Germany with all the bells and whistles

Last week in Konstanz. It's actually ridiculous how much stuff we get to do, even with our guest families in Konstanz.
To write, and put pictures of all the things we actually visit (museums, castles, history) would take a whole other blog, as would talking about the my wonderful PAD group, and the people in Konstanz. And travelling is one of those things you kind of have to experience for yourself anyway. For now you'll have to make do with these general conclusions/things that struck me the most.

I am certainly not used to getting all the frills (ie expensive tourist traps) when we visit places (probably because I'm used to travelling with Mum haha -we both like to keep it cheap)

At the Rhein[water]fall, for instance we got to take a boat out through the rapids to one of these islands in the middle of it to get a better view. Because of the floods the rapids were really big.

It's a strange thing, being on such a small island, with water all around you where only birds can come and go on their own steam #ohwait #IliveinNewZealand

The Rhein is the longest river in Germany which both Bonn and Konstanz are on, so we feel like we know it now.

Why do tourists always wear white shorts? #notpractical

The Rheinfall is actually in Switzerland. There were a lot of Swiss flags around to remind us of that fact. One gets the feeling they definitely don't want to be confused with Germany

Crossing the border into Switzerland (5 minutes from my house -one of the other host sisters rides her bike from Switzerland to school every day) is such a small deal here. 

Quicker than a McDonalds DriveThru.

Europeans don't get how exciting it is to cross another country's borders. In New Zealand we have to fly for 3 hours and 3 hours and pack for a whole other season.

Saw Europe's biggest waterfall, had my first wurst (sausage) in Germany and went to Switzerland #notbadforamorningswork

NB that's sausages down -I tried sauerkraut and it wasn't actually that nice.

At school we have lessons with just our PAD group of 12 most days, and then we go to classes with our guest siblings (or whoever's free). Most days though we have an excursion either in the afternoon or the whole day -a lot of that involves visiting other towns and islands in and around the Bodensee (lake Constance), which is gorgeous because the weather is so hot!

Learning about the French declaration of rights in history -the awkward moment when Germans have the same word for same and equal #thinkIjustfoundtherootofalltheirproblems

Hahahaha I'm in a class with a whole lot of 16-year-old boys. Half of them are 6 foot and the other half look 6. Good times.

Germans say 'genau' (exactly) a lot, esp at school. Whenever I say that to a teacher, I always feel a little bit cheeky #thereisnowordforpatronisinginGerman

#Fakts Robbie Williams is still big in Germany

Also people still wear those singlets with lace at the bottom, and they use OHPs and blackboards #what #isGermany2006

I keep forgetting this isn't a private school. Can't believe German education is free -the government must spend so much money on it #thesefacilitiesareHIBSquality

At a school concert -the concert has it's own logo and the kids are all wearing t-shirts with it #onlyatHIBS

7.29 and the concert is starting

That awesome moment when one child performing in a concert actually smiles #:)

This concert is a lovely reminder that music transcends all languages (taking into account they were actually singing about that in English)

I take that back -there is a ridiculous amount of English being sung at this concert -the singer in the jazz band introduced every song in English!

#Fakts 99% of guys look more attractive with dark glasses

At the summer concert they give a rose to all the people they want to thank, including the students performing that are in their final year #suchagoodidea

If they didn't clap for so long, this would be over by now #parents

The senior orchestra look like legit orchestra players #ThePlayingsNotTooShabbyEither

What kind of mother would let a 9-year-old get a side cut? #goldilocksfromtheleftcancerpatientfromtheright

#RoadTrip passed an indoor 'free time park', 'Sensapolis' -a giant atrium for humans filled with couches #what

Heard someone say 'New Zealand' on the radio today

Germans drive like they own the road #NotGoodWhenTheresTrafficAndYouFluctuateBetween0and200kph #PleaseImTryingToSleep

Apparently you can ski on long grass #sights

There's nothing more inspiring than watching things grow #summer #not #thinspiration

German number plates start with the letter code of the city they come from. If we had that in NZ I would continually judge people on the city they came from #AucklandDrivers

The Intouchables (French film -watch it) has solidified Earth Wind and Fire as the best road trip music ever

If your car only fits 2 people and you're driving across the country, you should probably just take the train

We are currently moving at 200km/h #scared #speedkills

*Plz slow down to 100 for road works* #hahahaha

Long car trips are great for working out the important things of life, such as how to make each of your toes move separately

Muriel's Oma's house where we're staying for the 50th is full of hunting memorabilia and cool old furniture

and every wall looks like this:

8 Viszla puppies at my guest sister's cousins' house #puppies

At a 50th birthday party #SittingAtTheKidsTable #KinderSwag

Regional dialects make family ties important #battlingtheeffectsofglobalisation

What's the point of going to other people's family gatherings if there aren't any cute guys?

Was slightly dubious of the drinking age of 16, but now I'm here I would trust 11-year-olds with alcohol. There's just something in the language that makes them sound so in control!

