The Fourth Day

Today was another school day!

 Because all the seats are usually filled in class there is a crowded row in the back for the Americans. But I get to sit by Lisa and her friends so it's nice.

Today, during German class we didn't do any German. First, the class saw two American presentations: American Food and American Music.

Then, we got to visit a dance/performing class. There were three groups and they each had the task of creating a dance of their own interpretation for a stanza of a song from the musical Cats. The class films the presentations, critiques them, and sometimes the best are performed for the parents with costumes and props. They also will go see the musical in Hamburg. They were seventh graders (I think) and did a nice job. 

During the first break/breakfast, we got to eat the extra Berliners and Americaners. I had a Berliner... or maybe two.

There's my picture in Lisa's class. Áron is there too!

Then we went to see more presentations with the Bilingual Geography class. First, we had a presentation about the Indy 500.

Logan and Kaitlin also presented about nothing! Nur Spaß!! Their presentation was about Indiana.

Next, Shelbi and I went along with some of our Americans to present our Square Dancing project to a class of 8th graders. There were only 10 students because the others were with French exchange students.  It was very fun! 

 We took a break for lunch. And talked English.... too loudly probably. 

We also went to the bathroom so I would like to mention something different between here and the US. In our schoool, we always have toilet paper. Here, yesterday one stall had none and now none of the upstairs have any. Yeah. Tissues to the rescue.

Speaking of different, more kids... teens smoke publicly here. I'm sure kids in our school smoke too but not anywhere near school grounds. Here, students smoke in front of the school and the bus stop. When a teacher walks by, they hide it. Herr Milde said that if the teachers see a student from their school (under 18) they are supposed to report it to the parents and the police are also supposed to do that but don't really. Because teachers are only responsible for students from their school, Herr Milde can't do anything about 14 year old students not from his school smoking. 

Back to school.

Today, the 11a (Lisa's class) had a party in Geschichte (history). We joined but we had just eaten lunch so we didn't eat any of their "American" food. They had brownies and ham, cheese, tomato, and lettuce with white bread sandwiches. Kind of American, I guess. But all the American girls said it was not American. They know better than I do. 

 

I must learn my German shapes...

 

We're so cute!

Since yesterday, Lena had invited us to do the dancing at the party, we got to do it. It was very fun and the teacher even danced! It was Madi's idea and I asked (using the Sie form!) and she said yes.  

Then we got to go on a field trip for the 7. and 8. period. While we waited for Herr Milde, I had another Berliner (I can't resist!) and the girls gave me drinks like orange juice+cola and orange juice+bubbly water. Apparently, I'm European because I drank it and they thought it was disgusting. But I didn't drink the second cup or else I would have to pee.

 These were the gardens of people during the DDR. They lived in flats and came to the country on the weekends to their garden. They are still gardens today but that is their history. They were on the road on the way during the field trip.

Total tourists. (Madi, I love your face)

We went to the Kindergarten to meet the mayor. 

While we waited, the boys played camera inception.

The kindergarten's sign. It is for students up to age 10 because they also have after school daycare. So there are kids from 6 months to 10 years.

The mayor is so cool! He arrived on a bike and had an orange tie with white polka dots. We got to eat Erdbeertorte and drink coffee or Mineralwasser. It was yummy! Then we talked and asked questions about Neukloster and being a mayor in German. Herr Milde translated some and I understood some. I didn't ask a question though. I was going to but I was putting it together in my head when Herr Milde asked it so yeah. But some of the others, mostly the boys, asked good questions. 

I had a lot of cake. I had a whole big slice and then Madi ate 1/4 of hers. So I ate the rest. And I was really full. The mayor told us that the kindergarten building was built in 1300. Wow. We also got a magazine about Neukloster. Then, we took a tour of the kindergarten. The kids were adorable!! It made me miss my babies a lot... We went into a room with the littlest kids and the mayor looked at me and said, "In 5 years?" and pointed at the kids. I said, "vielleicht..". So I told the mayor that maybe in 5 years, I'll have my own babies. He also told us that some of the wood in the building was a 1000 years old. So that was fun. And the kids were really cute and looked at us like we were weird and interesting. Which  I guess we are. When we were coming down from the attic through a door there was a little girl and each time one of us came through the door, she said, "Noch eins!" (Another one!) It was adorable!!

Then we went home and on the bus I talked with Volbi too and I actually understood it and could reply back. Yay!

At home, I told Mutti that I didn't want anything to eat because I was stuffed. I'm pretty sure I've gained weight but I can't tell because the scale in the bathroom is broken, or has no batteries, or I'm not smart enough to use German scales.

 After school, we biked to the store.

 

Real is pretty cool. There are a lot of haribo stuff. And I like the European vegetable and fruit area. And peanut m&m's Germany style.

Yeah. Everything is crazy German. I almost bought underwear too. Doesn't Lisa look great with that hairstyle? There must be something going on for everything to be all crazy. Soccer?

Speaking of soccer, I'm so lucky because my family doesn't watch it!! Everyone else has to watch it! I told Herr G that and he said that then my family isn't really German. And then I said that my Vati drinks beer and then Herr G said they are German.

 Coolest soup ever!!

 Libby, you were in Germany the whole time?

 

Random things I found interesting. I'm happy every time I see a baby picture because there are no babies in Germany. Or at least in my house.

 Lisa likes tattos. Nur Spaß! (says she)

 She also likes to make sure everything in our checkout line is perfectly neat and parallel...

 Then we came home and had strawberries from the garden.

 Then, we ate peas from the garden. 

Peas!

After dinner, Lisa showed me a song that is in both German and Hungarian. It took forever but we figured out a way to put it on here. We're so clever! [Edit: Never mind. Get spotify. Then you can hear it.]

And then I sat down and started blogging. I blog for a long time but I want to remember everything! Bis morgen!

P.S. I am now a cheeky monkey. According to the dictionary, English speaking people say that.