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Published: November 17th 2008
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THURSDAY, FRIDAY and SATURDAY!!!
Fourteen years ago my older brother spent his Senior year of high school as an exchange student in Römhild, Germany. He lived with a fabulous family, the Mendels. He has been back several times to visit them, including ten years ago when I came with him, and their daughter Juana has been to the states twice to visit us.
So as I was planning my trip to visit Beth (OK, I really didn't
plan anything. I just said, "Beth, I'm coming!" and bought the ticket), my brother said I needed to look up his host family. I mentioned the town where they live to Beth and she says, "No way! I drive through that place every day going to work!"
SO, in all of Germany I get to visit my super-amazing friend Beth, who lives about 20 minutes from where my brother was fourteen years ago. Very cool.
After some phone number confusion, we finally connected with Frau Mendel, who doesn't speak English, so I let Beth do the talking! Mutti Mendel said that Juana would come spend a couple days with them (she speaks English) and they could pick
Tea time
Rudi, Lea, me, Gurti und Leopold me up the next day. So I spent a couple wonderful days with a super-special family and really had a good time!
Thursday afternoon, as we were having tea, coffee, bread and cheese, their granddaughter Lea showed up. A spunky, confident and super-friendly ten year old! Actually, she and her twin brother were just babies when I was here 10 years ago and we even have photos of me holding them! Lea practiced some of her English on me, and then gave me a fabulous German lesson! We also played a game of Yatzee! Playing games with kids is a fantastic thing for language production!
Friday morning as we were eating breakfast of breads, meats, cheeses and jams (DELICIOUS!!!!), Lea calls from school. "April needs to come to my English class right now!" She had told her English teacher about meeting me last night, and her teacher wanted me to come in and talk to the students. I was super excited to see the school, and we were able to get there just for the last few minutes! The 5th grade students also sang me some of the English songs they had learned. SO much fun!
The
7th grade English class
I had fun using the map to show them where I'm from and where I've lived. teacher was on break, so she showed me around the school for a bit and had me meet the director and introduce myself to the 7th grade English class. She was a happy and energetic woman and when she found out I was a teacher she said I must come and work there for a bit! The Mendels thought that was a fabulous idea and agree that I should live in Römhild for a year, teach English and learn German! Um...never thought about that before. Beth says she won't let me do it unless she ends up coming back to Germany too! How awful would it be for her to finally get back to Michigan and I end up leaving for Germany! But to be honest my heart isn't taken with the idea of a year here. I love the country, the people, the FOOD!!! But it's definitely not my passion. But it's fun to have such a variety of options for the future!
Later Friday morning I went over to see a neighbor of the Mendels. She's my age and my brother had connected the two of us to be pen-pals years and years ago. When I was
here in '98 she and I hung out a bit practicing our foreign languages. She's been working at fancy hotel in Austria for 3 years and now is back home with her family.
Friday evening Juana and I, along with her son Leopold, went to visit Lea's family. After seeing some photos from 10 years ago (with the twins as babies), Lea and I played sisters and I got to paint her nails and do her hair. She's a sweet-heart and a half and it'd be fabulous to see her in another 10 years!
Saturday morning was "Karnaval" in Römhild. I didn't follow the meaning of it all exactly since Karnaval is actually in February, but this was the initial celebration with a parade, school band, dancers (Lea was one of them), and lots of FOOD!
Beth came for lunch (We had bratwurst!!!) and then to take me back to Hofheim. It was wonderful to see the Mendels again hopefully it'll happen again in the future!
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