Learning and Experiencing New Things - Day 4 & 5

Yesterday, I went to a small lake in Poing with Willow, Tim, Daniela, Phillip, and Connor. We swam in the ice cold water, played volleyball in the sand, ate ice cream and then biked home. Later that evening we watched a German movie called Der Schuh des Manitu, it was so funny! We were able to experience Bavarian comedy. Later that evening, there was a huge lightning storm. We sat on the balcony and watched the bright lightning strike the ground and then the roar of the thunder seconds later. It was quite a sight to see, especially since I had never seen anything like it before.

When we went to Munich on Wednesday, we travelled by train and subway. On the way back, we used the subway to get home and Eleana and I accidentally stayed on the subway and were left behind. After a few minutes, we realized that none of our peers were on the subway… so we started to panic. We got off at the next stop, and had no idea what to do or how to get back to the stop they had gotten off at, when a man came up to us and told us that our friends had gotten off at the last stop and pointed to a subway and said to get on that one and get off at the next stop. So we did just that and as soon as we got off the correct platform we saw Mr. Mobini and the others just staring at us. We explained ourselves and continued our journey back to Mark Schwaben, where we had to attend the BBQ.  - Jena Karl

Yesterday we had a normal school day. It has been cool to see how the German school system works, and how the German kids act. Our German has been slowly getting better with every day that we are here. Yesterday a few of us went to the Mac Miller concert in Munich with our host partners. It was such an incredible experience. We took the train into Munich, and walked to the site where the concert was going to be. There was very many kids just like us waiting for the concert to start, everyone was very excited. When we finally got in the concert was very crowded. Renee, Katie, and I went into the mosh pit to try to get closer to the stage. Once Mac Miller came 0nto the stage the crowd went crazy, and everyone started to push to the front. It was pretty uncomfortable but totally worth it. We were singing along to all of the songs, and we got very close to Mac Miller. We were all able to get great pictures. It was such an amazing experience. After the concert was done we took the train back to Markt Shwaben, and me and my host Hanna had to ride our bikes back in the thunder and lightning storm, it was really cool to see the lightning so close to us. When we got home we were so tired and went to bed pretty soon after.  - Eleana Stevens

The Tale of One City - Aaron Spieldenner

After an extensive and seemingly endless day of travel, our arrival in Germany was greeted with warm-heartedness and excitement.  As we walked into the Markt Schwaben Gymnasium, we immediately felt grateful for the hospitality of the people meeting us.  Soon after arrival, I left with my host, Matthias, to go to his home for the first time.  His sister picked us up from school, and after a five-minute car ride filled foreign gibberish and interpretation, we pulled up next to their home: a quaint town-house that immediately made me feel at home.  I went upstairs to my room and became situated, coming back downstairs to a hearty lunch consisting of a delicious mac ‘n’ cheese alternative.  We finished our meal, discussing German and American cultures, eventually meandering over to the living room to watch a 70’s-space-movie satire entirely in German.  Needless to say I did not understand a thing, but I was too fatigued to really mind.  Hours passed by, and next thing I knew Matthias’ parents were home.  We talked for an hour or so, and I soon realized that my stay in Germany would be a great one because of the hospitality of my host family.  Being beyond the point of sleepiness, we finished our conversation and I promptly went upstairs to get some sleep. 

            The next day, I woke up around seven a.m., took a brief shower, and went downstairs for breakfast.  I at cereal and a pretzel: a true breakfast of champions.  Feeling energized and rejuvenated from a 12-hour night of sleep, Matthias and I headed out the door on our way to my first day of school.  After about a 10-minute walk, we arrived at the Gymnasium, where I reported to room A-104 to meet with the other exchange students.  For about 3 hours, we killed time by uploading our projects onto Mr. Mobini’s computer, walking to the local grocery store, and sitting around hanging out.  We were then picked up by our hosts and attended class.  My host only had three classes, so it did not take very long for school to end.  However, time did seem to run a little slow when I was surrounded by curious eyes and foreign dialects.  After school, my host and I decided to go to the Deutches Museum in downtown Munich.  It was filled with all kinds of artifacts, including an entire section filled with seemingly ancient musical instruments.  We could have spent all day there; however the museum closed at five p.m., so we headed back on the S-Bahn.  I had been on public trains before, so I was thrown too far off my guard.  We returned home, ending the first full day in Germany. 

