Marie is writing again!

Well Hallo!!!

It's me Marie. I know I am behind as usual..but hey..better late than never right.

So let's see. So much has happened in the past month..that I just can't keep track. My German is getting really so much better and my English grammar is going down the drain. That will be helpful next year in college..:) I haven't had a Rotary get together with all of the exchanges since January..but our next one begins this Saturday. We are going for 10 days on a ski trip in Schladming, Austria. That is near Salzburg..and let me tell you I am soooooooo pumped. I went skiing for one week in february with my host family and almost died..but I'm fully recovered now and ready to take on the wonderful world of Snowboarding!!!!! Lord help me!!! So I really can't wait.

School is the same old stuff. My classmates are getting a little more friendlier..and since my German is getting better..then I'm not having as much trouble "expressing" myself..and I feel right at home. It took a little longer with the school but I knew it would come. Classes are well... classes..and nothing really exiting goes on. The cafes in Baden are still wonderful during those 2 hour long Chemistry classes that I am sorry to say..but I cannot live through.

One really cool thing that I started to do with Claudia( my host sister) is ....don't laugh, cheerleading. Baden( of all places) has an American Football Team. The Badener Bruins..and Claudia and I are cheerleaders for it. It is so much fun...because they are just learning how to do it...so it really is about being spirited. And all that stuff about being a cheerleader to be popular or date the football players( although some of them I really wouldn't mind), just isn't part of the cheerleading here...yet. We have practice 2 times a week and the games begin in April. It's good that I'm finally doing some sort of physical activity..that doesn't involve eating!!!!! Gotta work off those Austrian kilos before I get home or mom won't recognize me at the airport. "Excuse me little sausage...could you please move..I'm looking for my daughter"...MOM!!!! It's me really!!!!! Okay a little exaggerating..but why not????

I went to a ball last weekend at the casino again..and it was so much fun. It was a Faschings Ball( kind of like Mardi Gras..in Europe) And people were all dressed up and I danced(well tried to dance) my first Wiener Waltz. It really did't help any that my partner had no clue what was going on either...but we just spun around in circles counting 1,2,3, 1,2,3,...and somehow we managed not to get stepped on. I'm going to a dance school(ball room) now twice a week. All of the Austrian youth here do it..but the best part of it is..that since I am an exchange student I don't have to

pay!!!!!!!!!!!! cool!!! and i completely love that..One hundred percent fun!!! Oh and if you wanna look we have a webpage for the football team. The address is www.bac-bruins.xodox.at. The cheerleades are under the title "Teddies". That's our nickname..pretty corny huh??? And the picture of me is not really that good( I know mom..bad posture) but hey...not every pic can be

perfect okay???????

Well what else..The last two weeks I had about 5 friends(other exchanges) who had a free week in that part of Austria, come and visit me. 3 Mexicans, a Spaniard, and a Brazilian. We had a blast and my Geography teacher was extra supportive( surprisingly enough) when I decide to bring all of them to school with me for the day. It was fun!!!!! My host family was so great and I think by the end of the week rather tired...but then again I think we all were. We of course toured around Vienna for the 100th time( that place is becoming as familiar to me as my own backyard) and the weather was absolutely beautiful. It has been a lot warmer lately..and I haven't seen snow since the middle of February. The other day I was in Vienna and I noticed that they started putting the outdoor cafes back out. It was like a complete shock..because the last time I saw those was in September and I had completely forgotten about them. Then it just blew me away..because it made

me realize that I only have about 3-4 months left here.

I think in the last month my realization about everything has been coming more to an "actual realization". I have realized how much I've learned this year and how much my perspective about everything has changed in general. I really am so thankful that I had the opportunity to be a part of this program and I wouldn't trade one single day of it for anything. Even the

bad days...I love them too.

I am beginning to dread going home....not because of being afraid of home..it'S just that I really am going to miss this year so much and I don't' want it to end. But then again I guess I kind of have to have some responsibilities and blah blah blah...(Yes, mother I know). But I know now

not to blink...cuz if I do I'll miss it. The whole "it"

My family is absolutely wonderful and I am really feeling at home here. I can'T really say much else other than I love it here and every day it gets better.

Oh and if ya'll don't hear from me in the next month...you might want to check the hospital ..because I've never snowboarded before and I'm seeing some large trees in my near future. But hey at least it' fun..and that's what that emergency fund is there for anyway right?????

