Hey guys! I just wanted to post another weekly update. Since my internet keeps crashing every time I try to write this post, it has taken a lot longer to post than originally intended. But I did start writing it on time, I promise! :P To be honest, not much has happened since my last post, but for some reason despite that I think it was possibly the best time I have had so far.
It was my first week where I was going back to a lot of normal classes again (instead of spending about fifty percent of the time in my German learning class). It was (and still is) physically draining, tiring, because German in the classroom is much more difficult than conversational German, and to be honest, although I can usually follow conversational German or have a vague idea of what is being spoken about, classroom German still completely confuses me. I am hopefully getting there though - I am very much happy with the progress my German has made so far, and I am pretty sure (or at least remain hopeful that) it will continue.
Anyways, getting back into the classroom was really nice. I am talking with a few of my classmates more than before, and I don't know - it is just really nice. I am a little bit afraid that because I am so tired after only the first twenty minutes of the school day, that people will think that I am drawing back from them, which is the precise opposite of what I am trying to do. So far, though, I think everything is good.
There have been some people in my life here in Germany that I have always felt uncertain around, or it seemed that there was an awkwardness between us - which really sucked, because I like all of them a lot. They are all really cool, really amazing people. And I don't know what happened, but in this last while, with them all it seems that this tension, this awkwardness, this whatever it was, has broken. And it is great. Not to make it sound like there was anything particularly wrong before, because there wasn't, but this is better.
Not this Saturday, but the one before, I went swimming at a local swimming hall, which was a very nice way to spend the evening. While I was there I decided to try jumping off of the diving board, and may have majorly failed and done a belly flop (okay, there is no denying it - I belly flopped). I kind of slunk away in shame, and went to a different pool for a bit. But later I came back, just before I was planning on leaving, and a man and his son (who had seen my failure from earlier) gave me diving lessons. And a lifeguard came over and started talking with us - and it turns out he lived in Canada a while when he was younger, in Toronto! Anyways, that was a really fun evening, and it was nice to meet all of these really nice people, even though it was only momentarily. And now, I can almost dive good. Almost.
The school week to follow was fairly uneventful, although nice. Thursday people got their report cards. I did not get one, but that is okay because immediately after the report cards were handed out, school was let out - at 10:10 am! And then Friday was free as well. Thursday I went and bought a monthly card for public transportation that will work for the month of February. This way I can just go out and see whatever I want and do whatever I want without having to think about the price of the transportation tickets and see if it works with my budget. Now, I don't have to think about it - because I already bought it. Friday I did not do much. All of my classmates here are having to study for an entrance exam for the higher level of the Gymnasium (like high school) here in Germany. So although I have been intending to do more with people I know, it mostly has to wait. However a friend of mine was able to spare half an hour (there is a lot of studying that needs to be done) and we went for a walk on a trail behind our towns train station. Unfortunately I forgot to make photos but it was really beautiful, and fun.
Today I went to church, and I met some new people there, as well as some people that I know from my Tae Kwon Do club I go to on Mondays (I can never remember how to spell Tae Kwon Do). I had a lot of fun, and everyone I met was really nice. I met a new exchange student in the area, who is here from Indonesia, as well as his host brother who he is staying with here in Germany. They are both very cool - hopefully I will be able to meet up with one or both of them again soon! If not I am sure I will see them around at church again.
Anyways, like I said, the last while has technically been somewhat uneventful but I think it has been pretty great.
Hopefully all is well with you, I will hopefully see you soon, and hopefully this will post successfully!
Bis dann!
Jason
It was my first week where I was going back to a lot of normal classes again (instead of spending about fifty percent of the time in my German learning class). It was (and still is) physically draining, tiring, because German in the classroom is much more difficult than conversational German, and to be honest, although I can usually follow conversational German or have a vague idea of what is being spoken about, classroom German still completely confuses me. I am hopefully getting there though - I am very much happy with the progress my German has made so far, and I am pretty sure (or at least remain hopeful that) it will continue.
Anyways, getting back into the classroom was really nice. I am talking with a few of my classmates more than before, and I don't know - it is just really nice. I am a little bit afraid that because I am so tired after only the first twenty minutes of the school day, that people will think that I am drawing back from them, which is the precise opposite of what I am trying to do. So far, though, I think everything is good.
There have been some people in my life here in Germany that I have always felt uncertain around, or it seemed that there was an awkwardness between us - which really sucked, because I like all of them a lot. They are all really cool, really amazing people. And I don't know what happened, but in this last while, with them all it seems that this tension, this awkwardness, this whatever it was, has broken. And it is great. Not to make it sound like there was anything particularly wrong before, because there wasn't, but this is better.
Not this Saturday, but the one before, I went swimming at a local swimming hall, which was a very nice way to spend the evening. While I was there I decided to try jumping off of the diving board, and may have majorly failed and done a belly flop (okay, there is no denying it - I belly flopped). I kind of slunk away in shame, and went to a different pool for a bit. But later I came back, just before I was planning on leaving, and a man and his son (who had seen my failure from earlier) gave me diving lessons. And a lifeguard came over and started talking with us - and it turns out he lived in Canada a while when he was younger, in Toronto! Anyways, that was a really fun evening, and it was nice to meet all of these really nice people, even though it was only momentarily. And now, I can almost dive good. Almost.
The school week to follow was fairly uneventful, although nice. Thursday people got their report cards. I did not get one, but that is okay because immediately after the report cards were handed out, school was let out - at 10:10 am! And then Friday was free as well. Thursday I went and bought a monthly card for public transportation that will work for the month of February. This way I can just go out and see whatever I want and do whatever I want without having to think about the price of the transportation tickets and see if it works with my budget. Now, I don't have to think about it - because I already bought it. Friday I did not do much. All of my classmates here are having to study for an entrance exam for the higher level of the Gymnasium (like high school) here in Germany. So although I have been intending to do more with people I know, it mostly has to wait. However a friend of mine was able to spare half an hour (there is a lot of studying that needs to be done) and we went for a walk on a trail behind our towns train station. Unfortunately I forgot to make photos but it was really beautiful, and fun.
Today I went to church, and I met some new people there, as well as some people that I know from my Tae Kwon Do club I go to on Mondays (I can never remember how to spell Tae Kwon Do). I had a lot of fun, and everyone I met was really nice. I met a new exchange student in the area, who is here from Indonesia, as well as his host brother who he is staying with here in Germany. They are both very cool - hopefully I will be able to meet up with one or both of them again soon! If not I am sure I will see them around at church again.
Anyways, like I said, the last while has technically been somewhat uneventful but I think it has been pretty great.
Hopefully all is well with you, I will hopefully see you soon, and hopefully this will post successfully!
Bis dann!
Jason