GAPP 2019 Travel Blog!
The blog is in chronological order, so please scroll down to read the most recent entries! :)
Tuesday, June 25 - Thursday, June 27 -- ROME & POMPEII
GAPP 2019 started off at 11:00 am on Monday, June 24th. We gathered at the Lufthansa counter and said goodbye to our families! We were off on a 26 day European Adventure!
The flight wasn't bad - lots of great movies to watch and games to play. The food was also good... Lufthansa gives you real silverware with your dinner, as well as a pillow and blanket to help you sleep. We had a long layover in Frankfurt, but it was made better by German food for lunch. :) We arrived in Rome* and off we went!
*Unfortunately one bag did not make it to Rome! It was delivered to the hotel the next day. That's why Frau always asks for photos and descriptions of luggage!
*Unfortunately one bag did not make it to Rome! It was delivered to the hotel the next day. That's why Frau always asks for photos and descriptions of luggage!
We began our tour with some famous Roman sights. Here are the Spanish Steps... named for their close proximity to the Spanish Embassy. They were completed in 1717. And also a still-flowing Roman Aqueduct that you can still drink from! Everyone refilled their water bottles, because it was hot, hot, hot in Rome!
From there we made our way through the city to our next destination: The Pantheon. Good thing the boys were holding hands and wouldn't get lost! The Pantheon is a former Roman Temple (now a church) and was completed in 126 AD!
We found another antique Roman drinking fountain - just plug the spout with your finger and the water will be pushed through a hole right into your mouth! What an ingenious design! Later we had dinner - delicious pasta, followed by meatballs and salad, with peach gelato to finish! At this restaurant we first experienced the Italian (or Roman?) phenomenon of not having toilet seats on their toilets. We asked our tour guide about this - and apparently they break (or are stolen by kids?) and are not replaced.
From the website "The Florentine:" "Apparently, the toilet seats are there originally but, then, they break. The seats break because people stand on them. People stand on them because they are not kept clean enough to sit on. ... Either the proprietors decide there's no point in continuing the cycle, so they consign their toilet to the ranks of the seatless." Interesting. Needless to say, that was one part of Italy that wouldn't be missed.
From the website "The Florentine:" "Apparently, the toilet seats are there originally but, then, they break. The seats break because people stand on them. People stand on them because they are not kept clean enough to sit on. ... Either the proprietors decide there's no point in continuing the cycle, so they consign their toilet to the ranks of the seatless." Interesting. Needless to say, that was one part of Italy that wouldn't be missed.
After a hopefully good night's sleep (in air conditioning!) and probably the BEST HOTEL BREAKFAST ever, we made our way to the Coliseum! This amphitheater was completed in 80 AD and is the largest in the world - it's estimated it could hold 50,000 - 80,000 spectators back in the day. It ceased being used in the medieval era, and most damage was caused by earthquakes and stone robbers. Wikipedia says that "In 2018, it was the most popular tourist attraction in the world, with 7.4 million visitors." - wow!
Our next destination was the Roman Forum, right near the Coliseum, which is comprised of several ancient Roman government buildings, and where they burned Julius Caesar's body. It was really hot walking around the forum, but we had sunscreen and as always, the Roman aqueducts gave us chances to fill up our water bottles along the way. Our tour guide, Valerio, was from Italy but raised in Australia, and he kept us entertained with historical anecdotes in his awesome accent.
Afterwards we continued on to the central hub of Rome: The Piazza Venezia. This is a monument to the first king of Italy and where you can find Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Solider, and where the dictator Mussolini gave speeches during the 1920s - 1940s.
After lunch on our own (most of us went to a restaurant for authentic Italian food... some who went for American fast food will remain unnamed) we left Italy and visited the sovereign country of Vatican City. We first entered through metal-detectors and explored the museum (seeing the busts of famous Romans and Greeks was my favorite part, and we also saw other statues, paintings, and tapestries. It was quite a collection... but it was very crowded and there was no air conditioning! Wikipedia says the museums contain 70,000 works (20,000 of which are on display). Established in 1506, it is the 5th largest art museum in the world (via Wikipedia).
Largest art museums in the world:
1) The Louvre (Paris, France)
2) The Hermitage (St. Petersburg, Russia)
3) National Museum of China (Beijing, China)
4) Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA)
5) The Vatican Museums (Rome, Italy)
Largest art museums in the world:
1) The Louvre (Paris, France)
2) The Hermitage (St. Petersburg, Russia)
3) National Museum of China (Beijing, China)
4) Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA)
5) The Vatican Museums (Rome, Italy)
The Vatican museums ended with the visiting of the Sistine Chapel, but no photos (or talking) was allowed there. Painted by Michelangelo (not the Ninja Turtle, which I had to clear up for a few kids) Afterwards we visited the largest church in the world: St. Peter's Basilica - named thus as he was buried there (you can see us in the photo above left). It was consecrated in 1626.
After leaving the Vatican, we went for some free time near the Tiber River. Ms. Chris and Frau found a nice cafe on the banks of the river and enjoyed some ice water and fruit. The kids had free time to explore - most of them had gelato (again!) :) Despite that we went on to dinner afterwards - yummy Alfredo and pea pasta, along with chicken, salad, and more gelato for dessert!
After leaving the Vatican, we went for some free time near the Tiber River. Ms. Chris and Frau found a nice cafe on the banks of the river and enjoyed some ice water and fruit. The kids had free time to explore - most of them had gelato (again!) :) Despite that we went on to dinner afterwards - yummy Alfredo and pea pasta, along with chicken, salad, and more gelato for dessert!
The next morning, after a longer sleep-in and delicious breakfast, we made our way down the coast to Pompeii, about 3 1/2 hours away. When we got to Pompeii, we had a demonstration on how Cameos were made using seashells, and then had a delicious pizza lunch (thanks GAPP!). It was sweltering hot in Pompeii, and as we toured the site with our guide (seen below right) we thought we might just melt! We began with a tour of the theater (where Pink Floyd sang in 1971) and gladiator training gym. This is all well preserved due to the explosion of the volcano Mt. Vesuvius, which stands right above the city. The volcano exploded in 79 AD and the city was covered in 4-6 meters of volcanic ash - preserving everything in the exact moment it happened (human bodies, animals, graffiti on walls --- they found bread still in the ovens!)
Cats and dogs were all over Pompeii... we enjoyed seeing them! Our tour was hot but incredibly interesting. What an interesting people the inhabitants of Pompeii were! After our tour, we drove home and had dinner at the restaurant next door to our hotel. Delicious lasagna, salad and chicken, and creme caramel for dinner - the Italians love to serve pasta as the first course! We went to bed soon after (well, some of us did) - to wake up at 2:15 am for our 3:00 bus ride to the Rome Airport!
Friday, June 28 - ARRIVAL IN EGGENFELDEN!
