Back Home

Well, Buxheim, that is. It's good to be back, though I am missing Munich. Go to Munich, people, it's great!! Although I am a bit disappointed with how much German I learnt, or should I say, didn't learn. So, now back at school and other German lessons, I've decided to really knuckle down (not that I hadn't before) and get it happening. Although, the more I learn the more confusing it gets, so, wish me luck!

Happy Australia Day!! I was going to wear my Australian hat, but I thought I'd save myself the embarrassment. And I was thinking of you guys at the Yeppoon Beach Party while I looked outside at the falling snow. I have decided that since you guys have sand-scultpured, I will build me a snow man. If I have enough time that is....and if my hands survive the cold, hahaha. But at least I thought about it.

I'm currently suffering from an acute mental block, and can think of no more to write. Apologies. I miss home. And you guys allllllllot. Please email me.

alicia

Friday, Munich

Update!

Okay, well, the German's coming along slowly, but hey! I can speak with you guys on MSN! yay. At school we have access to computers and the internet and during lunch I've been able to talk with you all, as some of you have noticed. And for some, you learnt I was in Germany *Kai* so it was an educational experience for all. The people, as I have told you, are amazing. Though at first they all thought I was from Sweden or somewhere. Then they heard me talk and thought I was from America (!!!!). And now I have the nickname '13' cos it was a joke that everyone thought I was about 13 or 14 years old. The excursions around Munich have been great fun and also a 'bonding' experience. I have started to take more photos to show you all, and I will learn how to compress them in email form, I promise!!

Today we went iceskating, which was fun, but too short cos we had to leave because there was an ice hockey match. And yesterday we had an 'eat as much cake as you can' party, which was fun. And I mentioned on my last blog (the punctuation and grammar rapidly deteriorated) that I was going to the Moderne Pinacothek. It was cool. Some were a bit 'interesting' but we had heaps of fun 'anaylising' them. And the day before we went to the Deutsches Museum. That was cool, unfourtunately, I wasn't in an reading, watching mood. But a few displays did interest me, the Musical Instruments (yeah, Amo!! Go Music Nerds!!!), the medical one was gross. The aeroplans and ships were big....how'd they get them in there?..... : ) But it was soo huge. 6 storeys and it would take like 3 weeks straight to look at everything. Imagine cleaning it....hmm, that was a random thought. But it was cool, in one of the instrument rooms there was a woman playing the piano. I got a fright when i walked in a realised it was a person and not a CD player!! Ellen, you could do that as a job; be part of an exhibition!!! And tonight, Friday, I'm going out with some friends. And tomorrow we're going to the castle, you know, the fairytale one. And on Sunday us Aussies are tagging along with the Brasilians and maybe the Mexicans to a Samba Club!! Hahaha! It'll be awesome. Everyone's so nice, friendly and fun here.

Buuuut, I better be off to have dinner. I walk to and from school everyday now without getting lost (yay!) And even the U Bahn is not too scary for me anymore....I think I have it sussed. But I thought I'd tell you all what I'd been up too these last few days. And Josie, Happidy Birthday to You!!!! I called and emailed, but still, for the record, I sent good vibes!!

All my love to youse all....I gotta work on my Aussie accent *Crikey!!!!*
Alicia xxx

P.S. Mum and Dad, did you know that the way my name is spelt/pronounced (properly) is a Spanish/Portuguese name, too? Cool, huh? And if I have spelt 'Portuguese' wrong, it's Daniel's fault. But hey, he's a Mexcian with an American accent, it's not his fault : P

P.P.S Josie, the other Aussies are from Canberra (Sigrid, whom I call Siggy), Melbourne (Olivia), between Melbourne and Sydney (Shaun, the baby), and Sydney (Sandra), and for the sake of simplicity, I tell everyone I'm from Brisbane. And the other High School Exchager is Beatrice from Brasil.

