One week and counting...

Well, readers of this blog, my adventures here in Germany (at least, for this time) are drawing to an end. Yes, I know, but be brave, heads up high and wipe away those tears, and pull out those sunny Australian smiles cos I'm comin back home!!!! In exactly six days I shall be on the way (or already there) at Frankfurt Airport. My suitcase is pretty full (and heavy), so I've had to decide which things to take back what not. But enough about this, I've got to tell you about Switzerland!

Yes, I've just come back from 5 days in good old Swiss country. I was visiting Valeska (my host sister who studies there) and went with her to uni classes, etc. It was so much fun! I went to economic classes and german seminars and a few english classes (a Masters in Lit. and one with law - which was what I did in grade 11 Legal Studies). I went out every night (I'm quite tired now, subsequently) and met some very cool people.

During this time, mum had her birthday (once again, Happy Birthday, Mum!!). And apparently you tried to call me, too?? I'll call you tomorrow (Monday)

oh, and it's snowed! I have finally fullfilled my wish of having a snow ball fight. I won, of course. And I must say my hands took their sacrifice very well. (without gloves is not recommended).

what else? well, I don't know. I'll tell you in person when I think of it.

Tschau (yes, Ellen, I'm proud of my mixing-languages-when-I-say-goodbye ability)
Alicia xxx

forgive my slackess

i know alot of you have been thinking 'why isn't alicia writing anymore....is she still aliiiiiiiive??' and the ansqer is: yes. though that's a bit obvious, isn't it? my point is that I know i've been slack with my blogging and emailing lately, it's jsut that time's running away from me.

I've jsut spent the weekend in Köln (the west side of germany, really close to Belgium) with Sofie. It was really great to see Sofie again, and the city was beautiful. Although the both of us had colds, it was quite entertaining when we were attempting conversations with hacking coughs and croaky throats. On Sunday I travelled 9 hours to get there (we had a delay at my last stop. the last!!!) but Sofie and I still managed to meet without a problem (ie. like in Italy!!!). We went to the youth hostel, which wasn't bad and really close to the city and talked and talked and talked. On Monday we did the tour of Köln (perfect weather), and talked some more. And then on Tuesday we each went our separate ways without a hitch.

It's also autumn holidays at the moment and all the leaves are beautiful red and yellow and brown. thankfully it's not too cold and it's not raining. though, it's not such a good thing cos it's one more sign that the seasons and weather are getting screwed up ('global warming, what global warming??'). Yeah, so it's november now, and it means i'll be back soon (20 days or so). Scary, no? So that's basically all i'm doing: organsing going away presents and parties and packing and just enjoying the time that i have and have had.

ciao amigos

love, alicia

new time

yo, leute, just a quick blog to say that the summer time has ended and aussie time is back to being 9 hours AHEAD of german time. therefore, ideal calling time is 10.30-11.00pm YOUR time (it being 1.30-2 pm here for me)

going to köln in a few hours ... i'm actually sick. i earn lots of browie points if i make it.

love, alicia

p.s. thanks josie!

ONE MONTH (left...)

yes, folks, my year is nearly over.... who would have thunk it?? (my engleesh ist stil goot, no?)

I leave here the 26th of november and land in sunny briss-vegas on the 28th.

I know I've been really slack with my blogging in the last few weeks (sorry about that, things just keep happening). So what can I say?? I've been to france. it was soo beautiful! and this weekend I'm going to Colonge with Sofie (our Belgian exchange student at YHS). I've also started to organise my going away party (the theme: 'Bad Taste'). I've also started (and nearly finished) packing a big box of stuff to ship back to Oz. So if there's any gifts you guys want, tell me now!!

I've run out of time...

love, alicia

Baden-Wuerttemburg

Hallo, all.

Now, you all might be thinking what the title of this blog entry means, but the correct question to ask would be where it is. Ba-Wü (i don't know if your computers show the german letters) is the state west of Bayern. It is home of the Black Forest and what not.

I'm currently in the school typing on one of the computers that are just standing about (I'm at a technical school; think computers and everything that i know absolutely nothing about! Respect to Nathaniel and Coridyn!!!). yeah, well, this is only a quick update, which I will add to when i have more time (I'M waiting for the german lesson to finish). ooooh, guess who's reading Harry Potter in German?? yes, me! and guess how long I've got left here in Germany?? Less than 7 weeks!!!!! crazy, isn't it? though i can tell you, it's been on my mind alot -- every single night this week I've had some wiggidy-wacky (just the regular kind --- soooo good! that one was for you, Amo) dreams about it, actually.

well, stay tuned, amigos.

Tschau,
Alicia xxx

London!!!!

I WAS IN LONDON!!!!!

I had the most awesome time, not only cos I was in London (in case you hadn't read it before), but because I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle, and met the rest of my extended family which I hadn't met before. It was excellent meeting them all and just spending time with them. Thanks mum and dad for letting me go, and thanks Shelagh and Laurie (Sarah and Rebecca, too) for having me!!

