Well, it sure has been a while since I wrote last. And now I have so much to say. Well, lets begin shall we!
I am now back in the 'Can-speak-some-German-Oh-wait-actually-I-am-fluent' class. After my second lesson of "Ein...Zwei...Drei...Who knows what comes next?? amd then getting to the top of the class by being able to count above ten, I decided that if I were to have any brain cells left, I should move up a class before I pulverise them against a table somewhere. So yes, back in the fluent class, although I am not fluent. Ah well, I'll get there eventually. I understand what is happeinig in the class, I just can't speak very well at all.
Last weekend I had my first. My first Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough icecream. It was pure heaven. And people gave me the oddest looks as I sat outside the trainstation in -6 degrees, eating a pottle of icecream with a popsicle stick. However, I then got on the train to my first ever Rotex Weekend in Hundisburg, about 4 hours by fast train from my city. I walked into a room full of 70+ inbounds, all knowing each other and 85% of them being rather rowdy South Americans and just KNEW that no sleep was going to be had! The first night, they took us on a 'scary walk' around the castle grounds that we were staying at. However, while I was expecting Zombie or something to jump out at us, nothing happened UNTIL the very end where I loudly announced that I was expecting something to jump out at me and that I didn't know what the huge hype was about, just as three people leapt out at me. I then screamed, lost my balance in the snow and slid straight onto my ass much to everyone's delight.
That night the music was on full volume until way past 2am, vibrating the entire building. The next morning, we were woken up bright and early by some charming Rotex's armed with pots and wooden spoons. I then discovered I had no voice. And when I mean no voice, I mean not even a sqeak. I spend 3/4 of my day whispering. That day, we went to a village named Hotensleben, where part of the Berlin wall still remains. We also did a tour of what I think of as 'deadly customs', where people had to go to be allowed to cross the border into west /east Germany. I was horrified to learn how many people were killed at these palces, and it really hit me how dark Germany's history is, and that I was standing on ground that people had died on. Even looking into the surrounding woods I could imagine people running, being shot down and just the whole place being a warzone. That day any ;andscape I saw I could picture soldiers, bodies and war. I was reminded of what country I was in. However, while I found the entire day all very interesting, I was very sick, very cold and very wet (the whole tour was outside in the rain and over 5 hours long) and I just found myslef longing to get back on the bus. Is it bad that my favourite part of my entire weekend was getting back onto the bus?
That night we had a costume party, and I was a nerd - suspenders and all. And Iwas a party pooper, going to bed at 12 because by then, sickness had really sunk in- my ears were so swollen and sore my earplugs wouldn't even fit into them. Not fun. The music stopped sometime after 4 that night, and yet again we were woken by the pots.
The next morning we were taken to the train station two hours before our train, to a trainstation with no building for us to take shelter in and 5 layers later, (two of which were wool) I was still cold, shaking and miserable, and sounding like a pack-a-day smoker. Eventually our train arrived and I eagerly went home and straight to bed. I speak of this weekend like it was horrilbe, but that is just because I was miserable and sick and wanting some peace and quiet and sleep - it really was a great weekend where I met so many amazing people and learnt so much.
My health somehow managed to get even worse, with a pounding headache from the continuous coughing, sore throat, stomach pain, aching ears and eyes, fever and the chills. This lasted from sunday through to Friday. And yes, for those that know me well enoguh, that means it covered my birthday.
I woke on my birthday feeling rotten. The first thing I did was skype Mum, who sang her usual whiney, sqeaky and tuneless happy birthday song whcih tugged at a few heartstrings. I then opened the cards I had been sent from her, Gran and Sarah. We spoke for a while, and then I skyped Mason. After the skype sessions were over, I came downstairs to the mos wonderful surprise - on the table was laid out: A signed German flag from my host family, some gifts, some milka chocolate and a beautiful homemade cake. My host mum was also making some cupcakes at the time, so I helped her tidy up by doing the dishes - never has that bowl been so well licked I believe. I was amazed - I didn't know what I expected from my birthday, but I figured I would just let it slip past like any other day. It's weird - until that day it didn't really feel like my birthday at all. It's like my life in NZ has stopped and is on pause. Birthdays don't happen, no holidays or anything. It feels like i'ts just..frozen until I get back, and that I am in a new life in Germany until I get back and my life continues.
After a breakfast of fresh rolls and nutella, I retired to bed for the afternoon until Alina and her mum, my amazing counsellor and Dalton came over. We sat and ate cake and cupcakes and then I skyped Lou. Dalton stayed for tea, and I think if he hadn't come over, it wouldn't have felt much like a birthday at all - for me, my birthday is about spending time with my family and friends, and Iam glad to say that I saw some of my friends on my birthday or else it would have been very sad indeed! I was also touched at how many people said happy birthday to me on facebook - it sounds silly, but it did mean a lot to me to know I wasn't COMPLETELY forgotten in New Zealand!
On Fraiday I helped Dalton cook a traditional Brazilian meal - beans and rice. Yep... that's it. They eat this twice a day, every day. I made myself useful yet again by helping with the dishes - this time, two condensed milk cans left over from the desert that I DID like.
On Saturday I was asked to help out at a Rotary Charity Dinner that was Spanish themed - everyone was dressed to the nines, and there I stood in Rotary blazer and Chuck Taylor shoes... We were given a four mean course, suposedly Spanish themed - who knew Beef Wellington and roast veges were Spanish! And the deserts were all made by the Rotary Wives - yet again, I wasn't really feeling the Spansih vibe, but the food tasted fantastic nonetheless of it's country of origin. That night, selling raffle tickets we raised 13000 Euros for children. It was a fantastic night, and I sat next to the lovliest old man who was a solider in the German army when he was 16, and rode in the cavalry for a year until the war ended. His job now is to travel around schools, speaking to children about what life was like to live in a Dictatorship and to make sure something like that never happens again. He was the sweetest man who enjoyed talking A LOT and his wife was 96!
And that is all I have to say for now! Having a fantastic time, and very very tired so am off to sleep now,
Goodnight!
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