A few thousand miles away, and a few hours between.

"Distance never separates two hearts that really care, for our memories span the miles and in seconds we are there. But whenever I start feeling sad, because I miss you, I remind myself how lucky I am to have someone so special to miss.

A good day. Cold, but good. My coat isnt going to work. Ins Bett jetzt!
Talked to cristan, chad and the boys. everyone looked good! miss all.
I loveee this place. so pretty. :)
Bis bald.

Lord, please be near.

I am doing well. Just about to call it a night. I rode my bike back to school today for my first choir class. woo. I felt like a hoss. Made it there in 15 minutes, but then it would be my luck for it to start raining on me when I started for home.

Hahaha. Mom Doris made Terimisu for dessert. And Maike made something that was devine. :)
I am now about to go to bed. I'm really not sure of what to tell you that is happening here. I have friends. And I am in two choirs, about to start flute lessons at the music school, and orchestra next week. So needless to say i'll be a busy child.

I wrote my first essay this week. That was fun. Really. no sarcasm there. Going to a birthday shindig tomorrow. And then sunday i have no clue. I will see about that later.

Must get some sleep. Bis spaeter. :)

The unisversity is done.

Hello all.

I went to my last day of university today, and we learn about bibliographies and essays. To my fellow seniors at SHS: Does this sound anything like Holi-Scott's class? hahaha. It was great. And for the record, it was an analaysis.

All in German. Night to all. :)

Don't persue me.

I don't want anything, but to live it up here. To show love, be loved, and have a ,,gutes Jahr" with my girls: Cossie, Caro, and Maike. Then of course the rents: Rolf and Doris.

I love life here. Today being in the university was very hard. I had to memorize one page of a German poem then recite it, and after being at a siminar from 8-5 the last thing I personally wanted to do was memorize something. My head was hurting and turning in circles. But I managed to get a few lines memorized, and then today when my teacher asked me to recite it, I completely froze. I said the wrong words, make the wrong gestures, and everyone laughed.

I stayed cool until I didn't know the difference between push and pull in german, and there was a kid that kept telling me i was wrong after i realize the door was not opening. And then I just had to walk away. I wanted to cried, but the most beautiful thing happened.

I was walking in with Cossie to some dumb room for some guy to say something I didn't know, when Caro who practiced with me this poem, stopped and asked me how everything went. I told her, and she said it is nicht slimm which is like don't worry about it. it happens. Then when she realized that i was really bothered she grabbed me in the hall before our group hug, and the gave me the biggest hug. She said your german is getting better everyday. And then went on to tell me that i was standing by her in the picture.

I want to tell you that i am in a choir with my family and i love it. tonight we sang beautiful by christine agulara. hahahaha. so fun. and the german ladies there had me rolling on the floor laughing and me to them also. It was a good day full of learning. Like I go nach Hause and maike was zu hause. little things.

It was just an encouraging night for a frustrating day in the university. In the morning, I am going to try this university again. I must go into the bed. I will see you all soon. I wrote a note today also.

And my shoes smell awful. Enjoy your day, and remember that God can use people to impact your life even if they aren't living for Him. And he can show you love by people better in every day situations that aren't huge. Just hugging someone who wants to give up, or giving them a new start when you don't understand what they are saying. What ever it is, let God use you with whatever it is He wants to use you for.

People are there in your life maybe not for you to teach them a lesson, but for you to learn a lesson, oder? Music is a stress reliver. Not the ipod, but piano and my flute and singing. I have come to fall in love with the sounds that they make.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the savior of my soul. I praise Him for the encouragement I recieve through Americans, Germans, emails, Scripture, and from nature. I am honored to say that I happy so happy, and I love it here. Love it. Bis Bald.

-Michelle.

If you think that plucking your eyebrows hurts, then you should try plucking your big toe hairs.

Now that hurts! ...Not speaking from experience or anything. Oh, alright, you know that I am a strange child, and this was from experience. Haha.

