Repost: Thanksgiving

In the morning of Thanksgiving we helped my host mom with all the food and serving the table. At 2 pm the first guests came. We also invited one of my friends and her family because she just moved here from New York and they didn´t go back to celebrate with their family. My host family really liked them and they said I could invite her again. Thanksgiving is a fest where you basically just eat. The food was really good. Especially the desert. My host family also made me wear a Turkey head to take a picture. The kids played upstairs. We tried to play Wii but it just didn´t work out. I was in my room with my friend, skypeing with my parents and we played Tick Tack Toe. Than the day was over. I think it was pretty fast but also interesting to see how Americans celebrate Thanksgiving.

Repost: Pixar Museum

When we had the other exchange student with us we went to Boston to a Museum. We drove to the train station and went into Boston by train. First we went a little bit shopping, got really delicious hot chocolate, and saw seals. It was really nice and then, when it was time to go to the museum, we went to the museum. We were there a little bit early so we went in the actual museum. You could see lot´s of animals,dinosaur,  and things from Astronauts. At around 3pm we went to the Pixar exhibition. We were the first in line and first we saw a 5 min movie. It showed a little bit about the people who work at pixar, how they create a character, put a room together and a few other things. Then we could go to the exhibition. This was literally one of the best exhibition I´ve ever seen. We saw characters from different Pixar movies how they first looked like. We could design a room and try lot´s of things what the people need to do to create an animation Pixar movie like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Monster AG. You could work on the lightings in a movie scene, watch small movies about how they create for example Merida´s hair. It was really cool. I really enjoyed this museum.

Repost: Halloween

Halloween was pretty amazing. In the morning I helped my host mom in the garden and I actually liked it. Sounds weird but I did like it. After that we made our Pumpkins. I made a Tinkerbelle and a few stars on it. My host dad's pumpkin looked amazing. He made Frankenstein and it just looked amazing. When we finished our pumpkins I hurried to get in my Super girl costume and get my hair done so we could get to my host sisters and my friend's house on time.  We got there on time and guess what: We were the first. Beside one of my other friends was no one there. During we were waiting we ate snacks and talked. It was cold on that day and I wasn't wearing a shirt under my dress so my friend borrowed me one of hers. It wasn't warm but at least not that cold than it would be without the shirt. When everyone was finally arrived we took pictures and than we went from house to house and asked for "Trick or Treat". At the beginning it was kind of weird cause it was still light outside and I just wasn't used to go Trick or Treating on Halloween. When it started to get dark than it started to make fun. And it was a lot of fun. I got many candy that I had no idea what it was, I talked a lot with my friends, we were laughing and at the end, when we were back at our friends house, all of my friends were charring there candy, switched the candy that they don't like with something that they like. I was just sitting there cause I had no idea if I give something away that's good or not. So I kept all of my candy and after they changed all their candy, all of my friends went downstairs with me and made me try all the American candy, that I never had before. The most of it was disgusting. It was to sweet, had no flavor or was just gross. I definitely prefer German candy. What I liked most about Halloween and going from house to house was the decoration that the houses had. Some had huge pumpkins in front of their house and the faces from these pumpkins were pretty cool. At one house the hole garage was decorated and you could go in their, choose your candy, adult got alcohol and in the driveway were two animals that, if you step on the button, would jump on you. People always stepped on it and always got scared of it. It was funny. I loved that and I really enjoyed Halloween.

Repost: Packing and my flight

Packing my bag:

What you need:

- clothes. Many clothes. Pack as many as you can put in your bag. You need it because you don´t know when you have time to go shopping and to wear the same things every week again...no. I think nobody likes that. 

- your own shampoo. As I said you don´t know when you have time to go shopping so it´s better to pack shampoo.

- if you have any Allergies -> bring your Medication that you use in Germany. 

- presents for your host family. Make sure that you don´t buy to much. Remember: You have a weight limit for your bag. Buy some little and not so expensive things from your area. If your not sure what you can buy you can ask your host family what they like or buy something for there hobby (you can read the hobby´s in the documents that you get when you have your family). 

- charger for your phone/Laptop/camera/etc.

- your phone/Laptop (first ask your host family if your allowed to bring your own laptop)/camera

- other Hygiene products like your toothbrush, Body lotion, any cremes that you use in Germany too (make sure that it´s not to much) and girls: Bring things for THIS week!!!

- Maybe some pictures from your family and your friends

- Credit Card (you can pay every smallest thing with a credit card. Shopping= Credit Card, Bakery= Credit Card. Bring money in cash too but at most you use your credit card. It´s really weird.)

