Well once more I haven’t wrote in some time so a hopefully longer entry J

May is here the best month of the year (cuz of my birthday)

A lot happened and nothing changed. Many things are different and everything is still the same. As confusing as it sounds it is close to the truth as I will get. Some weekend (already forgot which one but like two weeks ago) I went to the first and likely only Baseball game of my life. Let me tell you one thing the stadium in some ways is similar to a soccer one but that’s it. Baseball Is an interesting sport (still don’t totally get it) there is a lot going on on the field. Everything is happening at the same time and one can’t pay attention to everything. The atmosphere is incomparable to the one of other sports, though there was the attempt of a wave it was far from one that you will see during a soccer game. Though there were cheerleaders the crowd will never be as enthusiastic as in football. But Baseball has it’s own charm. I would say it is more of a social talking kinda thing while you are watching the game. But once more a thing you have to experience to understand it. Next we uncovered our pool which somehow has lost a lot of water over the winter (or so I am told). And it needs to be cleaned but I hope it will be ready for use soon so I can jump in there first thing every morning in the summer. School here will end on the 22 May, well no one will show up for the last day unless they feel the strong desire to clean up the campus. Anyway school was a lot of work a while back now we have 3 finals leaved and 3 periods in which we only sit talk and watch movies. This week was Senior day, a day on which the Seniors get to do something extremely fun for the fun of it. This year it was Cliffs the local amusement park. And after I talked to the administration and they took away the right from the sponsor to forbid me to go I (and all other exchange students but they didn’t) could go on the Senior day. So I paid my 5$ and went. Cliffs I have to say is a lot of fun even though the drop tower is way to small and so is the wooden rollercoaster (which still is fun). The last event that wants to be told about is the Honor Assembly. An Assembly that is hold the night before graduation (yesterday) and where Seniors get honored for scholarships etc. They also give Exchange students a certificate of attendance and a Letter as well as a little glass thingy from Sandia. I now also finally know the other four exchange students at my school.

Well I hope you all have a good one

Friday to Saturday I participated in the “30 hour famine” a project from world vision which includes no food for 30 hours. So let me tell you about my experiences.

The whole thing was organics here over the youth group of my church but I will talk more about this later. N Friday I started fasting at 8AM and had no food until 2PM on Saturday. Luckily we only had a half day at school which meant no torture during lunch and we got out at 11:30AM. At this time I have to admit that the hunger was kinda killing me but I somehow made it to church where me and the youth would spend the night with a lock in. Arrived at church I kept myself busy by helping to set up and by playing Guitar Hero. At 2PM 24 hours before we could eat we made Burritos which smelled so good and we couldn’t eat. Anyway this was the time were I started to talk about food and talk about it without end. Then after we had killed a few hours with Guitar Hero more and more people arrived until everyone was there and we started the lock in event. This meant playing games which were set up to help us understand problem of people in Latin, Central America and other poorer countries around the world. We got divided into tribes, team of 4 to 5 people, and played games involving a simulated hunt and a race for food. Of cause all with the goal to realize more and more how hard life can be and is for some people around the world. Of cause it still was fun and meant to be fun but it helped to sit still for minutes hoping not to be found pretending you are on the from guerilla rebels. From 1 to 8AM we had to sleep and we all were thankful for it because by that time hunger had become a loyal companion of all of us. After we woke up and had some juice for breakfast, by the way we had juice about every other hour or so and otherwise only water. After breakfast we played some games that didn’t involve as much physical activity as the ones from the day before but still it was a lot of fun. And finally we reached 2PM and broke our fast with communion and spaghetti. The weird thing was that at least I didn’t really feel hungry anymore by this time and so I only had a little bowl of spaghetti and everyone else had two at max. After this meal which seemed like the best of our lives we went home to get some sleep more food or in my case to work on a project for school.