So I didn't think that it was at all possible to love someone before you met them, and it's a very real thing. When I met Tine for the first time at the Bonnhoff I threw my arms around her, just as she did to me. I was the coolest thing, and she asked me how I was and just grabbed my hand and took me under her wing. Every time that I tried to answer in English the first day I was here or any day after I heard her say, "nur Deutsch." Which translates to "only German."

I was a little bit overwhelmed with only German all the time, but I can't begin to tell you the beauty of this sentence. I had "Beautiful you" by Jonny Diaz in my head this same day, and I was singing as always do, and she said "Ein schönes Lied" or a pretty song. As the week went on she just became more and more beautiful to me.

She held me hand as we went into a school that I did not know, and made sure to reassure me that I looked good and schick. She helped me set up my German facebook, and we sat in front of a computer listening to music for a while. When we went to get my schedule made she basically told the teacher in charge that it was a total doof for me to take any language other than German. So the only language course I have is indeed German.

When people asked me if I could speak German she reassured them and me that I could ,,Gut Deutsch sprachen und verstanden." My heart has been so blessed because of this young lady who truely is a beautiful young lady. She will always been my BEAUTIFUL little sister, and I will always be impacted by her life.

So anyway, with that said, I felt that she needed to hear that song by Mr. Diaz, but we have had a lot of company which I completely understand. So I waited until right before I started writing this entry, and took my computer to her room and said come, you need to hear this Lied. So we sat down, and Maike came in just in time to hear it too. She said she could somewhat understand the song.

And we both started crying when it said, ,,There could NEVER be a MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU!" We made eye contact and all three of us started crying. Then we sat on Tines couch and just cried. The three sisters all holding eachother, hand in hand, with Jonny Diaz singing over us there could never be a more beautiful you.

I really dont think my purpose here is to impact as much as it is to be impacted. I know I am suppose to shine my light, but I have never known a love like that of a sister this close to my age, or two who are younger than me. They teach me daily in not only German, but in doing things for each other or in making me feel like part of the family.

Opa is included in the previous statement. He just looked over at me and asked me to go with him and Juli, our dog, for a walk. He took me and just talked to me, and explain what things were and it was just a beautiful as with Tine. And everytime we are all together for coffee which is almost everyday, he tells the girls to slow down.

God has blessed my heart with these people, and I pray that we do become family over the next year. Where they my like and dislikes as well as I know theirs. I don not think I have words in German yet or English anymore for the way I feel.

Psalm 139:13-14

I can tell you that I am seeing the love of God through these people by them just letting me stay with them, and going out of their way to make sure my eightteenth birthday is beautiful. They told me I could invite people over or out, and we would go as a family. They buy me the things that they know that I enjoying drinking or eating. It is beautiful.

To Tine:
God created your inmost being,
He knitted you together in your moms womb,
Praise the Lord because you were FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made.

Psalm

Ich liebe dieses Leben.

I really am having a great time here in this new place. I have an absolutely wonderful family, and they are so sweet teaching me how to speak, and being patient when i can't think of the words that i am trying to say in German.

They are very go with the flow, but always punctual. It's really neat. They are like take a shower when you want. Do this or that. And they ask me what are you doing in your free period not you have to do this. It's neat.

I figure I would feel you in on how the German school day goes. Now know that my schedule is not as hard as the other kids because my main focus is understanding the courses that I am taking, and that doesn't look hard when you see my schedule, but please remember all of my text books and lectures and even small talk in between classes are in German. And the most famous question right now is "Can she understand me?" Hahahah. I just laugh when they say that and then they say, "yes she can."

We have "A week" and "B week" here. Bare with me, this is a bit hard to explain, but I am going to try. Okay, these are my two schedules:

A Week:
Monday:
1 and 2 period: Religion
3 and 4 period: Math
5 and 6 period: Musik
7: Free period for lunch
8 and 9 period: History

Tuesday:
1. & 2. : German
3. & 4. : Musik
5. & 6. History
My day is over. (Schluss)

Wednesday:
1. & 2.: Pädagogik (I think this is similar to our psyc.)
3/4 Religion
5/6 Biology
Schluss

