New Year's Greeting

A Christkindlmarkt Journey

Fröhliche Weinachten! Merry Christmas!

I walk out of the S-Bahn station and I'm greeted by the smell of gebrannte Mandeln (roasted almonds) and the sound of Christmas music from every corner of the Christkindlmarkt. The smells and sounds of every booth and vendor waft out from the hubbub of people. I walk past a booth overflowing with carved, wooden, Christmas figures and another with jewelry and yet another with Bratwurst (Sausage) and another and another..... I am surrounded by the chatter of excited people, the continuous chewing of people by a stand of Maroni (Chestnuts), the hum of music in the distance and the smells of all kinds. Oh, the smells, they make up the Christkindlmarkt, floating from every food vendor and wood carver. From the strong smell of wood to the smell of a burned Bratwurst to the savory smell of Mandeln. The sights are amazing, overwhelming to the eyes. Looking beyond the sea of people, I spot rows and rows of roof tops covered in shimmering lights. It starts to snow lightly and the church bell in the tower above me rings and I glance over toward the ginormous Christmas tree. Reaching almost 30ft. tall, it is covered with surrounding on lookers and a fanfare of lights. Color everywhere! An unexplainable joy rises into my heart as my senses inhale the surrounding beauty. I am standing in the middle of Munich on Marienplatz taking in the fun of the German Christmas market.

The Christkindlmarkt is an expanse of vending booths and activities that winds its way throughout the Munich central squares. I'd call it festival. It is known all around the world as Christmas time in Germany and now I understand why. It holds within it not only the smells and tastes of Christmas but, the feeling too. The moment you step out of the S-Bahn, you can feel the vibrant glow of a friendly welcome. Yes, there are people who just do it for the money and the Gluhweine (an alcoholic hot drink) but otherwise, it's just a festive event, open for the public to enjoy. We went last weekend and I tried Chestnuts that were roasted on an open fire for the first time. And almonds that were beyond delicious, heavenly, almost. That was my favorite, the warm almonds covered in sugar and served in a cute, decorative cone. I also liked the shopping. Do you know the saying, "Shop 'till you drop"? Well you could do that at a Christkindlmarkt. The booths are numerous and if you don't find what your looking for at one, you'll surely find it at another.

We wandered around to several squares and I think we found our favorites. The main Marienplatz market was one of the best with the big tree but there was also the medieval market. It was a lot smaller but in the middle there was a clown or jester to entertain the public. At first, we watched a tight rope walker cross a rope with clogs and something covering his eyes. It was amazing how may people stood there in the snow watching a guy in a clown suite try to walk a tight rope. We were packed in between a booth and more people just trying to see.

I take a deep breathe to inhale the sights once again. The tight rope walker almost falls but saves himself soon enough. So, I'm there again, standing in the middle of Munich on Marienplatz and I think, This is what traveling is about. The memories, the experiences....

You get them and you lose them but these are some that I will keep forever. Merry Christmas!

Mom and dad eating a Bratwurst from both ends! Yum! (below)

A stand filled with handmade crafts. (above)

Happy Holidays!

What do you think of when someone says "Happy Holidays!"? I think of sledding, skiing, shopping and hot apple cider with my friends. This year is different, I am thinking about returning home. We will be heading back to CO in two days and I have mixed emotions. Of course, I'm completely ecstatic to be going back but somehow I know that a piece of me will be left in Germany. This has become a second home and I am going to miss it even just for the three week break. On the other hand, I feel the anticipation of getting back to my normal routine and life of the USA. I'll have to experiment with my two different lives in two different places. On that note, here is a little holiday quiz that I came up with.

If you were something winter themed what would you be? Are you a poplar bear, snowman, or christmas tree? You might be a little bit of everything.

1.Would you rather,

a) curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and a book.

b) build snowballs and sled with friends.

c) hang ornaments and decorate with your family.

2. If you were shopping for holiday gifts would you most likely by,

a) a new book and and knitting needles.

b) a pair of skis and a warm hat.

c) cookie cutters and a christmas cook book.

3. How many people do you get holiday gifts or cards for?

a) Just your closest family and friends.

b) Everyone at your work or school + your family and friends.

c) Your neighbors, family and friends.

4. If you could, what kind of holiday party would you throw?

a) A cozy gathering with your closest friends. Your theme would be take 'save the environment.'

b) A big, outdoor bash with all your friends and class mates. Make sure to bring your sled!

c) A 'tis the season party equipped with a Christmas banquet and music. You would play Christmas games and holiday food from around the world.