This famine was one of the strongest experiences of my life, it was the first time I fasted and it wasn’t just cause the doctor told me to. I think I have come a bit closer to understand what some people go through everyday and to understand why the number one of the UNs goals for the century is to reduce world hunger. I also developed a new way of thinking in the way that I see fasting as a good opportunity to realize a lot of thinks and draw closer to god. As in a big coincident the preaching this morning was about fasting. And one last thing be said, it may sounds horrible to life 30 hours without food but it isn’t as bad as you would think, indeed it is one of the greatest experiences you will ever make.

I spend the week before Easter in New York City and Washington D.C. so let me tell you about two Cities you want to see if you ever come to the USA.

So first up was New York City, I of cause bought a I <3 NY shirt (btw never buy for under 7 shirts for 10$). In New York we did way to much to remember it all but let me try. We saw had a great view over the City, just forgot from which building, and I have to say, man that seemed so unreal to actually be there and see all those buildings you saw on TV or in a movie. But what did we see. We went to Time square at night, a beautiful scene, we saw a Broadway show, nothing really special, but I saw one. Of cause we tock a walk through Central Park, we stopped for a minute at ground Zero and had New York pizza 9amazing). Also we saw, Grade Central Station, the UN, NBCs studios and we saw the statue of liberty on a foggy day. Then we went to D.C. and toured every memorial there is (or so it felled) there is the Lincoln one, one for Einstein, for the Vietnam war and it goes on and on. Our trip came to a end with a look at the white house and dinner at the Hard Rock Café, they have amazing Hamburgers.

So that was an amazing week in short. New York City and Washington D.C. can’t be described they have to be experienced, so if you ever get the chance to go there DO IT!

If you always wondered what McDonalds at Broadway would look like there will be a video here shortly.

Once more I am behind, after my last entree I thought I could keep up writing once a week but, oh well. So now there are way to many headlines I want to use, such as “A journey to the center of the earth” “A night under the shanghai moon” “Red Socks” “Sandia got talent” “The Metro” “Purple not Pink!” and I forgot all the rest.

So let me tell you how I have been. Until yesterday two pictures created by me were exhibited in the metro art show. And really my memory kicks in with spring break. I spend the first few days on a camping trip to Carlsbad to visit the Carlsbad Caverns. “A journey to the center of the earth” really would be most describing for that. Those caverns are among the most amazing things I have ever seen, which by now can be granted a certain rating. Also we had Prom under the theme of “A night under the shanghai moon” on the first Saturday of beak. It wasn’t as good as homecoming but there is another prom yet to come. Than Stephanie spend the night which meant watching Disney princes movies and such until about 1 or 2 AM next morning. So that Jo doesn’t get mad again, yes I have to admit it really is fun watching those movies with the girls. At the end of break we finally came around to get me a phone, yes it is purple and has flowers on the front but it has a keyboard and unlimited texting. (think of this what you want, may add that I needed more time to buy a phone case and shoes than two girls to shop for pans) Otherwise on yesterday we had an announcement that our school team would now be called “Red Socks” (of cause April fouls) and today was the talent assembly which was really funny, especially the boys in dresses and underwear dancing and the girl singing the soundtrack to “a walk to remember”. (she totally locks like the main actress)

So far for that, next week is my trip to New York City and Washington D.C. and after that I’ll hopefully have time to write again

for the mean time

I long wanted to write this one but never came around to do s but now :d

I wanna tell you guys about the last weekend.

