FRANCE FOR DINNER!

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I went to FRANCE for the first time last night! My host family wanted to take me somewhere nice for my 19 Birthday dinner so we drove one hour south until and through the French border... it still amazes me that you simply drive through, the only thing to signal the sudden change of country / language is a tiny little * FRANKREICH* sign with a circle of stars around it :P And suddenly not a single person speaks German and all the road signs make no sense to me...

They took me to the beautiful little town of Lembach just south of the boarder somewhere deep in the french part of the Pfalz-forest. The restaurant was the most fancy place I've ever been in in my entire life. Waiters waiting on your every request. "Oui oui misure" ^^ We all had an 8 course meal with ever luxury you could imagine... Simply Organsmisch gut really.

Defenity the finest birthday gift I've ever received. And a great once in a lifetime experience seening as though I believe the final bill for our the family of 5 was somewhere between $2000-$2200 NZD. (plus tip). Maybe after another 19 years :P
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18 Jährige kann leider nicht immer sein

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Well. Today I'm officially 19 on both sides of the world. When your in Germany and it's your birthday lots of random people want to hug you.
I like it ^^

sigh. I do prefer even years though hae... It's true thou I think... the even years rock. ^^
Anywhoues. Recently I've been feeling a little homesick. To be honest I haven't really experienced that too much this year. I guess just sorting out my next years uni, getting all excited about moving out and on my own next year... and having my Josh be officially one day older than me for 12hours... Kinda has had me a little abgeschüttelt lately.

That aside I'm back at school now, which means... um... yay the weekend is only 3 days way awesome. We have our school Ball this Saturday... Which reminds me I need to get a suit. funn

(19 + 1 )= 20 + 19 =

~40 + (80 . ?) = X

In any case I'll be sleeping now. I have to think about ideas to present about NZ in englisch class.
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Wellington '09

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They say that being on an exchange is a great way to find yourself. To realise what you truly want to do with you life etc. It worked differently for me. For a long time this year the more time that would pass, the more disconnected I would feel from home, going weeks without thinking of it. It's my tenth month here abroad now, and it's suddenly becoming very clear that exchange years really don't last for ever. In less than three months Ill be on plane heading back to Christchurch. I never wanted to imagine myself heading back. It was the last thing that I wanted. I've even had nightmares of me waking up in 2009 where nobody believes that I was ever in Germany, but think I've reached that point in my year now.... where the reality of leaving has become very apparent... it's strange... but of everyone I know here I seemed to be that last for it to have dawned on. The thought has been one I've been systematically blocking from my mind. But It's different now. I think I'm at peace with the idea.

I sound a bit like a terminal old lady coming to terms with her death aye. ^^

But anywhos... so I have recently been putting a lot of thought into my next years studies....
So many options... So much time already procrastinated away...
Am I going to stay in Canterbury with my Family? Or really move out and go up north? If so will it be Wellington, where many friends are studying... or Auckland where my sister Sam lives...

Finally though I came to a decision. Der Plan geht so...
January 14th... Arrive back in Christchurch.
14th - 31st... Reintegration and drinking period. ._.
Mid to late February ... Leave home once and for all. Move to Wellington.
Late February... Wellington: Find a flat. Find a good full time job. Work hard. Earn money and Wellington drinking and traveling period.
March... Get serious about upcoming Uni. Work hard and never stop designing...
...Apply and get accepted for Massey College of Fine Arts and Design..
Work harder!

I shall keep you informed.
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TOMATO SAUCE

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Fairly sad, if this is all I have to write about.... butI just want to thank Huei, Leo, Amy or whoever else decided to send me Watties Tomato Sauce!
Currently using it on everything. ^^
YUM! danke danke danke danke
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VIEL DU VIEL ALKOHOL IN DEUTSCHLAND VERBRAUCHT.

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I just got back from Heidelberg. where me and some friends shared a 4L sex on the beach cocktail!
but enough about me being very drunk...
















Wanted to talk more about Stockholm because I didn't get to finish what i was doing to say before I left for my train. But I think I should talk more about, just what an effect it has had on me. I got interested in the language about 2 weeks before I was planning to go and in that time I've learnt so much... and was able to test it out on genuine sweds. After only 3 nights in Stockholm I have never been so inspired and confident about my future studying Design. After 10 months in Germany I have been feeling a little creatively drained. Life as a German high school student is perhaps not the most interesting thing, if you interested in studying design.. well anything to do with fine arts...Its called Kunst (art)... yet somehow... I feel the practical part of the subject... when there is one, would belong perhaps better in a Kindergarten than a high school. Paper cut out stain glass windows anyone?... It wasn't just recently, until I went to Stockholm, that I once again realised my
passion for design. The city has got to be one of the most design & fashion consious cities in the world, finding my way through the amazing city I have never been so interested and inspired by design. Thanks to my short time in Sweden I know for sure now that it's is something I really want to persue. And I now finally have an idea of what I am going to be doing next year.

random swedish ad I thought was worth photographing...

ÄR DU OCKSÅ FUL? ARE YOU ALSO UGLY?

Wellington June '09. jag kommer.
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JAG ÄLSKA STOCKHOLM!

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STOCKHOLM:
INSPIRINGDESIGN
BEAUTIFULPEOPLE

Yesterday, after spending all night on dirt cheap planes, trains and buses I got home, tired as hell, from Stockholm, Sweden!

Stockholm has got to be the most amazing city I have ever been to in my life. It's so beautiful It's awe inspiring. I have been yearning to see the place for about 4 months, but I wasn't sure how. Then Andrew told me that he had family friends there and that he was going to visit them! I couldn't say no.

Although I ended up only being in the city for 3 nights I think the city had a huge effect on me. If every city was like stockholm the world would be perfect! I mean... how can one city accomidate soo many beauitful people?!!

Stockholms pojkar är så jävla vacker!!
omg, my hands are paralyzed!
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DER ERSTE BLOG

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I began my exchange programme in Germany in Janurary in the southern Baviarn city of MUNICH, muuuuch* has happened since then but.. so far, this is the only piece of writing to count towards my 'Ill write a dairy every day' Idea. I've just gotten back from Sweden where I was for the weekend. It's the most amazing place I've ever been on earth and it's inspired me to talk about it and everything that I've experienced and seen in the last year of my life. I think had to exert more emotion in this year than any other put together. In 10 months I've done, and experienced things I never thought possible of me. Explored and seen some of the most amazing places on earth, I've learned to speak Fluent German, I've fallen in løve, then back out, made great friends, and had to say goodbye... I think its time for me to write some of these things down. Not that i'll ever forget...
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*needs more u's