After saying goodbye to our tour director Fabrizio and a quick flight from Rome to Munich, we gathered our bags and got on the bus to our hosts in Eggenfelden!!! They gave us traditional gingerbread heats that read "Servus!" - hello in Bavarian. We were reunited at last! Especailly with Melissa, who was planning on meeting us in Eggenfelden - her flight from Dublin to Munich was cancelled, and she had to wait two days for a new flight! Luckily they gave her a room in a 5-star hotel and a food allowance, but whew, glad she's back with us now!
After our reunion the kids went off with their host families - most to the the swimming pool as well!
After our reunion the kids went off with their host families - most to the the swimming pool as well!
Saturday, June 29th - KADEN
This morning I woke up and had some delicious Bavarian Frühstück: bread, cheese, and cold cuts. We drank still water (a rare finding here in Europe) and orange juice as well as eating some fresh grapes and strawberries! A while after the wonderful breakfast prepared by Frau Martner, Beni and I walked through downtown Massing (a small town outside of Eggenfelden where many KVC students live) to his Oma’s house for a nice Bavarian lunch with his Grandma, Uncle, and Great Uncle. The Martners are all FANTASTIC cooks; Grandma Martner made some Bavarian delicacies like Knoedel (impossible to describe, one must simply eat it to understand) and Erdbeerkuchen (strawberry cake, VERY good).
After a little time talking in German with Beni’s relatives and some amazing food, Grandma Martner wanted to take us to her place of work: the Freilichtmuseum of Massing (an open air museum of the history of Bavaria and the people there). It was so interesting! There were so many old buildings from all over Bavaria that had been transported to this museum and lots of recreations of daily life for a citizen of the Bavarian kingdom. After the museum visit: Eiskaffee and Eisschokolade (coffee with ice cream and hot chocolate with ice cream, also very very good).
Later that night there was the GAPP 2019 welcome party! It was a super enjoyable party full of good food, good friends, and good fun! Thank you to Domi and his family for hosting this lovely evening, and thank you to all the Germans on GAPP for the gifts! It was an amazing time meeting the families of all my German friends, and spending some quality time with the whole group!
To top off an already great day, Beni, a few other Germans, their partners, and I decided to show face at the Unterdietfurt Sonnwendfeuer (Start of summer bonfire and party in the town of Unterdietfurt) and hang out in our warm new sweatshirts next to a huge fire, and meet some new German friends.
Overall, an AMAZING first full day in Germany, and I could not be more happy with the host family I am blessed with!
After a little time talking in German with Beni’s relatives and some amazing food, Grandma Martner wanted to take us to her place of work: the Freilichtmuseum of Massing (an open air museum of the history of Bavaria and the people there). It was so interesting! There were so many old buildings from all over Bavaria that had been transported to this museum and lots of recreations of daily life for a citizen of the Bavarian kingdom. After the museum visit: Eiskaffee and Eisschokolade (coffee with ice cream and hot chocolate with ice cream, also very very good).
Later that night there was the GAPP 2019 welcome party! It was a super enjoyable party full of good food, good friends, and good fun! Thank you to Domi and his family for hosting this lovely evening, and thank you to all the Germans on GAPP for the gifts! It was an amazing time meeting the families of all my German friends, and spending some quality time with the whole group!
To top off an already great day, Beni, a few other Germans, their partners, and I decided to show face at the Unterdietfurt Sonnwendfeuer (Start of summer bonfire and party in the town of Unterdietfurt) and hang out in our warm new sweatshirts next to a huge fire, and meet some new German friends.
Overall, an AMAZING first full day in Germany, and I could not be more happy with the host family I am blessed with!
Sunday, June 30th - JOEY
Today I woke up at my host families house and we sat outside and ate breakfast. I ate a chocolate German cereal and my partner and host parents ate different things. My host dad mentioned that he wanted us all to eat weiß wurst the next Sunday because thats what they normally have and I am excited to try it. We then drove a little bit to Burghausen where we looked around at the worlds longest castle! We also bumped into the gapp teachers which was cool. We then had really good ice cream and then went home. The day was very hot. So far in Germany I’ve noticed a few differences from America for example whenever my host family closes a door they slam it which is something I’m getting used to. Also they drink sparkling water a lot which I am happy with because I love sparkling water! Overall I am loving Germany!
(From Frau)... Joey and his partner Sebi and his family bumped into us while at Burghausen! :)
Monday, July 1st - ALEX B
Our first day of school in Germany at Karl-von closet gymnasium. German schools are scheduled where they have two breaks and no lunch, they eat at home. Many of them stay in the same group of students but switch teachers. They have many foods for sale, and they all seem to end at different times. They have different classes on different days, which I guess isn’t that weird. They start each class by saying in perfect sync “guten morgen” then the name of the teacher, sometimes in a melody which can sound creepy if done right. They also don’t seem to be as disciplined American schools, or at least the classes I had did. If wasn’t every teacher but they didn’t seem to stop many of the talking or loud noises, which most of my American teachers would have stopped.
Tuesday, July 2nd - CHARLIE
Today, I think we had a great accomplishment for the gapp group. The one, the only, Cadillac driving, american at heart... Aiden Swain... HAS SHAVED!!! This is a big accomplishment for the gapp group because nobody liked his bear and now he looks like a normal person. also some of us went to the pool as usual and swam and discovered new ways to go down the slide, on our backs, upside down, a train, in a ball, and riding miles like a bobsled. We found that just going down normally while launching at the top was the most effective. We were also adopted by sixth graders and that was interesting because we got to sit in a hot and muggy classroom all day, aside from that my classroom was very good at involving me and Ryan by asking us questions about America such as our opinions on gun laws and trump. It was very interesting how sixth graders were asking us about politics.
Wednesday, July 3rd - AIDEN
Today we had a scavenger hunt! It was very long and a lot of walking. My group took this task very seriously, going at lightning speed running super fast practically drifting around the corners. Always at a jogging pace determined to be first. We were with barley a sweat. Our group was so well connected with our information and call outs to each other. It sure was a team we had. After that our team and the rest of the class indulged our self in some gelato. Mm mm mmhhhh that was some good gelato. Also joeys birthday was today and he turns 19 a true man now, past the 18. After school me maxi and steffi went to get sushi in town, it was very good I liked it a lot. After that we went to the swimming pool. That was cool, played some volleyball and took a dip in the pool on this lukewarm. Although me Melissa Charlie Miles Alex got creative on the slide doing a lot of cool stuff, kinda racing down at lightning speed. After that me and maxi went to get some more gelato. It was still good. After that me and maxi and maxis dad went to dinner, at a little airport, kinda crazy. The pasta was very delicious. After that I went home and went to bed a had a very good sleep.
Thursday, July 4th - TAYLOR
Today we went to the Grundschule (Elementary school in English). Ryan, Dylan, Gabe, Alex N and I all went to a 4th grade class and watched as the kids learned about bridges and got to pick which one they liked out of 6 options. A few of them picked the Golden Gate Bridge just because of it being in the USA. Then in the middle of the class when they were doing abstract circle art we got to go and talk to the kids! A lot of them were showing me their drawings with HUGE smiles on their faces. And they were very excited to have Americans in there class a few even spoke English. The question asked me the most was what languages I could speak. After we left the school we went into town for Döner I got a Döner box with French fries meat and sauce it was really good. Then after that we all got released for free time and I went back to the school I sat there for about 45 minutes. Then we went to the swimming pool and met with Joey and his partner Sebi and were there for 3 hours.
Friday, July 5th - WINTER
The drive to Schloss Neuschwanstein took four hours, so we set out early. On the way, both the German and American students chatted excitedly amongst each other in anticipation; the rolling hills in green and golden passed us by outside. Four hours passed remarkably quickly, and sure as the sun rises we arrived in the little town residing underneath the castle; a quaint little place, made mostly for tourists and comprised entirely of small shops and restaurants.
We had some time to look around, buy souvenirs, and eat lunch. The group I was with immediately set out in search of food, ate (I had a delicious pizza), and then walked down to the Alpsee. Swans and small ducks swam around peacefully on the water; a family of ducks waddled right passed us. It became clear why the castle was named Schloss Neuschwanstein (translating to new-swan-stone for English speakers), as the lake was clearly a home for these magnificent birds. Soon enough, it was time to meet up and begin the long hike to Schloss Neuschwanstein.
The path was shaded, but it was still rather hot out; I will admit, I became a little jealous of the horse-drawn carriages that occasionally passed us by. Nonetheless we persevered, and were soon rewarded for our persistence with an astonishing view of Germany, and another even more stunning view of the castle. We rested momentarily at the lookout, and then walked a short distance uphill to the castle itself.
When we first entered the castle, we were given an audio guide, and pointed through some hallways and up a spiral staircase. As we ascended the staircase, it was frigid in comparison to the air outside, which was relieving. The tour began promptly, and we were whisked through room after room of medieval style rooms; the decorations were rather simple, but elegant and grand. This continued until we reached the magnificent and grandiose throne room, which was adorned with elaborate paintings and frescoes dedicated to the twelve apostles, kings who ruled Bavaria, and the Archangel Michael, among others. From there we were able to walk through King Ludwig’s bedchambers, which was a stark contrast to the rest of the castle.
King Ludwig the Second built this castle, (along with the Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof castles), in the middle of the 19th century, and it was not finished by the time of his death in 1886. When the castle was being constructed, it was done in an older style reminiscent of the medieval ages and the facilities were all kept authentic to that era. Alternatively, when the bedchambers in the castle were constructed, they were outfitted with all the modern luxuries of that age, including fully functioning light bulbs and running water. The style of the walls was different as well, following a darker colour scheme, and more intricate detail that falls in line with the gothic style of architecture. Additionally, everywhere we looked were mentions, porcelain statues, and paintings of swans. There was even a biblical story told through paintings of a man who turned into a swan, though I can’t recall exactly which story it was.
The last room we visited on our tour was a music hall, which was in the process of restoration. Then we exited the castle and walked to a shaky bridge with an incredible view of the castle and of Germany. Our trip down was supplemented by ice cream, but we were all very relieved to get back on the air conditioned bus and begin our four hour drive home. The day was exhausting, but informative and filled with extraordinary views. I would highly recommend this trip to those who enjoy walking up and down steep slopes, and those interested in the rich history of Bavaria.
We had some time to look around, buy souvenirs, and eat lunch. The group I was with immediately set out in search of food, ate (I had a delicious pizza), and then walked down to the Alpsee. Swans and small ducks swam around peacefully on the water; a family of ducks waddled right passed us. It became clear why the castle was named Schloss Neuschwanstein (translating to new-swan-stone for English speakers), as the lake was clearly a home for these magnificent birds. Soon enough, it was time to meet up and begin the long hike to Schloss Neuschwanstein.
The path was shaded, but it was still rather hot out; I will admit, I became a little jealous of the horse-drawn carriages that occasionally passed us by. Nonetheless we persevered, and were soon rewarded for our persistence with an astonishing view of Germany, and another even more stunning view of the castle. We rested momentarily at the lookout, and then walked a short distance uphill to the castle itself.
When we first entered the castle, we were given an audio guide, and pointed through some hallways and up a spiral staircase. As we ascended the staircase, it was frigid in comparison to the air outside, which was relieving. The tour began promptly, and we were whisked through room after room of medieval style rooms; the decorations were rather simple, but elegant and grand. This continued until we reached the magnificent and grandiose throne room, which was adorned with elaborate paintings and frescoes dedicated to the twelve apostles, kings who ruled Bavaria, and the Archangel Michael, among others. From there we were able to walk through King Ludwig’s bedchambers, which was a stark contrast to the rest of the castle.
King Ludwig the Second built this castle, (along with the Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof castles), in the middle of the 19th century, and it was not finished by the time of his death in 1886. When the castle was being constructed, it was done in an older style reminiscent of the medieval ages and the facilities were all kept authentic to that era. Alternatively, when the bedchambers in the castle were constructed, they were outfitted with all the modern luxuries of that age, including fully functioning light bulbs and running water. The style of the walls was different as well, following a darker colour scheme, and more intricate detail that falls in line with the gothic style of architecture. Additionally, everywhere we looked were mentions, porcelain statues, and paintings of swans. There was even a biblical story told through paintings of a man who turned into a swan, though I can’t recall exactly which story it was.
The last room we visited on our tour was a music hall, which was in the process of restoration. Then we exited the castle and walked to a shaky bridge with an incredible view of the castle and of Germany. Our trip down was supplemented by ice cream, but we were all very relieved to get back on the air conditioned bus and begin our four hour drive home. The day was exhausting, but informative and filled with extraordinary views. I would highly recommend this trip to those who enjoy walking up and down steep slopes, and those interested in the rich history of Bavaria.
Schloss Neuschwanstein
Saturday, July 6th - ALEX N
Phillip and I went to a place like a YMCA I think for some parcore lessons he’s doing they don’t allow phone in there so no photos. After that we went to the Burger King across the road for lunch I got chilly cheese fries and a king shack. We arrived home around 1:30 and we had some time to relax in there pool the water feel amazing cause it’s the perfect temperature. After a hour we had to get ready for Der Party-Hammer aus Obertauern. I got Currywurst and I still don’t like sausage but the sauce was good. I ended up finding miles, Ryan, Annie,and Joey there it was a blast. Near the end of the feast around 9:30 we meet a German that went on gapp last year, she told us some of her experiences coming over and her English was pretty good.
