Learning, Comprehension, and the Coming

These past few weeks I have been mucking around with Rosetta Stone and trying to make sure everything is working properly. Not only that, it is now finals week, and I haven't been able to focus on Germany. I have been able to do a few things, such as Skyping with my host family, get through a couple of lessons in Rosetta Stone, and bounce a few emails back and forth between me and the Schneider family. With school coming to an end here shortly, I can begin to focus more on the exchange and less about classes. Other than Rosetta stone acting up, keeping in touch with my Host Family, and getting through school, these past few weeks have been fairly dead.

Over the past two weeks I've been able to work with Rosetta Stone to help with comprehension and the language barrier. There are 20 levels and 4 lessons per level. As of right now, I am on level 2, lesson 3. With Rosetta Stone there are more than just lessons, it comes with; Games, Stories, and even Live Conversations. So far I have attempted 3 conversations and one of them has full worked. I believe I know the problem so I shouldn't have any more troubles. I found that I need basically the entire Internet, as my brother was on Netflix and that made me cut out multiple times, and a USB head set on Internet Explore. I personally like Google Chrome, but it was the reason the second call didn't work, as well the headphones I was using didn't help. So far this program is working fairly well, but I still can't say I recommend it.

On Monday, Memorial Day, I had another Skype call with my host Family. I have to say this call was better than the last. I got to meet my host sister who was an exchange student in America a couple years ago, so her English was superb. That made the conversation flow a little more so we weren't at loss in that aspect. I need to be careful that I don't get sucked into just speaking English though, otherwise the year will not go over to greatly. I was able to say a few things in German though, which they had told me I didn't do half bad. I am not sure when my next call will be, but I am hoping that I can ask a few more questions and understand a little more of what they are saying. Also while talking to my host sister, the conversation of using Google Translate came up. I had originally been using it to help translate emails, but I now realize it sucks! Well sort of, Google translate takes into consideration context, and then translates phrases and words. Sometimes it’s right, (Like if I were to say "die schwarze Katze" or "the black cat") but most of the time it is off. So far though, this whole German thing is coming along.

These past few weeks have been nothing but catching up. I have been piled with projects for school (which turned out to be half of my finals), and given a limited time to make sure my grades are good, and things go smoothly for College applications in August. Due to all of this, I have not been able to keep updated on everything else. With two half days left, there shouldn't be much more to do except show up to class.

A little while ago I got the chance to go to a graduation party for a bunch of Exchange students in IE (International Exchange.) After that there was a "going away" orientation. On the outside I was smiling at all the thing that they were doing, but on the inside I knew I was going to have to go through this, with a different mindset. I know it will be hard to leave after I'm over there, but I don't know how hard, or anything else that will come with it. However that is for the future, and this is now, and as of right now I have my first Orientation tomorrow. I have no idea what we will be doing, but I am hoping that it will be good. I will be able to meet with other exchange students though (one of which will be going to Germany for a semester.)

For anyone who is planning on going abroad, my recommendations to you are to start learning your language without Google Translate, and also to listen to plenty of music in your language. That should help you get used to hearing the tone of peoples voices as well as the words, and children songs are good. Also make sure you have everything set to go for the year you come back, whether that be college, or another year of high school or whatever, it will help get you back into the flow of everything you are used to now.

That is all that I got for you, I will be posting my next blog a day early because I will be going on a backpacking trip that weekend. That will be on the 12th of June. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them!

Thanks Everyone,

~Michael Steiner~

Prepping and Waiting

       As I wait for more instructions from AFS, I have begun to make sure things are set here for my departure. I still have a lot to do to help prepare for my trip, but I have begun to make sure people and things are ready to go. With school coming to an end, and all my actives and clubs either over or still going strong, I have had a heck of a time keeping up with everything (including sleep). My first Skype call with my host family (Der Schneider) was overall pretty good. Overall though, these past few weeks have been a lot of catching up and setting up. 

