XXXII. Back to the norm

   This first week of school after vacation held several pleasant surprises and a couple unpleasant surprises.
   Pleasant Surprise #1: My school schedule was slightly changed, so now Monday is not quite so wonderful as before, but Friday is now going to a whole lot better. My violin lesson was moved from Friday to Monday, and now I only have one period of Chemistry on Friday instead of two, so I can actually get home before 5:00. Super excited!
   Pleasant Surprise #2: The reason why my violin lesson was moved was because my teacher had a baby (which is just awesome in itself), so obviously I have a new teacher for the next couple months, and I was kind of scared that I wouldn't like him (as most substitute teachers seem to be not so great), but I actually think he will be a really good teacher, and I will enjoy learning more from him.

   Pleasant Surprise #3: Two new exchange students have just came to my school, and one girl is from Australia, so I have somebody to speak English with! We actually have a couple classes together, so I've been able to translate for her (she doesn't know any German) and listen to her Australian accent. The weird thing is that when I'm with her, I realize I'm not as helpless as I used to be. I used to be just as shy and quiet and lost as she is now, but now I'm a whole lot more comfortable with my surroundings and the people I'm with.
   Pleasant Surprise #4 and Unpleasant Surprise #1: In History we are starting a unit on American history. The plus side is that I already know most of the stuff. The down side is also that I already know most of the stuff, so it's not interesting, and if I don't know the stuff, then I feel stupid. Everybody would assume that my next History test should be a perfect, but don't forget that we have to answer open-ended questions in German, so that's not very likely. However, I did have to laugh when someone said that July 4, 1776 was the start of the French Revolution. (Quick fact: That was the day that the American forefathers sent the Declaration of Independence to the King of England and therefore declared the freedom of the colonies. In a way, it actually started the American Revolutionary War.)
   Pleasant Surprise #5: In Geography we are learning about the landscape in the US and comparing it to that of Switzerland. Right now we are focusing on the West.
   Pleasant Surprise #6: I read a question out loud in Economy today, and I answered it correctly.
   Pleasant Surprise #7: I barely have to use my little German-English dictionary anymore because I understand most of the German that I read (or if it's a word I don't know, the probability is higher that I won't find it in my little book). I can also easily converse with people if I want to, or at least, a lot easier than I used to. I still have problems with wrong grammar structure or things that I have no idea what to call, but in general, I don't really have to think that hard when I want to speak. It's a really awesome feeling. (Cool fact: I can think in German too.)
   Unpleasant Surpise #2: Swiss people eat horse meat. I was just having a conversation with my host family on a walk after lunch, and I casually mentioned that the horse over there in the field was pretty, and my host brother casually said that it would look pretty on a plate, too. Of course, I thought he wasn't serious, and then the next minutes included me standing traumatized and my host family laughing at me while saying that it isn't weird to eat horse meat, although it's only seldom eaten. I, personally, prefer not to think about what happens to horses when they die. Eating them, however, is just dreadful.
   Oh yeah, I guess I should mention something about Valentine's Day, since that would be today. It's not really a big holiday, and we didn't do anything special, but one of the classes at school did a fundraiser where they sold and delivered roses to people at school. It was kind of sweet, but besides that, nobody really mentioned that it was even a special day.
   So, that about sums it up for this week. Sorry, I didn't take any photos. I'm realizing now that I'm really bad at taking lots of pictures. I still have less than a thousand... I've got to work on that. :)