Rotary Meetings are...fun?
I went to a Rotary Meeting on Sunday. Since it was in Oldenburg, I didn't have to take the train or anything. My family drove me there, but I biked home. I brought my pins to trade. My Jacke (Jacket) isn't quite full yet, but hopefully it will be soon.
Anyways, there were many other Rotary Exchange Students at the meeting. The majority of the exchange student population is North and South American. Within our district, we have about 14 Americans, 13 or so South Americans, 6 or so Mexicans, 5 Asians (2 Thai, 2 Indian, 1 Japanese), 1 European (haha, Sinni from Finland), and a few Australian/New Zealanders here and there. It's a pretty big district! What I found amazing was the fact that almost EVERYONE spoke English fluently. I felt really dumb around the South American and Asian exchange students because they can all speak two languages, and I only know one (English, obviously).
The next day, I had a Rotary meeting in my Club. There are about 4 Rotary clubs in Oldenburg. In my club, there are three Rotary Exchange Students (me, Isabel, and a girl from Argentina who has been here since January). The Rotary meetings are okay. It took place in a really nice room with a molded ceiling and an intricately-made chandelier. When I walked into the room, I felt so under-dressed! Luckily, the two other exchange students were under-dressed as well (I didn't feel alone). Well, it was a meeting full of Rotary men dressed in suits with bruise-able handshakes (hardy hand shakes they were!). The men spent the night guzzling down beer as if it were water while listening to a presentation from a guest speaker. The presentation, I believe, was about Chemistry in school. The woman was talking about how schools can make the Science more interesting for students.
Change of subject...
Today I went into the city and got 20 Euros worth of school supplies. I went to this cute little craft store called Onkel or Onken (I forget the name) near Pherde Mkt (Horse Market). Pupils don't really use binders here. I suppose it's because pretty much EVERYONE rides a bike to school and they need to have their load as light as possible. Instead, most kids buy a folder for every class and very very thin notebooks. Since I am here to "embrace the German culture", I decided to organize my school work the way German students do. I bought about 10 folders (10 cents each), a pack of pencils, pens, 10 thin notebooks, a spiral-bound notebook (for Deutsch lessons after school), a pencil sharpener, various supplies for kunst (art class), and a Felix die Hase (Felix the Rabbit) Pencil case (only 2 Euro, and it is soo adorable).
SOOOOO...
Nathan, a boy who was an exchange student in Southern Germany last year, was right about how lonely it can be the first two or so months of the exchange. I feel as if I've made "acquaintances" but not "friends" since my arrival. It will take a while to make real friends, I think.
I need to gain courage to go up to German students. From what I've noticed, Germans will not come to you, you have to come to them. A lot of them, from what I've noticed, are too embarrassed to speak English in front of me. There is this one boy in my class who speaks fluent English (I've heard him speak). But when I ask him a question in English, he answers me in German (and he knows I don't speak Deutsch).
I suppose this lack of confrontation from German kids is good for me. Over the years, I have been very shy. It's still hard for me to get up the courage to simply talk to a random stranger. I believe God set me in this German world for a reason. This year, it is my goal to be less shy and more self confident. This year, I will be the one to make the first move in creating a friendship (oder Freundschaft auf Deutsch).
I just need to believe in myself and take risks...that's something that I have never really done in my life.
Oh and....
I'm soo happy that you're reading my blog, Lauren. :D
Anyways, there were many other Rotary Exchange Students at the meeting. The majority of the exchange student population is North and South American. Within our district, we have about 14 Americans, 13 or so South Americans, 6 or so Mexicans, 5 Asians (2 Thai, 2 Indian, 1 Japanese), 1 European (haha, Sinni from Finland), and a few Australian/New Zealanders here and there. It's a pretty big district! What I found amazing was the fact that almost EVERYONE spoke English fluently. I felt really dumb around the South American and Asian exchange students because they can all speak two languages, and I only know one (English, obviously).
The next day, I had a Rotary meeting in my Club. There are about 4 Rotary clubs in Oldenburg. In my club, there are three Rotary Exchange Students (me, Isabel, and a girl from Argentina who has been here since January). The Rotary meetings are okay. It took place in a really nice room with a molded ceiling and an intricately-made chandelier. When I walked into the room, I felt so under-dressed! Luckily, the two other exchange students were under-dressed as well (I didn't feel alone). Well, it was a meeting full of Rotary men dressed in suits with bruise-able handshakes (hardy hand shakes they were!). The men spent the night guzzling down beer as if it were water while listening to a presentation from a guest speaker. The presentation, I believe, was about Chemistry in school. The woman was talking about how schools can make the Science more interesting for students.
Change of subject...
Today I went into the city and got 20 Euros worth of school supplies. I went to this cute little craft store called Onkel or Onken (I forget the name) near Pherde Mkt (Horse Market). Pupils don't really use binders here. I suppose it's because pretty much EVERYONE rides a bike to school and they need to have their load as light as possible. Instead, most kids buy a folder for every class and very very thin notebooks. Since I am here to "embrace the German culture", I decided to organize my school work the way German students do. I bought about 10 folders (10 cents each), a pack of pencils, pens, 10 thin notebooks, a spiral-bound notebook (for Deutsch lessons after school), a pencil sharpener, various supplies for kunst (art class), and a Felix die Hase (Felix the Rabbit) Pencil case (only 2 Euro, and it is soo adorable).
SOOOOO...
Nathan, a boy who was an exchange student in Southern Germany last year, was right about how lonely it can be the first two or so months of the exchange. I feel as if I've made "acquaintances" but not "friends" since my arrival. It will take a while to make real friends, I think.
I need to gain courage to go up to German students. From what I've noticed, Germans will not come to you, you have to come to them. A lot of them, from what I've noticed, are too embarrassed to speak English in front of me. There is this one boy in my class who speaks fluent English (I've heard him speak). But when I ask him a question in English, he answers me in German (and he knows I don't speak Deutsch).
I suppose this lack of confrontation from German kids is good for me. Over the years, I have been very shy. It's still hard for me to get up the courage to simply talk to a random stranger. I believe God set me in this German world for a reason. This year, it is my goal to be less shy and more self confident. This year, I will be the one to make the first move in creating a friendship (oder Freundschaft auf Deutsch).
I just need to believe in myself and take risks...that's something that I have never really done in my life.
Oh and....
I'm soo happy that you're reading my blog, Lauren. :D