End of October!!

Another month gone by....
November 6th marks 100 days! One third of the way with my exchange year.
How the time flies...:(
Well today marks another wonderful weekend! Basketball game last night! Soccer game today! Leaves leaves, getting cold :)
I miss Boise in that weird "it's really not that fun there but its still home" way. What I don't miss is Boise High, the stagnant air, the laws, the big ugly cars, and the artificial food. But I miss my home dearly! My siblings are all grown up and stuff and my family is going on without me, how can they manage?! ;)
It's wonderful being here, it's wonderful being part of the family, it's wonderful experiencing the country in such a way, I would recommend it to anyone.
School is school. Somehow I suspected it to be different (well it is very different in the way it's set up) but I think high schools are generally all the same anywhere you go.
Aaahh, I love Germany, I do I do I do!
Sometimes, I really can't believe that I made it here. I get really caught up and have to remind myself what I did to get here. A dream of mine from the sixth grade came true!
Years go by fast. Last year many things were different. And a year from now will be even more different. Life moves pretty fast. I think the most important part is not thinking about the future too much, nor focusing on the past and the mistakes you've made. Just simply living as presently as possible. Being thankful for the opportunities and people who support you. Mistakes and problems and issues always occur...yes. Obviously. Granted, everyone has their own problems, but learning from them and not making drama out of them is so important.
Whoa, apologies for the deep emotional talk there. I think too much sometimes.
But yes, I love Germany :)

 I love my family:)

If you ever wish to be an exchange student...

These are things that I wish I knew before I made my decision. (best decision of my life though) :D
1. If you have huge issues with leaving home, go on a six month exchange. It will go by quick, but you'll be able to fit a lot in and not worry to much about school, relationships, your family (both families) in such a long term way. If you want a challenge, if you want to cure your home sickness problem, go for a year. Its tough, lots of heart ache and tears, but very very very very worth it.
2. You will eat more. Be prepared to gain a bit of weight. Not only will the food be better in whatever country you're going to, but out of instinctive ways, your body will deal with the change by thinking that you're going to die soon and wish to stalk up on fat to keep you warm and alive. Seriously, when you make a big change, such as moving to a new country, your body freaks out because it knows. Your hair and nails grow faster, you gain weight easily, and your sleep will be messed up for awhile. Just be on the look out. Plus, its a GREAT time to start working out. I've been running (what torey runs, i didnt even know her legs were long enough to do such things) when I can, and its been amazing.
3. Don't let the language barriers stop you from going on an exchange. I had two years of German before I came here, and as strange as it sounds, it seemed to have disappeared the second I got here. It felt like the reset button had been hit and I had to start over with knowing nothing. But no worries! It gets better, and after hearing the language for so long, it simply starts to click. But, if you are uncomfortable with not knowing what people are saying about you all the time, chose a English country. (Australia, New Zealand.... I hear UK exchanges are hard to get though)
And if you go to Germany not knowing any German, its nice because almost everyone around you speaks decent English and will be willing to help you.
4. School will be frustrating. Schools are different everywhere and will not always be as inviting as American schools are. Be prepared for a bit of time by yourself, and a lot of confusing lessons. Also, be aware that getting grades in a foreign country is a bit difficult and may not be worth it. Even if you can get credit for it, it'll be hard to keep your grades up. I'll for certain be returning to high school next year to finish up my credits.
5. Try to focus on being in the present as much as you possibly can. I find myself worrying a lot about what will happen when I get back to America and its time consuming and mentally time consuming as well! The best thing to do is enjoy your time as much as possible because it will be up before you know it!
(I have a hard time with this myself, but I'm getting there, small steps)

If you want to come to Germany, I seriously seriously recommend looking into this scholarship because its amazing and you (especially if you are in Idaho) have a huge chance of making it. A full ride, year long scholarship is hard to come by. Go for it!!!!

Herbstferien (Traveler Guide Part 3)

I apologize for not taking as many pictures as I should, but honestly, I think if you really want to know what its like here, you simply have to come here. Its an experience thats hard to portray through just pictures and words. You have to hear it and see it and feel how cold its getting to get an idea of what its like here in northern Germany :)
I'm on fall break right now, which started on October 3rd, which is a national holiday here because its the reunification date. And so last week and this week I have off of school :)

This is just a small compilation of different things that I've noticed throughout the last months.

1. Food! Grocery shopping happens at least once a week, which means food seems to be a lot fresher an healthier. The main meal that can be had at any time of the day is bread and cheese or meat. Waffles and pancakes are more of a desert than a breakfast, and breakfast (on weekdays) is usually just cereal. On the weekends, big breakfasts with brötchen and cheese and marmalade and nutella and all sorts of stuff is had. Its wonderful :)
2. Germans are dog people. They love and cherish their dogs and cats are not as common it seems as it would be in America.
Ohmygosh, but my dog is totally the best, Arthos is so amazing and cute!
3. German TV has a lot of American shows on it (Scrubs, How I Met Your Mother, Grey's Anatomy, The Dog Whisperer, Malcolm in the Middle, Desperate Housewives, One and a Half Men, etc...)
And German TV is odd...like there is this show called Mitten in Leben that I think is people acting out real live situations (like being cheated on, or having a crazy father, and other weird things) and doing it really badly. I don't know if its serious or not! But shows like Guten Zeit und Schleten Zeit is an interesting equivalent to something inbetween Days of Our Lives and 91210. There is also the Disney channel here, featuring all American shows dubbed.
4. The school system is very different from America's. Here, you are in Kindegarten or nursury school until from about 3-6 and then on to Grundschule, which lasts until 4th grade. From 5th grade on, you have a few different paths.
The first choice is Hauptschule, which lasts usually until ninth grade. This teaches regular subjects at a slow pace and with more vocational oriented subjects. This leads to a part time apprenticeship and vocational school until you are 18.
The second way is Realschule going to about the tenth grade. This leads to part time vocational school and here you are focusing on looking for a career and studying a broader range of things. Its possible to transfer to Gymnasium from here if you wish.
The last one is Gymnasium. (the one I'm in) This lasts until 13th grade, and at the end, you take a big test called the Abitur. This is a diploma thats going to get you into University. This seems to be the more educational way to go.
Teachers will suggest to parents what school to put their kids in, but its ultimately up to the parents to decide.
Tuition for University are low cost or possibly free, but you have to be proving that you can do it with high scores to stay in.
It seems that in my classes, grades are heavily based on participation and test scores, not on homework.
In Gymnasium, you are in a regular, highschool like schedule until 11th grade in which you separate off into tracks. Biology, history  language, and math (I believe) are the four ones that you can go into. This means that that specific class is going to be tougher and you have it twice a week, instead of once. I am in the history track as of now.