A Very Late Update : May 2015

Was it really only two years ago when I was approaching my return flight to Boise with such anxious feelings? Has it really been eight months since I left Boise to return to Wedel? Is time really a thing or just a ridiculous concept that should be ignored? I find myself asking these questions constantly as I watch the days fly past me with speed and ambition to slip past my fingers without even noticing. With the summer months approaching (um next week is already June??) I'm becoming more and more excited for my fully booked rest of the year.
So where to begin with updates?
Let's see...
Well in March, I began my internship at the Leibniz Privat Schule in Elmshorn, and I'm having an absolute blast working there. I have my own desk and set of keys and am substitute/student teacher for the 1st-4th grades (grundschule). This has been a really amazing environment for to test out the waters of being a teacher, and all I can say is that I'm more than ready and more than excited to start my studies, so I can have my own classroom ASAP!! I love the work I'm doing there everyday, and some really special opportunities are arising, such as the week long trip to England I get to go on with the 4th graders!!!
Next thing thats been an important pinpoint lately is running! Next weekend I'm running 10 kilometers in Wedels annual Krankenhaus Förderlauf, and I'm really stoked! Its so special to be in the best shape of my life and to feel healthy. I just got done running eight today, so hopefully I can fit some smaller runs in this week before Sunday!
University will be starting at the beginning of August after a two week vacation in Dennmark! I have to pass one more German test in July and then I have secured my spot there! Wish me luck!

So past all the important points and events that are currently taking place, I'll charge each of you a penny for my thoughts. I really am proud of myself. I have a long way to go, but I've made leaps and bounds of improvement in the last eight months that I didn't know I was capable of. The first thing anyone asks me when they first get to know me is how I do it. How can I live 5000 miles away from everything and everyone I've ever known? And the answer is fairly simple. You won't learn anything new or meet new people if you don't take giant risks. If someone had told my 16 year old self that this is where I would be at with my twenty years if age, I would've laughed and told them its impossible. I thought I'd never make it out of Boise, let alone the country. I knew all that was in store for my future was a lot of college debt.
If I hadn't gotten onto that plane almost three years ago... If I had never met the Kless family... I really can't promise where I would be right now. My life so far has had many cross roads that could've ended me up in terrible places, but for some reason the starts aligned with my courage to put me right here. Klar, I miss my family very immensely. I dream about them constantly and its a daily fight to not drop everything and move back to Boise... But focusing on myself is the most important thing I need to do right now. Despite the pangs of heimweh (home pain = home sickness), I feel good about myself. I know I'm doing the right thing. And its gratifying to feel so accomplished but also have so many goals in front of me.
I can only say thanks to my familys and friends so many times, but here it goes once again. Without the ever constant support of the Klass family, the Tanners, the Fullers, my teachers and coworkers, and my buds from school, I wouldn't be here. And since this is the only place I want to be right now, I thank you all for helping me be the best Torey I can be.
*insert cheesey tears and a big hug and kiss for all of you out there right here*

PHOTO UPPDDAAATE!

 This spring has already been mostly spent on the beach, and the summer won't be any different! Im so excited!

 Hey big news and shout to my host mom Katja! She now is working in her own practice one day a week as a Natropathist (Heilpraktik) which means she is using natural practices to help people become more healthy! This includes ear acupuncture, blood infusions, and chiropractic care! If you are in Wedel or Hamburg and you want to stop smoking, lose weight, or help stop that back pain, shoot me a message and I'll direct you there! Here's her website! http://www.kless-heilpraktik.de/ im really proud of her!
 Here we are at the zoo!!! I got to see elephants for the first time in my life and plus got to feed them carrots, was totally awesome.

 Arthos looking like the wild beast he is after we almost died trying to get through the marshes.

 YEEAHH feeding elephants!

 And I got to hang out with some goats at the zoo.

 My little brother Tommy and I at the last basketball game of the season for the SC Rist Wedel! We lost, but they still had a great season!

 Supposed to be paired with the Arthos picture above... Our boots after fighting through the sinking mud of doom (was sunk in up to my waist and thought I was going to die there)

 But thankfully we lived.

 Cool ships and boats that pass by us on the Elbe daily :)

 And some pretty cool sunsets to top it off!

This last weekend, our very good friends and now former neighbors moved! Tommy and I had the best job of working this life to bring the heavy things out from the second story of the house, we rocked it!

I'll try my best to keep updating my blog, but maybe its a good thing I don't have enough time to get around to it more often ;)