Sunday, July 7th - Melissa
What an adventure I had today! My day started off with a typical Bavarian breakfast. Normally in the USA, we have cereal or coffee, but in Germany, we have bread, cheese, meat, eggs, juice, coffee, etc.! Then, Svenja, my host mother (Daniela), my host father (Andreas), and I went to the Bavarian Forest, which is about an hour north of Eggenfelden. It is a mountain region in Bavaria and it about 100 kilometers long (62 miles)! It includes about 700 different plant species! Going here almost felt like home, as Washington has many national forests within it! We hiked up to the Grosser Arber, which is about 1.456 meters high. We had lunch at a cafe, took the gondola down, and then walked around a small trail that circled the Arbersee. Then, we drove to the Frauenau Glass Museum, with chandeliers being sold for almost $5,000! Wow! Later, I went to the St Nicholas Church here in Eggenfelden. Since I am Catholic myself, I thought it was incredible to visit and attend mass at a church in a completely different country.
This trip has been quite an experience for me, as it began with a canceled flight in Ireland to going to the Krankenhaus over an allergic reaction and panic attack! What a trip for Melissa! Many friendships have been made and bonds have become closer!
This trip has been quite an experience for me, as it began with a canceled flight in Ireland to going to the Krankenhaus over an allergic reaction and panic attack! What a trip for Melissa! Many friendships have been made and bonds have become closer!
Monday, July 8th: Gracie
Today, the GAPP group went over to the Elementary school to see all the little kids. It was a lot of fun! The class that I was in was a 1st/2nd grade class. It was really interesting to talk and see how the kids interacted with us while we were there!
Me and Sophia have done a lot so far as well! This past weekend, she took me to the Donau river with a few family friends and it was a lot of fun! We have also done a few shopping trips and bought some cool stuff. This next weekend we are planning on a trip to Munich hopefully and a fun party! This trip is going by so fast but it has been a blast and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip looks like!!
Me and Sophia have done a lot so far as well! This past weekend, she took me to the Donau river with a few family friends and it was a lot of fun! We have also done a few shopping trips and bought some cool stuff. This next weekend we are planning on a trip to Munich hopefully and a fun party! This trip is going by so fast but it has been a blast and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip looks like!!
Tuesday, July 9th - Thursday, July 11th: VIENNA!
We woke up early and took the train to Vienna, Austria - about four hours away. We transferred from the slower, regional train to the faster, intercity train in Passau, and arrived in Vienna around 1 pm. We stored our bags at the hostel near the main train station, and then we took the U-Bahn (subway) into the city center to meet our tour guide Kristina at the Opera House for our walking tour. She was our tour guide last GAPP trip as well and it was so fun to see her again!
We walked past the palace, the city hall, the art museum, the cathedral (see picture below) and even got ice cream on the way. We ended our walking tour at the Hundertwasserhaus, an amazing apartment complex designed by architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.... who didn't believe in straight lines. Afterwards, we went to the Prater, which is an amusement park open to the public in Vienna. Check out the pictures below for some crazy funny pictures student's took on the Geisterbahn (ghost train)! The students had so much fun riding the rides before we went to dinner at the Roller Coaster restaurant - the food comes out of the kitchen on crazy tracks! It was so much fun waiting to see whose food would come out next and watching the crazy lights. We took the subway back to the hostel and had a good night's sleep.
After a delicious breakfast at our hostel, we again took the subway into the city center and went to the Museum quarter to visit the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum. The two museums are right across from each other and students could choose which museum to explore. We then walked to the Naschmarkt (snack market) for lunch - a giant outdoor market with food and souvenir stalls. Lunch was delicious but then it was off again on the subway to an outer neighborhood to visit Schoenbrunn Palace. We went to an apple strudel show (delicious!) and then had time to explore the Palace grounds. It was beautiful!
We were all pretty hungry so we piled back into the subway to take the train to our dinner destination, Vapianos (one of Frau's favorite restaurants!) :) Italian food made in front of you - delicious pizzas, pastas, and salads. And then it was time to sleep again - our hostel had pretty comfortable beds!
The next day we had breakfast again at the hostel and then went downtown before our train home left. We had a few hours to explore the shopping district in the city center. Frau and Ms Chris met up with Frau's teacher friend (from when Frau lived in Vienna and taught English there!) and Taylor even met up with her pen pal from German class! After that we went back to the hostel, grabbed our bags, and went to the train station and headed back home to Eggenfelden. :)
We walked past the palace, the city hall, the art museum, the cathedral (see picture below) and even got ice cream on the way. We ended our walking tour at the Hundertwasserhaus, an amazing apartment complex designed by architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.... who didn't believe in straight lines. Afterwards, we went to the Prater, which is an amusement park open to the public in Vienna. Check out the pictures below for some crazy funny pictures student's took on the Geisterbahn (ghost train)! The students had so much fun riding the rides before we went to dinner at the Roller Coaster restaurant - the food comes out of the kitchen on crazy tracks! It was so much fun waiting to see whose food would come out next and watching the crazy lights. We took the subway back to the hostel and had a good night's sleep.
After a delicious breakfast at our hostel, we again took the subway into the city center and went to the Museum quarter to visit the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum. The two museums are right across from each other and students could choose which museum to explore. We then walked to the Naschmarkt (snack market) for lunch - a giant outdoor market with food and souvenir stalls. Lunch was delicious but then it was off again on the subway to an outer neighborhood to visit Schoenbrunn Palace. We went to an apple strudel show (delicious!) and then had time to explore the Palace grounds. It was beautiful!
We were all pretty hungry so we piled back into the subway to take the train to our dinner destination, Vapianos (one of Frau's favorite restaurants!) :) Italian food made in front of you - delicious pizzas, pastas, and salads. And then it was time to sleep again - our hostel had pretty comfortable beds!
The next day we had breakfast again at the hostel and then went downtown before our train home left. We had a few hours to explore the shopping district in the city center. Frau and Ms Chris met up with Frau's teacher friend (from when Frau lived in Vienna and taught English there!) and Taylor even met up with her pen pal from German class! After that we went back to the hostel, grabbed our bags, and went to the train station and headed back home to Eggenfelden. :)
Friday, July 12th: Gabe
Saturday, July 13th: Annie
Sunday, July 14th: Augy
Today was a Sunday at Domis. Today nothing big was planned so we spend a good amount of the day playing ping pong and listening to music. The highlight was going out to a nice dinner at downtown. We all had a nice dinner and we all talked about things I do in America like hobby’s sports and past times. After dinner we had ice cream. Then we drove home, and went to bed
Monday, July 15th: Ms. Chris
You are woken up and immediately expected to take part in an outdoor roll call. What should take a matter of minutes is drawn out to take hours, regardless of the weather or your physical condition. If you are a fortunate one, you are subjected to witnessing brutal beatings, torture, or in some instances execution. If you are an unfortunate one, you are the one suffering the beatings, torture, or death. You are standing throughout the hours long roll call, possibly holding up a fellow prisoner whose health does not allow them to stand on their own. You are crammed into a facility that was built to house 6,000, but eventually housed 32,000. You sleep in a room built for 50 people, but you share it with 450. Your fellow prisoners wear clothes that haven't been washed in months. Your daily food rationing is not sufficient to sustain a normal day, let alone the hours of hard manual labor you are forced to perform. Diseases run rampant throughout the camp. You live with the fear that for the slightest offense (smudge on your locker, bed not made perfectly, etc.) you could be strung up by the bathroom beams naked and humiliatingly beaten. You live a life where it has become normal to wake up next to the corpses of those who did not make it through the night, and where fellow prisoners drop dead next to you on the work line and you have to continue working. You are in Dachau, a concentration camp that started out as a political prison, but soon became an example of how all other camps would eventually be run. You are in Dachau, where the realities of what is happening are wrapped up for the world in the deceptive but nice packaging of propaganda, and if you try to get the truth out to the world, you are publicly executed as a lesson to others. You are in Dachau, where intimidation, fear, and terror reign. You are in Dachau, where you don't know if you will make it out alive.