            The second day began much like the first.  Woke up around seven, got ready, ate breakfast and walked to school.  However, when we reached school, we did a quick turnaround and headed for the train station, on our way to Munich.  The train, unlike the S-Bahn, only had two stops, so it did not take very long; but when we reached our destination, we had to sit around for a little under an hour in some sort of ticket-validation center.  I was not paying attention very well, so I cannot quite remember our reason for being there, but I’m sure it was important.  After that extensive visit, we dived headfirst straight into the heart of Munich.  We saw the Glockenspiel, the Hofbrauhaus, ate some doner kebaps, and saw lots and lots of churches.  Next thing we knew, we had seen it all and were on our way to the S-Bahn station.  The trip was practically flawless, excluding the momentary hiccup of losing Eleana and Jenna on the train.  But the nightmare was over in a matter of minutes, so we headed back to Markt Schwaben.  When we returned, we were welcomed back with a hearty Fourth of July barbeque.  The night winded down, and sooner or later Matthias and I headed home and hit the hay. 

Limping away through Germany - Willow Powers

When we arrived in Germany I was both excited and nervous to meet my host family who I would be staying with for the next 3 weeks in Poing, a town just a train ride away from Markt Schwaben. Upon meeting my host family they were extremely welcoming and friendly. Luckily for me, they speak pretty good English.

On the 4^th of July we took a day trip around Munich.  We met at the school, as we do every morning, then walked to the train station and hopped on the next train to Munich.  While sitting on the train we looked out the window to see the beautiful landscape around us. When we arrived at Hauptbahnhoff (the train station in Munich) we walked over to the ticket place to get our seats reserved for our week long adventure next week.  When we got there we discovered that Katie had left her passport at her host family’s house, so we were unable to get our seats reserved as quickly as we thought. We waited there, sitting on the little red couches, for about an hour while Mr. Mobini persuaded the employee to do as he wished. While waiting for him I was sitting next to Jena and Eleana and as we were talking a man who looked exactly like Zack Galifinakis walked up and sat next to us.  We really wanted to ask him if maybe he was Zack Galifinakis’ twin or something, but we decided it was best that we didn’t.

            After finally leaving the train station, we made a quick stop at a restroom, which cost one euro. As I was walking through the little gate which opened as I put my coin in the slot, it quickly shut on me! I was pretty embarrassed.  After leaving there we ventured on to see the famous Glockenspiel at the Rathaus in Marienplatz.  At 12 noon bells began to chime, followed by some music and then the little statues at the top of the building began to spin around to the music. After that we walked all over Munich, looking at all the beautiful architecture of the buildings and churches. We made multiple stops to find some cold water, which was almost impossible to find. The water here is also very different in taste, which none of us are used too. We all definitely miss Seattle water.  After a while my feet were really sore.  I could feel the blisters forming, but I pressed on.  When we were on our way back to Markt Schwaben, when we got off at our first stop we soon realized that Jena and Eleana were still on the train.  Aaron and I went to look for them at the next stop but they weren’t there so we came back to find them there waiting for us with the rest of the group. After that little ordeal we continued back to the school.  It took us a while but we finally got there, both me and Chris were limping on the way back.  I ended up with huge blisters on both of my feet, and Chris’s ankle was swollen at least twice the size of his other one.  Though the trip was well worth the pain! 