What you NOT need:

- definitely not a hairdryer. If you think you really need one than you can bring one but I don´t use my hairdryer here in Amerika.

- towels. I´m allowed to use the towels from my Host family and i think you don´t have to bring it too.

- a case for your pillow/blanket. You get it from your host family. 

My flight:

At the last evening in Germany my best friend and I made a sleepover because she wants to bring me to the airport. We packed my bag at the last day and we went to a restaurant with my grandma to say goodbye. After that we made a little ´goodbye-tour´. We went to my other grandma. My aunt,my uncle and my little cousin were there too. We said goodbye to them and talked a little bit about America. And then I went to my other best friend. That was so sad because she want to come to my house after her work but she was to tiered and her train has failed so she was home later than it already is. So I rang at her doorbell and run up the stairs into her arms and hug her. I didn´t tell her that I was coming. It was spontaneously and so I surprised her. If she realized that I was there to say goodbye to her she start crying. I tried to calm her down but she still cried and smiled because she was so happy. She gave me one of her pullover that she got in London and it smells like her. She said it´s that i don´t forget her. After that we visit my other aunt and than we went back home. My best friend and i watched a movie and than we slept on the sofa. We had to get up very early. My flight was at 8 a.m so we had to be at the airport one hour before the flight start. I was very nervous and I didn´t realized that I really go away from home for ten moths. I wouldn´t see my family and my friends during this month. I wouldn´t be able to hug them or to talk to them personally. But I didn´t realized that. After we checked in we went to Starbucks and drank Coffee (I drank something else. I don´t like coffee.) Than it was time to say goodbye and go to my plain. I didn´t cry. It didn´t feel like that I wouldn´t see them for ten months. When I sat in the plain i was so happy that i got a place on the window. Now it was time to say goodbye Dussledorf.

Dusseldorf/Germany

At 9 a.m i arrived in Frankfurt. I had to stay three hours. I bought food, listend to music, went to the bathroom. And than it was 12 o´clock and time to go to my next flight. From Frankfurt to Boston. Now I really had to say: ,,Goodbye Germany." The flight was very long and very boring. I listend to music, ate the plain food (it´s really disgusting), and I slept. It was very funny that it didn´t get dark. The sun was still shining when I arrived. And the wether started to get better and better. At two p.m (american time. In Germany was eight p.m so my flight was eight hours long) i arrived in Boston. I was so tiered but I couldn´t wait to see my host family again and to see there house. I could´t wait to see Boston too. I saw Boston during the Landing and the skyscrapers was so amazing. I just saw cities like Boston in movies or on pictures on Instagram. And now I saw it in real live. That was so awesome. 

Boston/MA

After the immigration (they just ask you a few questions and that´s it. You really don´t have to be scared. They ask you something like: ,,Why are you here?" ,,How long are you staying in the US?" ,,Where you gonna stay?" and something like this so it´s really not bad.) i met my family. I saw my younger host sister for the first time and she´s really cute. I really like her because she´s like my best friends and my sister together. I like that. They were waiting with a poster that says ´Welcome at home Anne´. That was so nice and cute. 

Me arriving at the airport

Repost: Homecoming

Basically Homecoming is like a club in Germany. The only differences are: At Homecoming is no alcohol, adults and the police are there (I don´t know about other High Schools but at my the police was there) and you wear fancy clothes to it. Homecoming is also much shorter than the time you spend in a club. My Homecoming was from 7pm to 10pm and a club is usually from 8 or 9 pm to midnight or (if your 18 or if you have a letter from your mom that your allowed to and that you have an 18 years old person with you) the hole night. The rest is the same. Loud music, dancing and both is lot of fun.

High School Homecoming 

Club in Germany

My Homecoming day starts at 2 pm. Me and my host sister went to our friends house where we got ready for Homecoming. We did our hair, our Make up and put on our dresses. Than we went to the house of another friend from us to take pictures and eat food. 

My friends and me at Homecoming day

Than we drove to school. The dance took place in the gym. We had to wait until they let us in and when I was in the gym I was impressed how beautiful it looked. They made the Entrance like a red carpet because the topic of our Homecoming was: Spend a Night in Hollywood. It looked so beautiful. But the stupidest thing I´ve ever heard was: You just by new High Heels for the pictures. For the actual dance you put your shoes off, put them on the side of the gym and you dance just on your feet. At the beginning I felt really weird to dance. After a while when the dance floor was fuller and everyone was dancing I start to dance too. I still felt weird but after two or three songs it was okay and I had lots of fun. Honestly I was glad that I had a shorter dress. It was so warm in the gym. So for Homecoming: buy a short dress!! The music was so good. Some of the songs I didn´t know but that was okay. The end was really suddenly. I don´t know. You had so much fun, enjoyed the music and the atmosphere and than they say: ´Now it´s the last song.´and than it´s over. You go home. I was like: ´Seriously? That´s it? The evening just started and it´s over? Okay that was short.´ But when I look back I could´t imagine a better Homecoming. It was just a beautiful evening.

