die bild (the photo)

Left: I took this from the front of my new home...another big house.

Right:That's a hotel right on the lake that we went canoing in. That is what most houses look like; that reddish steep rooftop with lots of windows. They are all at least 2 stories high, that is why i think they rent to other people.

The weather has been gorgeous but i really want it to be cold!!! So I can wear my pretty cashmere pea coat that I sacrificed 1/3 a paychack on (not that my paychecks were that much). Oh yeah, I met Stefanie's mom, Carola, the night I came in. She is also very nice; they are so kind to me and help me with everything- but they also only speak German to me, unless I don't understand. I am thankful for that, I can already tell I am learning faster. Manfred speaks very good English, and also French. Sometimes he accidentally says things in French. When I think about things back home, or conversations I had back home, I am already thinking to myself, ''How did I say that in German?'' Then i remember I was in Redding.

Today we went to Bad Säckingen (which is pronounced say-king-gen), which is such a cute little city. It dates back to the 1200's I think (Niedergebisach goes back to 1301; I saw a sign that said that when I was running yesterday). I got a battery charger, planner/calendar (little did I know it is in German, English, and French), and a backpack for school. Manfred wouldn't let me pay for them, though I tried. I did buy a pair of euro-jeans, which I adore. My fashionista friends would appreciate that. (dark denim muhuhahahah).

Last night jet lag set in. I randomly woke at 2:30am and didnt get back to sleep until around 4:30---probably because of the IB profen PM I brought with me. My stomach has shrunk, seriously...I am eating about half I ate back home. Ah that will probably change though.

I am meeting my host rotary club next Tuesday and in October and going with a Rotarian for a week for some adventure with the other inbounds in the Black Forest.

Also, not all women here shave their legs or armpits. ewweeeeee. I will not comform!!!!! The young girls do, though.

Kyle, thank you soooo much for finding my German book, that is really going to come in handy. fewwwww. And Mom and Pop, is Grandpa Ken serious about his video camera???!!! That would be soooo awesome!!! Hmm well i guess that's all for now. Tschüss!

german lakes

today they let me sleep in until 11am, crikey, i felt like a bum. but i suppose it was ok because of jet lag and a lack of sleep. and thank you all that replied!!! for breakfast they have a little table outside the house near the garden and that's where we eat. just like finland: bread and whole milk. the milk was a little thick and strong so i might go for water more often. the bread was delish of course. we went to a near lake (well about 30 minutes away) where we canoued (spelling?) and ate lunch, sorta. bread and grapes and an apple. the funny thing is though it seems like i have lost my appetite. im not even hungry, and i have hardly eaten anything today. i saw a lot o toppless women and the funniest old man: he was old and thin and wrinkly, half bald, but the hair he had was white, and had a beard down to his chest and was wearing a blue and white striped tiny speedo. ahhh it cracked me up.

i have discovered that niedergebisbach is a small villages, which is part of herrischried. there are 7 small villages in herrischried. the center of herrischried is only about 3/4 a mile away though. i went over the ''first night questions'' that rotary gave me and i discovered that my host club paid for my insurance and probably my emergency fund also!!! how sweet is that?! good thing because the exchange rate sucks so i am losting about 30% of my mula. also, manfred (host dad) told me i was probably going to be staying with them the entire year. so i have a bunch of extra gifts. i guess there are going to be some lucky rotarians getting olive oil, honey, and tshirts.

i think the house is 3 strories but they rent part of it. i think that is what most of the familes do around here. ok i really wanted to put pics on here but next time because i cant find the program where they went into...its all in german on the computer. i guess thats it....kari

ich bin in deutschland!!

hey guess what everyone? im in germany! this keyboard is slightly different, so dont mind my mistakes. i dont know how to capitalize and z and y are switched. my flights were good, but it was a long time. it doesnt feel like it was actually 24 hours. in st. paul i saw another guy with a blazer on, so i talked to him. he was from la but used to live in hayfork. then in detroit they just started pouring in. i think there were about 12 of us, all going to southern germany. on the 8 hour flight to amsterdam we all sat together in the back because there was a bunch of open space. the mid west kids all had accents it was hilarious. really, they dont just sax awesome, they say aaaassome. i felt a little sick on the flight to zurich, but after i landed it was ok. i havent met my host mom yet, but my host dad and sister are both very nice. although i think they are just now realizing how little german i know. i know how it feels, everything they say i am lost. and then they have to translate. but the house is really nice, i think its 4 stories, but the top 2 they rent to people. i have a room to myself, and its nice, windows with lots of light. the houses are gorgeous too, picture perfect. niedergebisbach is about 20 out of bad säckingen, all uphill on a narrow curvy road and they drive about 50 on it. scary!! everything is green and lovely and the weather is moderate. about 75 to 80. i still feel like i am flying, going to turbulance. well i dont want to be on too long, but lucky for me they have high speed internet and my host dad said i could use it whenever i want. neener neener to mom and pop---i have fast intenet!!! i love you all! bis bald...until later. ps--comments are nice. :)

TOMORROW

The day has come, well nearly. Just about 12 hours exactly, until I take off. I love you all and will see you next year!!!!

Closing in on departure...

Three days time, nearly to the hour. And then 24+ hours of travelling. But for future reference: my email is karmesan@gmail.com . AHH I am SO excited and looking foward sooo much to the weather...nice cool weather. And then the entire year and everything else that goes along with it....AHHHH!!!!