I went on a camp out with my church. We went to a place called Sacramento Methodist Assembly in Sacramento, approximately 5 to 6 hours away from Albuquerque. So we set the 14 of us (including two adults) into two cars and drove down there. That in itself was enough fun to just drive back and have a great experience more. But we stayed up there for a weekend. The Assembly itself is placed in the end of a valley in the mountains. Which had the need effect that we could easily hike up to one of three peeks and we viewed a beautiful countryside. The thing was still a church trip so the weekend was filled with worships and work in small groups as well as with other religious related fun activities such as hunting (plastic) ducks. At this point I wanna take the time and explain or talk about the difference in regular worship that I am experiencing right now between m German church and the one here. I think everyone who is interested in this knows what I mean b worship in Germany, Pastor talks for way to long and hymns are sung. Here our worships start with two to three songs. But they aren’t hymns the are more modern music, not played with an organ but with drums, guitars and keyboards. Then there usually comes the introduction to the theme and a prayer that is underlined by music as well as the scripture read. In the following another song, of the same type as the first once is sung and afterwards the pastor or worship leader talks. So there still is a sermon. Which somehow appears to me to be more interesting here but that’s may just cause it’s in English and I can’t any more quite recall the once in Germany so well. Anyway after the talk there is the finishing song. Left to say that there are more prayers at some unfixed points in the worship and people sit for the prayers (always). So far for a general summary. But what I experienced in Sacramento was also different in another aspect that I view from two different points of view. I am talking about how much people get into this spiritually. So one side is that everyone is really into it, people stand for every song clap and have fun. It just is a total different atmosphere one of these you have to be there thing. Here for a funny story: during one of the songs at CCYM (the name of the campout) we used to form a polonaise. So this is were the “good” point of view is. The “bad” side is that it sometimes feels like people get so far into it that the are easily led to do something that shouldn’t be done. No idea how to explain it further, I will try though if I need to. So besides the, I think 5, worships we mainly had small groups, of cause my one was the best. In which we further discussed the theme of the week “light and darkness”. The most amazing hour of the whole weekend was a hike up to one of the peaks at about 11Pm in total darkness with only a few candles, such a beautiful sky. But Sunday afternoon the camp was over and we started out home. On the trip we had a lot of fun with “Red vines” (type into Google images) as Ty suddenly said “my one is longer” and his sister observed that when you use them as straws “it is coming out of the top”. After we all had laughed and sobbed for about 30 min. After that everyone had trouble getting away from this general direction of thinking and it continued with things like “he dropped one of his balls” etc. Other from that we spend the time on the road drinking energy drinks and singing along with the songs. To explain the Narnia part in the Headline. Our youth director said, and she s right, that at one point on the trip, when you drive through a tunnel with dessert on one and forest on the other side, it feels like entering Narnia.

So now this week and weekend were mainly dominated by the birthday of my host sis. Her sweet sixteen. I still wonder why sweet because here you need to be 17 or 21 to have fun, but oh well. So on Tuesday we went out for dinner and on Friday we had a little celebration, due to the fact that half of the people couldn’t open the invitation file and a quarter thought it was a virus. But we still had a chocolate fountain and a black marbelish looking dance floor which actually was used by guys and girls (together and alone). Yeah me and the other two guys had fun making up dances, you will NEVER see the videos of that. The only “bad” (kinda sarcastic) thing was that the two best friends of my sis spend the night over at our house watching Disney princess movies in the room that’s in front of my one and sound wise not really good separated. So I ended up watching with them until 5:30 AM next morning and then again from about 8AM. The same day we then went to take family pictures during which I mainly sat around but hey I got food for it.

So you see live over here doesn’t get boring and I somehow always end up with a bunch of girls, or at least more girls ‘n boys. But hey that’s not a bad thing is it?

I may gonna set smileys into this when I have time but for now I am off for youth

The last weeks were truly..  interesting, to say the least so let me tell you the story.

