Die Schule fängt an!

So I finally started school. Granted it was two weeks ago, but better late than never, right? In any event, the first day for me was a bit of a misfire. My host mom, my sisters and I all drove to the Gymnasium on the first day because my host mom and I needed to set up my schedule, which was great.

We set up my schedule after the 2nd period, when everyone else in Grade 12 got their schedule, and it just turned out that I didn't have class in periods 3 and 4. It also turns out that school ends after period 4 on the first day; so I didn't have school on the first day of school. Would have been great in the US, but I'd have preferred getting to know people. Despite it all, I did have the chance the next day, so it's all good.

Because I'm so "old", the school decided to put me in the 12th grade, so I'd be with people closer to my age. Thing is, that's an Abi-year. Which means that in April/May they'll take the Abitur, which (when mathematically merged with their grades) determines which universities they can go to and which jobs they'll be allowed to pursue. So it's a big deal. Naturally the work is harder and the teachers are stricter in order to best prepare them. They also don't have school after the Abitur. All this is well and good for them and they've prepared for years for it. Ich nicht.

On the one hand, I may be intelligent and my German may be good but passing the Abitur is not something I will ever have to worry about and I still need to be in school through May and June. So at the end of the second day (during which I suffered through essentially a DBQ, for those who know what that is, on Hitler's rise to power. All in German) I switched down to the 11th grade. Awesome decision.

I don't know if I was in a better mood, or if the teachers were in a better mood, or what, but things are just seemed better in the 11th grade. It was also a bit easier, to be honest.

And since I'd been there for three days by then, the teachers were finally aware that I was going to be coming and in their class.

"So you're the exchange student. They tell me you speak good German."

"Yeah, I am. And that's what I've been told."

"Good. So you'll be taking tests and everything."

"Yup!"

History was also pretty great because we are starting with the Revolutionary Period (France /America/ Glorious Revolution) about which, as an American, I've learned quite a bit. So I had an idea of what was going on. Math too, because this is my third year learning derivatives and their first, so I can focus on the German, not the math. English was just cool.

But in all honesty, I do undersand the vast majority of what's going on and can participate. I do know for a fact though, that my grammar is atrocious. But what am I going to do, not talk? Philosophie doesn't make sense to me in English and my classmates said its kind of dull to fluent German speakers too, but I still wish I knew more of what was going on. After two classes, I've figured out that we're talking about egotism and whether it's behind all of our decision or not, and if altruism is real or not.

Beyond the language and the classes, the people are really nice. I think it helps that my school has a healthy exchange culture. I am by far not the first exchange student, even for year long programs, and there are people who have spent years in America, Peru, and Italy. I've noticed they're among the first to come up and say hello. But there are so many great people, I'm going to have no trouble making friends.

Sorry for the smudges!

 So a brief translation: Fach = subject, Raum = room. Words at the top are days of the week.
For the classes:
D = Deutsch (German/Literature)
Ge = Geschichte (History)
(^Those two are my "important" classes and I have 5 hours each week of them, rather than 3)
Ch = Chemie (Chemistry)

Bi = Biologie (Biology)
Ek = Erdkunde (Geography)
Ku = Kunst (Art)
Pl = Philosophie (Philosophy)
M = Mathe (Math)
E = Englisch (English)
Sp = Sport (Gym)

When there isn't any more school, I can go home; and when there isn't any morning class, I don't have to come!

One last thing. Even though people keep telling me my German is great and it is, to an extent, true. I can hold conversations and such. But I rely heavily on context clues and intuition for it. I respond not with what I want to say, but with what I know how to say. There is a large difference. When I read things, like the back of a shampoo bottle, I find myself able to understand the French more than the German simply because there are so many more cognates (plus the minuscule amount of grammar I know). I still have much left to learn and more than enough time for it!