The Holidays (a short post)

Christmas day itself was rather boring and stressful, because nothing happened but my guest mother was stressed because she felt like she had too much to do, and because my whole family bickered pretty much constantly in one way or another. In the evening we went to the Instadt to hear all the church bells ringing for half an hour, which was cold but beautiful. When we got home we ate lasagna and then opened presents. Here is a picture of the Dom, the biggest church, and below it is our christmas tree, all decorated.



On New Years I went to a friend's house. We ate asian food for dinner, and sat around and chatted and drank a bit. Our other friend (the other American exchange student) came and we polished off the entire thing of apple tiramisu that I had brought. At midnight we all drank some Sekt, which is like champagne, and then went out into the street to set of fireworks. There were a lot of otherpeople out as well, and it was really loud and really cool to see all the different fireworks. Later in the night some friends of the girl's whose house we were at stopped by, and we actually ended up going to one of their appartments and talking and dancing. It was nice, but I would rather have been back in bed earlier than 5am.

I am now in my last week of vacation, and trying desperately (as I have been the whole time) to connect with people and make some good German friends. It's hard to keep my spirits up sometimes when I text at least five people in the morning and hear back from only one, saying they wouuullld want to do something with me buttttt.... I also really was hoping to travel at least a little bit, but somehow that never happened either. I mean I have managed to score a couple afternoons out and about with people, and I've had some nice facebook and text messages, but all in all it has not been the funnest or easiest or happiest vacation of my life, and I am actually looking forward to school starting again just so I wont be sitting at home all day despite my efforts to get out with people.