Hello All, I'm in Germany.

I believe that may have been stating the extremely obvious. But however.

After a very long flight and very little sleep and also a couple of Red Bulls, I'm able to be sitting here, typing on a somewhat annoying German keyboard and listening to the Clash and blogging, oh and looking outside to the SNOW!

I have a picture of the massive as snowflakes, but my lappy ain't internet-going atm. So I shall leave it to your imaginations to think of the awesomeness that is everything covered in snow.Though the downfalls are that it's freakishly cold and I'm more paranoid than usual that I'm going to fall on my Arsch. (See? it's German haha)

But to cope with the snowyness, I have had to buy epic boots. No longer will my feet fell like they're going to fall off.

My host family and Julia's friends have been really good, with my (lack of) German skills. I know I'm talking like a three year old, but they seem to understand.

I've been going to school for four days now, and I'm managing to understand a fair bit. Except for the Spanish and French lessons. Although the methods for such things are different, the general gist is the same. Especially subjects like maths, physics and chem. And although I hate bio, I still understood it to a degree, but with the German-ness, my mind was a bit slushied by the end. Although doing not a great deal in school is relatively relaxing, the ttrying to understand German makes me crave V to keep the yawning at bay, but alas, I know not of a German equivilant.

And just because it's Chrimbo, I'm accumulating a large pile of lollies and chocolate Santas, or Nikolaus as they are called over here. Christmas is pretty damn important, and I haven't a problem with that.

This weekend it sounds like we're going to be doing a fair bit, with the Christmas markets, shopping, visiting family etc. But to be perfectly honest, I'm liking it all :)

I don't know when I can next post. Am trying not to constantly be on the computer, kuz it's a bit rude haha. So til then, enjoy the lovely New Zealand sun, hope you're not missing me too much :P

The Story So Far....

Well, as you know, the time for me to be in Germany is upon us. Just as a recap, or for those of you who don't know, here's what's happening...

I am going here:

(Thanks, Wikipedia!)

Gadheim is a little village of about 800 people in the north of Bavaria. I will be staying here for 2 months with my exchange partner, Julia, and her family. She's coming to NZ late in February, but more on that later :]

I'm over there for basically all of my summer holiday. I will get to see a white Christmas, but I saw on the news yesterday that Munich airport has been having some issues with the snow. Not a great sign when that's where i'm flying into. And temperatures are supposed to be especially low this winter. But it's going to be great, plus, Germans are known for heating their homes well :]

Although it's my summer holidays, I will be spending a fair amount of time here...

This is my school. It is called Regiomontanus-Gymnasium and it's in the next village of Hassfurt. BTW, for those who don't know all that much German, Gymnasium in German is not like the same word in English. It is one of the three kinds of high school in Germany, the more academic one that can lead to university. Julia and her two younger sisters go to this school. School starts earlier, at 8, but finishes at lunchtime, so I'm going to have to find something to amuse myself with. Also, whether I'll be able to understand a great deal in any class but English is something I'll have to find out. 

Gadheim is in the middle of Hassfurt, which is larger, and Schweinfurt, which is larger again. Apparently it's also the better place to go shopping :] The nearest city that most people would have heard of is probably Nuremberg.

Right about now I'm really excited! I've wanted to do this exchange since I heard about it in year 9 or 10. Just three days to go!