Today our students had the opportunity to walk through the grounds of the Dachau concentration camp and the memorial museum that it has been turned into. Upon entering, we explained to the students that while GAPP is full of wonderful experiences that are fun and enjoyable, today would not be like that. Today would be a learning day; a reflective day; a possibly oppressive day.
Frau Holmquist had to go to the American Consulate with a student who had lost his passport, so Frau Danner (my German exchange teacher) accompanied me on the field trip. She had never been to Dachau so was experiencing it for the first time along with our students. It was interesting for our students to hear her perspective and stories of her grandfather during the war.
The museum is laid out in sections that are arranged chronologically, starting with Germany at the end of World War I and how their circumstances at the time left them ripe for Hitler's picking. Our students were given free time to wander through a section, reading explanatory information and examining authentic photos, and then we gathered to discuss what we had learned and ask/answer questions before moving on to the next. EHS history teachers would have been proud to see how students activated background knowledge they had previously learned and synthesized it with what they were learning at the camp. I was impressed with how insightful most of the comments/questions were.
We then had the opportunity to watch a 22 minute documentary about Dachau. The film was equal parts educational and moving. The footage was raw and real and disheartening and sickening and anger-inducing and inspiring and heart breaking and pitiful and heavy. It was oh so heavy. We all walked out of the museum's theater overwhelmed with an amalgamation of emotions, unsure how to process all that we had seen and learned. When talking about it afterwards, the phrases I heard from the students were, "That was so heavy" and "This is a lot to process" and "Ms. Chris, that was just SO heavy." It was abundantly clear that our students were having a hard time working through the cacophony of emotions that were vying for dominance inside them. When I asked them to articulate what they were thinking and feeling to a partner, so many of them had difficulty actually putting into words what they were struggling to work through. And that was OK. I assured them that their inability to come to terms with what they had just witnessed and learned was OK. They should be grappling to make sense of so much evil. They should have a hard time reconciling that what they had learned about the distant past in a far away country was very much a reality to them now where they stood. One student said to me, "We learn about these things in school, but being here, reading the prisoner's journals, looking at some of their last possessions.....Ms. Chris, it just makes it so real." The prisoners were becoming real people for our students. They were realizing that the pictures of emaciated bodies piled high actually consisted of real people who were family members that loved, felt pain and sorrow, laughed, had friends, held jobs and lived normal lives.
The "realness," I feel, was brought home when, after touring the bunkers, we went to the gas chamber and crematoriums. To be clear, the gas chambers at Dachau were never operational, but by walking through them, the same as prisoners would have in other camps, our students walked in their metaphorical shoes, taking what would have been their last steps. The crematoriums (pictured) received the most obvious reaction from the kids. I don't think many of them have seen a crematorium in their lives, let alone a huge room with 4 "ovens." Seeing the ovens with their doors open and ready to receive the 2 to 3 corpses the students learned it would incinerate at the same time was a sobering and macabre sight. Our students were hit by the fact that the Nazis soon realized one crematorium was insufficient for their vast need, so had to build another crematorium building with multiple ovens. We also learned that toward the end of the war, all of the ovens were working 24/7 and they still couldn't take care of all the bodies that were piling up, leading to the mass burial sites we so often read about.
Listed in my catalogue of emotions the documentary evoked was the word "inspiring." Please let me explain: Before the documentary, a random American woman approached, wanting to ask me some questions because she could tell I had been there before. After answering, she and I chatted for a little bit about all we had seen and learned. Within a matter of mere minutes, this stranger and I (a woman I had just met and will never seen again) both had tears in our eyes as we sought to understand and comfort one another. For that moment I felt as if we were experiencing a fraction of a percentage of what the prisoners of that camp experienced and felt. While the documentary was brutally raw in the information and images shared and depicted, there were also examples of how prisoners would risk their lives for fellow prisoners. There were stories of prisoners taking care of one another when too beaten, malnourished, or diseased to take care of themselves. Perfect strangers who found themselves in the same hellish situation, so banded together to offer each other just a slice of humanity. Men who became like brothers, regardless of what their life situations were beforehand. It was apparent that in the face of so much evil, even small amounts of goodness, when reciprocally given and received, synergistically magnified the power they held for good. So, while Frau Holmquist and I feel it is vitally important for the students to learn the hows, whats, and whys of the Holocaust, we also hope they walked away with an understanding of what the amelioration or antidote is for the atrocities and horrors they learned about that day. We hope they always realize the power that love and simple acts of decency and kindness can have. We hope they never underestimate how necessary it is to not lost sight of their humanity. And we hope they understand that what they say or do on an individual level can matter hugely on scales both big and small.
Today our students had the opportunity to walk through the grounds of the Dachau concentration camp and the memorial museum that it has been turned into. Upon entering, we explained to the students that while GAPP is full of wonderful experiences that are fun and enjoyable, today would not be like that. Today would be a learning day; a reflective day; a possibly oppressive day.
Frau Holmquist had to go to the American Consulate with a student who had lost his passport, so Frau Danner (my German exchange teacher) accompanied me on the field trip. She had never been to Dachau so was experiencing it for the first time along with our students. It was interesting for our students to hear her perspective and stories of her grandfather during the war.
The museum is laid out in sections that are arranged chronologically, starting with Germany at the end of World War I and how their circumstances at the time left them ripe for Hitler's picking. Our students were given free time to wander through a section, reading explanatory information and examining authentic photos, and then we gathered to discuss what we had learned and ask/answer questions before moving on to the next. EHS history teachers would have been proud to see how students activated background knowledge they had previously learned and synthesized it with what they were learning at the camp. I was impressed with how insightful most of the comments/questions were.