We had a 4^thof July BBQ with our German host families which was really nice. Until next time, Bis spater! -Willow

Day trip into Munich (Take I)

Last night with my host we were playing soccer and about five minutes in a rolled my ankle which is perfect for my Munich tour.  After rolling my ankle, I watched the soccer game for a few hours in the rain which was super!  The next morning, I woke up and hobbled around the house until I was ready.  I headed downstairs to sit down with the whole family for breakfast, because that’s just what they do.  They supplied me with sufficient medication to forget my ankle was rolled which was nice.  We started this morning in the classroom, talking about what we were going to do today followed by a nice visit by the school principal Herr Dittmann who gave us all gifts.

Mr. Mobini started our tour by telling us his four basic rules 1) No complaining 2) Be flexible 3) No complaining and 4) Be grateful.  Can you tell what he was trying to emphasize.  Little did we know that Mr. Mobini would complain the most about us “complaining”. First off we went to the train station the take the Regional Bahn to Munich.  In Munich we saw all of the main squares and major cathedrals.  We saw the city hall called the Glockenspiel with the dancing clock tower.

It was fantastic because we walked everywhere and my foot was feeling great! While walking through, we bought many snacks and drinks but what we craved most of all was plain iced water. We still couldn’t find any iced water… After we saw all of the major historical sights we walked through the English Garden which was filled with many naked old people sun bathing. Another great sight to see! Then we hung out at a beer garden, unfortunately no beer for us. It was a nice place to sit in the sun after walking in the sun all day. We all grabbed a stein of Fanta or coke.   -Chris Dwyer

Here is Willow eating a large pretzel at the Biergarten am Chines Turm... 

Servus jedermann! (Bavarian for ‘Hello Everyone’) These past two days have been filled with kind people, beautiful sites, interesting facts, and delicious food.  Yesterday after school, my host family took me into Munich and we went on a bus tour of the city.  It was so much fun! They told me history and legends about churches, town halls, and beirgartens.  My family lives in a village called Anzing and after spending five hours in downtown Munich, we wanted nothing more but to sleep.  I loved just walking around with Petra, Bianca, and Daniel.  Before crashing for the night…get this dad: I TOOK A 7 MINUTE SHOWER!  Breaking records over here.  Then this morning we met in our room at school A104 to head out with Mr. Mobini on our walking tour of Munich. 

Today we watched the Glockenspiel in the town hall.  It was like watching a giant music box. 

After that we went to the famous beer halls of the Hofbrauhaus followed with the delicious Turkish delicacy that has invaded Germany with its mouthwatering flavors; the Doner kabob.  Odeonsplatz was our next stop and then we stopped in Karlsplatz where Conner ran through the massive fountain drenching himself in water all for one Euro from Chris.  Next we took the U-bahn to visit the English Gardens only to stop at the famous surfer's bridge... people actually surf in Munich. 

Waiting for our train back home, Chris and Aaron made the serious mistake of making me laugh.  After my donkey like laugh that echoed through the station, a little boy mocked me by imitating my laugh.  It was scarring.  Tonight we are celebrating the 4^th of July with the students of Markt Schwaben.  Happy Fourth of July everyone! Tomorrows blog should be an interesting one.  Until later…. - Jessika Lackie

Happy 4th of July from all of us in Markt Schwaben

The whole group at the BBQ!  Our wonderful hosts put together one amazing evening dinner out on the hill overlooking Markt Schwaben on the most beautiful day we have had since our arrival!

Greetings from all of us as well... We hope your all doing well...  Happy 4th of July Seattle!

Our first official day at school! - Day 2

Finally after a long flight we have reached Germany. The flight started with one of the passengers getting sick and having to use a defibrillator which delayed our flight. But Lufthansa treated us passengers very well and we were all very comfortable, dazing in and out of sleep. We had screens on our chairs that showed movies and TV shows, along with CDs.  The long ten hour flight went by swiftly!

