Last day in Berlin

Today is our last day in Berlin before the group travels back home. Many people are sad to leave and want to stay longer while others are ready for the comforts of home. I (Katharine) am very lucky to be able to stay in Europe for another week and a half as I go to France and meet my family there.
The past few days we have been in Berlin. It is an incredible city, full of culture and history. We took a bus tour and drove past the largest part of the Berlin wall that is still standing. It was very powerful.
Last night we traveled to Wittenberg for our last concert. We played in a small local theater that had once been a Nazi headquarters. The theater is now privately owned and is in the process of trying to regain popularity. It runs solely on donations. Today Mr. Teague told us that District 99 is now going to donate to this theater, which the people were thrilled to hear about. Some women who work at the theater had tears in their eyes when they heard about the donation. It was very touching. The people of Wittenberg were incredibly generous and welcoming. They were very happy to have us there.
Today has been very relaxing. We have free time in Berlin. It´s a very nice way to end the tour. We will see you soon!!

I left my heart in Heidleberg (or Sachseheim)

I cannot believe that I have to leave my host family tomorrow morning. They have become such an amazing part of my life and I feel incomplete without them. My sister, Mirja, is one of the nicest, funniest people I have ever met. My mother is so kind and caring and she always talks to me even when it is hard to speak in English. My father is always helpful and is very funny. When we went to Hieldleberg yesterday, my mother told me there is a song that says, ``I left my heart in Hieldleberg.´´ And now that I have been with my family for several days, I feel that I am leaving part of my heart in Sachseheim, where they live. I have made so many new friendships and strengthened others from last year. Tomorrow morning will be very sad for me. I have been on two other international trips with school, and I have noticed that on these trips I always remember things that are different between my life at home and my life abroad. But this week I really realized that we are not different at all. Sure, there are little differences between Mirja´s life in Germany and my life in the US, but at the core, we are the same. I am very comforted by this thought. Somehow even though we live on two different continents, we are the same.

I don´t even know where to begin

We have been in Germany for three days now, but to me it feels like three years. I have done so many activities and met so many new people in my stay in Bietigheim, I feel as though I could write a novel. Since being here, I really do feel that this trip is the chance of a lifetime and I so grateful I could be a part of it. Here are a few great moments from the past two days:
1. My birthday- I turned eighteen on June 9 and on that morning, I came downstairs for breakfast and found my family standing around a cake with candles, singing Happy Birthday to me. It was so sweet. In the evening, we had a party with all my friends at my host, Mirja´s, house. It was so much fun!
2. Downtown Bietigheim- I really enjoyed the tour we took of Bietigheim. I learned so much about the culture and the town. It is very interesting to me because this town is thousands of years old, while Downers Grove is only about 175 years old.
3. Our first concert- Tonight we had our first concert with the Jungendblasorchester, the German band. It was an amazing concert. The audience was incredibly appreciate of the music and gave us several standing ovations. We even played an encore.
4. Talking like the Germans- Ya, ya I speak like the Germans ya. The longer I am here the more I begin to speak (and write) like the Germans speak English. Their accent is so addicting!
I am very excited for the next few days. I know my experiences on this trip will continue to be absolutely amazing! Tschus!

Guten Tag!

Hello and welcome to Germany! It was a long flight, but our group finally made it to Bietigheim. After a 2-hour bus ride from the airport, we reached the school of the German hosts. We were greeted by an enormous crowd of eager German families, ready to take their American students home. My German, Mirja, found me right away. We piled my suitcase in the Audi and went back to her house.
I have stayed with host families in other countries before, but I have never stayed with a family so open and kind as Mirja´s family. Her mother told me right away to make myself at home. It was very sweet of them. I feel very blessed to be in such a loving home. Mirja is so lively and personable. She always makes me smile. Her father is also very nice and he likes to talk about soccer. I have noticed many German flags on cars and buildings because this week is full of European soccer games. Everyone comes out to watch the game and cheer on their country. Today we had free time with our host families, so I went with Mirja, and her friend, Natalie, and her two American students, Cassie and Marissa to a castle called Ludwigsburg. We got a great tour from an English speaker. It was very interesting. Today has been a very good day, and I´m excited to see what tomorrow will bring. Tschus!

Preparing for Takeoff!

I cannot begin to describe how excited I am to go on the airplane tomorrow and arrive in Germany. This trip will be my third trip with the band. (I previously traveled to New York and Indianapolis.) It will also be my third international school trip. (I went to France with the French department and Greece with the social studies department.) Each trip has been completely unique and I am thrilled to discover this new atmosphere. When the German band came here last May, I formed several great new friendships, including the girl I hosted, Mirja. I know my stay at her house will bring us even closer. I am excited to call her my German sister. I know that no trip is complete without a few nervous moments. And I know that I will be up late tonight double and triple checking my suitcase. But I also know that this is a trip of a lifetime and I will have many years of fond memories.
Tschus! Next time I write I will be in Bietigheim!