1. Semester

My first Semester on an american High School is almost over and I got so many new experiences. Good ones and a few bad ones. At the beginning of this Semester I literally understood nothing. It was kinda hard to understand because everyone was talking so fast and I didn´t really know what to do. I also didn´t feel comfortable because I didn´t know anyone beside my host sister and her friends. It was hard to make new friends because everyone has their own group and it´s hard to get in this group. But the more I spend time with my classmates the more I got comfortable around them and now I have so many friends or at least people that I can laugh, talk and have fun with. I´m pretty sure that not all of them are going to keep talking to me in second Semester and when I´m back in Germany because we don´t really have a chance to talk or anything. Everyone is going to have new classes and other people to talk to so there´s not really a chance to talk to each other. I´m kind of sad that this Semester is over. I really loved and enjoyed the most of my classes. Some more than others. I loved my teachers. I really liked going to my classes. Especially in the last two months. I feel like in the last two months I got even more friends and closer to my classmates and friends. I really gonna miss my classes and everyone. But I also know that this is one step closer to seeing my family again and I really miss them. I also know that many other great things are going to happen in my next Semester. We already planned April vacation and my friend is coming over in March. I´m really excited about that and really looking forward to it.

Tanks to everyone for a great first Semester, great memories and for making my experience in Amerika even more special :)

New Years

At New Years Eve i went to a Party with my older host sister. Her and all of her friends are home from College right now so they wanted to meet up and celebrate the New Year. I went with her and with all of her friends we watched Dinner for one, played Mario Cart (I won as usual) and we played other games. I think Dinner for one is more a german tradition because no one knew about it until I told them. Everyone was laughing about it and I was more laughing about that they thought it was so funny. I grew up with this show. Every year at New Years we were watching thins. After a while the jokes are getting old. If anyone wants to watch it the Link is below. When it got closer to midnight we tried to turn the TV on but it just didn´t work out. So three worked on the TV and one of my host sisters friends showed me the New Year´s Show in New York on her phone. A minute before Midnight her phone stopped working too so we were running up the stairs to the parent´s room, turned the TV on and changed to the New Years show in New York. But we missed New Years at wished us a Happy New Year one minute to late. It was funny and I think I will never forget this New Year.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVd_VLO9xcc

The Introduction is in german so I´m just gonna explain what he says:
The show is about a women called Sophie. Sophie always celebrated her Birthday with her four friends. But now Sophie is really old (She´s celebrating her 90th Birthday) and all of her friends already passed away. She still wants to celebrate her Birthday with her friends and so her Butler James is pretending that he´s her friends. He´s getting really drunked and it´s just really funny.

New York City at Christmas

Actually we went to New York the weekend before Christmas. It was really amazing to see all this decoration and this giant Christmas trees. At Saturday we went shopping, to the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center and to the Central Park. At literally every corner was at least one person who was ringing a bell, playing or singing christmas songs or other songs. I loved the atmosphere. It was full, the stores were decorated, the people who were singing and we had a cold winter day. I loved it. To warm us up we got Nutella Hot Chocolate (best hot chocolate in my life) and then we went to the Central park. The Central Park is huge. Really huge. We walked a lot in the Central Park but I think we didn´t even get through the half of it. We walked by the Central Park Zoo. I really loved the Central Park and I would always go again. When we walked back we stopped in Hollister and shopped a little bit. It was an amazing day. I loved it.

Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

New Yorker Curch

Central Park

Location from ´27 dressed´

Me and my host sister infant of the Library

Pixar Museum

When we had the other exchange student with us we went to Boston to a Museum. We drove to the train station and went into Boston by train. First we went a little bit shopping, got really delicious hot chocolate, and saw seals. It was really nice and then, when it was time to go to the museum, we went to the museum. We were there a little bit early so we went in the actual museum. You could see lot´s of animals,dinosaur,  and things from Astronauts. At around 3pm we went to the Pixar exhibition. We were the first in line and first we saw a 5 min movie. It showed a little bit about the people who work at pixar, how they create a character, put a room together and a few other things. Then we could go to the exhibition. This was literally one of the best exhibition I´ve ever seen. We saw characters from different Pixar movies how they first looked like. We could design a room and try lot´s of things what the people need to do to create an animation Pixar movie like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Monster AG. You could work on the lightings in a movie scene, watch small movies about how they create for example Merida´s hair. It was really cool. I really enjoyed this museum.