We then had the opportunity to watch a 22 minute documentary about Dachau. The film was equal parts educational and moving. The footage was raw and real and disheartening and sickening and anger-inducing and inspiring and heart breaking and pitiful and heavy. It was oh so heavy. We all walked out of the museum's theater overwhelmed with an amalgamation of emotions, unsure how to process all that we had seen and learned. When talking about it afterwards, the phrases I heard from the students were, "That was so heavy" and "This is a lot to process" and "Ms. Chris, that was just SO heavy." It was abundantly clear that our students were having a hard time working through the cacophony of emotions that were vying for dominance inside them. When I asked them to articulate what they were thinking and feeling to a partner, so many of them had difficulty actually putting into words what they were struggling to work through. And that was OK. I assured them that their inability to come to terms with what they had just witnessed and learned was OK. They should be grappling to make sense of so much evil. They should have a hard time reconciling that what they had learned about the distant past in a far away country was very much a reality to them now where they stood. One student said to me, "We learn about these things in school, but being here, reading the prisoner's journals, looking at some of their last possessions.....Ms. Chris, it just makes it so real." The prisoners were becoming real people for our students. They were realizing that the pictures of emaciated bodies piled high actually consisted of real people who were family members that loved, felt pain and sorrow, laughed, had friends, held jobs and lived normal lives.
The "realness," I feel, was brought home when, after touring the bunkers, we went to the gas chamber and crematoriums. To be clear, the gas chambers at Dachau were never operational, but by walking through them, the same as prisoners would have in other camps, our students walked in their metaphorical shoes, taking what would have been their last steps. The crematoriums (pictured) received the most obvious reaction from the kids. I don't think many of them have seen a crematorium in their lives, let alone a huge room with 4 "ovens." Seeing the ovens with their doors open and ready to receive the 2 to 3 corpses the students learned it would incinerate at the same time was a sobering and macabre sight. Our students were hit by the fact that the Nazis soon realized one crematorium was insufficient for their vast need, so had to build another crematorium building with multiple ovens. We also learned that toward the end of the war, all of the ovens were working 24/7 and they still couldn't take care of all the bodies that were piling up, leading to the mass burial sites we so often read about.
Listed in my catalogue of emotions the documentary evoked was the word "inspiring." Please let me explain: Before the documentary, a random American woman approached, wanting to ask me some questions because she could tell I had been there before. After answering, she and I chatted for a little bit about all we had seen and learned. Within a matter of mere minutes, this stranger and I (a woman I had just met and will never seen again) both had tears in our eyes as we sought to understand and comfort one another. For that moment I felt as if we were experiencing a fraction of a percentage of what the prisoners of that camp experienced and felt. While the documentary was brutally raw in the information and images shared and depicted, there were also examples of how prisoners would risk their lives for fellow prisoners. There were stories of prisoners taking care of one another when too beaten, malnourished, or diseased to take care of themselves. Perfect strangers who found themselves in the same hellish situation, so banded together to offer each other just a slice of humanity. Men who became like brothers, regardless of what their life situations were beforehand. It was apparent that in the face of so much evil, even small amounts of goodness, when reciprocally given and received, synergistically magnified the power they held for good. So, while Frau Holmquist and I feel it is vitally important for the students to learn the hows, whats, and whys of the Holocaust, we also hope they walked away with an understanding of what the amelioration or antidote is for the atrocities and horrors they learned about that day. We hope they always realize the power that love and simple acts of decency and kindness can have. We hope they never underestimate how necessary it is to not lost sight of their humanity. And we hope they understand that what they say or do on an individual level can matter hugely on scales both big and small.
Tuesday, July 16th: Dylan
Wednesday, July 17th: Miles
I woke up and had breakfast, it was black coffee and bread. Was driven to school and attended homeroom. Today was our last adoption day, I was adopted by class B6, we watched a movie about a volcano, then I sat and watched kids learn some math. Lastly, we listened to kids sing for a bit then we finished the movie. After school, I came back home and finished the last parts of my gapp journal, then got ready for the goodbye party. I wore the clothes I bought from H&M, which was a black Hawaiian shirt and the shortest shorts I've ever had. The goodbye party was at a local beer garden. I talked with my friends and ate some German sausage with bread and a potato salad I think. After that I had so many desserts I can't remember what I had, then I continued to socialize with everyone at the party. Overall the parts of the trip I enjoyed the most was visited the new places and seeing the architecture, and eating new foods. Now I'm ready to had back home, and see my best friends from home and to see my family, when I get off the plan in America I'll probably kiss the ground first.
Thursday, July 18th: Ryan
Today was a lot of fun... but very sad. It was our last full day in Germany, so there was understandably a wide range of emotions: from sadness at leaving your host-family, to joy at being able to see your family, and everything in between. Personally, I am sad to be leaving. This was my second and, sadly, last GAPP trip. I have become very close with my new friends, and am sad to possibly never see them again. With the intro aside, today we were in the town of Eggenfelden. We hung out in town, shopping and eating ice cream... and Frau paid for the ice cream! Thanks Frau! After that, I went to a theme park called Bayern Park with some other members of GAPP and had a blast. My favorite ride was a rollercoaster that had loop-die-loops. We also went on a water ride, and I got very wet. We stayed until the park closed at 6:00 and then came home. All-in-all, it was a good day, but I’m not looking forward to the early wake-up tomorrow.
GAPP 2019 Hosting Blog!
Thursday, April 18th...
We had to say goodbye to our partners!! Their plane left early in the afternoon. It's ok... we'll see them soon!
We had to say goodbye to our partners!! Their plane left early in the afternoon. It's ok... we'll see them soon!
Thursday, April 17th...
Taylor: (did not submit blog entry)
Taylor: (did not submit blog entry)
Wednesday, April 17th...
Miles: (did not submit blog entry)
Miles: (did not submit blog entry)
Tuesday, April 16th...
Winter: (did not submit blog entry)
Winter: (did not submit blog entry)
Monday, April 15th...
Gabe: (did not submit blog entry)
Gabe: (did not submit blog entry)
Sunday, April 14th...
Aiden: (did not submit blog entry)
Aiden: (did not submit blog entry)
Saturday, April 13th...
Gracie:
Today Sophia and I got to hang out with my sister and brother-in-law! It was super fun! We went all the way to Bellevue for lunch at the Sugar Factory which was super good.
After the Factory, we went to Dave and Busters to play some really fun arcade games! It was kind of overwhelming at first but it got pretty fun after a while!
After we got home, our friends from Moses Lake were at our house so Sophia got to meet a bunch of new, really fun people! They played WATER PONG (no alcohol) and Sophia had her VERY FIRST TACO! There was a lot of laughing and goofiness!
Me and Sophia have been doing a lot! We have gone shopping and on Friday we went and saw Captain Marvel with a bunch of friends! Highly recommend!!! We haven’t made any future plans for the next week but we will probably get some more adventuring done before Friday evening🇩🇪️
-Gracie & Sophia
Gracie:
Today Sophia and I got to hang out with my sister and brother-in-law! It was super fun! We went all the way to Bellevue for lunch at the Sugar Factory which was super good.
