I'm sorry that I have not posted in 2 weeks. I have been having problems with the connection from my camera to the computer and other than pictures of my hostfamily and the house and the cats and things, nothing has really happened. I started going to the school choir and theather club, and the theater is not that bad because there are a lot of kids and energy. But the choir is awful, the music teacher wants to have more of a ''band'' type of thing, not a choir, and everything is in english. And, there is only 4 people that show up every week, and that is if you count me and the music teacher!

Today I went to Langeoog again, with the Rotary club president and his wife. I also sing with Frau Happach in a gospel choir not to far from here (there seems to be a lot of gospel choirs here, and they are all in english). The island was really nice, and warm! I got a lot of good pictures. Jacob (Australia) and Mario (Mexico) came along as well and we really had a wonderful time just hanging out on the beach and things. I even learned how to throw a boomerang (Herr Happach had made 2 boomerangs and brought them... i think he had been to Australia or something). Every time I threw it, it crash landed in the sand. Except once... and it was an absolute perfect throw. Jacob said that it might be the only time in my life that that ever happens!!

Then, when we came back to the mainland, I went with Frau Happach to a Gospel concert, that was actually quiet good, when you take into accout that Germans have a really strange english accent. Their rendition of Africa languages goes to a whole new level of horrible (diana comes from Africa, so I've come to learn a little about it!). But this one was really not that bad and had a lot of energy (Germans are somewhat stoic, or reserved). The sad thing, is that the whole situation in gerneral (Germans singing gospel) makes me want to hear a real gospel choir, which is normally the only type of music I actively avoid.

Yea, well, the last 2 weeks I have been desparately trying to find something I can do for the entire upcoming year... so that I can sorta settle in here, a weekly routine. There is not much of anything that interests me. There is almost no art or music of any kind and I can't even look forward to bright colorful trees this fall and snow this winter. Skiing, snowboarding, and igloos are definately out of the question. I think I might start playing ping-pong and tennis soon. Horseback riding is too expensive, but I would like to do that, or even better... to take some music lessons. Rotary finally listened to me that Mario and I need german lessons, so that starts soon too. School is short and slow. I'm only at school a couple hours a day. I am going to start going to church too, although I have not been able to find one person that actually goes to church. I want to find a youth group, but so far I have not heard of one, although, people sometimes actually know what it is! I've heard a rumor that there are 2 in Esens. Its been a slow and difficult process trying to find things to do because no one seems to actually do anything, except drink. That is all teens do, sit around and talk and drink. Whooo... fun! NOT.

But at the moment, I only have one more week to deal with, because I go on my Germany Tour on the 15th, to Weimer, Berlin, Eisenach, the Spreewald, and Wolfsburg (I'll clarify more about each one after I go there). I hope to see an orchetra in Berlin. The week after, I'm going to Turkey with my host family... all beach and sun. Not that I'm complaining, but what am I supposed to do for a week on a beach? I'm not really the sun roasting type. I think my host mom might teach me how to play tennis. Maybe I can convince my host dad to take me to the nearest ancient ruin... 45 minutes away, and yes... I've fully researched this... there is NOTHING within 45 minutes of this beach. Hey! Turkey is only on 3 different continents and is the location of the most wars and battles in the world... not to mention the city of Troy! AND... has only all the coolest ancient ruins and artifacts from prehistory.