Mailing My First Package

HERE WE GO

     On Thursdays I have 4 hours in between my 2 classes of the day.  And today my German teacher gave us the second hour of class free.  So, I wasn't going to spend my 5 hours in school and came home.  My sister has some party thing today at school that I'm going to so I'll be getting home late.  I've had a package full of Christmas goodies all ready to mail for a few days, but have been getting home after the post office closes.  So I mailed it in my freizeit!  This was our journey to the post office.

Wow! A tree! And a babbling brook!

Look friends!

How much money I had before our little journey.  Let's just say I came home missing a lot more than a package.

                             Lets go see a show!                                                 Let's no go to school.

This walk is getting exhausting.

Goodbye my love

Sending My Love To Olivia

     A few hours ago I heard the heart breaking news about the Kuljian family.  Mary, Howard, and Geddie were swept to sea at Big Lagoon yesterday.  My heart goes out to the Kuljians.  No one deserves this, especially such an amazing family.  Though I did not know the entire family that well; the few times I met Mary she was such a sweet, caring, wonderfully nice woman.
    Olivia is such am astounding person.  She is everything I saw in her mother, and so much more.  I was lucky enough to be in AAI with Olivia and develop a friendship with her. She has such a beautiful smile, I hope she won't forget to use it during this time.  She is a very strong girl, so I know she will get through this.  She is so lucky to have backing of a fantastic community.  Humboldt is great in times of tragedy.
     I went on a walk to get some fresh air and think about the Kuljians for a while; and stumbled upon a castle.  It was so magical.  And the entire walk was so green, Geddies favorite color; because, "When you look outside its all you see."  Humboldt has made some great people, it's a shame they have to be taken away so soon.

So, my love and thoughts go out to Olivia and her family, and everyone in my life.

Stay safe.

The Audi Factory: A Picture Story

And the only evidence I was at the Deutschen Bundesbank today.

     I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving.  Even though my family is too busy today to celebrate I am still thankful for so many things.  Especially this year I have been able to experience.  I'm pretty darn lucky.  

Recap

     So last weekend I went to a Kirmes in Soest with Lia and her family.  They are such nice people and the weekend was a blast.  A Kirmes is a fair, with rides and food and games and fun.  The Kirmes in Soest is the biggest Kirmes in a town in all of Germany, and some people argue all of Europe.  It literally took up the entire town. There were tons of rides and I went on some fun ones. Spinning in 4 directions at once is always fun.  We stayed with Lia's Aunt, so it was a huge family affair.  Her dad grew up in Soest, and it turns out so did mine.
     I got through another week of school, Woohoo.  I had my first homework AND test.  I never thought I would be happy to say that, but school is so boring when you have nothing to do.  My homework and test were both in my English class.  Though it wasn't as easy as you think.  It was an English vocabulary test, turns out the words are in German and you have to put them in English.  I was able to answer 9 of the 22, thanks to my cramming the lesson before the test. Everyone always asks me if I have to write the "tests" with them, and I've never really understood what they mean, but now I do.  They have testing for the grades.  So on Friday there was a German test on the book Prinz Friedrich von Hamburg for the entire 11th class.  I didn't know about it, and hadn't read the book, and don't know German; so I didn't take the test.  They kind of give me a STAR test vibe, but they effect your grade.
     I've joined a walking group with some of the ladies from my Gymnastics class.  They are all very nice and sweet.  One of them said that if I help her learn English she'll help me with German.  I guess I can make friends, they just have to be at least 50 years older than me.  Only in Germany do walking group enjoy Gluhwein and Kuchen after their walks.  I find it funny, but it's quite fun.
     I'm looking into Volunteering at an Animal Shelter.  I miss pets, and that way I'll get to hang out with some animals that need someone too love them.

Tomorrow I'm going with Babs and her students to the Audi factory and am going to watch some beautiful cars get made.  Then on Thursday I'm going with Babs and her students to the Deutsches Bank in Frankfurt.  Woohoo!

I'll post pictures from the Kirmes when I get them.  I forgot my camera, and I'm glad I did because it rained and rained.  

The time has come

     I've been thinking about this for almost a months now, am I finally going to do it.  I'm going to do one month with no instant communication.  No email, Facebook, Skype, anything. I'm hoping not allowing myself to indulge my constant want to get online and talk to people back home I love and miss will give me more time here to gain people in my life, that I may someday love and miss.  It's going to be pretty tough, but it will be for the best.  When I was in DC they talked to us about our feet.  We have to put both of our feet in our new world and culture and home, instead of one here and one home.  The splits aren't comfortable. So, when the clock strikes 12 tonight, that will be good bye for a month.

     I will still post here of course.  No only does it let people read about my time here, but it's a great record for my self, to remember my time here.

     If anyone wants to talk with me, help support your local post office and the dying postal system and send me a letter!  I love letters! I promise to write back.  That's part of the reason why I'm jumping into it for a month instead of working my way up.  A month is enough time to actually have some good postal conversations. Maybe by the end of the month I wont be so addicted to the internet, but probably not.


Kimber Peterson
Am Erlenhof 3
35415 Pohlheim
Germany


Sprechen Sie bald, tschüss!