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