Last Germany post.

Abistorm was really fun. I was one of the first to run out of the school and I let Anja throw a bucket of water in my face. Then we went to dancing lessons. That was fun too. At night we went to Straßfest. They had some good bands playing there and good smelling food. Unfortunately I wasn't hungry. I tried to start a mosh pit but we didn't have enough people. It was still a good time though.

To night we'll probably do the some thing. I'm sad to be leaving to soon. We were here for such a short time. The only reason I want to come home is to share photos and gifts (and to see everyone again). Thanks to all who took time to read my adventures.

-T

Currently Listening Don't Speak By No Doubt see related

I wish I had been sent on the trip of a lifetime with a better camera. It keeps freezing up and not focusing.

Friday we went to the Steif factory in Giengen. That was cool. Calib bought a 100€ bear and i have no clue how he's fitting it into a suitcase.

Saturday I slept in (yes!!!) and then went to an old abandoned factory to help build sets for Marc's theater troup. This was the creepiest place I have ever been. I seriously think Valve went to this factory to get ideas for HalfLife2. Anyway we (me toby and some other guy) were taking our dear old time stapling canvas to wooden frames when suddenly the other guy said we needed to build a small table to help retrieve the beers he had set to chill in the river. All set production immediately stopped and within 5 minutes we had a pretty decent table to serve as a small bridge. This just goes to show that the Germans will become Über motivated when it comes to beer.

Sunday I went to see Marc's play Die Biene Maja. It was for little kids so it was easy for me to understand (heh). The amount of community support the theaters here get is amazing.

then some other stuff happened. Nördlingen (a medival city with wall still intact). Then Bodensee some stuff there, Switzerland...uhh...a Zippo.

OOO! Yesterday we went fencing. The best fencing students gave us lessons and while everybody else was sitting there bored to tears I got to play with swords. I don't understand why the blades weren't sharp though...Oh well it was still fanmazingawesome.

After that some more stuff happened. People got mad at people and presentations. Van Hoose only added fuel to the fire. I tried to stay out of it but i got volunteered to play counsellor and in the end i guess it got worked out. ???It just dissappoints me to see my friends rather be bullies than have a good time on vacation.

today we go tanzen. and Abistorm.

I'll make one more post before we go home. Until then...

-T

ok...tuesday we went to Ulm. It was pretty cool for a while, but in disagreement to the link mother added earlier, the city is, in fact, just the tallest church. On the guided tour people continued to whine about how they didn't want a history lesson and just wanted to shop, while i contained my urge to flay them all with a knife.Most of us climbed all 768 steps of the Münster cathedral and got and excellent view of the city and the Alps in the distance. (pictures OMG! i'm sorry!!!)

Wednesday Matt and I made our presentation. We presented right after Andrew and Mellisa, whose project was excellent, and right before Caiti, Emily and Liz whose presentation was horrible (it wasn't all their fault; they had never seen that presentation before because they lost their own). So i guess ours in comparison was ok. The 6th graders seemed to like it because they asked a lot of questions. Then we went to Waldbad.

Today we visited München. The trip was similar to Ulm in that people were very whiny, disrespectful to Spilker and our tour guide (who today happened to be Herr Schwarz. that made me sad that people didn't appreciate his knowlege) and only wanted to shop. Around noon Emily Andrew Melissa and I made a mad, starve-crazed dash for food by which we found ourselves in a little friendly pub. There were no free tables so I asked if we could sit next to this old man and his wife. They were delighted to eat with us. They tried to teach Andrew the correct Bayerisch way to eat his weißwrust but he couldn't figure it out. I spoke as much german with them as i could (it gave me a good opportunity to practice formal speech) Emily Andrew and Melissa unfortunately stayed out of the conversation. The man ( Tony Preis) is a stone mason\sculture who helps rebuild old buildings around the city and also makes scultures for the pubs for the oktoberfest season. He is a regular at the particular pub we ate at (in fact he eats at the same table everytime he goes there), and he showed us a picture that either he made or that was made for him hanging on the wall above our table. Andrew reluctantly took a picture of me and the old couple. Emily Andrew and Melissa thought it was creepy and embarrassing that i wanted to create a lasting image of two friendly and unique people we met on a small adventure withing an even greater epoch. Some peple are just too willing to remain spectators when opportunity presents itself. 

and that's it!

