Hello again from here in Heidelberg! We have been with out host families for just under a week now, and the time has really flown by. So much so, that I will be heading home to Australia on Thursday – to be replaced by Carol Raby who is now well enough to make the long journey here to Germany. It will be sad to say goodbye to the students, but am looking forward to a bit of Australian sun over Chrissy (fingers crossed!)
Since I last wrote, we left Munich behind and caught the train to the beautiful city of Heidelberg. As the train drew closer to the waiting host families, the students become more nervous, practicing their German greetings and reassuring each other that it would be “fiiiiine!”y Frohe Weihnachten (Merry Christmas!)
Since then, the students have been at school most days with their host brothers and sisters and I have had a few catchups with them in between. On Wednesday I visited Mariama, Brad and Alex at their gymnasium here in Walldorf. The school is very close to where I am living with my host family, so I was able to spend a full lesson with each of them in Chemistry, History and English. I will admit I thoroughly enjoyed English class the most, purely due to my non-existing German skills! Despite the language barrier, the kids were happy and smiling and making the most of their time at school. I don’t think Mariama has stopped smiling since she got here!
We have also had the chance to visit the Christmas markets in Heidelberg, and a day trip to Speyer yesterday. Negotiating the German railway with 20 teenagers was no easy feat, especially with trains that split carriages at certain stations... but we managed! It was great for all the Aussie students to catch up, and de-breif about school and how each other were going. Even from the short time they have been here, I can tell their confidence in speaking German has increased, who knows what 5 or 7 weeks may bring!
The next outing for all of the Aussies will be bowling on Thursday night next week, which unfortunately I will miss as I fly home that day! After many protests and requests from the kids, I will try to organise a movie night in between now and when I depart, so that I can catch up with them one last time, and wish them luck with the rest of their time here. It’s been so nice to get to know them all, and help them settle in with their families.
That’s about it for now. I am preparing for the next few days of freezing temperatures, with an expected - 15 degrees by Wednesday. Good god! Fingers crossed the airport doesn’t close.
Cheers!
Ebony : )
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