Thurday:
1/2 Sport
3/4 Double period free.
5/6 Chemistry
Schluss

Friday:
1/2 Free
3/4 Pädagogik
5/6/7 Free
8/9 Sport

B Week:

Montag:
1/2 Politics
3/4 Math
5/6 German
7 lunch
8/9 Biology

Dienstag:
1/2 German
3/4 Musik
5/6 History
7 Mittagessen
8/9 Math

Mittwoch:
1/2 Free
3/4 Reli
5/6 Bio
7 lunch
8/9 Chemi

Donnerstag:
1/2 Sport
3/4 Politiks
5/6 Chemie

Friday
3/4 p

:)

another dday and i feel like i am getting better with my german and with my time here. tomorrow i go to school with out tine, but i think i will be okay.

i had choir tonight and i loved it.
and we rode our bikes to the market
and then we ate
and the choir
and now i must sleep.

altough my head was hurting earlier it was a good day. praise GOD!

Du bist nicht ein Austausschulerin aus Amerkia, oder?

Hahaha. Christine and I went to get my studentplan and these girls were like hey tine and said nothing to me and then when i walked back out obviously she said something to them. haha. They were like you are from amerkia?

and then we talked for a while. for all you back home, i got out of school today at 10:30 am. haha. I have 10 classes which is the minimum, and i have no english class whatsoever. what else?

I know the difference between verstauchen: to sprain, verstehen: to understand. haha. my lieblingswurt is ja...and i really do feel like i am part of this family and i keep trying to better my german daily.

Tine helps with that because the first thing people ask is can we talk to her in english and she says no only german. and then when herr menkle tried to put me in spanish she said no she must learn german first.

i am able to have full conversations with them and i meant to tell you that this year i am working on be confident and i played my flute with sax music for tine and maike and they loved it. i am going to learn piano if i can since we have one here at the house and i have always wanted to.

hmmm. i need to go to bed because i did not sleep well last night., i forgot to tell you that i had to stand in front of the entire 11 klasse and introduce myself and of course they thought it was cool that i had a horrible accent.

haha.
ich liebe diese Leben.

Michelle ist da!

I'm finally at home, and honestly I am having trouble remembering words in english and how to type in english so i just turned my computer keyboard to german. it makes my life easier. I met my mom and dad and sisters today and tomorrow christian will come.

It is really funny today because when Rolf und Doris und Tine came to get me, me and tine sat in the back seat and sang all these crazy songs that we learned from experiment. hahaha. i loved it and then when we learned of the talent show that we both did we discussed what it was the each of us performed and the funniest thing was that we both did the Hoe down thrown down by miley cirus. hahaha. it was so funny. we got up during dinner and showed mom and dad how it went.

And before dinner we had our first bike ride together and then we got on the internet and she helped me set up my german facebook thing. it was pretty dang cool. I loved tonight. It was most definitely cool.

Talked to mom, dad, and janet today. Alles klar? Ich hoffe, dass es ist. Ich muss schlafen. Gute nacht. :)

Liebe Michelle,

This is something that is really important to you... well me. Is it still just as important? Did your dreams come true? Was this all that you hoped it would be? Did you stay true to yourself?

Liebe Grüße,
Michelle 14.08.2009

Today the small group ,,challenge" was to write ourselves a letter that we will get back at re-entry. You know what this makes me think of? Mrs. Avant's letters that I've got to wait a whole nother year for. Blehhhhh! I haven't even thought about those letters until now. Haha. I hope I forget about this one too until I get it back out of no where at Re-entry.

Class today was absolutely amazing. I did pass my test, but that is basically all that I did. But I was reminded once again to remember that I only had 2 years of German before this and everyone's grades were fairly low. Not like awful, but we all wanted better numbers at the bottom of our papers.

We listened to German party music, and I do have to say it's the best especially if you translate it and then you listen to it. Hahaha. It's so funny to listen for certain lines when you do this. And you understand the meaning of it which makes it even funnier. While we listened to music, we play twister in German. Wir haben spaß gehabt! For real it was the funniest thing, and we took lots of pictures. So you will get to see them soon.

