New Family and Movies in German :D

Today I went to my first movie in Germany! It is the day after my fourth month in Germany, and everything is going great, as my repetitive, cliche, update always states. :D I am now living with my second host family, Familie Huesmann, in Lingen! I live about a kilometer away from the city Marktplatz, where all the good stuff happens (shops, food, bars). I've been living here since the 2nd of December, so just about 9 days in total. I love the Huesmann's! They are really normal people. We are still in that always awkward host parent/student bonding stage, where you are still getting to know them and they are trying to get to know me...It's weird when you think about having a stranger living in your home and vice versa. It is getting better, we are keeping busy together, and the weekends allow us to spend time together, so it is definitely nice. I met my younger host brother, Alexander, yesterday at 11 o clock in the night, when he called the house and asked me to pick him up from the Bahnhof. I was a bit nervous of course, mainly because I felt that I would somehow say something stupid or make myself look like an idiot..but that wasn't the case! We immediately hit it off (He spoke very good English as he spent a year in Canada a year before) and took our bikes to Burger King here in Lingen to grab some grub. If there is any way to bond with someone, it is riding your bike at midnight to get burgers. We rode back, decided to watch a movie and drink beer, 28 Days Later! It was good, lights off, zombie flick gets the heart pumpin' no doubt. We ended up going to sleep at around 3, waking up for breakfast at 11 the morning after. Today, the 11th, I saw my first movie in Germany (as it attractively states in the first sentence ;D), and it was.. interesting! :O It's so much different from movie theaters in America! For one, when you buy the ticket, you get assigned seats, they sit you from the top going down, you can't even choose your seats! (Get stuck next to a fat guy? Buff it out ;)). The concession stand works as a concession stand just like in USA, but also works as a bar. :O That's right. With your movie, you could order a Tequila Sunrise, or a Sex on the Beach. It was the strangest thing to see, a social lounge, full with alcoholic beverages of your choice, people smoking, all combined with the line where you buy your popcorn. Strange? A little yes. We get into the massive 238 seat movie theater, where there are no cupholders, but one long table that goes along the whole row. You have your own personal table (well not so personal, but still felt like an office for me :D). I set my things down, popcorn (WHICH IS ONLY SWEET IN GERMANY, GIBT'S KEIN SALZIG POPCORN!), and cola.. and sat in the comfortable red seats waiting for the movie to start. One of Alex's friends came by and we met and sat next to each other, shared a few jokes, laughs (I was probably saying something stupid to be funny. LAME) and watched through the German Kino commercials. Previews, Commercials through we finally got to watching our movie, Time IN. Starring Justin Timberlake, some chick with short hair, and that guy who was in The Mask (love that movie..). Movie lasted 2 hours, rode our bikes the 500 meters back home from the kino, and here I am writing this now. This was an awesome experience to have, as I will remember the day I went to a German kino for the first time, and watched a movie only in German, next to these German friends I just met, eating sweet popcorn, wondering why the fat guy next to me smells really bad, and having my own personal office table in front of me. Life is good.

3rd Month Update!

I am in my third, already going on fourth month of exchange!! I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful everything is in Germany! The food is probably my favorite now, along with the music, culture, weekends, the people. Basically everything. I hit a rockwall of homesickness in October, mainly from it being my birthday. It was hard to get through, a lot of emotions, but I did it. It helps to get out, keep busy and enjoy the life I have now. Let me start off by saying, GERMANY IS COLD. Really cold. Mornings are the worst, getting up in a cold room, previously being covered completely by blankets, and then having to stand in freezing, foggy weather for the bus, which is also cold. No worries! I bought a jacket, and I have my gloves (Handschue)and Hat (Motze) ready always. School is going good! I will take you through a regular day of school from start to finish. I begin my day by waking up at around 5:30, snoozing until about 6:05, and then getting up and going downstairs to have breakfast with my host family. At around 6:30, we go and walk the 200m to my bus stop in my village, where the bus usually comes at 6:40 (On average). We get on the bus, and all of the kids push to be the first there, even though there are enough seats for everyone.. (Who am I kidding, it's fun to join in pushing :D). We drive for about 15 minutes or so until we get into a town called Freren, which is the half way point between Schapen and Handrup (where my school is) and pick you up about 40 people on our already full bus. These people have to stand the rest of the way, and are always tightly packed into the bus. We get to Handrup at about 7:15 and my first class begins at 7:25. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I have 6 periods in school, so I am usually home at about 1:30. Tuesdays and Thursdays I have 9 periods, which means a comfortablely late 15:30 (3:30). Usually when I get home, I eat with my host family, and then participate in the holy ceremony known as Nachmidtagschlafen (MID DAY SLEEP). I usually head to bed at about 22:30 (10:30) and then repeat. My days are good here in Germany! I have been to many different places already, experienced so much.. I still feel like my head is in America, and my feet in Germany though. I am slowly losing the feeling of this exchange being a dream, and starting to realize that this is reality, with college applications, financial situations, etc. becoming more and more apart of a daily agenda. I am learning how to become an adult, manage my time, my space.. It feels bittersweet to know this happening, because I still feel like a kid. I feel like this year is going by so fast too. I need to make more use of my time here in Germany, and really live it up. You only have one shot at this kind of thing, and I don't want to waste it. Much love to all, Jakub

