RE: Homecoming

When I saw Leonie's post about Homecoming Day I decided to write about it. It was a great experience and I never saw something like this before! Everyone wore the colors of his/her grade and the assembly in the new gym was awesome. :D I didn't get all what was said, but it was fun and I was screaming like half an hour. It was pretty cool that everyone accided. The whole week was fun, I particulary liked the monday and wednesday motto. It is a pity that we don't have something like that in Germany! And even if we had a motto, I'm pretty sure that not everyone would join in. The coolest thing we had at my school was the "Abistreich". It's a day where the seniors play a trick on the teachers. It's mostly not that special, but one time they filled the atrium (it's a schoolyard, built like an amphitheater) with water and we all went with clothes into it. It was fun! Back to homecoming. It's so cool that I was able to experience like a real american homecoming, I felt like I was in a movie or something. :D The homecoming game was nice too.

FREE: Yosemite National Park

Last weekend I went to Yosemite National Park with my family. It was gorgeous! I haven't been to any national park before. The air is so fresh and clean there and it was kinda weird to get out of the car and put on a winter jacket while before you wore a T-shirt. On some spots there was even a rest of snow.  The whole area was so huge and the landscapes reminded me of different countries. In the forests I felt like beeing in Sweden and the bare, red plain with the white moon above looked like I imagine Africa. (I've never been there). On our first day we went to the Hetch Hetchy reservoir and saw a beautiful sunset. We stayed in a house at something like a little village. On Saturday we took a walk in the sequoia woods. Afterwards we drove into Yosemite Valley. We went to a waterfall (there are quite a lot, so I can't remember which one it was, but it wasn't the Yosemite fall), the Ansel Adams gallery and the hotel "Ahwne". It's so pretty and the hall with the chimney looks like Hogwarts. The next day we hiked to the Yosemite fall. Because it was so hot we wanted to swim in the "Merced River", but the water was too cold. It was so peaceful!

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

CE: Occupy Protests

I was looking for something to write about when I found this post: Occupy protests continue across the globe
I never heard about Occupy before we watched a video in class and I wasn't sure if I really get what it is about so I looked it up on the internet.
So as far as I know now it started on Septmeber 19 this year with a demonstration in New York City initiated by the Canadian avtivist group Adbusters. The protest was inspired by the Arab Spring movement and it was mainly against social and ecnonomic inequality, cooperate greed and the influence of corporate money. By October 9, similar demonstrations had been held in many major cities in the US and on October 15, the Global Day of Protest, demonstrated about 100,000 people all over the world. Other Occupy protests have modeled themselves after Occupy Wall Street in over 900 cities worldwide.
"Occupy" protests commonly use the slogan We are the 99% and organize through websites such as "Occupy Together".
Now around 250 demonstrators set up a camp in London outside St. Paul's Cathedral.
Jane McIntyre, one of the protestants said: "People are saying enough is enough, we want a real democracy, not one that is based on the interests of big business and the banking system."
I saw the demonstration in San Francisco on Saturday and I think it's good to do something.
I'm impressed that so many people worldwide protesting!

FREE: Chocolate

I loooove chocolate!
But at the moment two friends and I make a chocolate diet. We try to not eat chocolate for three weeks and then we make a chocolate party, where we eat everything on which we passed on before.
It's the 4. day without any chocolate now and I miss it so bad! I didn't thought before that I eat that much chocolate so it won't be so hard, but now I realized what all contains chocolate! :'D
No Brownies, Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccinos, Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate Ice Cream, Nutella...
Awww, it's so terrible and I don't even know why we do this to us. :D
At worst it is always at Starbucks. It seems like everything contains chocolate and I even can't get a coffee mocha! And then, rigth next to me, there sits someone with a fat brownie.
But I managed it till now so I'll also manage it the remaining days. Hopefully.
I console myself with the thought that we'll go to Starbucks on 29 october (of course I know the date ;D)  and get a grande Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino. I'm so excited!
It's good to live without chocolate a few days, because you realize what other yummy & healthy things you can eat instead.
It's not like I ate chocolate all the time before, but now that I have to abdicate it, it makes me want it even more! But the 29 october will be awesome. :)

CE: Trouble in Germany

The discovery of a firebomb on rail tracks in Berlin has increased fears of renewed attacks by left-wing groups in Germany. Security at railway stations has been stepped up following the discovery of the sixteenth explosive device in nine locations in less than a week. Hundreds of trains have been delayed because of partial shutdowns, but there have been no injuries. A previously unknown leftist group claimed responsibility for the bomb, saying they were protesting against Germany's military involvement in Afghanistan and the country's role as an arms exporter.

