"How was your school day?" ..... "Yes!"

I have now been in Germany for almost 3 weeks, and I have survived my first 2 weeks of German school! These past week was much better than the first. School is still, well, school, but I feel like I've connected a little better with some of my classmates. Last Wednesday after school I went into town with 3 girls for a 'spaghetti eis date', and we ended up staying in the restaurant for over 3 hours just talking and laughing together. I think that my problem before was that I was really hesitant to speak English with the people at school, and that was making it really hard to make friends. In a way it makes me feel guilty to speak English, because I don't want to inconvenience them and I want to be able to speak German. But after hearing from 2 people (one in the U.S. (Robin Fischer!) and also a German lady here) that I should make those initial connections with people any way I can, I opened up and began to speak in English with some of the girls at my school. And it's been working! I know I can't rely on English for very long and that soon I have to begin speaking German, but I feel so much more comfortable at school now that I have a couple girls I can connect with. My host grandfather and I are working on my German together -- he used to be an English teacher, so he sits with me and teaches me German for an hour every day. That, combined with sitting in a classroom listening to German for 6 or 8 hours a day, should help me learn faster. Just yesterday actually, I was sitting at the dinner table listening to my host family's conversation, and I followed the whole thing. I say followed and not understood, because it's not like I know every word being said. It's kind of difficult to explain. I understand most words being said, which allows me to know what the conversation is about, but if you asked me to repeat in German what was said, I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to structure any of the sentences. This makes things tricky when someone asks me a question, because I understand the gist of what they're asking but if I miss even one key word I don't know the exact nature of the question. For example, the other day my host mom said to me "Did you have a good day at school?" and I answered with, "Ja!". Well, turns out she asked "How was your school day?". Needless to say, Elias thought it was hilarious that I answered "How was your school day?" by saying "Yes!". 
Speaking of school, as promised I have made up a list of differences (written during math class when I got to frustrated trying to understand what the teacher was teaching...lol) that I've noticed between my school in the the U.S. and my school in Germany. Keep in mind that I only speak from my experience, not the whole of U.S. or the whole of Germany!! Here goes nothing...
-Literally everyone uses pens, I rarely see someone use a pencil. If you make a mistake, you whip out a second pen that's like a white-out pen but dries really quick, or you use white-out. 
-At the beginning of class everyone takes out their pencil case from their backpack and puts it on their desk. Even the teacher. This is really funny to me because I don't think I've used a pencil case since elementary school, but nope, completely normal here. 
-There are no substitute teachers. You have to check a monitor every day in the commons area that tells you which teachers won't be there the next day, but sometimes a teacher might just not show up to class. For example, the other day my English teacher never showed up, so we all just left. Yay because no class, sad because I could have slept in if I had known :(
-I have a twenty minute break after hours 1 and 2, and then another break after hours 3 and 4. Plus an hour long lunch every day. And teachers often give the students 5 minute breaks during a lesson. This is nice because it sort of give students a chance to recover. At my school back home, its go go go all day long. 
-Different schedule, but I think I explained this in my last post. Also nice because things switch up day to day.
-The grading system is completely different. It's really hard to explain, and I don't even think I quite understand it yet. I'm going to wait to write about this until I get a better feel for it.
-Teachers tend to lecture for the whole class, and few worksheets are given out (except my Philosophy teacher who seems to have an obsession with group assignments). The teachers ask the students questions periodically and everyone is expected to, and does, participate. It's the weirdest thing. Like, everyone in the class is active in the lesson and will offer their opinion. Even the kids you wouldn't expect to, like the shy girl in class or the jock (But not the exchange student ;) )
-From what I have heard, it isn't like my school back home where there's academic, honors, and AP classes. Instead, there are 3 separate schools, and it's kinda like each one is either an academic school, honors school, or AP school. Kinda. I go to the Gymnasium so I guess that would be like AP. 
