Well I tried to write this last night but after one paragraph jetlag got the better of me!
On Thursday after my unbearably long layover in Warsaw, I was more than happy to get on my last flight to Hamburg. I was even more happy when my luggage arrived at baggage claim. It had been checked directly to hamburg from kamloops and I spent the better half if my travels worrying if wouldn't make it! Then it was through the green customs door (there's no hoops to jump through at German customs). On the other side I was greeted by the five smiling faces of my host family. We all pilled into the van and headed on the two hour drive home to braunschweig. By the time we arrived it was late and I went almost straight to sleep!
When I woke up in the late morning on Friday the children were already in kindergarten and daycare so I had some quiet to settle in. After a shower and breakfast I felt almost human again! A tour of the house there after revealed that it is huge! Even by North American standards with: 6-7 bedrooms (1office), 4 bath, 2 kitchens, and 3 floors! Come early afternoon we walked through the neighbour hood to pick up the children from kindergarten. We live in a little community outside of Braunschweig and most of the other houses are very old, the one two doors down was built in 1688. It's an adorable little place.
The two eldest children took to me right away, wanting to play, asking me to read them stories and even granting me the honour of a birthday party invite! The youngest is not yet two and very shy, he is still warming up to me, but has begun to wave goodnight so we are making some headway!
What I also find surprising but very positive is the amount of German that I am confident enough to use already! Unlike my last trip here I already have the skills to get by day to day life on German. It is certainly making it so much easier to settle in and make friends with the children! The majority if the day was spent in German with only a few English words here and there. I had honestly thought I had forgotten so much more but it all came rushing back to me, I can't wait to learn and improve further!
The evening was spent unpacking and trying to find a place for all my things. My room has a wardrobe so big I don't thinking could ever fill it completely! It wasn't long after that the excitement caught up to me and I crawled into bed.
Now it's 8:00am on Saturday and Today will be filled with grocery shopping and an ikea visit! (Oh how I love ikea! It's even better in Germany!)
Much love to everyone back home!
Cedar
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