Christmas and New Years

Christmas…Here we celebrate it on the 24^th. There is more of a Christmas Eve celebration and not too much on the 25^th. So we had the grandparents, aunts and uncles of my host family came over for a Christmas Eve dinner! It was very good and a lot of fun! It was very odd Christmas morning for me. We had opened all our gifts Christmas Eve, so there was not much reason to get out of bed on Christmas! What made it even a bit more saddening was that unfortunately, I had to pack and get ready to change families, so I had to get out of bed! I have accumulated so much stuff! It is unreal! I will need to rent like a boat to get everything back home!

That next morning I changed to my second host family. They are very nice and have an amazingly pretty house; I love the house it is very modern and so gorgeous! I stayed with them for four days then the morning of the 30^th I was off to Germany to spend New Year’s with Gundula, an exchange student who was in Wylie last year.

I got up early Sunday morning and headed to the train station in Liege. I had to take two trains to get to the station nearest Gundula. MY first train ride was very nice! I sat next to a lady who was from a little town here in Germany. She had been living in Brussels for the past few months. We talked about how different living in the city was then where we were both used to. She continued to tell me how one day she was in the walking to the Metro, in one of the tunnels underground, in Brussels and a guy stole her iPhone right out of her hands while she was texting!  That shocked me! My Second train ride… well was a great first impression of Germany to say the least! The train was full of a bunch of “Punks” who had a bit too much “fun” a music festival, and tried to continue the “fun” on the train!

I survived the ride with the “Punks” and made it to Coblinz to meet Gundula and her mom at the station! We went back to their house and ate a quick but yummy breakfast then were off to see a Castle! ON the way to see this one castle we drove past like 4 others! They are all over the place; just sitting atop hills in most every backdrop. I love it; It is like a fairytale here!

We went back to Gundulas and ate some YUMMY German food that her brother cooked for us! It was so good! We then took a “little nap” I think we ended up just talking and uploading pictures to Facebook! Then we went into the town and Gundula. It is so cute, it feels like I just jumped into a fairy tale! This here is called the Kings Chair. This is where in the medieval days all the different sections of Germany would send men to vote on the Emperor of Germany!

That evening, I went to babysit with Gundula that evening, I met a nine year old who speaks German, and Spanish nearly fluently and is very good in English also… a nine year old! Her and Gundula taught me how to count to 10 in German…. Or tried to… by playing the game Splish Splash Penguin! Hahaha

Then Monday morning we were off to see Coblinz. I had Gundulas dad as my tour guide and he took us all around the city! I learned so much! Almost everything had been destroyed in WW2 but all that was destroyed was rebuilt to look original. I saw the real German Corner, the Tourist Corner, two amazingly cute churches, and millions of other things I have forgotten the name for! But there are so many cute stories and so much history! It is so amazing!

After our tour we went to Gundulas to eat some more yummy German food! Took a nap then got ready for our James Bond New year’s party.  It was by far one of the best New Years I have had! I met the “Famous Alex” that I have heard a million stories about! I got to dance to some German songs and meet a bunch of really nice people and eat some yummy food!! We also went to a mid-night church service then got to look down over all the fireworks going off in the village, and set some off atop this hill. Then we went and danced some more then hang out and talked till almost noon the next morning.  Then spent the day sleepin, Facebooking, Skyping and talking!

The day following New Year’s, we went to a fort, an old volcano and an Abbey. Both were breath taking! That evening I got to meet some more of Gundulas friends and we made Mexican food!! We then watched the German version of The Bachelor… If you thought or version was a bit over the edge, this defiantly surpassed ours!

Today, I headed back to Liege. It was so neat to get to see Gundulas village and meet her German friends I have heard so much about! Her family is so cute and so sweet! It felt almost surreal to be seeing each other in Europe! Much less actually see where Gundula is from and her home town! Not only did I get to see Gundulas friends, family and town but I picked up a little German! I can count to 10, but have to skip four and seven; I can call you a rock, and follow some conversation!! I had an amazing time and was really sad to have to leave! Everyone I met while in Germany was so sweet and friendly and if any of the Germans I met are ever in Texas, you better let me know!! I absolutely loved Germany and cannot wait to go back! It is unreal how beautiful everything there is! The buildings, places, people, everything is so amazing!

Thank you Gundula and Gundulas family!! You guys are the best!!!!!!!