Week 6

Hello out there,
I´m already in the USA for 6 weeks! I can´t believe that! The time went by so fast. So this week on Tuesday I had my second (and last) tennis match. It was in Pittsburg, Kansas and I got to play two singles. I won the first one 6-1 but lost the second one 0-6. So now the tennis season for Junior Varsity is officially over and I have to say I´m really sad about it because I loved the girls and going to away matches with them! On Thursday evening we had Show Choir practice as well as on Saturday morning. School in general is going pretty well I have A´s in every subjects and I hope it stays like this.
Today we went to church in the morning and after this my hostfamily took me (and another exchange student that is spending the weekend with us) to Chicken Mary´s (Kansas) for lunch.
That was pretty much my week and I will put in a few photos like usual.

Love you all,
Isi:D

Tennis in Pittsburg

Show Choir=Picture Time

Anatomy classroom

Going to Walmart for Marketing

Me and Alecia *-*

Me, Guljemal and my lovly hostsister 

Finally got a photo of MY STATE :)

Week 5

Hey guys,
my first month in the USA is already over. Now I have only 9 left and like I said before I know that I don´t wanna leave next year. This week I had a few tests and on Tuesday I had my first tennis match. I played a double and we lost 2-6 but at least I played.
Wednesday was picture day in my school and on Thursday evening we had an extra practice for Show Choir outside of the normal school time. In all choirs we did a "Talent Day" on Friday where everyone could perform something. Me and Tara (the other German exchange student at my school) sang a German song and it was amazing. With A Cappella Choir we did the Cup-Song and it sounded so good! We also should have had a tennis match this day but it was canceled because it rained so much. So we could go home after school and the week was over.
Yesterday I went to Jasper with my hostdad and did some Volunteer Hours at the Concession Stand while he was a referee for a football game. Afterwards I helped passing out water in a parade with other exchange students. As we finally got home I got ready because I was invited to a movie night.
This was my week so far and today I will just stay at home and relax.

See you,
Isabel

Our history classroom (when all Freshman are gone)

First tennis match

Me and Alecia *-*

Volunteering at the Concession Stand

Week 4

Hey out there,
this week nothing special happened. On Monday was Labor Day and we just stayed at home and did homework and watched some TV. I already have my daily routine so I´m really used to all the stuff going on. We had plenty of tests and two tennis matches instead of practice and on Friday it was the last home match of the season so it was our "Senior Night". One of the girls ´wrote´ the Seniors´ names (includes mine) with cups into the fence of the court and another made a poster with our names. On Saturday morning I did some of my required community service hours and afterwards I had District Honor Choir Audition in Carthage and later in the evening I got the message that I didn´t made it. At least I tried it and it´s another American Experience for me.
Today it was my first time going to church here in America and I just can say that it has nearly nothing in common with church in Germany. Right after we went to Joplin with my friend, my hostsister, my hostmum and other exchange students and did some shopping.
So that was my week and I really notice that I get my routine and used to everything here. I enjoy my time here so much and I already know that I don´t wanna leave.

"Senior Night"

Me, Callista and Tara ready for the Districts

Going to the Districts

Ice cream *-*

Isabel :)

Week 3: Homecoming

Hey guys,
this week was Spirit Week at my High School. I have to say that not even half of the school was dressed up but it was still cool. I dressed up everyday because we don´t have it in Germany.

Monday: Pyjama-Day

Tuesday: Tie-Dye

Wednesday: Safari-Day (Tourist or animal)

Thursday: Twins-Day

Friday: Black Out

On Friday after school there was a parade from the High School to the main square in Lamar where they did the Pep Relly for the Homecoming King and Queen nominees. This was pretty fun because they prepared nice little "games".

In the evening I went to my first football game together with my hostdad. Before it began there was the coronation of Homecoming King and Queen 2k16. During halftime there was a performance of the cheerleader and the band and they did so well! The final score was 50:0 for the Lamar Tigers.

After the game there was the Homecoming dance and it was fantastic. I went there with my date and friends of mine. It was an amazing experience for me and I´m excited for the Basketball Homecoming later this school year.

Then it was Saturday again and we had a long weekend because of Labor Day on Monday. My hostfamily had planned a trip and it should be a surprise for me. We went to Omaha (Nebraska) and stopped on the way there in Iowa. In the zoo of Omaha I´ve been to my first IMax cinema ever and we watched 3 movies there and after that we went downtown and ate something. On Sunday we went to the zoo again but this time we walked around. After that we drove to Kansas City and shopped at Costco and then we drove back to Lamar and watched some TV. 

Tomorrow we are staying at home and getting prepared for the next week and there are several tests for me so I need to study too.

Lamar Tigers (in  Black)

Marching Band

Downtown Omaha

Camel riding

Feeding a giraffe

That´s it for now.
Isabel :)

Week 2

Hey guys,

I´ll try to upload a post every sunday evening or latest monday of the following week to keep you up to date. So this is my week two of my exchange year:

On Monday I had my first test in American History (I got a B) and in the evening we had an exchangestudent orientation meeting (we went to Cicis Pizza in Joplin). We got home very late so I had to study till 01:00am for my government test. 