Taking a night ride in a soft-top mini listening to the Wise Guys #doesntgetmoreGermanthanthat

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (black forest cake): pretty sure that's the fastest I've ever eaten a piece of cake #caloriesdontcountwhenitsnamedaftertheplaceyoureat

Okay -calories probably do count when you eat a slice of every type there is.

#Milka #ComeAtMe

Why do we not drink spirits made from sugar cane in NZ? sounds like the perfect drink to me!

Who runs the world? shaved ice #IllHaveAMartiniOnTheShingle

Taking notes for my blog on my phone when the others are texting their friends #aw #popular

Every emotion is stronger when you're overtired #drunkforamonth

Limited vocabulary. #waddupswearwords

Have worn my Birkenstocks nearly every day here, even to parties #yea #canuhandlethesandal

Flicking channels and I hear the word 'Neuseeland' -turns out it was a talk show featuring a guy who was really enthusiastic about NZ #nearlywetmyself

If you ever need a self confidence boost, wear red lipstick #workseverytime

Just remember, when you're wearing shorts, your legs are part of your outfit

#Overheard on #German tv: "I was so drunk I didn't know if it was half past 10 or quarter to 11"

#1 tip for getting locked out of your house without a key: go for a wee in the garden and somebody will definitely come home and see you in action

The only bad thing about NZ is we don't have squirrels.

Konstant.

I wish I could write even some of this in German, like everyone else, but I know my homies in NZ won't be able to understand #nonEuropeanproblems -luckily everyone else is super-exposed and talented so hopefully they can understand my English. Gah. I hate how everyone speaks English

Arrived in Konstanz -spent the 6 hour train ride playing Swedish card games (seem to be spending a lot of time doing that!) Was magical seeing the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) and a lot of Germany flash by -the weather seemed to get better and we moved South! It is seriously summer here, and the glittering lake made us all want to go swimming! Our host families met us at the train station -we hadn't had time to really think about the fact that we wouldn't be spending every moment together as a group anymore! We're here for 2 weeks, then it's back on the road again to Munich -strange, but cool. My host sister is lovely though -she's 15 but she could easily pass for 19. Lots of people in Germany seem older than they are, probably because they don't wear unifoms to school and they're all quite confident and continental. Their house is lovely too (they made the welcome sign for me and put it on the door for when I got there) -they have heaps of rabbits and turtles, that each have huge enclosures and roam around outside. There is so much fruit here too! Summer <3

On Muriel's door (a genius is rarely orderly, an orderly person rarely genius)

On the first night we had a potluck (of an exemplary standard, I might add) at school to celebrate us being here. With host students, as with pets, I tend to see the similarities between them and their 'caregivers' a bit too much.

The giant pretzel filled with cheese, salmon and every type of cold, sliced meat you can imagine that my host mother made for the welcome party.

Thought this part (the 2 weeks in Konstanz) might be a bit boring, but no! Just in the first 2 days we've done heaps! I have only been to one class with my host sister so far -the PAD students have our own classes -so far we've had science, philosophy and German history -it's been really interesting so far! We're all so tired all the time though!

Yesterday was an awesome first day -it was the day of the senior prank. Typically German, they had it all planned and everyone knew at exactly what time it was going to happen, and at 10.15 they said all they needed to say over the intercom (penis), then we went outside to a massive party in the courtyard.

They had filled the corridors with smoke and balloons, and outside was a stage with a live band, but they were also playing music really loud and did a few games involving the teachers.

On the ground, the students in their final year were running around chucking buckets of water (and spraying water guns) then chucking colour powder (like for Indian Diwali festivals) at each other.

Elise (die Begegnungsschulerin) and her friend 

The Argentinians -they like a party xox

Agustin (from Argentinia) getting water thrown at him

My host sister (Muriel) and me 

Wet!

The school goes all the way up from primary school, so there were lots of kids running around and having fun as well. I got completely wet but not so colourful -lucky as it apparently doesn't come off! After that school was out and we went to the lakeside -we had a picnic, played Swedish card games, played beach volleyball and swam in the lake. I got completely sunburnt! It was so nice being out in the sun so long though! In the evening we had white asparagus (a German delicacy only available for 6 weeks a year) and pancakes for dinner, then ambrosia made with quark. Later Pia and her hostsister, who is a friend of Muriel's (handy) came round and we watched 'The Broken' a horror/thriller. I'm not good with anything even vaguely scary -I still get freaked out at the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! I have also never seen a horror film before. Spent a lot of time looking through my fingers, and screaming whenever the others were, even when nothing had happened!

I don't think we have any complete days of school while we're here. Today we did a tour of the city (the weather was bad) and then we went shopping with Pia and Nina. A lot of Swiss people come to Konstanz to shop because the border is right in the middle of Konstanz (and shopping is cheaper). This also means that Konstanz wasn't destroyed in the war because bombers couldn't tell where Konstanz ended and Switzerland (which was neutral) began! Also means there's Swiss chocolate shops, with massive slabs of different-flavoured chocolate! Tomorrow we're going on a full-day excursion around the lake then up a mountain. We are actually so lucky! My German is crap, but other than that everything is wunderbar!