Ein Ende in Sicht

So many things have happened since I last blogged. I left my homeland, met amazing people, learned more German, had a glimpse of German culture, tasted German beer, and met my host family. When I got to Germany, I moved to Schloss Wittgenstein with my 49 American counterparts.

Us with the Mayor of Bad Laasphe

We knew we only had three weeks in this American bubble which basically created our own tiny world within a tinier village known as Bad Laasphe. We had multiple weird, fun, creepy, scary, exciting, and emotional activities. As well as over 60 hours of classes. Those definitely we're my favorite 60 hours of camp. Waking up early to go to school during the summer and having your brain and energy drained because everything is in a foreign language and you're trying to understand your teacher. Fun! Despite the difficulty, the class was actually fun. I must say Experiment e.V. did a great job selecting the teachers and teamers for this language camp. I've never met a group of German people as fun, caring, loving, open, crazy, and interesting as this group of people which I will miss immensely!

The teamers and teachers

I can't really talk about the things that happened at Language camp since whatever happens there stays there but I can say that I will never forget those three weeks. They were so much fun. Jedoch war ein Ende in Sicht. We knew the three weeks would come to end we just didn't know the end would come so quickly! Those three weeks we're over faster than free Nutella. Scratch that, they flew by quicker than a cat running away from water. The 31st of August came by and the time to say good bye to the teachers, teamers, friends, and Schools Witti had arrived. Living with a group of people for 24 hours a day for 3 weeks makes you grow close. Who knew?!?! This closeness made saying goodbye really difficult.

            

 

Now, I'm in my hometown Hemer with my Host Family. They're extremely nice and are trying really hard to make feel at home. Although at first I felt like a giraffe among zebras, I'm feeling more comfortable and at home as the time goes by. I start German high school in two days. This actually terrifies me! However, I'm going all in and hopefully everything works out. Wish me luck!

My Last Day Before I Go German!

First it was my friends and my dog in Orlando, tomorrow will be my parents here in Washington DC. My parents will drop me off at the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport Hotel once the countdown becomes 0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, and 0 seconds. The road to this moment, I must say, has been more than pleasant with a tiny speed bump (although at the moment it happened the speed bump appeared to be 5 foot in height and wrapped with spikes).

I felt as if I was preparing for the worst. Similar to how the Witch tried to fatten Hansel before cooking and eating him, my parents were fattening me. Although, I don't think my parents ever planned to cook and eat me. They made my favorite breakfast: pancakes with cream cheese and american cheese, scrambled eggs, and sausage. As if that wasn't fattening enough, they also made one of my favorite dinners: white rice with corned beef with bananas inside. Food wise, my last few days have been more fulfilling than I could have imagined.

Quality time with friends and family has also been bountiful. This past Saturday I had a get together with my closest friends at my house. Although not everyone that I wanted to show up could show up, I truly had an amazing time. We danced to some Hispanic music, which I fear will be the last time for a whole year for me, and ended up in the pool with a couple of them. I couldn't have asked for a better way to have spent my last Saturday in Orlando.

The next morning I attempted to put a stop to my procrastination. However, once an IB student procrastinator, always a procrastinator. Inevitably, I ended up going out and did not come close to start packing that day. This was when the tiny speed bump in the road to the Hilton appeared as a monumental and colossal burden. I sincerely thought I was not gonna be able to finish packing. Luckily, Valeria Pereira (one of my closest and best friends) came to the rescue and helped me pack. She even took part in the walk of shame with me! We took my suitcase to Publix to check that it wasn't overweight. 

The time to say "Auf Wiedersehen, Orlando!" came, and to continue on the road to Washington DC with my mom, dad, and now 8-month-old cousin. We've walked more than I thought we were gonna walk but I got to spend a great time with my family before embarking on this upcoming longer road which people face once in a blue moon. I even got to tip the Washington Monument with just one finger (which they're now repairing because of me, I apologize for the inconveniences). 

I must admit, I am terrified about tomorrow and actually saying bye to my parents. But I'm also more excited than I have ever been. I guess this what I was talking about on my last post. A plethora of emotions are already flooding me instantly and constantly and I haven't even embarked on this once-in-a-blue-moon adventure. This will be my last post in the United States. Next post will be from Schloss Wittgenstein in Bad Laasphe, Deutschland! Wish me luck!

My Future Home!

"Hemer, Germany! Hemer, Germany!" I think I said those exact words more than 20 times yesterday (and this my friends, isn't a hyperbole). I got the email yesterday around 1 pm telling me that the implementing company in Germany, Experiment e.V., found a permanent placement for my year in Germany. Of course, as soon as I got the notification on my phone I shrieked so loudly that my 7 month-old cousin woke up.

I will be living in Hemer, Germany. I'm an hour or so away from Cologne, and an hour and a half from the Netherlands! I will have a 43 year-old mother (who, by our e-mail exchanges, speaks perfect ENGLISH, which can be good or bad), a 17 year-old brother who loves swimming, dancing, and hanging out with friends, a 14 year-old brother, and two cats! I'm a little apprehensive on the idea of living with cats but HEY! this whole year is to experience new things!

I will be attending the Friedrich Leopold Woeste Gymnasium:

I, however, am a little freaked out! Neither of my brothers attend this school so I will be going in by myself and simply become Fez from That '70s Show. Not that comforting but, again, this whole year is to experience new things.

As time goes by, and the countdown nears zero days, zero hours, and zero seconds, my anxiety and excitement become unbearable. I can't wait to assimilate my surroundings and to have a deluge of emotions flood me instantly and constantly as I embark on this once-in-a-blue-moon experience.

The Name of my Blog

Before I start, I want you to keep two things in mind. The first thing is that this is my first blog post in my first blog. So bear with me as I try to get the hang of this. Second, as time elapses I might begin to blog frequently and there might be a mixture of Spanish, English, and German in my posts. So for those who aren’t familiar with all three, you might have trouble in completely understanding what I’m saying (I recommend favoriting Google Translate on your computer; it might come in handy later).

The name of this blog “Nur Alle Jubeljahre” is an idiomatic expressions that translates into once in a blue moon; a more than appropriate name for this experience in which I’m about to embark. Thanks to the law that requires the good people of America to loyally and wholeheartedly pay their taxes and to other resources, the U.S. Department of State will be sending me to Germany on an all-expenses-paid year exchange program. I consider this seldom opportunity as a blessing. Hopefully, as I begin this once-in-a-lifetime and life-changing experience I will be able to document my experiences and give you and my future self a glimpse of German life through my personal lens.

I still do not know from where or who my host family is—which causes me to suffer from mini panic attacks—but I am certain that the implementing company will match me with an astounding host family. I’ll keep you posted!