Munich

Well, hey hey hey

I'm in Munich at the Language Camp, and it's been amazing.
I have meet some awesome people and seen some beautiful, beautiful things.
First, I had to arrive in Munich. By myself!!! So I went on the train for two hours and arrived. (deep breathe) and tackled the Metro.... and the Metro won. I got lost. I took the right one, but in the wrong direction!!! An hour later, I arrived and met my new host family. The Krause's. They're very nice. I haven't met the Belgium girl I will live with, she arrives today.

Yesterday was my first day at school...and I got lost on the way!! I only had to walk about 4 streets!!! But it was good, I met Elise, a french girl who was also lost!!! So a made a friend. And then the other High School Exchange people had arrived. There are 6 of us...5 are Australian!! I feel at home! But at the School here there's 44 students. They're here for 6 or 9 mths to learn German. There are people from Russia, France, Brasil, Switzerland, Mexico....everywhere. They all speak English, so we all communicate. It;s great meeting them all. And every day we go on activities around Munich and that's great. Yesterday we went to the Olympic Stadium. Ahhhh, it was so big. And then we went to the look out at the top of this tower and Munich at sunset......ah. SOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL. Well, we;re about to go to the technical museum, so i have to finish

Tchuss!!
Love, alicia xxx

humm...

Well, I thought I'd do something constructive tonight....

I almost forgot (again) to mention this Very Important piece of information: I have eaten something 'wild'. I sat down to lunch the other day and Peter said, 'Oh, you'll never have had this meat before...' Needlessly to say, I was imediately suspicious. 'Mmm hmm,' said I. 'What is it?'
'It's from the wild.'
Oh no, I thought, am I eating roadkill or something?
'Really?' I asked.
'Yep....you know Bambi, the Disney film?'
'Yes...'
'This is male Bambi!'
Gutten Appetit indeed!! It didn't taste too bad, though the thought of eating Bambi made it difficult....

And on the topic of food, I've just come back from having dinner with Peter and Hannah in this great bar/restaurant thing that's next to the lake. Too cold to eat outside, ofcourse, but we walked there and back. And we could see the stars, which is rare. Buxheim has 3 lakes, to my amazement, a forest and a river! It's truly beautiful. I go walking everyday, through the forest and then around the lakes. There's the big one, and then one for the cows and then one that people can go swimming in the summer time (the 'small' one, though it looks pretty darn big to me!). What else....uhhh. On Saturday night we're going to a fancy restaurant to celebrate Hannah's brithday, which is next week. She'll be 16, but I will be in München so I think that's why we're going.

Today, Gabi had some girlfriends over for Kaffee and they were asking me some questions. Mum, they were impressed with the whole five children thing. hahahaha. ''Nicht schlect'' -- not bad. One said that 2 children and a dog was enough! And I need definite figures here, people, how many inhabitants does Yeppoon and Rockhampton have? That would really help me out. Oh, and Brisbane, too. Danke!!

* I'm sorry for the large photos in the emails, I have no idea how to compress them when I'm in Australia, let alone when the programs and what not are in German!!*

Almost forgot

During the last week it has been snowing and very pretty and I've been going to for walks and enjoying it all. And yes; I made a snow angel. Very big news. It wasn't too bad for my first one, though she was missing a head. But other than that, it was perfect. I was nice and wet and cold after that. And that was my snow angel making experience that I thought I'd share with you all.

The end. By Alicia.

It's 2005!

Happy Year, Everyone!

I hope it was great, and that the greatness continues throughout the year.

Ah, thankyou my wonderful, wonderful family. I loved the email you sent me from Woodford (ahh, I can hear the bad drumming...it's the festival, man). It was so good hearing from you, especially you, Alex!! Hello! I don't know if it's possible for me to call an Aussie mobile from here, but send me your home phone number and I'll give you a call. I miss you guys, too. Everyone here was very, ummm, sad (??) for me, because I didn't receive any calls/cards/mail on my birthday. And I hadn't checked my emails until today so as to give you all a chance to remember me and email!! And I knew the family were at Woodford. How was it? Bet it was more spacious in the tent without me, huh? Ah yes, how did the traditional `Put up the Tent' experience go? I meant to ask you guys to buy me a lantern for my room...