November Update

Hello everyone :) It is I! Jakub, in Schapen, Germany, about to enter my 3rd month of exchange. Time is flying by so fast that I didn't even realize it is November already. Things are still holding up over here, I was blessed to have my birthday in Germany, as not many people get to experience that, but with celebration also comes homesickness. I miss everyone terribly, and often think of everyone in Aurora, Seattle, and elsewhere likewise. I continue to remind myself that I am doing this for myself, and it will help find who I am in life. A year is a long time , I didn't have a perspective of how long it was until now. I have already made so many friends and connections, while still keeping those at home strong. It is difficult, VERY difficult doing this. But I am keeping strong, and making the absolute most of this exchange. Once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm making it happen. In the meantime, SOME PICS :D We went on our German tour over Autumn break with my Rotary district, and it was absolutely a blast.. We spent 6 days travelling around Germany, mainly to Erfurt, Weimar, Buchenwald (Concentration Camp), Wolfsburg, and finally 3 days in BERLIN! :D Here are some pictures that have surfaced from : In Potsdam! (By Berlin) :

On top of the Fernsehturm in BERLIN!

In front of the Reichstag with a part of the group :D

Bremerhaven Klimahaus!

Today was an awesome day! I was informed on the 17th (which was yesterday) from Juliane about a trip the following day (today) to Bremerhaven, which is situated on the North Sea, to check out a museum called the Klimahaus! Basically the Klimahaus is a museum that's dedicated to the lives of people living on the coordinates 8 degrees East (Acht Grad Ost). Now that may seem kind of confusing, but it's a brilliant concept! Following 8 Degrees East, you find yourself following a man named Axel on his year long trip, with nothing but a suitcase. You start out the tour in Bremerhaven and then follow train tracks to Zurich, Switzerland. There, you learn how the Swiss mountain people live and get to know a family and their culture. Basically this guy is going on Exchange, but to many places instead of one like we are. The whole place was just a sweet building, with a wonderful message to send to people, that "Everyone is different, you just have to take the time to learn about them". We went with Julia's host mom Ulrike, host sister Ruth, Ethan from Taiwan, and Julia from Brazil. We packed Ulrike's car at 8 o clock and drove three hours (150 km :O) through heavy rain, traffic, and sleeping spells. When we finally got there, through the pouring rain, you could make out the beautiful skyline of Bremerhaven and it's surrounding seashore. I hope to one day go back to that city, because it just seems so different from here down South. We bought a family ticket, and started out the tour at about 11 o clock and passed through Sardinia, Niger, Cameroon, Antartica, and my favorite, Alaska. ;) They even had a little house with American light switches. Needless to say, I was pumped when I saw that. Overall, just a wonderful day, much better than staying at home on the computer, and I got to know a little bit of my third host family. A good day. :)

Oktoberfest! :D

few pictures of Traditional southern Germany Oktoberfest wear... LEDERHOSEN! :D

A few pictures!

starting the International Career? :D

First Post in September :D

Hallo alles! :D It's uh..been a while.. :/ No worries! I am not dead, nor have my limbs been cut off to contain my ability to blog.. All is very well! So let's round up a few things that I haven't blogged about yet..