On Tuesday I wrote the American Government test (I got an A) and I watched the first tennis match of my team. I´m not allowed to play yet because I need to have 14 practices. 

On Wednesday we made posters for the parade in tennis practice and after I got home and was ready, we went to the Lamar Free Fair, which started this day. 

On Thursday and Friday I had no school because of the fair. So on the first day I did my homework, relaxed and in the afternoon we had a tennis match in Monett. After we got home I went to the fair again and helped making funnel cakes. On the second day I just relaxed and in the evening we went to the fair again for riding some rides. 

On Saturday morning we went to Joplin and ate at IHop (my first pancakes!) and we did a bit of shopping. We returned back soon because I had to be at the school at 01:00pm for the parade. We sat on a trailer and threw candies to little kids (it was super fun). After that we relaxed and later this afternoon we went to get our nails done and to have dinner.

Today we went to Springfield and I really enjoyed this day! We went to the "Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World" including a rifle museum which was pretty amazing. Afterwards we ate at a Asian restaurant where they cook in front of you. I never have been to such a restaurant so it was another first time experience. Then we went to the Springfield Art Museum and to the Battlefield Mall where I bought something for Homecoming on Friday and me and my hostsister built a bear. At the end we went to "Cold Stone" and ate some ice cream there. You can choose an ice cream and put stuff like Snickers, Marshmallows, Butterfinger or whatever in there. I got chocolate with Reese´s in it and it was delicious. 

Tomorrow starts Spirit week and I´m really excited about how it´s going to be.

My sign

Lamar Free Fair

Lamar Free Fair

Outdoor World

"Show cooking"

Springfield Art Museum

Battlefield Mall

Isabel :)

Gastgeschenke

Hallo ihr Lieben,

heute geht es um meine Gastgeschenke. Zuerst einmal habe ich gaaanz viele Süßigkeiten für meine Gastfamilie, die Verwandschaft und die Präsentationen in der Schule gekauft:

YUMMY*-*

Außerdem habe ich meiner Gastschwester ein Lebkuchenherz, ein Notizbuch und Stabilos, meiner Gastmutter ein Käfer- Modellauto, einen Magneten und Stabilos und meinem Gastvater eine Grillschürze und einen Mini- Bierkrug geschenkt. Allen habe ich noch das "Beergarden Cookbook" und ein selbst gebasteltes Infobüchlein über Bayern mitgebracht.

Den Verwandten habe ich Magneten gekauft und den Kinder jeweils eine Kleinigkeit (z.B Stabilos, TopModel-Malblock, FCB Stifte, Playmobil). Insgesamt hatte ich fast 9 kg Gastgeschenke aber das war es mir Wert!

Eure Isabel

Week 1: HELLO USA!

Hey guys,

I arrived here in the USA 6 days ago and I love it here! But from the beginning...

On Sunday (08/14) my relatives and one of my best friends came to my house and we had coffee and ate cake. After they all left I put on my "Dirndl" and I went out with two friends of mine.
Before I went home I had to say goodbye to everyone which was really hard. As I returned home I skyped with my hostfamily for about 1 1/2 hours and then it was time for me to leave for the airport. We arrived in Nürnberg and I had to say goodbye to my family for the next 10 month. It was even harder for me than I thought it would be.
My first flight was from Nürnberg to Frankfurt. In Frankfurt I met all the other students from iST and GIVE that were leaving that day. I had to wait for over 3 hours and then we could finally get on our plane to Chicago.

GOODBYE GERMANY!

The flight was really cool. I talked to other exchange students, read my farewell book and watched a movie. And after 9 hours and 10 minutes we arrived American ground.

HELLO AMERICA!!!

In Chicago we had to go through the custom and the immigration, and had to wait for another 2 hours till our flight to Dallas was ready for boarding.
This flight was about half an hour deleted so we had to hurry in order to get our next (and last) flight to Joplin, because the gate was at the other side of the airport.
After an hour we arrived in Joplin and I could finally hug my hostfamily. My luggage wasn´t there so we had to leave without it.
The next day we went to my school and I got a little tour and then we went to Joplin for some shopping and picking up my suitcase, after we went to get some breakfast (my first french toast!).
Wednesday 08/17 was my first school day and it was really cool! After school I had my first tennis practice and I returned home really really tired.
The next two days were kind of the same and  Friday night we went shopping again.
Over the weekend we went to Arkansas for visiting a big part of the family.

I really love it here and it is much nicer than I expected. Even if I´m only here since 6 days it already feels like a second home to me. I miss my family and my friends but I enjoy every second here and 9I´ll try to make the best out of everything (even if I´m always tired).

My lovely hostfamily!

Many balloons on my bed *-*

Lamar High School

First school day

That´s it for now,

Isabel :)