Upon landing we had to rush off to our connecting flight to Munich.  We rushed through customs, in order to quicken the process we went through a line that checked passports for citizens rather than all passports.  The flight to Munich was very short.  Mr. Mobini compared it to a flight to Spokane, Washington. During that flight we started to get tired since it was about midnight in America but in Germany it was about 10 in the morning. When we landed we were met by the two German teachers who drove us to Franz Marc Gymnasium.  There we met our host partner in a small room and received welcoming gifts. While sitting in the room, some students of the school would pop into our room just to look at us. We felt like zoo animals! Our host partners gave us a quick tour of the school and then we dispersed to our various host families.

After unpacking, we gave the families our gifts from America and they were all very excited. We got to know each other, ate some food, and tried to stay awake until nine o’clock (Mr. Mobini’s orders…) Although, most of us went to bed earlier, around seven. We woke up early this morning, feeling the effects of jet lag, except Renee! We all came to school, some on busses, some via car, and others, train. We met in a room and we talked about our experiences with our families.

Our group is so funny when we’re together (especially Jessika’s laugh)! We joined Mr. Mobini in walking to the train this morning, just a few blocks from the school. It’s very muggy and humid, even though it’s rainy and cloudy.          -Katie Michels & Renee Stadtmueller

Markt Schwaben - Getting to meet our host families..- Day 1

We have arrived!!!

Our adventure started at SEA airport at 11:00 AM, checked in, and walked over to our gate.  Of course we also measured our luggage to see who packed the lightest and who went overboard.  :)  We all concluded that Chris packed the lightest and Eleana & Willow got the record for large bags.  The students are in good spirits, even with a short delay for a health concern from one of the passenger on board but we managed to arrive in Frankfurt with a short delay, which meant, run to our next flight!

My first test to see how the students would manage a busy terminal and a transfer that was short.  Frankfurt Airport is undergoing some construction, so we were not able to deplane at a gate, so we were bussed to a remote location where we had to clear Immigration, after which customs was a simple walk through a door and then we found ourselves staring into a long line to check back in for our domestic flight into Munich.  Luckily, there was an express lane.  After some convincing of the agent, I was able to get all 11 of us through the security point unharmed.  Out of all of us, Katie was the only one questioned.  I guess she had curling irons and they looked like weapons, of which Aaron quickly joked as if they were light sabers. 

Down two flights of stairs and a power walking sprint to the other side of the airport, up two flights of stairs and finally we were able to make the flight with 5 minutes to spare.  The poor kids were sweating and exhausted, especially Jena, Eleana, and Karanjot who didn't sleep one bit on our flight but yet we made it. 

We arrived on-time to Munich International Airport to find our hosts with the teachers.  What a joy it was to see Adelina 34 weeks pregnant expecting their first.   Just found out that it's a boy!  Adelina was one of the teachers who was originally scheduled to come but decided to rest as the baby continued to grow.   Reinhart & Uli were there as well, two of the teachers who came to Kennedy Catholic this past year with their group.  We took a short ride from the airport to the school in separate cars packed with our luggage and were surprised with a little goodie bag filled with all sorts of candy and snack foods to boost our energy up.  Chris and Aaron saw some similarities to the design of the school, very similar to Kennedy Catholic.
The German students all swung by the room we gathered at and took our students on a short tour.  I was amazed at their energy, especially since it was 2:30 AM Seattle time and they were being fueled by sugar and you know what happens once your energy is spent.   The only student out of our group who had the energy to keep pushing was Jessika.  What a joy she is to have on this trip, let's hope she can energize the others. 
All of the students left and I remained admiring the new updates and additions to our sister school.  I was even blessed with a short audience with Herr Dittmann, the school principal, who was gracious enough to welcome us here and hoped that our time and experience will be a grace filled one.  As for now....a good shower, some rest and getting to know our hosts...  Tomorrow will be a long day.  More pictures to come followed by our students who will be taking turns submitting their experiences.  Auf Wiedersehen!