5.What kind of gift and card would you give to a friend?

a) A scrap booking set and a hand made, eco-friendly card.

b) Stickers for their ski helmet and a small hand written card.

c) New glass ornaments for their tree and a pre-made Christmas card.

Are you a poplar bear, a snowman or a Christmas tree?

If you got mostly a's, you are a polar bear.

If you got mostly b's, you are a snowman.

If you got mostly c's, you are a Christmas tree.

Or are you a Christmassnowbear? (a mix of everything)

Have a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year! (And if you don't celebrate Christmas, have a very happy holidays and a lovely new year!)

Top 5 Latest News!

1. I am going skiing this weekend in Austria!

-This coming weekend I will be going (for the first time) with the BIS ski team to a glacier called Hintertux in Austria. I can't wait!

2. I am in a flute ensemble and a band with cello!

-Every Thursday I practice flute at lunch time with the flute ensemble. We will be preforming for the first time in two weeks.

-Every Tuesday after school, I practice cello with a group of musicians. We are playing songs for the upcoming school play, 'Bugsy Malone'.

-I'm traveling with a local group to southern Germany for a weekend workshop with other stringed instrument players.

3. I am going to Regensburg this weekend!

-My mom an I are going to take the train on Saturday to Regensburg to do some site seeing, relaxing, and visiting with her friend, Brigitta. Look for photos soon! (Above are two photos from our last trip to Regensburg.)

4. I am getting my report card soon!

-I am going to get my first grades EVER next week. In each class we have been doing some fun activities, some of which are listed below.

-Making a podcast all about π in math class. (They call it maths.)

-Learning about body systems in science class.

-Learning about the Blues in music class.(And writing an essay.)

-Making graphs on why people come to Munich in German class.

-Learning how to say what your house is like and invite someone over in Spanish class.

-Building and designing our own project in Technology and Design class. (I made a bulletin board for my mom's office.) (Tech and Design is also called 'shop'.)

-And more.....(In a later blog because I have 10 subjects.)

5. We are coming home for Christmas!!!

-We will be arriving back in CO on the 20th of December and leaving on the 5th of January. As you can see, we don't have a very long window of time so, if you want to get together let me know and we'll try to work something out. See you soon!!!!!

The top 5 things that made this list are the most exciting, best or interesting things of the moment that I could think of off the top of my head. I apologize for the things I missed out.

International Life

I start my day to the beeping of my alarm clock and the pattering of the rain outside. I snuggle deeper into my covers but then spring out of bed, ready for breakfast. I tiredly rub my eyes, sleepy from too much homework. When I'm ready, I check my day planner and hop on my bike prepared for the rain with my pink down coat and rain jacket.

Riding to school, I see the old and young with shopping bags or just taking their morning stroll in the rain. They are all wearing drab colors, mostly black and brown. My bright coat, purple bike and American style back pack scream foreigner and American to everyone around me. But when I get to school, I am completely normal, maybe even a little under dressed. Everyone is babbling away in English, Italian, German, Japanese and Spanish. It doesn't seem weird at all to be wearing a skirt with leggings and a pink coat. (Luckily we don't have uniforms.) As I put my bag into my locker I hear strange accents wafting up from the corridor. British, Australian, New Zealand English accents, who knows. It is a mix, a foreign land of not quite Germany, not quite America and not quite England.

I check my crazy, sporadic schedule once again and walk into my first class of the day. To fast forward a couple of hours, it's lunch. I hurriedly gobble down some food because I'm starving after 4 hours with no break. Then, I pack up my lunch and run to my next class so I won't be late. So, goes the day until I am finished with all my classes and I hop on my bike once again, back to the apartment. I plop my stuff down, do my homework, play my instruments and eat dinner.

When it is finally time for bed, my head is buzzing from the day's activity. Some of my days are even longer because I have cello or flute lessons and sometimes flute ensemble at lunch. I like my busy schedule but it doesn't leave much room for contacting friends and family (Like you!) so, if you ever don't hear from me for a while, remember my international life and know that I will contact you as soon as possible.

Calpe, Spain

Below are some snap shots of our vacation trip to Calpe, Spain. Pictures can say a million words. We had a blast!

The view from Guadalest, neighboring town. We hiked to the top of the mountain! (20km)

Mom at the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia, Spain. (A very modern museum with an aquarium, art museum, theater, and a planetarium.

