Learning Sunday

Phew.
I hate Sunday's on which I have to learn. Fortunately for me, After tomorrow, there is Vancouver! And there is snow! (No picture, I forgot to take one and now it's already really dark)

I have already started packing, since I washed my clothes yesterday (the drier, apparently, was too hot; one shirt [I had washed two very similar shirts, bought in the same shopping trip, looking the same, only distinction the colour - and now the size.] and one of my sleep tops are kind of smaller now, but it's not as though it matters so much ;) ) and folded them today it kind of made sense.

Then I also finished my Japanese writing booklet, as we need to have that completed to take our exam tomorrow; if we don't have it completed we're not allowed to write the exam, resulting in a zero. (Fortunately, I was almost finished and only had one writing exercise left to do) And now I'm more or less reading up on "Of Mice And Men", because while I have indeed read (would be stupid if I hadn't), I'm not sure I can remember everything, and schmoop.com presents in quite a nice way (there is sarcasm involved, so it can't be bad, and Mr Derksen recommended the site).

I'm struck again and again how awesome it is that I can actually speak English - and I don't mean this in a show-off kind of way, but the simple fact that we can speak and that we can learn a second language, that we can share thoughts, even though there must have been so many accidents and so much chance involved and it's just ... English is so easy for me now, almost like German (it fluctuates, actually, I have periods where it's easier than German, and then I periods where German is easier, and then I have periods where I can speak neither, which always sucks), and it's just so amazing that we, a heap of cells, a heap of molecules, atoms, quarks if you want to break it down completely, a heap out of stuff that probably would fill way less than a schnaps tumbler if we broke up all those powers keeping it together (the powers that bind molecules, or the powers that keep the atom core 'united' with the electrons), that this heap out of inorganic material can actually see, hear, feel, think and share these things, that's just so unbelievable for me sometimes... and I'm seeing, I'm boring and confusing you with all this weird stuff.
I don't even know where it's coming from, so I will push it onto the fact that I'm still not really all the way healthy (I'm tired, for goodness' sake, after 9 hours of sleep!), and I'm actually quite glad I could write it down now.
Oh, and I haven't actually read through it again, so I take no responsibility for how understandable it is!

Otherwise... Oh right, I played 'Just Dance 3' with Bobby today, and it was actually pretty fun! :o
Yes, I can't believe it either!

Have a great start into the week!

Julia

ETA:

Okay, it seems as though I won't be taking my English exam tomorrow, my teacher said he might be sick (not feeling well - bad time of the year, seriously!). Not that I mind.
That I don't have to take the test, I mean.

Sankt Nikolaus

Today is/was Sankt Nikolaus day, a day celebrated in Germany in honor of Sankt Nikolaus of Myra, a Bishop in ancient Greek who helped the poor by leaving coins in shoes outside.

And believe it or not, but he has found me here, too!

When I came home from my long school day, a sack was waiting for me, filled with all kinds of German sweets - Spekulatius, Lebkuchen, Schoko-Nikolaus and a shirt!

I'm kind of missing home right now.

Even worse, I have a headache and am coughing because my throat is really ichy, and I felt nauseous and slightly dizzy in school again. My whole body hurts, and I have an inkling I might be getting a cold.
Oh how I hate this change of season! Especially since the weather here can't seem to decide which way to swing - we already had snow, but the last week it had 13 degrees plus and... my body just doesn't know what to expect!


My Biology teacher was ill today, too, so we didn't get to dissect the foetal pigs, which is a shame.

So, and seeing as my head feels like it's being split, I'm going to bed now.
Good night.

Julia

P.S: And I'm totally astonished:
My parcel is already in Vancouver!
It might even be here by Monday! (Well, hope dies last)

The last sickday

At least I hope it is!

There is a nasty stomach virus going around, but I'm feeling way better than the last few days!

The only thing I have to admit: I stopped writing my German Journal. I try to catch up sometime tomorrow, but I can't promise anything.

My parcel has left Germany! It's en route to Canada!

Yeah... That's it. I think.
Oh, right:
WHAT THE HECK, IT'S ALREADY NOVEMBER 28th?!?!?

Where has time gone to?

Love you all,
Julia

Still sick

So, hey guys!

Well, today was rather uneventful - I was still sick (I woke up this morning, stood up, had a severe case of dizziness, went back to bed, slept four more hours), handed in my English essay, did a bit of Biology stuff, and now the world is spinning around me again.

Great day, right?

And to the anon:
Thanks that I'm not the only one!
I didn't think I was, but thinking and knowing a two different things. Two very different things, at least for me.

And Lywe:
Thanks. I thought it was normal, but hearing it from you was waaaaaay better than just thinking!
So, I'm going to bed!

Girl without a home

I don't know...
Everybody: Please stay calm and read this post and I'm sure I can manage, it is no reason for me to abandon my ship here.

That said:
I'm feeling kinda homeless. I think it's a good thing - okay, let me explain what I mean.

I feel like I'm not German anymore. I mean, I haven't felt more German that here, not ever before, but I can't identify solely with the mentality from back home. I feel like back home I was small and dependent and childish and immature and narrow-minded, and I feel like I'm not anymore.
But I also don't feel Canadian, which would be the obvious other choice.
I don't feel like I fully belong here.

I always hoped that I would gain a second "home" with my exchange, but at the moment it feels like I lost my original one.