I'll give the low down of what happened. On Friday I flew over, and waited at the arrival part of the airport. I was getting a bit nervous in case I was late, or I would miss seeing Rebecca or someother force of nature that would cause me to spend an extended period of time in the airport. However, to my amusement, I was called over the loud speaker!! How cool! :) So I met Rebecca and her boyfriend James (who is typically English and very funny) and we drove home. Got the low down on what people have been doing for the last 10 years of their life, who is who and other stuff. Arrived home, and so did Laurie and Shelagh in the evening. We had fish and chips for dinner (for my first time in a year!). Sat talking and stuff and then went to bed cos we were all so tired. Then on Saturday, Shelagh, Sarah and I went to London (the actual city, not the outer suburbs). Wooooow! We went on the London Eye (comparable to a ginormous ferris wheel), and saw the whole city. Walked to/past Parliament Hause, Big Ben, then to Trafalgar Square, ate lunch in Covent Garden, went shopping in Covet Garden, to Buckingham Palace (saw the soldier dudes marching and everything) and the Royal Albert Hall. I rode in the decker bus, saw the phone boxes, drove past 10 Downing Street and, to end the day, tried on these awesome pair of dominatrix black boots. All in all, very enjoyable.

Then on Sunday, the whole family came round. Felt a bit nervous, cos it was only pretty much to see me (I was the first one to come from Australia to England). Ofcourse, they are all lovely, lovely people (they'd have to be seeing as they're related to me :P ). A really nice day. At this point, I will live up to my promise and say: DAD, COME TO ENGLAND AND VISIT YOUR SIBLINGS! But we've already discussed this on the phone...

On Monday I had to get up early (5am) and Laurence drove me to the airport (Thanks!!) and here I am, again in Germany.

Ohhh, I'm going to the Oktoberfest this weekend.

School's okay.

I'll be home in 7-9 WEEKS....woah....

love, alicia
xxx

Post #32

I am back from my holiday at the north of the country (Cuxhaven was the name, if you have an atlas). And we have perfect weather, which was a good thing to help our spirits considering on Sunday we had to get up at 4am to catch the 5.30 am train and then travel 15 hours, changing trains 9 times! Unfortunately, in our joy of arriving at our last changing-of-the-trains, we got off one stop too early. Had to wait an hour for the next train, realised that that train is only on weekdays and we had to wait another hour for the next train. We then walked for about 4 hours, lost, in Cuxhaven trying to find our house when in the end we called for a taxi. We slept most of Monday. Then we went to a ‘beach’. I use inverted commas because it wasn’t really a beach. It was a lot of grass and a lot of water, but about one square meter of sand. And the water was freezing (okay, I just sat on the green green grass and read, but the people who went in said it was cold). Then on Tuesday we got up at 4am to go to the 6am fish market, which we discovered upon arrival, isn’t on Tuesdays anymore. But we bought some fish anyway. On Wednesday we went on a ship to see the seals. A nice pirate (complete with Nike sneakers and mobile phone) onboard gave everyone lollies. On Thursday we did something really cool. Unfortunately, I don’t know the English word (oh, I’ve been saying that phrase a lot lately), but what do you call the kilometres of sand at the beach that is really wet when the tide is out? It’s on the whole north-east coast of Germany, but I have no idea what it’s called. Anyway, we rode in horse carriages across this expansive bit of nature, freezing our butts off, admiring the beauty of it all. (it really was very pretty). We rode the 10 kms to this island (which belongs to Hamburg, somehow) and stayed there for an hour and I bought some hot chocolate, but I when to the toilets my (empty) mug was missing. And then we rode back. We then walked through the whatever-you-call-it down the coast to the next beach. It took about 2 hours, and about half way it turned to this mud stuff were you kinda sank and got stuck (had horrible thoughts of death by quicksand) and then remember how we played ‘stuck in mud’ during swimming lessons at primary school. On Friday Franzie, Verena and I went to Bremen. Oh, wow, Bremen is beautiful!! It’s got a very old town centre (something like 1300 years old) and this tiny part called ‘Schnoor’ which is also very old and the buildings are built so close together and the alleyways are wide enough for only one person. We met Verena’s cousin and his girlfriend (both of whom are very nice) and we drank coffee (they drank coffee, me not) and then we walked around a little more and then we went to listen to the glockenspiel. That was really cool. We ate at a restaurant there and then went back to Cuxhaven. The next day we got up at 4am (the 4th day of 6) to catch our train back home. I took lots of photos, unfortunately Nathaniel, it wasn’t ‘all wet and cold and rainy and stuff’, but there’s still some cool photos. I also learnt how to count to 20 in French.

School starts again tomorrow. It’ll be good to go again and see and meet all this people, but it also means that I don’t have much longer here. I shan’t dwell. I still haven’t decided on what classes to take, or which grade to go into. I’ll see the deputy principal tomorrow.

I’m going to London on Friday!!!!!!!!!!! Yeeeehaaa! I managed to find some semi-cheap plane tickets and it fit in with Aunt Shelagh’s plan (the rest of the family is coming up from Lowestoft this weekend). Really really happy and excited. Ohh, and a big Herzliche Willkommen to Franzie and Verena, if they’re reading. And I would say that in Afrikaans for Christof, if I could…

A belated Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful Dad. But it doesn’t really matter that I’m late because every day is Father’s Day, isn’t it??

Love, Alicia