A hike up Peñion de Ifach in Calpe, Spain. Check out the cool tunnel I'm about to go through!

Me at the beach by the sand turtle that I built.

Mom doing yoga on the beach. Relaxing!

Above is a video of the 'Sounds of the Ocean' brought to you from the top of Peñon de Ifach. Below is a video of my first dolphin show at the aquarium in Valencia, Spain. Look at the amazing ticks those dolphins can do!

Bikes and Carrying Capacity (Continued)

I apologize for those who have not heard from me in a while. Life has been hectic and crazy even after a whole week of fall break in Costa Blanca, Spain.

The latest news from Germany is......

Catch Up!

Hurry!

Finish!

Faster!

Missed!

So, I will continue this blog post with just that, catching up.

Here is a small continuation of one of my past blog posts, 'Bikes and Carrying Capacity'.

Enjoy this video of my bike to school. (Note: the weather was much nicer then than it is now.)

To add more to my list of things one can carry on a bike:

This is where a car comes in handy.

1. A coffee machine

(My mom did when ours broke.)

2. A cello or any other instrument

I do 3 times a week for cello and flute lesson.

Check out this photo....

Time has run out for tonight, already! There is so much more to write about, Spain, school, and travels. Hope to hear from me soon!

Greetings from Holland!

This weekend was full of cows and wind mills. We went to Holland! My mom had a TPRS conference planned so I got to come along and spend the time boating on cannals and visiting historic wind mills. Oh, and most importantly, eating lots of cheese. Check out the awesome pictures below. What an amazing weekend, huh?

After learning three languages you'd think my brain was full enough but I've (almost) learned my fourth. Watch the movie below of me in Holland. I'm saying "Hi from Holland" in Dutch, German, Spanish and English.

Bikes and Carrying Capacity

When you think of Germany, what do you think of? Most people would say beer or Oktoberfest, but I think of bikes. Everyone here owns a bike and everyone is able to ride one. Children older than 3 are proficiently riding a bike without training wheels. For some (including us) it's the only vehicle they have and they use it rain or shine. It might be tradition or just plain instinct but it sure gets the young, old and healthy people out-- especially on sunny days.

One weekend, a month ago, we decided to join locals and tourists around Starnberger See for the day. It was beautifully sunny and warm so naturally everyone was out. We popped our bikes on the S-Bahn for the first time and headed off for a day of enjoyment.

And what a day it was! We expected to be the only bikes on the train but we were completely wrong. It was so jam- packed we barely had room to squeeze ourselves in let alone two big bikes. The scenery was amazing. We were right on the edge of the Alps, on the huge lake near Garmisch Partenkirchen.

Riding, swimming, eating and sun bathing were our activities for the day. Oh, and most importantly, bike watching. When eating at a restaurant or enjoying the view,

we watched the people go by on all different bikes. Most people were just out for a sight seeing ride but others were going to work in their suit and tie and some were really hard core training kids who flew by at lightning speed. Another thing we noticed while sitting there was the carrying capacity of the bike. If you have a bike, you have a basket, there's no doubt about it. And in your basket, you (of course) have stuff. Now just what kind of stuff we were looking for? Below is a list of all the things you can carry on a bike. (Things we have actually seen.)

Bike baggage.............

1. Suit cases- jumbo size

2. Matresses- or rather matress covers

3. Food- especially long bread rolls

4. Flowers-freshly picked

5. Dogs- alive ones in cages

Did you notice the last on the list? If you didn't check again. Yes you were right, it says dogs!

Having seen two poodles on the back of a bike and one wiener dog I have proof. People are crazy enough to take their dogs on their bikes. I would too though because when they are in the basket they are too adorable. Maybe people don't learn to ride their bikes at 3 years old for nothing........

Drop your shorts....Americans must be tortured: My first experience with the German medical system

I arrived in Germany a little over a month ago with a sore lower back after the long plane flight.  I figured this was normal after sitting in a cramped space for so long and thought I could manage the pain with yoga, stretching, and Mari’s massages.  For the first two weeks after our arrival, I spent over an hour each morning doing exercises to relieve the pain enough to get through the day’s activities.  Unfortunately, the pain seemed to be getting worse and by the time the school’s health insurance kicked in on August 1, I was feeling fairly crippled.  I asked around at the school about doctors in the area and everyone assured me that the local practice in the small town of Haimhausen was great.    