I have started fußball training! Every Tuesday and Thursday at 17:15, I must ride my bike to the Sportzcentrum here in Schapen (Which seems to be a bit far away) and train with the team for 2 hours. It's nice! Finally having that "team" feeling, and playing matches in Germany. FEELS GOOD. :D

My host family is still amazing... they are always so welcoming and fruendlich (friendly), taking me wherever needed, asking if I am comfortable in their home, and just making sure everything is alright. I definitely feel like I have accustomed to the German families and it's traditions, the way the family thinks, and how they behave in their small community of Schapen.

SCHOOL! :D Is awesome.. I have to wake up everyday at 5:45 and get ready for school, and be at the bus stop in Schapen by 6:30..and then take the 30 minute bus ride to Handrup where Gymnasium Leoninum is, and begin my day!

I go to GREECE IN A WEEK! :D 23. September we will drive to Italy, the entire school, and then take a ferry across the Adriatic Sea into a camping place in Greece!! We get to visit Akropolis, Sparta, Delphi, all of the important Greek cities and states.. Needless to say, I am pooping myself of excitement :)

That is all for now! I promise to keep this up more!

Liebe Grüße!

Jakub

Slacking already? :O Schoolio...

WOW! 10 days without a blog post.. I don't know what has gotten into me, not keeping you all updated.. Everything is good! I have started school last Thursday, and it is very frightening. I was told that everyone knows me, but I don't know them. Everyone has a very big thing with staring as well. Which I can understand, they mean absolutely no harm by it, they are more shy than anything. I have also got my schedule, which is very short and easy. I will not be taking many choice classes such as Politik, Sport Theory, or Computer class, as this is all in preparation for the Abitur in 2 years for my class. I am in the 10th grade, because it is easier to be with one class all the time and make better friends than to switch around like they do in the 11th and 12th. The kids are friendly, but one must approach them first. They are very shy I am told, and it shows throughout the day. So far, I can understand about 0.1111 percent of what any teacher is saying at anytime.. However, most know a little or very much English to get around. It will take time, but soon I will accustom to everything. :)

With love,

Jakub Brußüßüßük. (jk)

Mein Oma hat Geburtstag!

Today I woke up at 9 o clock in the morning to get ready to go to my Gastoma's birthday party extravaganza! We will leave at 10 o clock and not return until 19 Uhr. So I got up fast, took a shower, and got my clothes on! We had a breakfast of Brot mit Schinken (A german breakfast) and headed out the door and into the cramped car where we fit 6 people. I was so extremely tired from the night before that I fell asleep almost immediately at the beginning of the hour and a half drive to Commonswerth, where my Gastoma lives. After drooling on Christine's (youngest host sister) shoulder, I woke up to a beautiful little house in the middle of corn and grass. I open the door and am greeted to the wonderful Elizabeth, in the middle of her house party (really european like), who has just turned 86 years of age. I mumbled something in german to everyone so it sounded like I knew what I said, and sat down in the table next to Felix. Poor guy was my translator the entire time. It was a wonderful meal, and I got to meet everyone in the family. I feel like I am writing a novel with all of these things because they all feel like such a dream happening.. After Nachmichtagessen, my host parents took Felix, Christine and I to the Commonswerth Schloss. It was very nice seeing a german castle, and the history of these villages are just so amazing and interesting.. I love this all so very much. After that, we took a drive back home, and we all slept on the ride back home, it was awesome. After we got home, I changed and played Fußball with Felix and Christine.. It was amazing..

Yours in misunderstood German,

Jakub

Fußball in Deustchland und mehr.

Today I woke up very early due to the jet lag I am still suffering from. I woke up and went to the kitchen where my host mom Angelika was sitting and told her that I felt a little under the weather, (Know that german wetter is very heavy ;D) and she gave a German aspirin to take, and to use this cool german inhaler where you inhale tea fumes. It helps a lot, clears your throat and makes you feel better almost instantly. We had a breakfast of fresh bread mit Kase und Schinken and tea with milk. My host father then asks me if I would like to go schwimmen with Christine und Angelika in a town called Freren, about 10 km away. I accept of course! and before I knew it I was in my trunks and we were in the car driving to the swimming pool. When we got there (an outdoor swimming pool), we changed in the locker rooms and checked out a sign that said the temperature of the water.

