"Hallo" from Germany

Hey everyone,

MADE IT TO GERMANY! It is amazing here. The city (Mayen) is beautiful. There are many hills/mountains around the city....and the city center is only a couple minute walk. I arrived Friday at about 7:50am in the morning. I was exhausted!! Many of us from the trip were on the same flight...and our trip leader (Felecia) was waiting for us at the airport. We all walked to a meeting point in the airport where we met the people who were on different flights. After about an hour of waiting in the airport we boarded the bus that took us to Mayen. It was about a 1.5 hour drive. The scenery was gorgeous. We say many german villages/fields/hills/churches. When we arrived in Mayen each person was dropped off at their host family's home. My family is the Lotz family. There is a mom (named Gabi) and two sons, Sebastian and Christopher. Both are around 20...not completely sure. I am living with a guy named Calvin and he is great. We have to share a bed...HAHA...but its a big bed. It's two mattresses pushed together and each mattress has a blanket and pillow....so it feels like 2 beds. There is a TV in our room with a few chairs. There is also a table and chairs. We have a balcony that is amazing...its very peaceful out there. From our windows we can see the castle (die Burg) and a couple of the churches.

Friday night we went to a couple bars and a Discothek (club). I slept 13 hours on friday night (I hadn't slept in like 40 hours!!). Saturday we ate breakfast and then we had a city tour...which was a great way to get to know the city. Then we had dinner and I had my first Doener. Its like pita bread with lamb (but I had chicken) with lettuce, tomato, onions etc. Then we went to a bar called Mambo and then again to the Diskothek.

Today we went to Schloss Buerresheim (a castle). It was QUITE A HIKE UP THIS HUGE MOUNTAIN. Kind of like the grand canyon. Dad...you would love it. It was about an hour long hike up. Then we had a tour of the castle and then we went down again. Then Calvin and I had dinner with our host family...and then we rested for a bit. Indiana Jones was on TV...all in German of course...so we watched that. Then I met some people from the trip (Calvin didnt go...he was too tired) in from of the Rathaus (city hall) and we went to a bar called the Ewige Lampe. It was very "chill" and I just had a Radler (bier mixed with lemonade or sprite). Then I came home and here I am typing to you fine people.

The food here is great....especially breakfast. I am ALWAYS speaking german...so that is really good. I can already feel my german getting better. Sometimes in the group we speak english with each other but mostly we try to always speak german. I am always speaking German with the host family.

I am having a blast....classes begin tomorrow though. Hopefully those go well. Definitely continue to keep me in your prayers. I definitely want to grow closer to God during this trip as I see the world he created. Pray that I can always find time to get in the word and to shine the love of Christ to other students on the trip.

I can use skype...so if you have skype tell me your username so I can call you!

LOVE YOU ALLLL!!!!!