week one

well, i made it to austria and overall things are great! before i met my host family i had a two day orientation camp with afs austria. i met some really sweet people, but found myself a little homesick. things cleared up as soon as i got to my host family, and we clicked right away. they really made me feel welcome and decorated my room with welcome signs and stuffed animals. on my first day of school they presented me with a gift basket. this is customary in austrian culture, but usually parents give them to their children on the first day of elementary school. my gift basket had an assortment of candies and school supplies. i am so very greatful to them for being so supportive. with a new school and a new family, there are a lot of things to get used to. sometimes i find it hard to believe that i am really here and that i finally made it. vienna is so beautiful. aside from the stunning architecture and glorious gardens, the streets are almost litter free and everything seems very quaint and civilized. on my first day in austria, babsi, my host sister, took me into the center of the city. it was a perfect introduction to the country, and since then we have really gotten to know each other. it is really cool to have sister. babsi was also an exchange student and spent the last year in panama. this has given us so much to talk about and it's nice to have someone who knows what i'm going through. i feel like i have experienced more in this past week, then in the entire summer. i can't possibly fit all of my experiences into a single journal entry. school is a blur, but i am keeping up. i have made friends with some of my classmates and they help bridge the language gap a little bit. i am the first exchange student they have had from overseas, and the first one to stay a whole year. everyone has a lot of questions for me, and answer a lot of mine as well. school is from 8:00 until 2:00 everyday, but there is no lunch break which i kind of miss. i am in the same classroom the whole day, which is an interesting change. it's nice because it gives me a chance to really meet and get to know people. one thing i miss from america, is extracurricular activities. i am so used to sports teams and clubs, that there absence is a little sad. at the same time, i have so much to adjust to that not having extra things to take on may be a blessing. german is difficult to grasp, but my vocabulary has just about doubled since i've been here. that is a start. there are definitely people and things that i miss from home, but here everyday is new and exciting. i am constantly learning, and i feel as though there is so much to discover. there are hard times, but i am so greatful to be here and i am determined to make the best of every experience!