After listening to music, and playing twister and going over tests, we watch Harry Potter 5 in German with German subtiles. I left that room with such a headache, and I tried to email someone in English and I couldn't think of the right English word or make the grammar work right. Sorry about that. It was pretty funny though because in a really quiet part of the movie I hiccuped and Maik chimmed in, ,,Michelle, who is thinking about you and kissing someone else?" I told him to can it. :)

Um... we took small group, wohnung, and class pictures today, and it was fun but a little sad. I love these people. I got one of the coolest pictures with Sensai Maik and Beautiful Kath. (I wrote this on every evaluation sheet.) Teamer: Beautiful Kath. Teacher: Sensai Maik. Bahahahahah.

Hmmmm. I need to go help my roomies clean because we have clean check. Tots got to get off so Katy can get on. Later, guys! :)

These three weeks are already gone?

Where did the time go? Possibly it ran back to America, or maybe it just went down to the Rhein. (That's a river.)

I really can't believe that in just a few days I will be saying good-bye to my Teamers, Teachers, and newest Friends. It's a bit surreal, and I have to say unexpected. I didn't think I'd become close to these people, and really that is exactly what I've done.

I think just like there is sometimes the craziest bond between Christ followers, that there are bonds between people going through the same things that no one will ever be able to convey in words. It's simply something you must experience first hand. But I do have to say these are friendships that I think will be fun to keep up with in the states.

And btdubs, two of these friends love the Lord with all their heart. We were talking, and I just think God is the coolest because they were on the waiting list, and I just happened to get in on the first try. It's just cool that God knew that the three of us would meet and be here with eachother to just love and encourage each other.

I can't explain it. But it's really neat.

I took my final test, and later today I'm watching Kebab Konnection with my class which by the way is a really cool German movie that I first saw in the States. So these are really movies that Germans watch.

I hope work, band, cheerleading, choir, and school are treating you all well. I start my real high school on monday. I just finished school here at the schloss. Well, I mean we do have class tomorrow, but it's just a fun day.

Oh and I mailed my luggage to my host family. Cool, huh? Just 13€. Beat that price. ;)

Liebe euch! :)

Best song in the entire world. :D

Fee!
(Fee!)

Fee Fi!
(fee fi!)

Fee fi fo!
(Fee fi fo!)

Commo la la commo la la commo la vista!
(commo la la commo la la commo la vista!)

Oh no no! No No la vista!
(Oh no no! No No la vista!)

Vista!
(Vista!)

Einie meanie twizy wennie ohah cowatchie meanie otchiecotchie comrarchie oh i oh!
(Einie meanie twizy wennie ohah cowatchie meanie otchiecotchie comrarchie oh i oh!)

Its been yotz cotz soll al comean doch so i al chhhhhhh!
(Its been yotz cotz soll al comean doch so i al chhhhhhh!)

Bick ba ba Luuuuz! Baba Luza Bingo!
(Bick ba ba Luuuuz! Baba Luza Bingo!)

I'll teach it to you if you let me, and you only get to hear the words. Never do you see them except for here. :)

Michael Jackson vest...I like it. :)

,,You should wear it on your first day of German school with a really short skirt and high heels." ....And you're on crack.

So yesterday I did my research presentation, but I didn't research at all. I just did it on my best friends. It was fun to show my new friends the people that I love. They were really cool about seeing your photos on my power point, and Maik told me ,,Es is sehr schön." It made my day for sure.

Things in class are so funny. We play so many games, and laugh at everything. And of course if someone messes up a word really badly everyone yells, ,,Du bist ein Epishe Fehrschlag!!!" (You're an epic failure.) It's sticks here in German too. We have a good time in class. It never fails that if you fall asleep that Maik will try to scare you, and the whole classes will be watching him do it.

We ate this keesh like substance thing. I'm not sure what it's really called, but it was pretty good. I just got full and couldn't eat anything else. I enjoyed the banana milkshake too. It reminded me of an old friend, but that is beside the point.

Promise rings seem to be the topic of choice to talk about right now. I wish I wouldn't have forgotten mine. But anywho... I think that I'm getting off the computer. I'll chat with you all soon. Tschüs. :)

I've been on the internet wayyyyyyy too long.