Okay, so now that I have got this out of my system, I can analyze it:
I guess, this is on the one hand a perfectly natural step to feel so unearthed, because it is a big change, and I've never done such a thing before and I'm honestly a bit surprised how well I've adapted. I thought I would have far more crippling homesickness than I've had so far.
The other thing it might be chalked up to is my emotional high.
I wasn't at school today (I was sick, stomach flu apparently, but at least I got off with a bit of nausea and nothing more, so I consider myself lucky), and now especially in the evening it was very care-free and funny. Okay, there might have been a bit of teasing and (at least what I thought was) good-natured banter, so it ended in tears (interspersed with laughter, though), but I was in a really good mood. And unfortunately, I crashed afterwards.

So, and that's it with my self psycho-analyzing. Enough of that stuff. Feel free to drop me a line, as long as it's nothing saying things like "Maybe you should really go home" or "You're just exaggerating", because that's not something I need to hear right now.

And as I still have to do my English essay (I have to hand it in on Wednesday, probably, but still), I'm signing out with this.

Sorry about the feels!

Julia

P.S.: Just in case anybody is interested: I also paid the $100 deposit for my San Francisco trip! Yay, I'm so looing forward to it, although it's still more than 150 days away! :(

Ill

Where I was tired yesterday, I am ill today.
I have been feeling sick all morning, and while I thought it might have been caffeine on an empty stomach, I have realized that I may just as well be sick.
Which means: I have accomplished nothing today, and am right now writing my Journalism stuff.
I always write best when I am sick/tired.

I have also taken the Bayrischen Mathematik Test, so the Bavarian Maths Test, a test all tenth graders have to take.
It must have been abysmal in my old school, but I didn't think it was so hard. Okay, there is one exercise, which I just can't find the solution to and regarding another I was metaphorically blind, but it wasn't overly hard.
I have tried solving it again on the Computer, but with out a solution, which is why I have sent it to my Maths teacher.

I hope you're having a better day than I am!

Sick

Long weekend and what do I do? Get sick, of course.
Probably a viral infection, says Marina, 'cause I'm not running a fever. But I'm feeling nauseous and my throat hurts and I'm tired, so I'm lying in bed, reading, and that's basically all I've been doing today, and now I'm also drinking watered down juice to keep hydrated.
Oh, and I finally answered my mail!

I actually wanted to meet up with Dorothea, but I fear I might be contagious, and I really don't want to get her sick - she's been through this already, I don't have to burden her with this again!

I just hope I'll be fine again by Monday - I'd miss so much, a Spanish quiz, our last Biology lesson before the next quiz, Debate and English, and I really don't want that!

My laptop had problems with the graphic board driver and crashed twice, and firefox also isn't at it's top...
I already run a virus scan, but it came back emptyhanded, so I have no idea...
I'll keep an eye on it, and if it doesn't get better, I'll ask Steven for help.

I have hardly any appetite these days, only to get hunger attacks. Today it came around elven, and it sucks. It really does. But now I'm quite content - I have never realized how often I eat out of boredom!

I have exactly 59 pages of my journal left, and Lara was teasing me with some kind of book during our skyping session - I have NO IDEA what it is!
But I really need to get a new journal! Because I can't not write!
I started out with single entries, but now I'm doing it in the same style as the "Plötzlich Prinzessin" Novels - I'm just writing Date and Time.

When I get home, I'll maybe type everything up - my handwriting is really messy in places, and I am slightly confusing at times, too, but hell, it's helped me so much to simply sit down and write everything down that's bothering me...

So yeah...

I need to go and get Postcards - I actually wanted to do that today, but well, I'm bedridden, so postcards are a bit hard to get!

It's been rather rainy all week, in case anyone is interested, and the sun sets at around half past five (I think. With all these clouds it's rather hard to tell)

The package my parents send me was shipped to the east coast first, which is why I still don't have it - it arrived near Toronto and is now most likely carried by truck.

I'm looking forward to getting it, although it must be quite big, according to my parents.

I have discovered sandwiches! There is nothing better!
Here are my favourites:

1. Tuna
2. Mayonnaise and Black Forest Ham
3. Peanutbutter
4. Chicken
5. Eggsalad

I'm addicted to Peanutbutter Toasts! It's actually all I've eaten today, and while I didn't like it the first time I tried it, it gets better the more often I have it.
It's nice because it's sweet on the one hand side (honey) and salty on the other, with a flavour of nuts, and it's just so. amazing.

We read a short story by Edgar Allan Poe and, hell, he's creepy. And strange. And a bit morbid. And a master of Irony. I mean, his character Fortunato is left to die in a crypt full of dead people, lured there by his love of wine (The Cask of the Amontillado) and ... well.

I'm taking the bus after Debate now, but thankfully, there is another boy, who also takes it! So I don't have to transfer on my own!

We also had an Earthquake drill - our teacher only read out the rules and guidelines, but we actually should have gotten under our tables to cover ourselves!
Earthquakes aren't that much of a danger here, but as far as I understood it, they're expecting one near Vancouver!

My headphones, which I bought here, don't work anymore. The right one doesn't give any sound. But luckily, I still have my Apple ones, and while they're rather uncomfortable, they're waaaaaaay better than none at all!

So, well that's it from me for now, I'm going back to reading!

Miss you all!

Julia