I went to the clinic without an appointment during their open visitation hours, paid 10 Euros co-pay, and waited just 15 minutes to see a young female doctor.  She checked me out, asked some questions, did some manipulations, and wrote me a prescription for pain medication and physical therapy.  I walked across the street from the doctor’s office to the pharmacy, paid 5 Euros co-pay and got the prescription for pain medication filled in 2 minutes.  Then I walked next door to the clinic for physical therapy and made 6 appointments to fill my physical therapy prescription.  The whole experience from the walk to the doctor’s office to the physical therapy clinic and back to our apartment took just an hour.  I was feeling pretty excited about the convenience and ease of the system.

Three days later, however, when I had my first physical therapy treatment, I experienced a bit of culture shock. The receptionist took me back to a treatment room and had me take my top off to lay on a ‘fango pack’ (a pad filled with heated, crushed lava rock) to warm up the muscles.  She covered me with a sheet and left the room.  If felt my whole body relax into the heating pad. Twenty minutes later the doctor arrived in the room, shook my hand, told me his name, and asked me to stand up.  Since I was covered only in a sheet, I wasn’t quite sure what to do--hold the sheet over my chest or let it drop when I stood?  I figured it must be a cultural thing, so I just stood up.  Then he told me to drop my shorts.  (Of course we were speaking German.)  Again this kind of direct command seemed a bit  abrupt in comparison to the manner of American doctors.  I noticed the doctor’s accent and darker skin and knew he wasn’t native German, either, so I figured it might be the way things worked in his culture.  After looking at my back, having me bend over, and walk, he asked me to get back on the table and positioned me on my side.  I had no idea what was about to happen next and did as I was asked to do.

In the next moment, he leaned over the table put his knee on one side of my thighs, wrapped his arms around my upper body and brutally cracked my spine in several places.  I was taken completely by surprise, as I’d never been adjusted before and he hadn’t warned me about what was to come.  When he had me roll onto my belly to adjust another part of my back, I thought I’d try to connect with him to make the experience a bit less shocking, so I asked where he was from.  His answer did little to ease my discomfort.  “I’m from Palestine,” he responded.  “And you’re from America, right?”  Gulp.  I felt completely vulnerable lying on the table as he was popping vertebrae.  “Yes,” I responded hesitantly.  As he took my head in his hands to adjust the atlas (first vertebrae), he said, “Well, Americans must be tortured.”  Then he quickly twisted my head in his hands and adjusted the atlas as I gasped in shock.  I think he must have laughed all the way home about his little joke.  As I walked away from the clinic, I already felt 100% better.  The next morning, I had terribly sore muscles as if I’d been working out too hard, but the sharp pain in my lower back was gone.  Relief washed over me.  The Palestinian doctor in the German clinic wasn’t a quack after all.  Actually, my back is now feeling great, and the last few prescribed treatments have been pleasant massages.  What started as a torture session has ended in a spa treatment. 

Bavarian International School: First Day

There are 150 new middle school students at Bavarian International Schoolthis year. I was one of those many students sitting in the school auditorium on August 19th, the first day of school. Everything was so exciting and new. By the end of the first week, (really just two days) my mind was full to the brim of new information, opportunities and ideas. I was well ready for the weekend. Today, Monday, was the real first day of classes. It felt a lot different to switch classes and have a teacher for every individual subject. Another big switch is that lunch for middle school is at 1:15 instead of my usual 11:30. Even with a snack break my stomach is grumbling all morning.

Today I had Drama, Homeroom, Science, Technology and Design, Spanish, Humanities and German. My schedule is a little bit confusing because I don't have every subject every day so I have not been to every subject yet. Overall the most different and new class for me is Technology and Design. It is new to the school, so everybody is just learning how it works. The subject itself deals with problem-solving through computer design and hands-on building. Our first project will be to create something useful for our school out of recycled materials. We will get to design, plan and create it. During the year we will be doing wood, plastic and metal work and on the computers, 3-D design. I'll learn how to work with Computer Aided Design (CAD). I am also looking forward to drama which I haven't done much of in the past. I'm really enjoying Spanish class and interestingly enough my Humanities teacher is also my principle!

It's been a great start and I'm really happy to be able to be at BIS this year.

Notes on my napkin

German food flash! If you're ever in a German restaurant you might experience the following:

1. Drink apple juice in a beer glass.
2. Order just water and get sparkling water.
3. Always eat with the fork and knife.
4. Eat soft pretzels with Nutella.
5. Eat Schnitzel often.

Note: If you order water beware, it is more expensive then apple juice.