I would write a long novel like i usually do, but I shouldn't. I need to get off.

Today was good. Lots of laughs and fun times.
I got to teach the hoedown throw down with joy to our class yesterday.
And today we practiced with the other members of our group for the talent show.

Today we also did small group skits which was a lot of fun especially when you get to play the obnoxious clengy Ami. :) That was my part btdubs. :)

Um.. what else???
I got a headache....and did some dishes, and cleaned my room.
And of course I had four classes today, and then I got to help with a seminar on the German school system....my whole class did.
And tomorrow Christian gets an awesome surprise. :D

,,Ich liebe deise Leben." -Juli.
Tschüs. :)

Wow, you talk alot.

I know alot is two words...

I really type a whole lot.
So this time.
I won't.

I just wanted to tell you I'm going down stairs.
Baahaha.
Hope school treats you all well.
Chow.

You will both be blind for ten minutes.

So as you probably have noticed we do group activities here that make you think and challenge your brain as to why the heck you're doing something. Kind of like things they some times give us to do at camp for those of you who go to Trinity.

Last night in small group we were paired with another member of the group and had to lead them around where ever we wanted. The catch though was that they had to keep their eyes closed, and you weren't suppose to talk. I was an epic failure at the no talking, but I think you guys understand that I just can't be quiet in awkward situations. Ha.

It was cool though because Joy asked me what do you think this has to do with host families? I was like I have no clue! And then when we got done with the activity we talked it through. And it was pretty evident what it had to do with. You have to trust that the person leading you is watching out for you and making sure that you're not going to get hurt and the like. And then with the leading it's you're responsible for these people. It's really neat concept.

But class just started and I must do a research project. Chow. :)

"Brothers, or michelle..."

Brothers, and have you completely forgotten this word of encouragment that addresses you as children? It says,

,,My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord diciplines those he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child."
-Hebrew 12:5-8

This past week has been full of mixed emotions, and the lack of reading my Word. I let myself be distracted by something that I was warned to pray against. And sure enough when I let my guard down, and stopped waking up to read and have some kind of alone time, I was hit hard. I take blame for my actions because it has been something I have watched completely unfold before my eyes; I saw it coming.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. -Romans 7:15

We were all hanging out this weekend and the situation exploded all over me, and then I made it worse. I'm being vague so my heart is protected, and because the details don't really matter in this situation. It's the concept that matters more than anything. Does that make sense? (That's a Phillips line.) I was then hanging out when the question was prosed to me by a fellow Christ follower. She didn't know my deep struggle, and just found out today. All she said though was, ,,What are you doing?" It hit me, and brought me back to reality.

We and another girl sat and had our Sunday bible study this morning, and my heart was and still is blessed by just being able to be vulnerable and transparent with these two GIRLS. I was able to tell them both my struggle, and they were a beautiful picture of love and grace. They told me they loved me, and as hard as it was for them to watch they knew I needed it to happen just like it did this weekend because it put me back in my place. We sat and read verses for an hour and then prayed over eachother, our families, our host families, and personal situations. It was outside where everyone could see us, and for some reason that was encouraging.

They loved me in the midst of acting a fool, and reminded me that I don't really want what I was seeking and persuing. This is a continuous journey, and I blessed and honored that God gave me both of these girls. They are an answered prayer.

To those of you who have been and are praying for me I'm humbled and greatly encouraged that you are. Pray for the hearts of my guest family and for mine too that we'll become a family and that we'll communicate in the good and bad. My personal goal this year is that God will fill the desires of my heart. I will look to Him for my self-esteem, for love, and for comfort.

I'm excited for the journey to come, and the destination when I finally get through the journey.

Thought for the day:
Love is not a fight, but something worth fighting for.
And!
Ich brauch ein Freund nicht.
(I don't NEED a boyfriend.)

Geh weg! Du stinkst!

I've offically been ,,pimped." I had a crash course in pick up and rejection lines today in class. It was the best thing ever. Hahaha. :)

This week has flown by, and sadly I really haven't noticed that I haven't kept up well with my blog or emails. It just hasn't been the most important thing. And I do apologize for that.

