch is a warm meal while dinner is bread rolls, cold meat and cheese.
On my first weekend I went to Dusseldorf shopping with Pia and a friend before going around to a friend´s house to play kicker (table soccor) in his basement. The night before I went to a soccor game in Dusseldorf which was very dramatic but the score was null all. Last weekend I went to a gathering of some friends of my host sister. Then on the saturday night I and Pia went to Anja´s house and made dinner. Pasta, salad and then for desert rasperberries and ice cream :) We ended up sleeping over and caught the bus home the next day-running with a breadroll in our hands to the bus stop.
I´m trying to speak more German so I insert german words into sentences as I speak so hopefully I learn quickly! I´m doing my Deutsch books at school as I can´t understand any of the subjects except for english- which I´m a pro at :) I also watch some Deutsch TV- Germany´s next top model (an ace show) and try to follow what they´re saying.
Missing my friends and family although excited for the 10 monats that lay ahead
Till next post
xoxo
