I Went Extreme Walking in Frankfurt, Germany

I waved goodbye to my first host family on Saturday, but they sent me with enough candy to last a month, so I won't be forgetting them anytime soon. Two hours later I arrived in Frankfurt, and was greeted by the four people whose house I will be sharing for the next ten months. They greeted me with bug hugs from everyone, and we proceeded to throw my bags in a locker and go for a walk through the streets of Frankfurt.

Constantin (my host brother) and I soon discovered our common passion for jumping onto, over, and off of inanimate objects. We both agree that your surroundings are only as boring as you allow them to be. Especially in Frankfurt, there is always an audience to impress with how absurdly, goofily, and carefree-ily you can leap onto and balance on a metal pole sticking about a meter out of the ground (which there seems to be a strange abundance of). Susan and Heiko (host mom and dad) are also really fun, and every once in a while would cheer Const and me on when we accomplished some spectacular feat.

The family and I strolled nonchalantly past a McDonald's, and this event convinced me of how well my host sister, Marie, and I will get along. From the moment her eyes caught sight of the Golden Arches, she had a look of passionate longing on her face. That's actually not entirely true, but she does really like McDonald's, and this is the foundation of our friendship. It's actually not the foundation of our friendship, but it is something we have in common. Okay, I'm glad I wasted so many words on that seemingly irrelevant detail. I just get really excited when people like Mikee-Dee's. That's McDonald's.


Const and Marie are also late sleepers, so there is yet another attribute I share with this family. Unfortunately I have to wake up at around 6:30 in the morning to catch a bus to school. Gross... Speaking of school, I had my first day on Monday. It was pretty good, but I'm in the 11th grade, so everyone is a bit younger than me. I met one kid who is especially cool, though. His name is Phil. We're friends.

I have to take French, which is a little tough, seeing as I speak ABSOLUTELY ZERO FRENCH! This only gives me a little taste, however, of what my friend Mateo is going through. He, too, is an American doing a year in Germany. The difference between my situation and his is that he speaks only as much German as he has learned in the month he has been here. I would never have gone to live alone in a country where I didn't speak the language, but that is exaclty what Mateo is doing. I have so much respect for him, and you all should to. If you're reading this, send Mateo some good vibes and a mental pat-on-the-back, becuase he deserves it.

Warning for Alex S. and my brother: I'm playing a ton of ping pong, so y'all best be on yo game when I get back.

Peace and Love and Döner,
Tommy