After the Factory, we went to Dave and Busters to play some really fun arcade games! It was kind of overwhelming at first but it got pretty fun after a while!
After we got home, our friends from Moses Lake were at our house so Sophia got to meet a bunch of new, really fun people! They played WATER PONG (no alcohol) and Sophia had her VERY FIRST TACO! There was a lot of laughing and goofiness!
Me and Sophia have been doing a lot! We have gone shopping and on Friday we went and saw Captain Marvel with a bunch of friends! Highly recommend!!! We haven’t made any future plans for the next week but we will probably get some more adventuring done before Friday evening🇩🇪️
-Gracie & Sophia
Friday, April 12th...
Cole:
Today the some of the Germans got to go to Thunder Mountain Middle School and the other got to go to Enumclaw Middle school.
Cole:
Today the some of the Germans got to go to Thunder Mountain Middle School and the other got to go to Enumclaw Middle school.
Thursday, April 11th...
Frau Holmquist:
Today our exchange partners gave presentations in EHS classes. Each group presented at least 5 times!
Frau Holmquist:
Today our exchange partners gave presentations in EHS classes. Each group presented at least 5 times!
Monday, April 8th
Tuesday, April 9th
Wednesday April 10th....
Our exchange partners are enjoying a trip to Vancouver, BC! :)
Tuesday, April 9th
Wednesday April 10th....
Our exchange partners are enjoying a trip to Vancouver, BC! :)
Sunday, April 7th...
Charlie:
On Sunday April 7, me, Domi, Jakob, Halli, Letti, Maxi, Steffi, Julia, and Nele were all up at crystal to ski and swim at the condo. The weather was good enough to not wear a jacket and the skiing was great.
On the first day up we stayed at queens and had lots of fun and nobody died. Along with the second day nobody dies on that day either. On this trip nobody died. Except Steffis legs and the need to sleep.
On the last day we went skiing we had gone over to Rex and took a few runs. Being as hot as it was I took my shirt off and I still was too hot. On the way down the mountain we took all the Germans to wapiti Woolies to get milkshakes. Overall it was a really fun time.
Charlie:
On Sunday April 7, me, Domi, Jakob, Halli, Letti, Maxi, Steffi, Julia, and Nele were all up at crystal to ski and swim at the condo. The weather was good enough to not wear a jacket and the skiing was great.
On the first day up we stayed at queens and had lots of fun and nobody died. Along with the second day nobody dies on that day either. On this trip nobody died. Except Steffis legs and the need to sleep.
On the last day we went skiing we had gone over to Rex and took a few runs. Being as hot as it was I took my shirt off and I still was too hot. On the way down the mountain we took all the Germans to wapiti Woolies to get milkshakes. Overall it was a really fun time.
Saturday, April 6th...
Dylan : (did not submit blog entry)
Dylan : (did not submit blog entry)
Friday, April 5th...
Annie:
We started off the day in a delicious way by going to the kettle for breakfast! We took Julia (Ryan’s partner) to. We had to wake up early to go but it was worth it for the delicious French toast, waffles, and pancakes, plus warm muffins. After that we headed to school.
It was adoption day, So I didn’t get to see Elisabeth during the day very much. But I did see her at lunch! She said the classes she went to were boring but the person she was with was nice. It was interesting having her at the school but not having her with me.
After school they all went bowling (while I went to practice in the rain). They said they had a lot of fun! I wish I could say the same. But after they went bowling we had a spur of the moment party with pizza, donuts, and lots of other snacks! Julia, Ryan, Sebastian, Sophia, and Gracie all came! Then we watched Aquaman, although I couldn’t here half of it because we were talking and laughing so much! We then listened to Bavarian party music (which I couldn’t understand). They all went home, and then we went to bed because we were so exhausted but overall it was a great day!
Annie:
We started off the day in a delicious way by going to the kettle for breakfast! We took Julia (Ryan’s partner) to. We had to wake up early to go but it was worth it for the delicious French toast, waffles, and pancakes, plus warm muffins. After that we headed to school.
It was adoption day, So I didn’t get to see Elisabeth during the day very much. But I did see her at lunch! She said the classes she went to were boring but the person she was with was nice. It was interesting having her at the school but not having her with me.
After school they all went bowling (while I went to practice in the rain). They said they had a lot of fun! I wish I could say the same. But after they went bowling we had a spur of the moment party with pizza, donuts, and lots of other snacks! Julia, Ryan, Sebastian, Sophia, and Gracie all came! Then we watched Aquaman, although I couldn’t here half of it because we were talking and laughing so much! We then listened to Bavarian party music (which I couldn’t understand). They all went home, and then we went to bed because we were so exhausted but overall it was a great day!
Thursday, April 4th...
Joey:
Today my partner Sebi and I got to go on a field trip to Tacoma with the other G.A.P.P students. We chatted in the commons with people while waiting for the bus to arrive. The bus ride was long but we laughed a lot which made it better. Our first stop was fort Nisqually, where we did an escape room and then a tour of the proximity. The escape room was really fun and we all worked together to solve the puzzle. Touring the fort was very interesting because we got to see in front of us what life was like in the 1800s. We then went to point Ruston for lunch, where I got pizza and Sebi got sushi. When we got back to Enumclaw a few of us went to Starbucks, which was nice. Overall it was a very fun day.
Joey:
Today my partner Sebi and I got to go on a field trip to Tacoma with the other G.A.P.P students. We chatted in the commons with people while waiting for the bus to arrive. The bus ride was long but we laughed a lot which made it better. Our first stop was fort Nisqually, where we did an escape room and then a tour of the proximity. The escape room was really fun and we all worked together to solve the puzzle. Touring the fort was very interesting because we got to see in front of us what life was like in the 1800s. We then went to point Ruston for lunch, where I got pizza and Sebi got sushi. When we got back to Enumclaw a few of us went to Starbucks, which was nice. Overall it was a very fun day.
Wednesday, April 3rd...
Alex:
Today my German partners Piotr, Philipp and I attended the GAPP Meeting. During the German club, we played a game called kahoot it was fun it had questions about the US history and German history.
Also after the game, we had an oreo tasting contest. philipp favorite oreo was the mega stuffed oreo. my favorite oreo was the red velvet cake.i was surprised the pistachio flavored one got so far in the contest.
In the evening my family and partner Philipp played uno attack. Piotr was pretty exhausted from the day and an early start that he ended up going to bed early. We also watched the movie Aquaman.
Alex:
Today my German partners Piotr, Philipp and I attended the GAPP Meeting. During the German club, we played a game called kahoot it was fun it had questions about the US history and German history.
Also after the game, we had an oreo tasting contest. philipp favorite oreo was the mega stuffed oreo. my favorite oreo was the red velvet cake.i was surprised the pistachio flavored one got so far in the contest.
