A Dog Incident, Quirky Old Women, and More Goodbye's

So I'll start my blog off with some pictures. These will be the last pictures for awhile, because I am using the Wildenhayn's old camera because mine needs to be fixed. I won't have the cables to attach the camera to the computer. So enjoy these ones!This is me at the Italian restaraunt we ate at in Erfurt. I figured you would like to see a picture of my face, because you haven't seen me for so long. I don't want you to forget me!!

This is another picture of Erfurt, you can see the cute archeitecture in the background!

This is a picture of Stephan and I in Erfurt. Stephan is my oldest host brother and you've already heard about him. Here we are making funny poses for the camera. We aren't sure why this one turned out black and white, but it looks rather excellent so I don't mind.

Here is another picture of me in Erfurt with an old school post office box.

So I left you rather abruptly last time to go eat the supper I made. It turned out really well. Jonas told me it was really good and it's a good thing he liked it, because he's the one who eats the most. That evening I watched a children's film called Paterson and Findus. It was soooo cute. It's based on a book, I will have to read it! There were no English subtitle options so I watched the movie with German subtitles.

I was astounded at what I could understand. I understood most of what was going on. The subtitles were German essential for my understanding, but I couldn't help feel very proud of myself. My German is coming. I can definetly understand much more than I can speak, so that's a bit frustrating, but at least I am accomplishing something so I won't complain.

On Monday I had Prakticum again and it was nice to see all of the kids. We did all sorts of little acitivities and during play time the girls claimed me and we played House. It was really quite fun, I haven't played House in ages! We had babies, tea, coffee, supper, and even plastic food! lol It was a lot of fun.

Frau Streube (Theresa's mom) told me some of the backgrounds of the kids that day. I won't go into details about the kid's pasts because it was all told to me in confidence. The only thing that is really important to know is that it is really sad and my heart broke. In fact after she told me I remember looking out at all the kids playing and I felt tears coming up into my eyes and I had to choke them down. This was not the place to begin crying, not when they were laughing and smiling. Seeing them like that was beautiful and sad at the same time. Beautiful because they haven't fully grasped that their lives are different from other kids and sad because they will figure that out far too young.

These kids were in Kindergarten last year and for what ever reason were not deemed ready to enter Grade 1. So this year Frau Streube has one year to try to get them ready for Grade 1 or if they aren't ready for that then they might go to a special school.

Life amongst the children wasn't always peachy. I had to break up a few fights between the boys. It was a bit difficult, because I don't know any harsh comands in German. All I can say is No no no no in German, so that's what I did, and I also inserted myself between them. Frau Streube had to step out on those occasions so I was the only adult in the room. I managed to explain to one of the boys that he needed to leave the other boys alone in German and after we sat together for a while he promised to go and sit back in his seat. To my amazment he did.

That day I came home and I did some more packing. I have been doing it little by little since the weekend, so it's not a huge job at the end. Then I went for a run. I took Anton with me for the first time running. I've never taken him before, because he often get's distracted, so I wasn't sure if he would run with me for a half hour, but I decided to give it a try, because he really wanted to go out and I really needed to go running.

So all went well..to begin with...he kept up and he even let me take him in the forest. Unfortunately, when we rounded a bend on the path in the forest I saw another dog...WITHOUT a leash. He ran swiftly and silently towards Anton. I didn't realize I was screaming until I screamed again. I had jumped off the path and I was tugging the leash to try to get Anton away. The owner eventually came over, it felt like an eternity, and got the dog away from Anton. For the rest of my run, I think I was running on adrenaline. It was rather scary and I felt bad, because I felt like a bit of a hasard for Anton. I know I couldn't have gotten in there to help him if we had met another dog and no master.

I've gotten over my fear of dogs, but only to an extent. I've never taken Anton off of his leash when we are walking, just in case another dog does come along, because I know I couldn't go over and get him. I'm still nervous when I see a big dog not on a leash.

So that evening Marion and Lutz took me to a theatre performance in another village near Oberellenbach. We weren't sure how much I'd understand, but I decided to go because I love watching plays. As it turned out it was a German musical and I actually understood a fair bit. Much more than we thought I would. I understood the gist and some of the jokes, so that was really cool. The play was a musical about 3 elderly women who go on a sea voyage. They are all super quirky and so are the crew. It was really great. =)

The next day I went with Marion and Stephan to Erfurt to visit Ann. We visited her new apartment, her University, and then explored the inner city. Erfurt is a really beautiful city. The inner city is full of beautiful old buildings. You can also see the occasional housing buildings which were from the former Communist times. They are really beat up and ugly looking.

We visited a big Dom, walked along the oldest shopping street in the world, and later ate at a good Italian restaraunt. On the oldest shopping street in the world, Marion bought some chocolate which had chili's, some sort of liquor, and a Canadian berry in it. It was really funny, because I didn't have any idea what it was. They said it was like a cranberry, but not quite. It wasn't a current, or a chokecherry. It tasted really really good.