-T

Currently Listening (What's The Story) Morning Glory? By Oasis see related

So this weekend was interesting. I went to Marc's theater troup's acting clinic out of town about 30km at a nature camp thing.  It was really schreklich for the first two days because most of the kids were 14 and i couldn't understand any of the instructions. However Saturday night they wanted to make a bonfire and, God bless them, none of them knew how to do it. I helped them build a good fire and we sang songs around it. They know a lot of english songs and almost all of the words but it's clear they do not understand them. For example in Oasis's Wonderwall they sang 'I don't believe that everybody...' instead of anybody. That was pretty funny. On sunday when they were rehearsing the play I walked around and climbed on stuff. Marc's parents picked us up around 1:00 pm and then we went to a medieval festival. Knights killing eachother, catapults, fire eaters. It was pretty tight. Then we went back home and watched formula 1 with Marc's extended family.

Marc's parents were talking to the other host parents a few day ago at the welcome party and aparently i'm the only american who is regularly speaking german. sure everyone else says ja gern, nein, danke, und bitte, but i'm disappointed to hear that my friends are choosing not to use the skills they know. come on guys. seriously.

today we're going horseback riding at Herr Buhk's. i'll try not to fall and die, but if i do at least i'll die happy.

I'm taking so many pictures and i want to share them so badly but i can't. Sorry. I'll have to have a photo sharing day or something when I come home.

-T

Heidenheim is very beautiful.

My first full day in town (wednesday) was good. Marc got out of school at noon and we chilled for the rest of the afternoon. Frau Jarhaus made Spaeztle Käse for lunch. I had thought that spaetzle was only for special occasions but apparently it's very common in this part of Germany. I went running up on a nearby hill (they're everywhere) and it was a bitch. If i continue to run up all these hills i'll be built by the time i come home. Frau Jarhaus's mother Frau Bauer came over and we talked. I understood her very well and we had a nice conversation. Every day she walks from her home on the top of the hill to the Jaraus house. She is an excellent example of how well the germans stay in shape. In the evening we went to the Naturtheater to see Don Camillo. I could hardly understand a word but i understood the gist of it. The christians and the communists in a 1950s Italian town were fighting and some other stuff happened.

Thursday Herr Schwarz took us on a tour of the town. We went to the Rathaus and the church. The owners of the local hatmaker gave us a snack and Matt bought a very nice leather cap. You can tell he's happy with his purchase regardless of his constant tough guy expression. Then we walked up a hill the Heidenheim's Hellenstein castle. From the lookout we saw the entire town below and took many good pictures. There is a very strong sense of community here. Everywhere Schwarz went someone said hi to him or him and he knew where everything was. Marc stayed in school to take a big test but during lunch he drove me to the Waldbad (forest pool) on his motor bike (those things are cool. If i had one of those i wouldn't even need a car). Jarrett, Matt Melissa, Andrew and I met up and had a good time.  The pool here would put any of grove city's pools, past or present to shame. It had everything. Bathing pool like the Splash, a 50m lane pool, kiddie pool, volleyball, pingpong, giant chess (Jarrett beat me) 1m and 3m diving boards, and some other stuff. We did some sweet flips and stuff off the diving boards. The amazing thing is Heidenheim has another indoor pool with most of the same stuff plus waterslides. In the evening we had the welcome party at Lisa Kohl's house. We  sat and talked, german and english and had very good homemade food. MMmmmm.

The school has a small rock climbing wall. that's cool.

Marc's sister's boyfriend taught me how to open a beer with my lighter. that's cool

My german knowledge and abilities are improving every day. that's cool too.

Matt didn't bring the script for our presentation. that's not cool. hopefully one of his GC contacts will find it by monday and send it, otherwise we're boned.

Other than that there is nothing...except GERMANY IS WONDERFUL!

sorry about no pictures. i took too many to upload so yall have to wait until i get back.

ok bye.

-T