Moments..

Days like these are absoultely amazing, even though nothing extremely special happened. Every now and then as exchange students, we get these "moments." These days in which we will never forget. Now I'm sure these moments happen to more than just exchange students, but either way it's amazing.What makes these days so amazing are the little things like feeling like you fit in, like realizing "Oh my gosh, I live in Europe," like it finally hits you and it feels amazing. Today, was one of those days.
Like I said, nothing spectacular happened today, it was just a regular ol' Wednesday. Not to mention it hasn't been the best week, but today, today was different. I realized that I'm not just in Germany anymore, this is home. I have almost everything I normally would back home just a little different. I remember when it was so hard, when I had no friends or anything and it feels so good to have somebody call out your name and want to talk to you or invite you to come hang out this weekend. I totally took this for granted back home. I don't know how it is for the rest of Europe, but German's aren't that eager to open up or immediatly want to be your friend. They need time, which is a little frustrating to be honest, but when they finally decide to they are some pretty amazing friends.
These moments are so complicated and confusing, like I start to think about how amazing everything is here and that like wow, I live in Germany. I have a life in Germany with friends, a school, "families," everything and how terrible it will be to leave it. Then I begin to think about all the great things I get to go back to and I get so excited for what I have waiting for me back home. So I'm all excited to leave, but at the same time I don't want to. I really didn't think I would be experiencing this until a month or two before I go, but no...it's here, now.
I wish I could explain this better, but everytime I start writing nothing seems to explain it just right..Hopefully sometime I'll find just the right words so you can understand better.

I miss you all!

Love,
Courtney

Lately

I've been really good. We had another Rotary weekend, but this one was in Ulm it was a lot of fun like I expected. We went to some museums, I missed the bread museum unfortuniatly lol I had some basketball games but we won so that was cool (and apparently there wasn't even bread at the museum, it was just about bread...LAME!) Then we went to Weinachtsmarkt in Ulm it was huge and totally crowded but it was cool. I saw a camel in the middle of Ulm, that was pretty funny in fact I have a picture of it...

Yup, so there it is.. me with a camel and creepy carnie guy, could life get any better? haha just kidding.

Anyways that weekend was a lot of fun. Then on December 6th was Nikolaus day thats the day they put candy in their shoes and all that jazz. I didn't get candy in my shoes though it was in a bowl lol I wasn't very dissapointed about that. Christmas is coming, I'm kind of bummed I really suck at doing things on time so family, you're presents won't be on time, sorry :(. I am so excited to get my christmas packages though lol. I'm even more excited for Betsey to come! I totally can't believe it, like it just seems so rediculous to me lol I don't know why lol. I remember all these people saying "Are you really going to Germany, that's so crazy, I just can't believe it" I guess I know how they feel now. My friends are so excited to meet her, and I'm going to like flip out when I see her at the airport, my host family is going to think I'm a total nut case, but they probably already do so oh well.

I'm actually switching families right after Betsey leaves. They're really nice and they live pretty close so it'll be nice that I don't have to learn a whole new bus routine or anything. Well I'll try to write again soon, I know I always say that but I will lol I promise.

Much love!

and Merry Chirstmas, just in case I don't write again lol

Love,

Courtney