       With school coming to a close in just a few short weeks, I have done my best to figure out what I need to do so I can still graduate next year. I have had a few conversations with my counselor, the Schneider's and my principle to determine what I need to do. As of right now, I need one year of English, one Semester of Art, and half a Semester of anything else. I asked the Schneider's if they could talk to the Head Master at my school in Germany to see if I could take an English class. If all goes well, I should be able to transfer those classes and another couple classes so I can graduate. With my Art class however, I am planning on taking that over the summer so I can check that box with little difficulty. With so little time left in this year, I hope that nothing falls apart. 

       As I grow older in scouts, I have started to slip away. That can be due to school and other activities, but I am planning on going back as school starts to wrap up. Also I am going to finishing up robotics for a while, as well as venture crew. For those of you who plan on going abroad, I would recommend getting things with clubs and other activities wrapped up and set to go. This will help out the group a lot in figuring out what they need to do to replace you for the year. With that I would also start figuring out Visas if you haven't already. I personally haven't looked into any but I am going to here shortly. Just as a reminder, AFS doesn't get you set with Visas, but rather give you some help if you ask for it. 

       If you remember from my last blog, I had my First Skype call with the Schneider's two weeks ago. I can say I am never good with introductions. We all started out laughing and had no idea what to talk about. It was defiantly awesome to get to see them. I'm hoping we will be able to Skype again soon though. I also started emailing with my host sister, who is pretty awesome person from the sounds of it. She had done a study Abroad in America her freshman year, which is pretty awesome!

       I also want to thank my Aunt Vicky for Rosetta Stone. She has gotten me hooked up with a 6 month subscription. I got it working today and have started my first lessons. Rosetta Stone is basically one of the best online language learning programs around. I can't recommend it yet as I have only used it once. However I have talked to people who have learned different languages through this program and they say they liked it a lot. 

        Again, I will be posting my next blog in two weeks. If you have any questions, comments, or suggested topics to talk about, leave your responses in the comments and I will do my best to answer them!

  

Thanks Everyone!

Michael Steiner

Just Getting Things Figured Out

Hey everyone,

These past few week I have been in contact with my host family. I have been exchanging emails back in forth and have started to get to know them better and better. The more I talk to them, the more I can’t wait for this whole experience to start, as they just seem like an outstanding family. I will be having my first Skype call tomorrow which is both nerve racking and exhilarating at the same time. I have no idea what we will be talking about, nor do I know how good their English really is, so I cannot wait to see what this session is going to yield, and what the future might hold for me. If in case we do not speak English for this session, I have been practicing my German so we can still talk. I am also going to have my white board and my iPad next to me so I can draw pictures or look up something if I need.

For the time that I have been working with AFS, which has been about two and a half months now, they have done an absolutely wonderful job. They have kept me posted on near and far events, made sure I am keeping up on everything that I am supposed to do, and helped me with any questions I have had. When I talk to others about their program, they did not seem to have such as an easy experience as I have had so far, so thank you AFS!

If you have not gotten your host family yet do not stress. AFS does a great job to ensure that your host family will work well with you. They look at your application and compare it to several host families and then make sure the final family is good for you. When you do get your host family information, send them an email as soon as you can. I would recommend sending it in both English and your host country’s language (if you can.) I personally received an email from my host family before I ever sent one, which might have not have been the best thing ever, but it has turned out okay.

As school comes closer to an end, I have begun to stress even more with everything to do.  With School (especially the tests and projects due in the next few weeks), making sure robotics is set to go for next year, making sure I know what I have to do for anything related to scouts, figuring out how credits for school will transfer, keeping updated on AFS, finding time to keep in contact with my host family, finding some way to help my mom with the cost, and maintaining a healthy personal life, I have had a struggle to keeping on top of everything at hand. My main goal right now is to not let anyone down (including myself) as time becomes crucial to me. With that though I also have a goal to have everything related to graduation figured out by the end of the school year, so that way I don’t have to stress over the summer.  By the end of summer I am hoping to knock out at least one of my credits and too be able to have a good conversation in German.

I am also trying to find a club or sport that I can take while on my exchange. This, I hope, will help me to bond with some new friends and stay active in the community. With that said, I need to go to bed. I can’t be late to my first Skype call with my host family!

Again, I will be posting my next blog in two weeks. If you have any questions, or would like me to talk about something in particular, just leave your responses in the comments and I will do my best to cover it in my next blog.

Thanks everyone!

~Michael Steiner