It all started with me moving in with my new host family. This also meant that I moved into a different district of APS (Albuquerque Public Schools). And there is a little policy of APS stating that exchange students are required to attend the school in which’s district there host family lives. So I would have had to transfer to a different high school more exactly highland high school. OK it is close by, about a 10-15 min. walk but it doesn’t have that great of a reputation. Also there is the fact that it took my, literally, months to really find good friends at Sandia and to get involved. And I didn’t feel like doing that all over again. So I tried to stay at Sandia. More précised the day my old host dad was withdrawing me, after all paperwork was signed I started fighting that decision. Here fore you need to know that usually the organizations, YU so to speak, deal with the placements of foreign exchange students because otherwise they mess up there relationship with the schools which than in return won’t take any more exchange students. So YFU was pissed. APS had its policies and wanted to be consistent so basically they were pissed, too. Nice position to start from. Oh yeah by the way my old host dad said I should stick to my decision and not piss everyone of so basically he was pissed, too. But don’t get me wrong not everyone was pissed. My Advisor and the Co-Principal as well as my new host dad stood behind me. And so a struggle began. Which had the side effect that for one week I was going to Sandia without having a locker or book which is kinda nice. During this week The Co-Principal Ms. Stan and my host dad (the new one) started contact with the responsible persons of APS and at first everyone was very confident we had many arguments and a reason for hope. But only for a few days than Ms. Stan had to give up her hopes because she used all her arguments and after all she is an employee of APS. But my host dad and I came up with some more things to do and caped trying. Until last Friday when my host dad had a phone call with the responsibles telling him that they couldn’t brake with there policies etc. But again as the title says “Never Back Down” and we didn’t. Paul (my host dad) simply wrote to the boss of the person who had denied the whole thing. He send him everything and also Ms. Stan made and appeal, put in a good word for me. And then suddenly out of nowhere 9while I was watching Heroes Season 4 an awesome show) we got a mail from the Secretary of Education (or something like that) of APS telling me that I would be allowed to stay at Sandia and that APD would reconsider its policies.

Awesome there really is byrocraci admitting a mistake, I couldn’t believe it but it is true. So now Pal gives me a ride to school every morning and in the afternoon I take the City Bus home (takes about 70min.). So I am happy and of cause that is reason enough for APS to want me to tell my story, after all I am happy with APS.

I guess you would also like to know about my new host family. I now have two little host sisters no idea how old they are (though I think 15 and 12) a new host mother and a new host father we also have two dogs, to whom I by now refer to as small (they are up to my hip). And the last part is the one that makes my wonder because I still haven’t lost all my fear of dogs, though with those two guys everything went just perfect. I now have my own room which still is kinda in progress. When I came here a bit more than a week ago it was a room with unpainted walls and no furniture, we even raised a wall to separate it from the laundry room. But now it is painted has a brand new extremely comfortable bed, a working desk, some hangers for cloth (more are coming this weekend) and a unplumbed sink. Last of which is by far the coolest part of the whole room. Otherwise the house has two stories one of which is half belonging to the girls, they kinda have there own “wing”. I personally don’t like the fact that I now have to use Vista if I wanna use a computer, but hey you can’t have everything. One other good thing is that I can continue to attend services at the same church and be at that youth group since my new host family is heavily involved in it and my old host family doesn’t go to church at all.

Yeah so far my life is pretty awesome. And it is still going up since the pool club at Sandia now has its own Tables.

Ok that what has to happen tomorrow really wasn’t plant.

I will move in with a new host family. At least we found one in
Albuquerque which means I can at least go to the same church which will be a big help because so I will have something familiar. I also have to change school. Which really sucks because the semester is already running for 3 week and I will lose connection to many of my friends and I won’t be able to go my clubs any more (obviously).

So WHY on earth do I move to another family?

Whoever expects an easy answer, I have to disappoint you, it is because of multiple reasons and factors. First I, over the last few month, had problems with my host ma. Those remained, unfortunately, unsolved or not really solved and so they piled up and created a cold atmosphere in which living together under one roof got nearly impossible. I don’t wanna blame my host ma alone because I also did my part to create this situation but she wasn’t helping it either. Another factor is that my host family had issues with themselves. Especially my host ma with my host dad and brother, it actually brought her near to leaf the family for a few weeks. And now there is a list of issues or factors that weren’t bad but didn’t really help either. As of there were: the fact that they are living as vegetarians, which I except and with which I can live but which I don’t really like, further more there are several disagreements in believes that I have with members of the host family which we put aside but which kinda made it easier to say I’ll leave.

So you see life isn’t easy right now. And it won’t be for the next few weeks. But eventually I will move on, leave Sandia behind and shear for the Hornets and not the Matadors, I will still be able to see my friends because I will still be in town and so the best year of my life will continue.

Just even better.

Oh yeah one more thing, don’t make me explain, why I can’t stay at Sandia, it was horrible enough to go through this once.
But I have to go, pack my things, talk to you guys soonish