In the evening my family and partner Philipp played uno attack. Piotr was pretty exhausted from the day and an early start that he ended up going to bed early. We also watched the movie Aquaman.
Tuesday, April 2nd...
Kaden:
Today was my seventeenth birthday... wow I am old. It makes me think of Dancing Queen by ABBA, one of Beni's favorite songs.
Today the German exchange students traveled to Seattle which Beni states, "It was very fun!". They went on the Duck Tour which is very interesting to me because I have never been on it, and I think a majority of native Washingtonians haven't gone on the duck tour either! They also saw Pike Place market which I am sure was very cool to see the fish throwing and all the shops. Beni said he ate at a Bavarian food place in the market and gave it a rating of 4 Schweinsbraten out of 5.
Overall the day was both fun and mildly hectic. After school, I hung out with one of my closest friends while waiting for my family to come home (around 8:30 they finally got home, what crazy lives we lead!) and he and I picked up Beni from town hall around 7:00. We played BS (the card game) and Beni explained that in Bavaria they have very different rules for this game.
Finally, once my family came home, my grandparents also decided to drop in. This was Beni's first experience with my dad's parents and he had already met my mom's parents. We ate cheesecake, sang "happy birthday", and then went to bed because we were both exhausted.
Overall, a great birthday!
Kaden:
Today was my seventeenth birthday... wow I am old. It makes me think of Dancing Queen by ABBA, one of Beni's favorite songs.
Today the German exchange students traveled to Seattle which Beni states, "It was very fun!". They went on the Duck Tour which is very interesting to me because I have never been on it, and I think a majority of native Washingtonians haven't gone on the duck tour either! They also saw Pike Place market which I am sure was very cool to see the fish throwing and all the shops. Beni said he ate at a Bavarian food place in the market and gave it a rating of 4 Schweinsbraten out of 5.
Overall the day was both fun and mildly hectic. After school, I hung out with one of my closest friends while waiting for my family to come home (around 8:30 they finally got home, what crazy lives we lead!) and he and I picked up Beni from town hall around 7:00. We played BS (the card game) and Beni explained that in Bavaria they have very different rules for this game.
Finally, once my family came home, my grandparents also decided to drop in. This was Beni's first experience with my dad's parents and he had already met my mom's parents. We ate cheesecake, sang "happy birthday", and then went to bed because we were both exhausted.
Overall, a great birthday!
Monday, April 1st...
Augy:
Today was the first day of school for dominic at Enumclaw High School. The morning was “difficult” as he put it, still recovering from the jet lag of course. I drove to school just like every morning but now I get a friend to enjoy the long cold, lonely car ride over.
Dominic was very impressed with the size of the school and how new it was, but he was also very confused on how it was so nice but the outside was covered with construction. He enjoyed seeing all of his german friends during 1st period. And during 2nd (german class) he enjoyed watching me struggle with the german language.
For lunch I took him to McDonalds and he has fallen in love with american food and since then he wants to go there everyday. After lunch we had 4th period chemistry with the famous Mr. Cheney. Dominic loved his humor throughout the class. We finished the rest of the school day and I had theater so I let him hang out with Jakob and Charlie. Later that night i picked him up and drove us home. We both were tired and to bed by 8:30
Augy:
Today was the first day of school for dominic at Enumclaw High School. The morning was “difficult” as he put it, still recovering from the jet lag of course. I drove to school just like every morning but now I get a friend to enjoy the long cold, lonely car ride over.
Dominic was very impressed with the size of the school and how new it was, but he was also very confused on how it was so nice but the outside was covered with construction. He enjoyed seeing all of his german friends during 1st period. And during 2nd (german class) he enjoyed watching me struggle with the german language.
For lunch I took him to McDonalds and he has fallen in love with american food and since then he wants to go there everyday. After lunch we had 4th period chemistry with the famous Mr. Cheney. Dominic loved his humor throughout the class. We finished the rest of the school day and I had theater so I let him hang out with Jakob and Charlie. Later that night i picked him up and drove us home. We both were tired and to bed by 8:30
Sunday, March 31st...
Alex:
On the second day of the Germans being in America we had a traditional American breakfast, eggs bacon, sausages, and toast. After breakfast Tobias taught us how to fence and we taught him some rugby. Once we finished playing rugby we started for a Seawolves game. Once there we saw bagpipes and police horses as the Washington police departments were playing the national anthem. We bought Tobias a Seawolves hat and went to watch the game. During the tee shirt toss the guy behind us caught a shirt and gave it to Tobi. We went to get BBQ and waiting all of the half to get it. We finished the game with the Seawolves losing but we got a few signatures on his shirt, and we met Eric Duchelle, one of the players, and he spoke in German to Tobias. Once we left we had a small bonfire and roasted s’mores. And that was his second day in America.
Alex:
On the second day of the Germans being in America we had a traditional American breakfast, eggs bacon, sausages, and toast. After breakfast Tobias taught us how to fence and we taught him some rugby. Once we finished playing rugby we started for a Seawolves game. Once there we saw bagpipes and police horses as the Washington police departments were playing the national anthem. We bought Tobias a Seawolves hat and went to watch the game. During the tee shirt toss the guy behind us caught a shirt and gave it to Tobi. We went to get BBQ and waiting all of the half to get it. We finished the game with the Seawolves losing but we got a few signatures on his shirt, and we met Eric Duchelle, one of the players, and he spoke in German to Tobias. Once we left we had a small bonfire and roasted s’mores. And that was his second day in America.
Saturday, March 30th...
Ryan:
The Germans arrived today! The plane was delayed, so we met at the airport later than what was originally expected. The waiting felt like hours as we all anxiously awaited our partners’ arrival. It was a really cool sight, to be at the top of the escalator and seeing them slowly coming up (after several false-alarms). It was pretty easy to find Julia in the chaos of all the greeting, because we had signs that we made with their names on them. After we left the airport, we went to Applebee's for dinner, and it was very good.
When we got home, I gave Julia a tour of the house, and we then went to bed. Julia was very tired from the flight, and I was just tired for no good reason. My puppy was very excited to meet a new person because she loves people. I am very excited to see what the rest of the trip has in store, because the first day went very well.
Ryan:
The Germans arrived today! The plane was delayed, so we met at the airport later than what was originally expected. The waiting felt like hours as we all anxiously awaited our partners’ arrival. It was a really cool sight, to be at the top of the escalator and seeing them slowly coming up (after several false-alarms). It was pretty easy to find Julia in the chaos of all the greeting, because we had signs that we made with their names on them. After we left the airport, we went to Applebee's for dinner, and it was very good.
When we got home, I gave Julia a tour of the house, and we then went to bed. Julia was very tired from the flight, and I was just tired for no good reason. My puppy was very excited to meet a new person because she loves people. I am very excited to see what the rest of the trip has in store, because the first day went very well.