Ferien Goes By Too Quickly

Currently, the picture set as the background of my iPod right now is of a good friend of mine and me because her 18th birthday was this week. In the picture we’re in San Francisco, in thick jackets laughing about… something, and it is ridiculous to think that when the picture was taken it was about 55 degrees (Fahrenheit) and I’m wearing a jacket and turtleneck, yet two days ago it was colder than that and I was wearing shorts and tanning. My friends and I even went swimming because it was “so warm.” I feel like something is wrong with me, I’m going to burn to a crisp when I fly back to California this summer.

Last Sunday I had an hour long live radio interview with my counselor from Rotary. This is one of the moments where words cannot describe how glad I am to speak/understand fluent German, and aside from talking about the agriculture when I meant to talk about the landscape, I’d say it definitely could have gone a lot worse.

*After waking up from a nap*

Me: *sarcastically* Wow. I look beautiful.

Friend: You always look beautiful.

Me: You’re my friend. You have to say that.

Friend: No, I only HAVE to say that if I’m trying to sleep with you.

If nothing else in Germany, I have some of the best German friends anyone could ask for. They always take care of me and make sure I’m doing okay. I don’t know what I did to deserve them, but I’m definitely not complaining. Due to the fact that it’s Ferien, we have no school and have been getting together every day to go swimming, climbing, or simply to sit around watching movies.

Tuesday I went climbing with my Rotary Counselor and a couple of his friends (including a math and physics teacher from my school). I like how I can say I’ve been climbing outdoors in Germany, but not in California.

There’s a German kid song that sings “Theo macht mir ein bananenbrot” (or Theo, make me banana bread” ) but because one of my friends is named Leo, we sing “Leo macht mir ein bananenbrot” and because banana bread doesn’t actually exist in Germany, (and Germans tend to look at me like I’m crazy when I start talking about bread with bananas in it) we made (DELICIOUS) banana bread this past week.

My time in Germany gets short and shorter and, and the days past faster and faster. Why can’t I just stay ‘the exchange student’ forever?