Ich hoffe dass alles mit ihr ist Super!!!(hope everything's good)

Und bis nächste mal!!!(till next time)

SERVUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marie Lively



	*Well Hallo!!!* *It's me Marie. I know I am behind as usual..but hey..better late than never right.* So let's see. So much has happened in the past month..that I just can't keep track. My German is getting really so much better and my English grammar is going down the drain. That will be helpful next year in college..:) I haven't had a Rotary get together with all of the exchanges since January..but our next one begins this Saturday. We are going for 10 days on a ski trip in Schladming, Austria. That is near Salzburg..and let me tell you I am soooooooo pumped. I went skiing for one week in february with my host family and almost died..but I'm fully recovered now and ready to take on the wonderful world of Snowboarding!!!!! Lord help me!!! So I really can't wait. School is the same old stuff. My classmates are getting a little more friendlier..and since my German is getting better..then I'm not having as much trouble "expressing" myself..and I feel right at home. It took a little longer with the school but I knew it would come. Classes are well... classes..and nothing really exiting goes on. The cafes in Baden are still wonderful during those 2 hour long Chemistry classes that I am sorry to say..but I cannot live through. One really cool thing that I started to do with Claudia( my host sister) is ....don't laugh, cheerleading. Baden( of all places) has an American Football Team. The Badener Bruins..and Claudia and I are cheerleaders for it. It is so much fun...because they are just learning how to do it...so it really is about being spirited. And all that stuff about being a cheerleader to be popular or date the football players( although some of them I really wouldn't mind), just isn't part of the cheerleading here...yet. We have practice 2 times a week and the games begin in April. It's good that I'm finally doing some sort of physical activity..that doesn't involve eating!!!!! Gotta work off those Austrian kilos before I get home or mom won't recognize me at the airport. "Excuse me little sausage...could you please move..I'm looking for my daughter"...MOM!!!! It's me really!!!!! Okay a little exaggerating..but why not???? I went to a ball last weekend at the casino again..and it was so much fun. It was a Faschings Ball( kind of like Mardi Gras..in Europe) And people were all dressed up and I danced(well tried to dance) my first Wiener Waltz. It really did't help any that my partner had no clue what was going on either...but we just spun around in circles counting 1,2,3, 1,2,3,...and somehow we managed not to get stepped on. I'm going to a dance school(ball room) now twice a week. All of the Austrian youth here do it..but the best part of it is..that since I am an exchange student I don't have to pay!!!!!!!!!!!! cool!!! and i completely love that..One hundred percent fun!!! Oh and if you wanna look we have a webpage for the football team. The address is www.bac-bruins.xodox.at. The cheerleades are under the title "Teddies". That's our nickname..pretty corny huh??? And the picture of me is not really that good( I know mom..bad posture) but hey...not every pic can be *perfect okay???????* Well what else..The last two weeks I had about 5 friends(other exchanges) who had a free week in that part of Austria, come and visit me. 3 Mexicans, a Spaniard, and a Brazilian. We had a blast and my Geography teacher was extra supportive( surprisingly enough) when I decide to bring all of them to school with me for the day. It was fun!!!!! My host family was so great and I think by the end of the week rather tired...but then again I think we all were. We of course toured around Vienna for the 100th time( that place is becoming as familiar to me as my own backyard) and the weather was absolutely beautiful. It has been a lot warmer lately..and I haven't seen snow since the middle of February. The other day I was in Vienna and I noticed that they started putting the outdoor cafes back out. It was like a complete shock..because the last time I saw those was in September and I had completely forgotten about them. Then it just blew me away..because it made *me realize that I only have about 3-4 months left here.* I think in the last month my realization about everything has been coming more to an "actual realization". I have realized how much I've learned this year and how much my perspective about everything has changed in general. I really am so thankful that I had the opportunity to be a part of this program and I wouldn't trade one single day of it for anything. Even the *bad days...I love them too.* I am beginning to dread going home....not because of being afraid of home..it'S just that I really am going to miss this year so much and I don't' want it to end. But then again I guess I kind of have to have some responsibilities and blah blah blah...(Yes, mother I know). But I know now *not to blink...cuz if I do I'll miss it. The whole "it"* *My family is absolutely wonderful and I am really feeling at home here. I can'T really say much else other than I love it here and every day it gets better.* Oh and if ya'll don't hear from me in the next month...you might want to check the hospital ..because I've never snowboarded before and I'm seeing some large trees in my near future. But hey at least it' fun..and that's what that emergency fund is there for anyway right????? *Ich hoffe dass alles mit ihr ist Super!!!(hope everything's good)* *Und bis nächste mal!!!(till next time)* *SERVUS!!!!!!!!!!!!* *Marie Lively*