The Start of Something New

I would like to start off by asserting that I miss everyone already. It's great here, but there are a few key personality ingredients that I wouldn't mind having around. Secondly, the keyboard here is a little different than the one I'm used to, so if you see anything that makes absoltely no sense, just look carefully and see if you can figure out my typo.
Okay, so, the trip: The flight was almost eight hours long, and I was far too wired to do much sleeping action. I made some new friends and reconnected with a few students who had been at Fishkill, NY (where a pre-departure orientation weekend was held for YFU students in New England). I then got off the plane and split up with all of the kids who I had flown over with, save one. Depending on the savy we displayed on a short competency test, we were all going to different locations in Germany to take a crash course in the language and culture of our new home. I had no idea how well I had done on this test before then, but I guess I'm in level 5. Students in the level 5 class displayed the most comfort with the language and scored the highest on the test, so I guess I'm just wicked good at German (not to brag, or anything).
After shuffling around a bit, I finally ended up on the right train to the right place with the right people, and I passed out. I was so exhasuted that I simply could not keep my eyes open a moment longer.
I awoke when the train arrived in either Heidigenstadt or Heiligenstadt, I can't quite make out whether it's a l or a d, and my grandmother- and sister-to-be picked me up and brought me home. I stuffed some delectable brötchen in my mouth, as I had not eaten a meal for about ten hours, and then Christina (my sister) and I went back into town on some bikes.
I live in Westhausen, a tiny little "Dorf" just outside of H'stadt. We rode back into H'stadt which is also relativeluy small, and went down the main street and into the Kurpark. Now, H'stadt is what Germans call a Kurstadt, or a cure city. It is a place for sick people to go to get better, and it is verz easy to see why. The Kurpark was a blanket of green tranquility, spotted with fountains, ponds, benches, and playgrounds for children. I almost fell asleep walking my bike.
There was a small pool of water, maybe a foot deep, ten feet long and five feet wide, that people were walking in circles in. There was a handrail in the middle, the bottom was tiled and the water was crystal clear. I guess that some study proved that walking around in cold water every once in a while was really good for a person's general health. I'm pretty sure it was called a Wassertreter, but I'm not positive. I decided that it wouldn't be such a bad thing to start off my year with cold feet (pun- hahaha) so I did a few laps. It was really quite nice.
On the way home I ate Scheiße off my bike right in front of my new host sister in some really soft sand, but I was to exhasted to care at all. We made dinner together and I went to sleep.
Sixteen hours later (not a typo or exaggeration) I awoke and descende from my room on the top floor of the house. Iäm the only one living up there, and it's kind of nice to have my own bathroom. My family was sitting around the table in the kitchen eating lunch, so after introductions I joined them and proceeded to sate my ravenous appetite. I met the father, Joachim (Yo-ah-chim), the 13-year-old sister, Maria, and the 7-year-old sister, Angela.
I unpacked a bit, and then we all went to Oma's for the afternoon. It was a family afternoon, and we ate some meal consisting only of pies at around 4:00, and then dinner at around 6:30. Towards the end of the first "meal" all of the men had beers placed in front of them. THEY THOUGHT I WAS A MAN!!!!! Take that, all of you who make fun of me for taking a week to grow noticeable facial hair, real German Männer accepted me as one of them. The really cool thing was that there was no rush to drink it. It wasn't a chug fest or anything of the sort. The fastest any of the men finished one of the beers was about two hours. When I finished mine, they promplty refilled it. After that one, I politely refused any more, as dinner was yet to come.
It was delicious. I don't have any idea what I ate, and I don't really care. I love German food.
At the conclusion of this meal, all of the men (onve again, that includes me) were poured a a shot of some hard alcohol
that looked like apple juice (but tasted nothing like it) and the women all were poured something else. The burn I felt when I tossed that tiny sip down was about like the feeling of my muscles after climbing High School Hill three times in the Tour de Rumford (yeah nordic), except it was in my throat and stomach instead of my legs and arms. After a few deep breaths and a waggle of my head I felt alright, but I again politely refused as the bottle mades it's second round 'round the table. Decided that since I didn't know what it was, I'd better not push it.
Upon coming home I handed out the gifts, which the entire family loved (way to go Mommy!) and then we played cards until about 10:30. It took me about four and a half hours to fall asleep (not a joke) and I woke up to yet another beautiful day.
Tonight I'm going to a welcome home party with Christina for her friends who were in Rome, so I'll get to meet some new kids. I don't know when the next time I'll be able to get on here is, but I will try.

I love and miss most of you,
Tommy