Farewell 2007

Wow, it's hard to believe another year has come and gone again. I've seen and experienced so much that sometimes it feels like I've been away from home for ages. But then when I actually look at the calendar and realize that 4 months have already gone by, I'm amazed at how quickly things can actually fly by.

Here in Schwäbisch Hall I've finally had the wonderful experience of celebrating my first German Christmas. In preparation for the holiday spirit, AFS (my organisation) has been throwing parties and activities back-to-back. I've even already had the wonderful opportunity to go to a Christmas Market in Stuttgart and taste some of the "Glühwein" (a festive drink composed of spices and alcohol). Throughout this season, I have also gotten to know my host relatives better. December seems like the birthday month here, as my host father, sister, and oma (grandmother) have all celebrated their birthdays with the family.



Throughout the Christmas season, I've already noticed a few differences between Germany and the States. First of all, things aren't as intensely decorated as back home. The holiday also seems a lot less commercialized and centered more around the family (but those are just my impressions). Despite the differences, I can truly say that my first German Christmas was amazing! The festivities began on Heiligabend (Christmas Eve), in which the whole family and I attended church in the Altstadt for a Christmas Eve service. Afterwards we headed home and lit the real candles which were displayed on the Christmas Tree. Inbetween singing Christmas Hymns and the Christmas Story, we took turns opening presents. Then, once all the gifts had been opened, when then began to devour the thousands of Christmas cookies that my host mother had made herself previously in the month.

Then, faster than I could've comprehend, Christmas came again. With melodies of "Ich steh' an deiner Krippen hier," we all walked through a frost-covered countryside to a small church in Erlach. After communion and Christmas Hymns once again, we headed back to Gelbingen and immediately thereafter departed for Criesbach (where the Oma lives). Upon reaching our destination, we enjoyed a typical Schwäbisch meal of Spätzle und Linsen (self-made noodles with lentils) and not long after that, the rest of the relatives came over. Before I knew it, the time had passed and we were once again on our way back home.



On the "Zweiter Feiertag" (second holiday, the Germans celebrate Christmas Eve, Christmas, and then the 26th as a second holiday), I found myself once again in the church here in Gelbingen, playing the keyboard for the children's "Krippenspiel" (Christmas pageant). Upon finishing the service, we arrived back at home and after a quick lunch, headed to Dußlingen (a town outside of Tübingen) to visit Georg's relatives. Not long after we reached our destination, did it begin to snow! It had been quite a while since I'd last seen true snow, and this time it actually stuck to the ground. So in this wintry atmosphere, we all decided to take a walk. Making our way past the church and into the countryside, we truly had a winter adventure.

That evening we made our way back to Schwäbisch Hall, but not without a minor detour which led us to Weiblingen. There we had dinner with Georg's brother and his family and after much socialization and relaxation, another "Christmas" day had ended.



So, to put an end to today's post, I have to say that about sums it up. I did have the chance to go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber yesterday, a truly beautiful and well-preserved medieval town on the border between Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. But besides that, today itself has been filled with preparation for an upcoming evening - the last one of 2007. And so I end this post for now, with "Silvester"-filled Greetings from Germany on this last day of 2007. Until next year!

Danny

Weihnachtsmarkt Time!

And as Month 4 of my exchange here in Germany has already begun, I can hardly believe how quickly the time is going by. My life here in Germany is truly like a movie - I've experienced so much already that I'm just waiting for someone to write the screenplay for it! Exactly one year ago I began filling out the CBYX (Congress Bundestag) Applications and this year has been, without a doubt, more amazing than I ever could've imagined. It is with such realizations that I can't help but thinking, "Wow! What an opportunity!"

But anyways, as I conclude my philosophical rant and merge back into the real world, nothing too "blog-worthy" has happened within the past week or two. As assumed, most of my weekdays are spent at school, with the occasional surprise of being able to leave school and head home when the teachers are absent. Already I've had the opportunity to make some chocolate chip cookies for the family (something that was very quickly devoured, if I may add) and therefore add my contribution to the Christmas cookie pile.

And as you've most likely noticed back in the States, it won't be too long until Christmas arrives. Here in Germany things are quite similiar, although the holiday doesn't seem as commercialized as it is back home. Every Sunday we celebrate the weekly Advent leading up until Sunday and with each new day I get a little surprise from my own personal "Adventskalendar." Another interesting event in the holiday season is Sankt Nikolaus Tag. Supposedly this is the day when St. Nicolaus first comes to Germany and all the children leave boots out for him over night, hoping for a treat in the morning of December 6th. The town itself has also managed to get some of the Christmas spirit and everyday there is a Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) that stays open until the evening (something that most shops normally don't do here in Germany).

On to other topics, this weekend itself was quite enjoyable as I had the chance to get together with all the other exchange students in the area (there are 3 other Americans) for a "Halbzeitcamp," or Midstay Camp. After 2 days of discussions over school, culture, and families in Germany, we finally headed back home and so began this current week. I suppose that is about all for now...I am by the way attempting to read "Nathan der Weise," a book written almost 300 years ago in German class, so I'm having quite a few interesting "adventures" as I try to plow through this text.

Anyways, I won't try to ramble on too much more....so, with many holiday greetings from Germany I end this post for now!