Double-Exchange

After spending four days in Bonn and having fun surprising teachers, friends, and former co-workers from my internship with my unannounced visit, I hopped on a train yesterday and headed north on a four-hour ride to Bremen. I'm currently updating this from the living room of my exchange student sister (hi Laura!) and am really enjoying getting to know her family... and relatives... and friends ; )

Last night when I arrived we had a "small" dinner party of fifteen people eating Raclette, which consists of putting vegetables and meats, pineapple, and eggs with special cheese on top into a little pan which you toast in a mini oven that's on the table. It's really good and fun to make... sortof like a fondue concept because you cook at the table.



I'm looking forward to us hopefully being able to chat with my family later on today via Skype with the daughters swapped. It's funny to think that Laura sleeps in my bedroom at my parents' house and that I'm now sleeping in hers (thanks!) : )

In addition to meeting lots of new people, I got to see a familiar face as well, because my friend Nadine, who was an exchange student at my high school five years ago, also came down from Hamburg for the weekend. It's such a blessing to be able to visit so many people in such a short amount of time, even if that does mean traveling here and there the entire time I'm in Germany.

Tomorrow I will head back South to Cologne and Bonn and fly out on Tuesday. Still don't know where I will be staying in London on Tuesday night, but if nothing else works out, there are always benches in the airport. We'll see I guess!

Well, I'm heading out to bike over to a bakery and pick up some freshly-baked Brötchen (like rolls - only way better) for breakfast... my very favorite thing to eat in Germany. Better enjoy them while I can! Mmmmmmmm : )