Pictures from Christmas

Chrsitmas!!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Good Afternoon everyone,

Well once again Christmas has come and gone. This year was a little different and overall didn't really feel like Christmas. Here's a quick review though.

We went to church Christmas Eve, which consisted of alot of organ playing and the reciting of the "Christmas Story" We got there a little late (30 minutes before the service started) so me Philipp, Steffan and Keagan had to stand the whole time. Not a biggy for us burly German men. This would probably be a good time to mention who I spent Christmas with. Here at the Taeger household we had a very international Christmas. Yours truly was representing the US of A, but there was also a girl from South Africa who was an exchange student with my family a couple years ago and there was a kid from Australia who was my host brothers best friend during his exchange and, of course, my host family and my host grandma. After church, we came home, brought all the presents and put them under the tree. It was really weird to be opening presents on the 24th. We then all gathered in the living room and listened to my host dad (who was dressed up like Santa Claus) tell story about christmas. It was very similar to The Night Before Christmas. We then began opening presents. They do it very similar to the way we open gifts. Starting with the youngest and then working there way to the oldest. But, I am the youngest, so that was really weird to be the one starting. After that we had a great meal, talked for a long time and then went to bed. I slept in on Christmas morning and had a big brunch with the family, relaxed, and then went to my counselors house for a big Christmas dinner with Marlo who is a girl from South Africa who was an exchnage student with my family a couple years ago. We had turkey, potatoes, veggies, rolls, salad....the works. It was absolutly amazing and I ate so much. After about 3 hours of eating and talking we came back home or should i say rolled home. Marlo and I then watched Thank You For Smoking. It is an extreamly funny film, I highly reccommend it.

So, that was Christmas for me. Different and interesting. Just gonna chalk this one up in the experience category and save it for a good cocktail party conversation starter. So, that reminds me of the time I spent Christmas in Germany....

Hope you all had good Christmas

Good night and good luck,

Tyler

let me get ya a hot toddy or something....

I weighed myslef today. I've put on about 10 pounds since i arrived here in Germany.
Might as well start calling me tubby and throwing stuff at me.

that is all,

Tyler

last chrsitmas i gave you my heart....

Today was really good. School passed suprisingly quick. The gluhwine tasted especially good. The weather was actually cold. I had my last PE class for the year. I laughed alot with the host family about a certain gift mix up. Watched Elf.

Cheers, and Merry Christmas

love,

Tyler

I'm always working for the weekend

Pardon the use of an overplayed 80's song or perhaps 70's but it was the first thing that came to mind. Well another week has come and gone here in Germany. I had another Rotary Weekend, which was amazing as usual. One week till christmas....thats pretty awesome if you ask me.

Left for the weekend on Friday afternoon as usual and arrive on Friday night. After saying hello to everyone and meeting some new exchnage students from southern Germany who are coming on the Euro Tour with us. We settled in to the five star lodging for the weekend known as a school gym. I tell ya, nothing better than a gym floor to really help you relax after long hard day.
Friday night was passed with alot of laughs, a little bit of dancing and not getting to sleep till around 3.

I awoke around 8 o'clock to loud music and bright lights with one thought on my mind. Oh please let this be a terrible dream. Turns out it wasent and the half naked brazilian walking by me was, in fact, real. Saturday consisted of this: Ice Skating, eating, talking, and just hanging out. We also had a meeting on the Euro Tour, which, by the way, is going to be amazing and is only 3 short months away.

Woke up Sunday and drove back early to Hann. Muenden with Steffan. Slept a little and then went to Christmas Concert at a local church here in Muenden. It was kinda boring but I was glad that I went. Came home, watched Scrubs, went to bed.

One more week till christmas. Love you all.

Merry Christmas

Tyler

Weekend in Freburg

Rain, cold...ok we have had enough of that....please get colder and snow. I think that is the thought process of most Germans at this time. We have had an unusually warm December here in Germany and everyone is a little disappointed that the weather isn't coroperating and adding to the Christmas spirit.... I am also of this opinion.

This past weekend was filled with family, a new city, really good food and an overall great time.
Me, Jurgen and Inga saddled up the ol' four wheeled drive sleigh and headed to Freiburg Friday afternoon. After passing the 4 hour drive by listening to musicand playing snake on my cell phone, we arrived in Freiburg. Greeted by rain, wind and cold temperatures we met up with Steffan, my oldest host brother who studies in Freiburg, at his apartment, dropped off my stuff, drove to the hotel where Inga and Jurgen were staying and then ventured forth into the city. After touring the local Christmas Market and sampling some gluhwine, we went to dinner.
Ate some amazing food. I would tell you the name of it but it was in German and I myself was unsure. After dinner we said goodnight to Inga and Jurgen and Steffan and I walked back to his apartment. We watched Jaws 3...never see it...ever...trust me....you dont want to.