I'm learning about communication, and I do believe that I've already told you guys that. I am also seeing my self in a new light. I'm weak. I can't do this alone. But in another word, don't think that I'm sad or upset. I'm having a blast, but I am seeing things that normally I wouldn't see as attacks or the like from the enemy for weeks. I see the importance of knowing why you dress a certain way. Or why you have certain standards.

We had a girl talk yesterday, and they basically told us if we decide to date a boy and we've been dating them long enough, and we WANT to have sex that we could. They said have safe sex for sure, but that it was perfectly okay to. My heart began to ache.

I haven't been in my word in a few days because I've been destracted just by things here, and by life. Some of you who I shared with before I left will understand this statement completely, and I want you to know that I'm torn. I know what to do. And I know if I go the other way that I'm sinning. (Thank you to Amanda for that light this summer.)

I am starting to see why I'm here, but there are times that yes I do feel lonely. And there are times that I want to bathe for more than five minutes. If you come over here you will learn you DON'T bathe in the mornings because you will freeze. Standards get annoying when no one here has them, and when you find out that things here really ARE different.

I'm sticking to my standards. I'm starting to clear my head and really see what I want, and in reality it's not what is here...that goes back to the distraction by the the way. This is some what in code, and partly because I'm disappointed in myself. I didn't do anything horrific, but still that fact that I was told it would happen and didn't think much about it kind of makes it sting now that it's reality.

I do see the light in this situation though, and praise God that I see I really don't want what is offered. I like not wearing revealing clothes, and I like not wanting to ,,give myself away", and I also like not wanting to use the language that some people have picked up on. I like that I don't understand all the jokes, and I praise my God that my heart and head are still being guarded and protected. I like that drinking still scares the crap out of me, and that I want to do it in safe places. My heart is encouraged because God is still with me, and He is still the Lord of my life even when nothing makes much sense, and all that you are fed is carbohydrates. :)

God never leaves me or forsakes me.
The Lord MY GOD is with ME. HE take great delight in ME. He comforts me WITH LOVE, and delights over me with singing.
The cry of my heart is that Germany will see that the God that the acknowledge on Christmas and Easter is still alive and wants to love them.

Thought for the day:
Women want to be chased, and sought after, and longed for. And women were created in the image of God just like man was. We were created for man as his helper.

With that said, God wants to be chased, sought after and longed for.





My name is Michelle Engelke, and I fell asleep outside at the tables last night looking at the moon and city lights. Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life, and I don't serve Him like I should.

Praise the Lord, Electrons!

That's exactly what the painting read in the cathedral I went to yesterday. The cute little monk said it, and it was adorable.

I'm learning a lot about myself, and some of it's good to know. It's negative, but good. I also am enjoying life here. I'm tired because I've had two late nights in a row, and tonight I really just need to sleep.

I think I might go and walk through the vineyards later.
Oh and I'm a princess. It's about time I go through this phase. I think it's the watch.

I have so much more to say, but i can't think of the words. I'm sorry guys I'm just tired. hahaha.
We finally ate schnitzel. :)

And class was fun today. I'm off to go find trouble. :) Chow.

It was just a 2 Corinthians 4:16 kind of day.

,,Though outwardly you are wasting away, inwardly you are being renewed day by day."

I didn't have a very good day yesterday, and really no one in my wohnung did. I think we all hit the part of the journey where the new wears off and reality sinks in, and the coolest part was that we all were with each other as we cried together, and we encouraged eachother. It was a beautiful thing.

My heart was encouraged this morning after being so frustrated with classes, people, and just ,,becoming German," because I got to the mirror to start getting somewhat ready for a ,,new day" when that verse popped into my head. It was God. That's the only thing I can say. It was. It is, and He lives.

I was having problems with speaking in German, and being scared of being corrected, but I'm learning that corrections make me not SOUND as stupid. Which in the end makes for a better experience. I even went as far today in morning class to describe the movie we're about to watch in German to Maik, and he said yes you're right.