And Josie, thankyou, too, for the e-card and blog replies which made me laugh so hard. It was perfect. Thankyou. I sent you snail mail, well I've written it, and hopefully I can sent it tomorrow and then it may get there in 1-2 weeks. Hahahaha, doesn't that make email sound so much better?

Well, how was everyone's Christmas and New Year? Firstly, I must correct some mistakes of mine. Christmas here is not celebrated on the 24th. Well, it is and it isn't - I still don't know completely. The 24th is not a holiday, so people have to work for half the day. Then that night you have family and have an 'easy' or 'light' dinner. You know, where you dip stuff into cheese(fondu?) or what we did, and had a mini cooker thing and we all toasted our own food, like ham and mushrooms and banana and cheese. I was apprehensive about the cheese and banana thing, but it actually tastes very good. The whole family was there: Peter, Gabi, Valeska, Hannah, Peter's mother, Gabi's parents and Peter's brother. And then we opened the presents. I got some very nice chocolate, so now I have a very large pile of it in my room. Though I would like to fit into my clothes, so I haven't touched it!! And I got a pair of inside shoes (Family: ''Inside thongs, outside'') and a ticket to a very high class theatre show, and some earrings, and a very nice beach bag (beach, what beach??) with towel. It was lovely. And (I think) they liked the presents I gave them. Did you know, they had never heard of the platypus?? Grace, isn't that an outrage? hahaha, outraged, remember?? : ) Yes, and then we went to the Church Service in a very nice, very small church in the next village. I didn't understand a thing, ofcourse, but I liked the priest (pastor?) because it made it interesting and relevant. Well, that is what Valeska said, and I could tell by whatching and stuff. If nothing else from this year, I have learnt how to read body language and facial expressions!! And we sung carols and lit candles. And then the next day, the 25th we had a nice breakfast and then a full four-course lunch, which was so very yummy. And then we went to have Kaffee at Peter's mother's house. And no dinner because we were all so full! And then Hannah, her friend Julia and I went to Ülm to 'Atlantis' which has heated pools, saunas, hot tubs and waterslides. The 26th was a nice, sleepy day and it snowed. Peter said I got my White Christmas, and I said it was a day late and led to a discussion of when Christmas is in Germany and Australia. I said how I thought it was celebrated on the 24th and Peter said Christmas was the 25th and 26th like in Australia (they took the Aussie calander I gave them and showed where the 25th and 26th were highlighted in red) and then I told them about Boxing Day and they were very, ummm, not confused, but a bit like, 'sure, okay. Craaaazy Australians' hahahaha

Yes, that was my Christmas.

Then on my birthday, the 30th for those who forgot me (sniff, sniff) I got a lovely red bathrobe and bunch of yellow roses from Peter and Gabi, and some makeup from Hannah. Valeska was skiing in Ischgl with her grandmother, uncle and cousin. And then that night Hannah and Julia took me to a club in Memmingen called Area 2. And that was heaps of fun. The next day, which was Gabi's birthday, was also Sylvester (New Year's Night). New Year's here, I might add, means 'PARTY'. Gabi's parents and her aunt and uncle came for Kaffee. And that night we all went out. Peter and Gabi went to a small party with friends in Memmingen and Hannah, Julia and I went to a friends' party in München. The fireworks were soo cool. They went for more than an hour, I think. From midnight to 1am. It was cold, but good. I went to bed at 6am and woke up 10am. To be expected, that day was very sleepy and quiet.

And that brings me to today. And this time next week, I'll be in München again for the Language and Culture camp. When I get back from that (and fluent in German, ha ha) I think I will have been in Germany for 2 months! WOW! The time has flown by. But it's been really, really great. I'm missing you all alot, yes, but I'm fine. And I've put some pictures and photos on the walls of my room, which makes me feel better.

Well, I think that's it. Time for me to leave the world of blog and write some other emails. I would love to hear about your respective Christmas' and New Years'.

Love, Alicia