Woke up Sunday morning, walked to the train station to pick up Philipp. He couldnt come on Friday with us because he already had some prior engagement planned. Got lunch, walked around the city, shopped a little, walked some more and then ate dinner. Another amazing meal.

Sunday, drove back home, relaxed.

I am so thankful and I feel so blessed to be with such an amazing family. There is no doubt in my mind that I have made lifetime friends. There are many things that I will not remember from this exchange but the kindness and the love that this family has shown me, will never be forgotten.

Overall, things are going well. I miss my family and friends terribly. But I know that i will see them in a few short months. In the big picture this exchnage represents a small chunk time in my life. So, i am trying to live up every moment. Learning what i can and growing from this expereince. Because, hey, its all about the stories you have and I'm going to have some good ones when i come home.

Miss you all. Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts. You have no idea how much they mean.

Good night and good luck,

Tyler

Curry Wurst and Gluhwine and Friends

Tonight was fun. Enjoy the pictures.

Saint Nikolaus Day!!!!!

To all of you not living in Germany or some Scandiavian country December 6th comes and goes without much thought. Normally, ones thoughts are preoccupied with say, finals, Christmas Vacation, going home, family, friends ect. BUT if you live in this plot of land called Germany and you happen to be under the age of perhaps 16 or so, December 6 is a big deal.

Why is december 6th a big day is a question that might come to mind. Well folks its good you tuned into today. December 6th is Saint Nikolaus Day. Little children put there shoes out in front of their doors and Saint Nikolaus comes around and fills their shoes with little goodies.
So, ya thats it...sorry if you thought it was going to be something super exciting.

In other news it is Inga's Birthday today. She has been baking basically no stop for the past week, in order to get ready for this. Right now there are about 20 German women upstairs eating and drinking. Naturally i am taking refuge in the basement because 20 german women is enough to scare even the bravest fellow. See picture above for the cookies. And yes, they taste as good as they look.

Merry Christmas

Tyler

Woot! Woot! for December

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend and are as happy as I am that it is finally December. It's been about a week since my last post so heres the update on the past week. Well mostly the weekend because nothing much happens during the weeks.

Friday December 1st:
Thanks again to the German school system i had the first and third periods off. Despite my initial excitement I soon was in a bit off a pickle: I had a class second period. After much thought I made the executive decesion to not go to my second class. Now, before you begin typing the angry E-mails that put in motion a sequence of events that gets me in trouble with Rotary for not going to school, let me explain my logic. My second class is music and despite the ol' cliche, music is not the universal language or at least not music theory. First of all the Germans write the musical note B as and H. Who does that????? Well, anyways it felt amazing sleeping in until 10 o'clock and I'm not even sure if my music teacher noticed that i wasn't there. Came home after school, packed and left for another Rotary weekend in the town of Goslar. Arrived in Goslar around 7, met with the other 50 or so exchnage students that were there. Talked, laughed, shared exchange student stories, laughed and then went to bed.

Saturday:
Got woken up an hour earlier by the Brazilians and Mexicans parading through our room singing and dancing. Ya....we were not that happy.
We left the youth hostel around 9 o'clock and went to a Museum in the mountains near Goslar. We took a short tour of the Museum and then were told to follow a little German man who was wearing a hard hat, boots and a sweet little jump suit. This nice German man lead us to a small train where we put on hard hats, climbed in the tiny little cars, that were basically cages, and waited for what was to come next. As the train started we realized that we were heading into the mountain. It got very dark for a couple minutes and then all of a sudden the train stopped. We were inside and old mine that was apart of the museum. We took a tour of the mine, which was really interesting especially since the mine was built some time in the 15th century.
After that we went and got something to eat. We had the classic german meal: meat, potatoes.

After lunch we went Ice Skating!!!! I was so excited and it felt so good to skate again. It was also pretty funny to see some of the people try to skate. Saturday night was alot of fun and brought alot more laughs and some good stories.

Sunday: We did a city tour of Goslar, which was interesting and very informative. Got something to eat the headed back to good ol' Hann Muenden. Sunday night was also really good. I got home around 5. At 6 i sat around and talked with my host family, drank tee and ate christmas cookies and other such delicious treats. We then proceeded to watch Christmas Vaction, which as many of you know is one of my favorite movies of all time. I was cracking up the whole time and basiclly repeating the entire movie in English under my breath. PS. it is soooooo much better in English. Sorry German, nice try. Even though i was so happy i got to wacth it, it also made me really sad that I wasn't going to be home for Christmas.

Today was school as usual. 3 weeks till Christmas!!!!!

Things are going pretty good here. I miss you all terribly. Much love you everyone.


"I know the feeling of being all alone So let's drink to fact that we're not"

Tyler