Journey to Aalen

Hey Everyone,

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted something, but I have waited a while after getting back, just so I could get acclimated to everyday life and prevail it in this post. There has been quite a lot since I last posted, so I will try to just hit the biggest things such as my trip to London, the "Abiball," leaving/coming home, and the few weeks after getting back.

I have to thank my host family, like a thousand times, for everything. During the last part of my stay there, my host parents and the host family of my host sister invited and took me on a trip to London. I personally think this was really nice of them to do, as well as everything else they have done in the past year. While we were in London, we got to walk around quite a bit seeing all the different sights from the London Eye, to the Big Ben, or even a trip down to the Harry Potter museum, and the Stone Hedge. Getting to try a variety of foods, and one of my favorites, hearing the British accent. It was definitely a great trip with my host family to be able to tour around a little.

Not long after getting back, I got to meet my host brother, whom was in Alabama for an exchange year. The next evening, we all went over to my host sister's graduation party, or her "Abiball." In Germany, a lot of people who go through school end up taking a large test in April which basically shows what all you know and learned since the 6th grade. During the evening, they served dinner and put on a show for all the students, which was actually put on by the graduating students. They had skits, music, and speeches which took up most of the night. Towards the end, all the students walked up on stage got their finally grades from school. After the whole deal was up and done with, we all went home for a good night’s rest before I left the next day.

On the Fourth of July, my host family and some of my good friends, took/met me at the train station in Aalen for my good bye. I know it will not be my final though, as I am already trying to find a way to get back to meet up with all them again, as am I hopping they come out to visit me too. Getting on the train though, it was a kind of surreal feeling, knowing that it will be a long time before I meet up with any of them again. I then proceeded to take the train all the way to Frankfurt, where I met up with other exchange students who were spending the night there before getting on the plane the next day. We got to talk with one another for a while, about our exchange year and all of our experiences, as AFS just kind of let us do our own thing, just relaxing. The next day we all headed down to the (in my opinion, less than pleasing) Frankfurt airport. After getting 80+ kids checked in, and put through, we all got on the plane to go back to our countries. After arriving in Washington, and somehow managing to find our way to our connections, I separated from everyone and got on my flight back to Colorado. After seeing my family after a year, it did feel as though somethings have changed but it was also a relaxing feeling to be home again. My family, and cousins were there to say hello again to me after a long time, which was a really nice feeling.

The following week, I mostly hung around with my family, and friends, and working on getting things done for school that needed to be done. I was really happy to be back and to tell my tails, literally the same thing over and over again, to everyone was kind of relaxing and tedious. But it wasn't long before the topic changed to something else more recent. It was kind of like I just missed a year, and have to do a bunch of catching up just to be on par again, except I have a different view on things as well. I also started work again, at my summer job, which helped in a way to readjust me to life too. I will still continue to see friends, family, and people who I know over the next few weeks which will also be good.

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed my last little notes from my exchange year, and learned something along the way as I did over the past year. I just want to thank everyone again, friends, family, host family, and grandparents for the help along the way as to making this adventure possible. I would be more than willing to still answer any questions if you have any about doing an exchange year. Again, thank you all for everything.

Thanks,

~Michael Steiner~

Hey everyone,

Most recently, I have had to opportunity to go to Tübingen and Berlin. While in Berlin, I got to participate in something call the Jugendkongress (kids congress), which was a very new take on the German politics and their difficulties today. In Tübingen, I got to meet up with other exchange students for our end of stay camp, while being able to walk around the town a little.

On the 15th of May, I headed down to Tübingen to meet up with AFSers from around the area for our last camp together. This time, however, I headed down earlier just to walk around. Looking at everything, from the shopping centers, to local parks, and somehow finding myself on the University, I could feel myself as a part of this city. The river that ran through the city, as the hilliness of town square added a splendid effect to the appearance, an idea came long to me of maybe someday doing a 6-month exchange here in college. I will have to think more about it over time, but it definitely could be a possibility for me. It would allow me to perfect my German, learn a little bit more about Germany and their culture, and visit all my friends and host family again. The good thing is I still have quite a bit of time to think about it though.

As the day quickly went by, it was time to check in at our hostel. I checked in with AFS and got situated in my room. Not long after did people start showing up. The first day we just went over house rules, and a couple getting to know you games. Each night we just stayed up talking about our experiences, both good, bad, and indifferent, playing games, and just hanging out. Starting the next day we began our "lessons" which we were required to do, such as what all we can take back that we brought. (Hopefully in my case, just about everything because I didn't buy a lot). We also got to open up a letter that we wrote at our first camp. It was kind of weird to read something we wrote at the beginning of this adventure. I could tell I have changed a lot as to how I write things, how I think, and how I react to certain situations. We got to walk around the city a little and buy some ice cream and just play some games. That night I stayed up with some other AFSers while we played games like Truth or Dare and never have I ever. At around 4 am, everyone went to bed, while I took a shower and packed my stuff. At around 5 am, I sent out for the train station to head to Berlin. After waiting around a little, and dosing in and out on the train, I switched to the ICE. The ICE is the fastest and nicest train in Germany. I proceeded to sleep some more on the way up to Berlin.

After arriving in Berlin, I waited around at the train station until I meet up with some more AFS volunteers/students and headed down to a Boat. For the next 3 nights, we were stuck on this boat sleeping, in the small corridors, rooms, and eating in the fairly small lobby room. Although we never set out on the lake, we did have a good time playing small games on the Boat. During the day though we got to tour around Germany with everyone. We got to see the German Congress, Concentration camp, Alexander platz, the Berlin wall, and a Jewish museum. From Sunday until Wednesday we walked around Berlin just seeing everything, and after only seeing a part of Berlin, I am definitely looking forward to coming back one day.

On Wednesday began our Jugendkongress. After looking at where and when our workshops would be taking place, we all got in a big room for the opening ceremony. About a couple hundred kids from all across Germany were gathered in this room to learn about German politics and solve given problems that are still problems in Germany and the World today. Over the next few days, I got to see/participate in different activities and excursions such as seeing the Statsi Museum (the "City Security" of east Germany) and Flüchtlingen Museum ("Escapee" of East Germany to West Germany.) The activities I participated in were Team Work, and Leben in Datameer (Life in Data Sea.) In Teamwork, we learned how to work with others and the difficulties we could encounter. In Leben in Datameer, we looked at the impact of technology in our life and how it should play a role in our government and society, with what security measures should be put into place for the protection of the country without going into personal privacy. After a few days of these activities and a little bit more of wondering around, we closed the event with a formal ceremony and then later that evening, a Party for all the participants to dance, drink, and enjoy. On Sunday, we all woke up, had breakfast, said our good byes, and headed off back to our houses and host families.

As of right now, I am just enjoying myself on my two-week break before school picks back up next week. Thanks again to everyone who has supported me on this adventure, as it has been jam-packed with amazing memories, experiences, and lessons. I hope everyone is enjoying what I have to write and if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please leave them in the comments below!

Thanks Everyone,

~Michael Steiner~

In Tübingen: