quick update
Well it's been quite awhile since I've posted and SO much has happened it's unbelievable, but we'll just go with the right now yes?
Currently, I'm living in a little village called Lützenhardt about 8 km from Horb where I am going to school. My host family is absolutely amazing! They live in a big pink house, my room is on the ground floor and I have my own bathroom! My host father, Ulrich is a big teddy bear who loves Dolly Parton and Florida. We speak both English and German to each other which I like because it helps my German and his English. Sabine, my host mother is so full of life and so motherly. She does kickboxing and kung fu and is so encouraging and patient while I try and speak to her in German. She's always making sure I have everything I need and that I understand. They have two kids, Paul who is 8 and Valerie who is 6. They love to play games and watch Spongebob which I think has been so beneficial for my immersion into German life. They live right next to the Black Forest which is both beautiful and a bit scary. On my first night, Sabine warned me of a weasel like animal called a Marten that climbs on the water pipes. I'm a little freaked out to go outside at night now. Lützenhardt is a cute village and everyone is so friendly, but it is very small and I am the only one in my program who lives out here which is good, and bad. It is good because I spend a lot of time with my family hearing and trying to speak German but bad because once I go home for dinner, that's it. I walk ten minutes to the bus stop every morning an then take a 25 minute bus to school. It's actually kind of nice having that time every morning to really wake up and have my alone time before being around people all day! I've been getting up at 5:45 so that I can go on the elliptical for a little bit before I leave for school at 7:40, which helps me sleep very well every night! I start school at 9 AM Monday through Friday and then Monday, Tuesday and Thursday we end at 3 and Wednesday and Friday we end at 12:30. At our school there is also a small group of students from Azerbaijan. They are all so nice, but today was their last day. We're all sad they're leaving because we just got here and haven't had the time to get to know them! Thank goodness for Facebook right? Everyone in our program has grown so close in just the past week and we hang out after school everyday. The school offers excursions each weekend and tomorrow we are going to Heidelberg which is a 3 hour train ride. Horb is a beautiful city but very very small and it can get a little boring. It is right on the Neckar River which has been extremely nice since it has been so hot and humid the past week. It's suppose to rain tomorrow so that will be a nice change I think! My German has been getting better everyday, my grammar seems to be good but when it comes to speaking, I just really struggle. Ah! I love it here so much I can't even explain it! I haven't been taking many pictures, but I will try and steal some from my friends to post and tomorrow in Heidelberg I will take at least a couple!
:]