24* CELCIUS

after about an hour of jumping off a diving board, swimming with my sister and bonding with her, we decided to go back home to Schapen. When we got home, my host father had decided to fix the lights on a bike he had, which required about 2 hours of the day, we did not get it fixed, and just left it for another day. At this time, Felix asked me if I would like to go and take a tour of Schapen, and I undoubtably said absolutely yes! We began our journey and eventually caught up with the director for Schapen orchestra! He told me he would lend me a trombone and uniform for a concert am Sonntag! :D I am now apart of Schapen Orchestra! After this, the day ended with a game fußball in unser garten! At this point, a friend of Felix named Nils Gajewski, who lives in Spelle, about 15 km away. He too went on exchange to Canada for a month a while ago, and now hosts a boy named Landon, who is also from Canada. He will be going to my school for a week and leaves the 27th of August. We walked around town a little, talked to these guys and made very good friends with them! It is now about 1 30 in the morning, and I have to get up tomorrow early because mein Oma hat Geburstag! (It is my host grandmother's 86th brithday!)

Leibe Grüße,

Jakub

Pre Germany/First Day in DE! August 9-10th, 2011

Leaving to the airport in the morning was probably the hardest thing I had to in my life. Saying goodbye to my parents, sister, Leone and Lilia, Seba, and Karol. It felt so weird going through that security check point alone, tears still dripping down my face, knowing that there was no turning back at that point. I immediately felt better when I saw a group of kids wearing the same color blazer as I was, waiting by a gate patiently for the flight which was now delayed 2 hours. We all introduced ourselves and kinda sat around, chilling out, talking about whatever and everything. When we realized that we might miss a connecting flight in Philly, we went up to the front desk and asked about our situation. The kiosk lady then said that our flight to Philadelphia was canceled. SIGH. What know? "We're booking you on a direct flight from Chicago to Frankfurt". Which was awesome because we would still be there at the same time, but just have more time due to the 3 hour layover. So we waited. and waited. and waited. Finally a behemoth Boeing 747 comes into gate B16 and we board safely. The flight took off at about 8 o clock local time, and flew through a thunderstorm on takeoff! Definitely one the scariest things I had to experience in an airplane, which sounds so cliche to say, but whatever. The flight was good, I must have slept an hour in total, and the movies they played were pretty good. We landed in Frankfurt 1020 local time, a flight total of 7:26. When we landed in Frankfurt, excited, nervous and mixed with various other emotions, we went through passport control, and then hopped on our plane to Bremen. The landing was bumpy, but when we got out of the plane, got our luggage and finally entered through the exit (weird way of saying that) I immediately saw a sign that said Wilkommen Jakub!!! I have seen my family for the first time, Linda, Franz, Christine, und Felix. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family! The first day we came to Schapen, we met up with a few of Felix's friends and went to a chinese resturant (in Deustchland! :D) I had my first beer here, on Felix, which I will get back for ;D and went to sleep shortly afterwards! the first day was a very cool one, I will remember for the rest of my life.

Liebe Gruße,

Jakub

72 Hours left!

I will be heading to Germany in less than 72 hours now, I am a mixture of a lot of emotions. Nervous, scared, excited, hopeful, the list continues. I am currently waiting on a Parent Notorization Form from IYWT, and the only time it could come now is on Monday, the day before I leave. We will see, I trust everyone is doing their part (as they have throughout the whole process) and I thank them for that very much so. I have already confirmed my flight today, so it is official! I will be in Schapen by Wednesday the 10th, at around 18:00 (6 o clock) German time.

Needless to say, I AM PUMPED!!!!

Lingen!

I will spending my first couple of months with a family known as the Konen Family, who live in Schapen, DE, about 20 km away from the main town Lingen.

Here are a few pictures of Lingen and Schapen Deustchland! (the two smaller images are of Schapen, and the rest are of Lingen)

Alles Gute!!

August 9th, 2011

The day I will be departing my old life in America and heading over "across the pond" and into a

new life. I am a week away now and finalizing the preparations for my departure!! I cannot wait!!!

I will keep this blog updated for everyone to see, as well as follow me around on my adventures and experiences in Emsland, Niedersachsen, Deutschland! :D

Alles gute!!

Jakub