It was a good day, but Marion asked me once if I was OK, because I didn't seem OK. I answered, ya because I thought I was, but on the car ride home I realized that I was a bit sad. Marion had just realized it before I had. I think most of it is due to my big move on Thursday to my next host family.

On Sunday Stephan, Jonas, Marion, Lutz, and I all ate brunch together. It was really nice for all of us to sit down for a meal together. Then I showed Stephan the computer in my room which hasn't been working for a few days. Jonas and him determined that it was finished. OH MAN...somehow I broke the computer. So needless to say I feel awful. I have no idea how it could have happened. I only check my e-mail, write on my blog, things like that. I'm not downloading anything, so I have no idea what happened. One day it worked and the next it didn't....Oh man...It's Ann's old computer, and she has a new laptop, so that makes me feel slightly better about it.

I watched a German children's program called Mouse. I understood some, but I would have needed German subtitles to understand more. Then I cooked supper for 3 so Stephan could try some of my cooking before he left, to go back to University. The chicken turned out well and so did the curried carrots, but my Nanimo Bars did not! I was sooo disapointed because this is the first Canadian thing I have cooked. I think I know what happened. The bottom layer was perfect, and of course it's pretty hard to screw up the top chocolate layer, but my icing in the middle was a disaster. They tasted OK, but not like they should. People still liked them though, but I was really disapointed in them. My family called and we had a chat and after that I watched another movie and of course packed some more.

The next day at my Prakticum we did all sorts of things. They coloured a picture, made their own puzzles, we played memory, I played House, and I broke up anyother small fight that errupted between two boys. All in all it was a rather typical day at school. A good day though, I really enjoy being there with them. I like kids and I really wrestle with the question if I'll have some of my own someday.

The weather is getting really cold and rainy here. It is no longer Autumn and it has definetly become Winter. That evening I went to another Rotary meeting and Jonas came a long. He was an exchange student in Brasil

2 years ago and Renato (the other exchange student my club is hosting) is from Brazil and was giving his presentation about Brasil that night. His current host brother also went to Brazil so he was also going to give a presentation. I don't have to do mine until the New Year. PHHEWWW....It was neat to see all the pictures of Brasil. When we got home I took some pictures of the family, so pictures are on their way, but I can't put them on the computer right now.

The next day at school we did different work sheets, played, sang, you know the usual. One of the girls has grown rather attached to me. She wants to hold my hand and for me to sit by her for story time. She is such a honey. So many of them are such honey's.

We celebrated another kid's birthday today. Frau Streube makes sure that the birthday child has a really special day and I find this incredibly sweet. She doesn't have to, but she does. Frau Streube loves those kids. She is hardworking, dedicated, firm, and kind. They all adore her and admire her.

When I cam home I packed more, took some pictures of Anton, and watched some movies. The next day, today was a day of many last things. It is my last full day in Oberellenbach, my last day of Prakticum, and my last day with this host family. School went like it usually did and at the end of the day I told the kids it was my last day. Frau Streube took a picture of me with the kids and I gave all of the kids small Canadian presents. I also gave a few things to Frau Streube for the classroom. The kids were over the moon about it and it was great to see their smiling faces.

As Frau Streube drove me home we talked about the day and I told her tomorrow was my last day in Oberellenbach. She seemed genuinely sad about it. I was really touched. I gave her a present for a wonderful Prakticum experience and for driving me to school every morning for these past few months. I also gave her two small presents for her girls, because they have also been great to me. She gave me a big hug and we parted ways. I hope I see her again.

So this afternoon I had lunch with Marion, packed more (I'm almost done now), went for a walk with Anton, and have been trying to get through my list of to do's. Soon I can check off, New Blog Entry. I'm in a bit of a weird mood today. More than anything I feel kind of numb. It hasn't sunk in that at noon tomorrow I will no longer be here and I don't know when I'll be in Oberellenbach again. I feel quite sad about it.

It's nothing like saying a goodbye to my home, my country, and my family and friends, but it is another goodbye none the less. As an exchange student we leave everything and everyone we have ever known when we walk onto that plane. We've said more goodbye's than we ever had to before and when the plane lands we are trusting that our first host family will be there and that we can rely upon them for anything and everything. It's a scary feeling, because you've just gone through an emotional roller coaster and when you see them for the first time your eyes are begging them to be there for you. We need to know that we can trust them and rely upon them. I was able to do that and they have been very good to me.

So this goodbye is not an easy one. I will miss them and this small little village. I am excited for my next host family and I've met them before so I know they are great, but it's still sad to see this chapter come to a close. I've really appreciated all they have done for me. So tomorrow is a bit unknown and I'm nervous, a bit scared, and unsure about everything. I don't know how that shower works or when we eat meals. It feels like I am now comfortable and settled here and all of a sudden everything changes. Change is enivitable and it isn't always negative or bad. So tomorrow will come and I'll be ready.

I'm sure you'll be hearing from me soon. I have no idea what the next few days have in store, so I'll write as soon as I can. Take care and if you're so incline send some positive vibes to me for the big move tomorrow.