I met this cute little German girl today who use to attend school here at Schloss Hansenberg, and her English was really good. But then she brought in her friend who only speaks German and hasn't met a forgiener before so we instantly had a common bond that we didn't want to be made fun of and I tried to speak German for her, and she helped me when I struggled with it, and then I helped her with her English.

God has encouraged my heart, and given me a hope and a future that I am where I am suppose to be even though last night the only thing I wanted to do was give up and go home. I might not really know these people here, but by the end of this journey I will never take back their friendship because we have a common bond and that is that our hearts and emotions are going crazy. We go from laughing to crying instantly and from homesick to curious in just moments. We don't have to explain the need for a hug or the need for a talk, we just do it.

It's something that unless you are here I don't think it'll ever make complete sense, but I'm telling you with the words and with my fingers typing them: THIS WILL BE WORTH IT. And because of the people I've met her I've changed. I promise you that.

The Lord is good, and my heart is still together. Fun thought for the day: ,,Absense makes the heart grow fonder."

I really am an easy target.

Even the Germans enjoy making fun and picking on me, so don't think for two seconds I've missed out on that side of life!

We did this thing where we're learning culture, and we spent like two hours yesterday talking about observing before you judge, and it's not wrong it's just different, and the like. And then they paired us off into boys and girls, and we ,,took a journey" together.

I won't go into describing what happened because it really wigged me out, and I think it would have been worse if I wasn't with Maik, my teacher, and Kath, my teamer. I did judge before I observed, and I was frankly pissed and really upset by the end of the excerise. It goes to show that culture shock is fast and real, and they were trying to simulate just that.

I had to go back and apologize to Kath and Maik because I was so embarassed that I was really rude to them, but I learned the lesson, and saw what they were trying to do. I guess the rule of thumb is still out in the open: Expect the unexpected.

Off to go brush my teeth so I don't have to taste this vinegar from lunch. :\

Vineyards at night with city light all around.

I'm going to start out with a thank you. I am able to report that with the prayers, Kath and the teamers not letting me leave my Wohnung, and only being able to eat carbs I'm healthy again, and I'm watching how much of different things I'm putting into my mouth.

My Wohnung is a mess, and I need to do laundry so so badly. The washing machines are like mini in relation to the American ones. They're super cute. :)

I want all the Trinity gang to know that I have whooped some tail in Tisch Fußball...fußball is what y'all call it. Turns out you tend to get better when that's all you have to do in your free time. Hahaha. I'm sad to hear about all your wrecks and storms. I send my concern and a wonderful hug.

A few days ago we had this challenge here at the Schloss where we were given an egg and 4 1/2 hours to trade up for the egg. So we took ourselves with our little German knowledge and hit the town. Not only did we get all this random stuff, but I have to say I made the best freaking memories that day. Madaline, Caty, Andrew, and I were in a group and in the end we ended up trading our egg for a Jacob, and yes this is a person. He's 15 1/2 and we were talking to his Oma telling her what we were doing, and she invited us in for juice and plums and cookies. It was the sweetest time we have had yet!

The cool part though was that we cherish Jacob, but we also recieved two bottles of wine and a bottle of champiane in the process of trading up from our egg. So now I have a really nice gift to give my host mom for her birthday.

I went to Charley's pub on Friday night with all the CBYX students, and we had a blast, and I enjoyed dancing and drinking my cola. Haha. Then we took a trip down the Rhine River on Saturday. I ate a bite of Döner which was amazing. Mucho yummy. :)

We went out last night too, and that was fun. I tripped on the grape vines coming back up from the vineyard. I decided not the walk 45 minutes to church this morning, but I'm about to go have a bible study with the girls in my wohnung.

1. Know that I miss you so much. You picture is in my room. :)
2. You've been on my mind. I hope you're doing alright.
3. When I told the teamers why I wore your "ring" as the called it around my neck, they cried. Serious tears in Kath and Anna's eyes, and they said you've got good friends.
4. They tell me I'm cute here and the love my facial expressions.

I miss you all. How's Red R fool?
Siest du später!
:)