Me and my sisters with an ice sculpture in Boston

Me and my sisters in Boston

The robot that I created 

Christmas

Christmas 2015 was different and really interesting. Usually I celebrate Christmas like this: I get up at like 10 am, me and my family have breakfast with eggs and everything that we love, we watch TV and make a relaxed day. In the evening my mom makes Raclette (see Link below) with cheese, mushrooms, meet, carrots, cucumber, potatoes, tomatoes and lot´s of other things that you could put on the Raclette grill or dip in sause. My dad usually goes to church before dinner and we´re waiting for him. Then we eat and after we eat my sister and me go upstairs and read a book or whatever. When I was little my dad used to read a christmas story with us or we watched my dad or mom putting the presents under the tree. Anywise when my parents are done with putting the presents under the tree they call us down, my dad reads something from the bible and then we get our presents. That´s our christmas. When we finished opening the presents we just enjoy the time with the family, watch TV again and go to bed when it´s around 11 or 12 pm. On December 25th and 26th we celebrate Christmas and my dad´s mom and my mom´s mom.

In America we had a normal day on December 24th. My host family is jewish so we had no Christmas tree. But we had decoration so it was ok and my host mom went to a contest with christmas tree´s where we looked at all the different decorations. Some were really funny and some were really pretty. On December 25th we got our presents in the morning. We were sitting in our pajamas and opening our presents. I loved my presents but I also was a little sad that the pack from my mom wasn´t there yet. We had breakfast after we open our presents. It was a really nice day and interesting to see how Americans celebrate Christmas.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette

Racelette 

Christmas in Germany (left) and America (right)

Visiter from England

On December 22nd one of the old exchange students from my host family came to visit us. She´s actually from Thailand but lived in England for a while to study there. The first day when she was here was a little bit awkward because I never really talked to her. I saw her in Paris when we met my host family and their other exchange students but I just talked to the other german exchange student. I was kinds scared that my host family would be so excited about her visit that I would just sit there and watch the others being happy and laughing. But it wasn´t like this at all. My host family was excited that was for sure but they included me into everything. We played games, talked and had fun. The girl who came to visit us turned out to be one of the nicest persons I´ve ever met. We went ice skating, shopping, eating at Olive Garden and we went to Boston. I loved ice skating and Olive Garden. It was just so funny because there was this guy who kept starring at me and was laughing about me because I made stupid things and were laughing too. It was awkward and weird but funny. We also went to visit friends from my host family. We celebrated Christmas with them and watched the new Star Wars movie. We also went shopping with them and had lunch in the Cheesecake Factory. I really liked the food there. It was a great week with her visiting us and we were really sad when she flew to Florida to meet up with one of her friends.

Me and my host sister ice skating

Olive Gardens 

My second family

Problems

Every organization is talking about the problems that could come up with host siblings, host parents, friends or even in school. Problems could be Jealousy, that your host parents aren´t allowing things that your parents would allow, misunderstandings, and lots of other things that you wouldn´t even think about. Personally I think the biggest problems are misunderstandings and Jealousy. These are two problems I had with my host sister. I don´t really want to talk about what happened just to say it shortly: I think she just got jealous about a present that I got from our parents and scared that I would take her friends away, what I really don´t want to do. She has such a good and deep friendship with them and I just know them for a few months. I really love this girls but nothing could get between friends who know each other for such a long time. I never tried to do this and I don´t want to trie. Anywise I talked with my friends about it, tried to figure out what I did wrong but there was nothing what I did and anyone kept saying that. After a while it just escalated. I told my host parents about it and we tried to talk to my host sister, find a solution. She did some things that she should´t have done. I think she knows that but she apologized so that´s ok. If you have any trouble with your host siblings than definitely talk to someone. Talk to your friends if you don´t feel comfortable with talking to your host parents but it´s always better to talk to your host parents. They know their children, they know how to handle a situation like this with their kids. If they don´t do anything about it (what I think they would´t do) than contact the person that´s responsible for you. Every exchange student get´s a person, who lives close to their host families. If you have trouble with your host family you can always call this person. That´s their work. They have to help you. Try to find a solution on your own first, because that´s what this person would say too. Try to do it on your own first, if that doesn´t work than this person would help you. Just remind yourself that your not alone in this situation. You always have someone with you who helps you.

