Wow. There's not really a way to describe all the feelings that I've had since I got here. Well, I should probably start at the beginning, so. The plane ride was the longest two days of my life. I didn't realize until the end, but Natalie (a girl going to France on my award) and I were on the same flight from Wellington because her's was delayed, so we found each other and had a friend at the airport which was nice. When Lucy and Nick (the other two on my award) got off the plane from Christchurch we went to meet the others. It was really cool to actually meet Anna in person because we'd spent so much time talking on Facebook, and we hit it off straight away. It was really good, Anna and Nick and I sat together for 10 and a half hours, and because it was during the day we didn't sleep. So whilst there were movies etc., we spent a lot of time talking about what it would be like, and also about our families back home etc. We had some really funny times and after the next couple of flights we were already like family. I think travelling halfway across the world can do that for you...
Then we had the camp. I was a bit apprehensive, because it had been the three of us for a couple of days, and now we were meeting, wait for it, one hundred and eleven other people! :O We were the first bus, people came on 5 different buses depending on the time their plane arrived right up until 3 in the morning. The camp was actually so much fun. Anna and I were in the same room and pretty much spent every waking moment (and asleep actually) together for the next three days, so she's pretty much like my third sister now! We weren't very far from Nick either, just down the hall, which meant that he became something of a brother to us. We definitely behaved like it, with the whole Kiwi siblings ripping into each other attitude! :) I also made really good friends with a Finnish girl called Iida who was very funny, even though English is like her 3rd or 4th language! Actually, that's the other thing, we spoke English nearly the entire time on camp! So that was the only thing that I think was really strange for me, we were in this new country with people from all over the world and still speaking English! And it did seem a bit unfair, as everyone had their own "secret" languages that they could talk in, but all we could speak properly was English and, unfortunately, everyone could understand us... But that was okay becausewejustspokereallyfastsothatnoonecouldunderstandus. :) So we played heaps of games on camp, and ate nutella for breakfast and lots of pasta and rice! But don't worry, I had salad with every meal as well. :P I made some great AFS friends on camp, some of whom are in my chapter, so I'm really looking forward to when I can see them again.
Then I met my host family. We were all really nervous when we were sitting outside the youth hostel (which was actually really nice, ensuite bathroom!) because we didn't know how we should greet our host family... Luckily Rudolf and Constanze came up and gave me a hug and a kiss on both cheeks and I instantly felt accepted into their family. Rudolf told me straight off that they were going to speak to me in German and I could speak back in English if I wanted but they would answer me in German, so it's been since then, with me speaking my limited German and learning more and more by the hour! :) The Leeb's have been so lovely and welcoming, it's been really easy for me to get used to living here.
School. Well. I couldn't understand barely anything yesterday, but I did talk to two nice girls, however badly (haha), and I'm on the way to making friends! Today was better because we did a little bit of English in the equivalent of two hours "form time" because the "form teacher" is also our English teacher. That was actually quite cool because it consisted of the class asking me questions about NZ in English! Oh, something a little strange here, the teachers change classes and not the students. For nearly all the subjects we have the same class in the same room (except some sciences and Religion) and the teachers have to go to the class! A bit mean for the teachers really... But I'll have a different class for French because not everyone takes it, they all take different languages, either Latin or Russian. It'll be good I think because it gives me a chance to meet more people. It was quite funny because my "form teacher" was like, "oh so Chloe you're taking French as your subject choice right?" I say, "ja" and she was like, "and you can speak it right?" and I was like hm, I would totally not take a language I didn't know in a language that I'm not fluent in. I mean, how hard would that be? It'll be hard enough trying to take French in German, although Constanze said that I should know more than the other students because they've only taken it for two years and I've taken it for four. So, hopefully that works to my advantage!
I also rode a bike to school today, a first for me ever. It was pretty cool! I managed not to get lost, mainly because it's only 10 minutes away, plus I followed a younger boy riding his scooter... When in doubt, follow the stream of young people! I tried following another guy on a bike, but I figured out where I was, and then he turned a different way, so suffice to say I didn't continue ghosting him...
Well anyway, I think we're having dinner soon, plus even though it's only 7.30 I feel like I'm about to fall asleep on the computer... Early to bed tonight! Goodnight all and I shall be back soon.
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