(Noticed and written by Mari)

Bread in the local bakery. Yum!

A day of sunshine and fun

This week has been filled with many adventures and discoveries. My favorite discovery was Heigelweiher and the day of sunshine. If there is ever a sunny day in Germany you have to take advantage of it. You have to go swimming while it's warm. That's exactly what we did on Sunday the 1st of August. Our first day of bathing suits was great. After about twenty minutes of walking along a beautiful forest path, we ended up at a lake full of laughing and shouting kids. They were trying to get a rope swing down from where it was tangled in a tree. I jumped into the water ready to go and help. My mom was more reluctant because the water was pretty cold. We swam as fast as we could over to where the kids were, unsuccessfully trying to get the rope swing down. Luckily we had my mom's very tall friend to help us. He got it down and we started to swing. While they were waiting for a turn some of the kids even climbed up the tree and jumped from the top into the water. My German was good enough to communicate with a girl who was too scared to swing in. I finally got her in and by the end of her turn, she had a big smile on her face. I even got my mom and her friend in too!

Below is a movie of us at the Heigelweiher rope swing. Check it out to put a smile on your face.

5 things that Americans wouldn't do

You know you're in Germany when you see....

1. Teenagers drinking beer in public and sometimes while riding a bike.
2. People smoking outside of every building and shop.
3. Modern art graffiti on every concrete wall.
4. People bowling in Lederhosen (traditional, old fashion, german clothing)
5. People wearing black socks with sandals.

(Noticed and written by Mari)

Marveling in München

After much unpacking, organizing and office hopping, we're ready for a vacation (or rather just a fun outing.) Today was our chance. Sleeping in was the perfect start to our rainy Thursday morning. No stressful 'must be on time' meetings or calls to make-- just the rain battering at the windows daring us to get out of the warm bed. Eventually we dragged ourselves out to make plans for the day. Exciting news greeted us on the calendar. Nothing on schedule! A great time to make our first appearance in München (Munich).
We hopped on a bus to the S-bahn station headed for Munich. The ride was smooth and easy thanks to public transportation. Upon arrival in Marienplatz, Munich we set off to one of the nearby churches "bummeling"(strolling with no particular goal) as we went. The day, unfortunately, was a little rainy but even so there were hundreds of people about the square. As we walked we heard tons of languages coming from the people around us. Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, English and of course German. Today we melded into the category of these other foreigners and tourists, experiencing new cultures people and architecture everywhere. We marveled at the wonders of intercity München along with everyone else.

Check out our pictures to marvel with us.

At the S-bahn station nearest to us

In the train on the way into Munich

Mari on Marienplatz

10 things you do when you are German

You know you are German when you........

1. Eat Düner Kabobs(Lamb sandwiches) standing up.
2. Own a bike and ride it everywhere.
3. Eat mayonoise on your french fries.
4. Don't use checks.
5. Wear a square backpack.
6. Eat your biggest meal at lunch instead of dinner.
7. Have "cafe und kuchen" (coffee and cake) everyday.
8. Never find an open store on Sundays.
9. Get out of school early and have lunch at home.
10.Don't have a shower curtain or a shower door.

Arrival

We finally arrived and are we now exploring and figuring out our surroundings. After not having an internet connection at our apartment and not being able to find our packages, we are definitely ready for a break. But we still have insurance forms to fill out, people to meet and hopefully we'll find some time to unpack. As Germans would say our life is "ein bisschen chaotisch." ( a little chaotic.)

The Count Down Is On!

Only two more days until we hop on a plane to Germany! Everything is seemingly in place and ready for us to be off. There's only one thing we have yet to think about- goodbyes. I've said about twenty already without much trouble but I've still got the most important ones to communicate. This part is probably the hardest part of it all so far. Even packing, sorting and giving away things was easier. When I am saying those important goodbyes I will always remind myself that I am just an E-mail or a letter away. And a letter or E-mail is a friendship you can hold on to. 

Written by Mari

All that you can't leave behind

Stacks of books, piles of file folders, and reams of paper strew my desk and office floor.  I'm starting the daunting task of packing for our move to Germany. Deciding what to take and what to leave creates a certain anxiety and lends reality to the transition taking place.  I sort, stack, recycle, and review.  The stacks start to shrink as the recycle pile in the garage grows.  Clearing feels freeing.  I don't really know what I'll need for my new job in a new school system in a new country, but I'm starting to trust that what I'll need probably can't be packed in a box.