Chanukah/Hanukkah

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

My host family is jewish so we celebrated the jewish Holiday Hanukkah. It started at December 6th and ended at December 14th. Every day we got presents and lighted a candle. They also thought me the history of Hanukkah (See link below). I got a fuzzy blanket, a Patriots Shirt and Pyjama Pants, a Gift Card, Socks, and lots of other things. I really liked all of my presents. I think it was interesting to see how they celebrate Hanukkah even if it didn´t feel like a Holiday for me. At the last day of Hanukkah we went to church and ate food with the people at church. It was kind of nice to eat in the small group, talking about our week and everything. It was nice. I was glad that I could experience that.

Thanksgiving

In the morning of Thanksgiving we helped my host mom with all the food and serving the table. At 2 pm the first guests came. We also invited one of my friends and her family because she just moved here from New York and they didn´t go back to celebrate with their family. My host family really liked them and they said I could invite her again. Thanksgiving is a fest where you basically just eat. The food was really good. Especially the desert. My host family also made me wear a Turkey head to take a picture. The kids played upstairs. We tried to play Wii but it just didn´t work out. I was in my room with my friend, skypeing with my parents and we played Tick Tack Toe. Than the day was over. I think it was pretty fast but also interesting to see how Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

Me with the Turkey head

The day before Thanksgiving break

First of all I´m posting it now cause I realized that I totally forgot to post about it.

So the last day before Thanksgiving break was pretty cool. The last few days before break we had a topic week. Every day we had a different topic. On Tuesday we had twin-day and I was wearing the same clothes like one of my friends.

Me and my twin

On Wednesday, the last school day before break, all Freshmen had to wear something white, all Sophomores something yellow, all Juniors something green and all Seniors their Senior Shirts. 

Me and a Senior

In my classes we did literally nothing. We ate Cupcakes and other candy in B Block and in D Block we had a Pep Rally. I was so excited because I never had it before. So all Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors went to the gym and the Seniors had to wait and were watching us going to the gym. In the gym we had Grandstands for Junior, Seniors and Freshmen and Sophomores had to share one. I was sitting with my friends and everyone was so hyped. I think it was really awesome. We had contests between all grades but everyone kew Seniors would win anywise. The contests were something like: Who could be the loudest and small games where they had to burst balloons and yeah just funny games. We got a few points too but Seniors won and they were running around, yelling in excitement and it was just unforgettable. 

Bat Mitzvah

The day before  Hanukkah was the Bat Mitzvah from my host sister´s cousin. We all dressed up and went to the temple where the ceremony would take place. We were waiting a long time until the actual ceremony started. Before that everyone took pictures with my host sister´s cousin. In the ceremony was lot´s of singing and many speeches. It was really long but after we finished the ceremony we went to a small room, got a little bit food and something to drink and than we went to the hotel where the party would take place. First there was a little program for all the little kids and the adults got snacks and alcohol. We could´t choose at wich table we want to sit. We got cards with our table number on it. My host parents were together, my older host sister was on a table with random people and my younger host sister and me got the kids table. We were kind of mad about that because at the kids table were like 13,14 years old and we were 16 and 17. We also were supposed to get the kids food then wich would be: Mac and Cheese, Pizza, Fries and like kids food. The parents would get green beens, meat, potatoes, salmon and all the good food. So my host sister and me just got in line for the adults food, which was longer but it was worth it. But we just sat down and started to eat the entertainer, who's playing games with the kids, came to our table and was like: "Hey get up and play or are you to ´cool´for that." And I was just like: "I´m eating right now." And he was like: "You can eat after the game." I just didn´t respond to that and now I´m kind of sorry but I was so hungry and I´m not a kid anymore. I really don´t want to play games like they played. But I had fun anywise. There was a photo booth and we took silly pictures and we got glow sticks at the end. We also danced a little bit. The music was pretty good, more modern songs from 2015 but also some songs who were a little more for younger kinds. For example they played What makes you beautiful from One Direction. Then there was a few traditions that they did. They lighted candles and to every candle they had a little poem. The poem was for family members and friends and each person who was in one of the poems went up to light the candle with the girl who had her Bat Mitzvah. At the really end, when the half already went home, we saw lot´s of pictures from the girls and her life. I think some were really cute but some were also really funny. I had good day and I think everyone else too.

at the temple

My host sister and me with glow sticks

Photo Booth

Nikolaus

I know that St Nicholas Day is nothing that Americans really celebrate. But my host family already had a German exchange student and she told them about it. Since then they do it every year. The evening before Nicholas Day (December 5th) we put our shoes out. In the morning of December 6th I went to the bathroom and tried not to look to our shoes cause I wanted to wait for everyone. After 30 minutes everyone was ready and we got our shoes...with lots of candy in it. I got a huge box with German cookies in it. It was great. We also got lots of other candy. I got gummy football's to eat.
Who does´t know what St Nicholas Day is can check it out here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas_Day