First Week Here

Well, it's been an emotional first week here. To be honest, it's been pretty lonely during the times when I haven't had school or the ski trip. Not being able to hear from or talk to the people you love the most because they are 7 time zones away is very tough. Not going to lie, I have cried a little bit, but I feel like it's going to get easier from now on.

The school is great and all of the faculty and staff are very supportive of me and help me out a lot. We have developed a carpooling system so that someone is able to pick me up and drop me off everyday. I finally have my ID card which gives me access to everywhere on base (including the grocery store) so that is nice to have. I am working on my address, which I am hoping to have solved by tomorrow. Also, the wifi thing will be solved shortly as well. It's just much easier having it in my apartment than having to be at the mercy of the lounge and their inconsistent hours. Plus, my roommate would like wifi too. Right now, I am able to enjoy being on the internet through the guys next door to me. They gave me their wifi code to use until Saturday (when they leave). I am very grateful to them! I also got my phone figured out as well; granted, I can't really call anyone (15 cents per minute to calls in the US) but people can call me if they would like depending on what their phone contract says.

Last night, the camp group that is here living in my apartment invited me out to dinner with them. I had already eaten, but I went with them anyway for social interaction and to hang out with people my own age. We had a really great time and they are a good group of people. I also had my first German beer here (Crystal Weiss). It was okay... I'm not a big beer drinker, but I was able to drink it--and they give you a lot too!

I'm in the middle of my first week at school and I am really liking it so far. My cooperating teacher is wonderful and I will learn a lot from her. I was able able to share my knowledge during Social Studies when they were talking about Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Since I went on the Civil Rights Pilgrimage two years ago, I made a PowerPoint of pictures and the kids really enjoyed it. I start full time teaching math next week!

So, this Friday is my grandfather's 90th birthday!!!! So a happy early birthday to him (and I say Hi and Love you too!). One of the teachers heard me talk about it and knew that I might not be able to access the internet to Skype with him Friday night so she was kind enough to invite me to her house in Nuremburg for the entire weekend! She's such a sweetheart and I am very grateful to her for lodging me and showing me around the city. I am also very excited to talk with my extended family since I won't be physically at my grandpa's big birthday celebration. Also, a big hi to my Aunt Kris for setting up the whole Skyping so that I'm able to kind of be there and talk to my grandpa (who I usually talk to once every week to two weeks).

I also heard from my roommate (Sunshine from Arizona). She will be moving in at the end of January and has traveled a lot in Europe so I'm excited to travel with her and it will be a lot easier (and safer) to have some company.