German way of life

Submitted by Annette on 27 April 2009 - 6:28pm

It's coming up to a week since I arrived here in Deutshland. I am still a little homesick. Okay a lot. I miss all my friends and family and my b.f. very much but school is going very well here. I have to admit I am totally lost in some classes. I am just sitting there looking up. Sehr lustig! In biology we are studying photosynthesis (Fotosynthese). It is very hard to understand! But I enjoy my bilingual english, history and Geography classes. I can relax in these classes. I am very tired most of the time. I get up at 5:30am and sometimes don't come home until 5:15pm. I travel by bus to school. I have met many new people who are very friendly and helpful. There is also a festival on in Löhndorf where I am staying now. It is finishing tonight. It's very different but very interesting. I got a birch tree on Wednesday night. (The men in the village give a birch tree to girls over 16 years. It's their tradition!) I also go sight seeing and shopping with my host sister Nina. All my host family are very helpful and kind.


Until my next blog (which will be soon)


Tschüss für jetzt!


Annette Burke

x

Keep it up!

Submitted by Gen on 30 April 2009 - 3:46pm.

Hello Annette, 

The first few weeks are always the hardest but you are going a great job! You are doing all the right things. No one expects you to understand everything (especially Biology in a new language) but participate in the subjects and engage with your classmates when you can. Being tired is a very common response to all this. Your on a new schedule which your body and mind are not used to. Your brain is working overtime too. Having to translate everything you hear is no simple task and takes lots of energy to do. 

Homesickness gets to everyone as some point when they are away (although not everyone admits to it). The best thing you can do is get out there get stuck into all the amazing new things to see and do, which it sound like you are doing well. When you are homesick, don't reach for the phone! The more you talk to family and friends in Ireland, the more you will miss them. Hard as this may sound, distraction is the best way to get through these feelings until they pass and things get easier. You also have your new friends in Germany, you host family and your local coordinator when things get tough. All of them will be very understanding if you need to get something off your mind or feel frustrated. 

Keep up the good work!! 

Genevieve

 

Thanks for the support!

Submitted by Annette on 5 May 2009 - 3:33pm.

Hi Genevieve,

 

I am almost settled into school and am learning new word every day. Though I can understand someone speaking better than I can speak it at this stage! I have made many friends and I am with a lovely family. Nina my host sister is lovely and very understanding as she was in America for a year. I am still quite tired at the moment and some days I have hardly any energy, but hopefully I will adapt to the german way of life very soon. It's hard to believe I have been here two weeks. In one sense it feels a lot longer and in  another sense it went so quick! I will try and blog more regularly! Would more than once a week be necessary?

 

Thanks for your support again!

 

Annette