-Languages are taught so differently here. My 12th grade English class is literally taught entirely in English. Even my Level 2 Spanish class is taught mostly in Spanish, although the teacher does re-say most of what she says in German (not helpful for me lol). 
-Both the teachers and the students switch classes. We wait outside the classroom until the teacher arrives, and let me just say that I have literally not had one teacher that has been on time to class. But they get really mad if a student is late. Hm. 
-Gym class is NO JOKE!!!!!!!!!! The other day I had to swim 8 laps back and forth across the town pool, and today we had to RUN TO ANOTHER TOWN!!!!! Don't even get me started on Gym class.
-There aren't really any "bad kids" at the Gymnasium. Generally students respect/listen to the teacher, and like I said, they all participate in class. 
-School trips are to places like London and Russia if you're in the right classes (I'm not).
Anyways, however exhausting school may be sometimes, the weekends never disappoint. For example, last weekend we went to a birthday party for my host mom's brother, and then later that night I went to a firework festival in Paderborn.... at a castle. Well, actually it was a school, but it seriously looked like a castle. And it was so much fun. There were 3 teams, and they each prepared a 30 minute firework show that went along with music. Teams were judged on how well their timing matched the beat of the music, and although the girl I went with and I both thought the judges picked the wrong winner, we still had so much fun. 
This past weekend takes the cake though. On Saturday at 12, I met with a girl named Anna that lives in Hoxter but was in Mexico last year as an exchange student. She took me to a German market in Hoxter, and afterwards we went to a lake and drank cold hot chocolate (no, not chocolate milk). It was really nice to talk to someone who went through some of the same things that I'm experiencing now, and it just makes me that much more excited for the Inbound seminar this weekend where I will meet all the other exchange students in my district. She dropped me off at home around 3, and then it was time for the next event of the day... a swim competition. The swimming pool in Beverungen was having its 50th anniversary festival that day, and as a part of that they have an all ages relay race. So my host brother, father, and grandfather were all on a team... and we took 1st place! It was actually really cool because when they announced the winners they introduced me as "the exchange student" and joked that we were the international team. Or something like that. I'm not really sure, because you know, it was in German, but anyways, we each won a certificate and 10 euros to spend at the pool's concession stand!
But even after that, my Saturday wasn't over. That night, I went to my first Schutzenfest with about 10 other girls from my school. I think we got there a little late because there weren't any 'typical' Schutzenfest events going on like shooting or the crowning of the new king and queen, but regardless, it was the most fun I've had so far. It was sort of set up like a fair, but there was also a big tent that you could pay to get into where there was a band and a dance floor. That's where I spent most of the night. I also rode the bumper cars, which ended up not being a good idea because now my shins are covered in giant bruises. Anyways. 
On Sunday I went with my host family to visit Iris's father, and then afterwards to an outdoor theater production of the Wizard of Oz (or Der Zauberer von Oz in German). It was really quite special, and once again I am so thankful to have such a great host family that takes me to experience such amazing things.
Speaking of things I'm thankful for, I want to give a s/o to my amazing mother and sister and father back home for sending me the best care package ever, that I received in the mail today. They took it upon themselves to send me a giant bottle of hidden valley ranch dressing (among other things), and if you know me back home, you know one of my greatest fears regarding leaving was not having ranch dressing with me. I know I sound like I'm joking but I'm not. Katie Maddy Connor Becca, I think you know what I mean. 
Picture time!

 The "castle" that the firework festival was held at. AKA Hogwarts, since it's actually a school.

 The "Spaghetti Eis date" with Vera, Constanze, and Laura.

 Elias told me that he was going to read my blog.... so this one's for you, Elias :)

 A better picture of the view from my classroom window.

 Elias making calzones.

 A visit to a castle (an actual castle, not a school) with Anna.

 The castle's church. Not your average Sunday.

Our first place certificate!

 Another picture of the view.... good thing I have a nice view to stare at out the window when I get bored in class :)

 I snuck a picture of one of my class rooms.... shhh

 Hoxter

 Schutzenfest!

 I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this. I really don't have the words to describe this moment.

 Elias and I are currently in a never-ending nerf gun war. One minute I'm getting something out of the refrigerator, and then bang, I'm shot in the head. The battle rages on.

 A stage view of the outdoor theater.

The seating.