Thanksgiving...or not?

After much activity, the Herbstferien finally came to an end and I transitioned back into the school routine. After being originally put in the 10th grade, I moved up to the 11th where I quickly felt very welcomed by the other students. In the first few weeks of November, nothing too eventful came to unfold itself. I did however go along with the family to Criesbach (a town in the area around Künzelsau) where I met my Gastoma (or "host grandmother"). There we enjoyed a delicious lunch and then took a walk around the town. A few days later, I also enjoyed the opportunity to meet Georg´s mother from Stuttgart. Afterwards I received a call from my temporary host mother from the Wuppertal language camp - calling to check-in on everything.

That Saturday, Georg, Henrike, and I headed to a Skibörse (like a ski flea market) where we bought a pair of Skis for Henrike. Later we went to the Staatsbibliothek (library) where I bought a "Teach yourself French" book, seeing that I´m now having French lessons...in German. That evening Georg and I headed to a piano concert where we listened to 1-,2-,3-,4-,5-, and 6-handed piano pieces.

Not too long later did we happen to receive our first snow shower of the year (Nov. 14), and it was then that I realized how short we have until Christmas. That Friday we had a get-together with the other exchange students to plan things for our organization´s Christmas party and afterwards I returned back to Gelbingen where we rented a video (of course, in German).

Within the past few days, school has begun to flow quickly once again and this past week I even enjoyed the chance to go to a Politik AG (political science club). Unfortunately Thanksgiving itself was not celebrated in any way special, seeing as the pilgrims landed in America and not Germany. However, I still made an effort to enjoy the holiday, and a few days later I was able to attend one of the most amazing concerts of my entire life here in Schwäbisch Hall. My host sister sang in the community choir as they presented Brahm´s Requiem, a truly German work...which, if you can imagine hearing that piece in the country of its history, then you´ll be able to feel the power behind it. And so, after such an amazing concert, I conclude my cotidial events from the past few weeks. Until the next post!

--Danny--