When I discovered this video I was a bit scared, because it happened in my homecountry and there's my family and my friends. But I'm glad to here that nobody's hurt (yet). Often newspapers just write about stuff like that to cause a sensation and there's more panic than actually has to be, but I think the situation itself (maybe even more the reason behind it, the military involvement in Afghanistan) is serious.
At school in Germany we had a lecture about Afghanistan from an organisation that is against sending troops there. They are committed to help them but without arms. I was really impressed by the organisation, because it was started by a family and they went to Afghanistan themselves during war and with their children. The man helped as a doctor with a secret practice under the earth and the woman as a teacher. One time they lived next to Osama bin Laden. They lived in peace with everyone, also the Taliban, and nobody ever tried to hurt them. Far from it, they welcomed them. And so, like the woman who gives the lecture, they got to know the culture of the Afghans. And even if I don't think that everything's that good what they think and do, everyone should deal with it. And it's of course a better way to go to Afghanistan and help the people build up their country again by vet and teach them and doning just the help they want and not by sending armed troops!

Well, this was mostly about the backround and not the actual situation in Germany, but it's better to deal with a subject than just running scared.

BC: Live Each Day As If It Is Your Last

 "If you life each day as if it was your last, someday you'll certainly be right."

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to losa, You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
Steve Jobs

I agree with Jobs' advice in so far that I think you should always follow your heart. You should not do anything just because you don't want to hurt someone, when you don't feel good with it. Because your life is about you and it's only yourself who can make you happy.
But I also disagree with "live each day as if it is your last", because if you would do just what you want every day you couldn't build up something. But that's one of the humans special characters, that we can plan. We can look on our future and decide to do something we don't like for a goal we want to reach. So this wouldn't make us happy today but in the future. Well, of course we don't know what will happen, maybe we are dead the next day. But we don't know and I think it's fine as it is. When I would know my last day I would just be in panic all the time. I would think: I want to do this and this and this and what if I can't accomplish it anymore? I couldn't enjoy my life;  I would be scared and under time pressure.
But I think this isn't what Jobs wants to say with this quote.
So if  I started following his advice tomorrow I would learn about myself what I really want. I often think about my situation, if I do everything right and what I really want to achieve in my life. And then I mostly start working for it. But I have some days, like probably everyone, where I can't pick myself up. I just want to sleep and I tell myself tomorrow's another day, another start. Today is one of those days... And I know it would be better to work for the things you want right now, but there are so many things that try to hold us back.
Self-doubt, incertitude, fear of embarrasment or failure...
So to say "live now, tomorrow you can be dead" is one way to help you think of what you really want and then work for it, but it's not my favourite quote. It's kind of negative. I need to be able to look forward to something. That helps me, but it's probably different from person to person.
But I would definitely give the advice "follow your heart" to people about how to make the big choices in life, because like I already said, it's your life and you are responsible for you to make you happy.

RE: Always Look At The Bright Side Of Life

"Do not let unnecessary problems ruin your day. Keeping a positive attitude creates a healthy mind. The real difference between happy positive people and unhappy negative people is their willingness to change and adjust their attitudes in any and every situation. Life goes on. Keep it moving."


What Cassandra wrote in her post is absolutely true. This is the second time that I write the post, because when I had finished it the first time I forgot to save it and everything was gone. Urgh. But then I remembered about what I had written and so I stayed calm and wrote it again. :)
One of the reasons why I wanted to go to California was that my life in Germany was kind of routine. Nothing really changed. I don't want to say that my life was bad or boring, it was just...general.
I'm thankful to be here now, because I found my groove again and I rediscovered my home new.
At the moment I am full of new ideas and plans and I hope I can keep this. It is good to get out sometime. Here in California the people have another, but great attitude. Just chill and enjoy your life. I hope I can take this back to Germany. I've learned again how sunny and beautiful life is, also the weather. :)
But back to the quote. You shouldn't hold yourself up just because of little problems or accidents.
The joy is not in the things, it's in us! You can discover something new everywhere and sometimes you just have to get out of your habits and the daily routine. Also when something didn't turn out like you wanted it, you musn't stay in a bad mood but look forward. It helps me when I tell myself again and again: Every day is a new beginning!

CE: Undocumented

Should "illegal immigrants" acquire citizenship? That's a difficult topic, but it is clear that something has to change. It can't last like it is at the moment, that's not good for anybody. I'm not well versed in this, but as far as I know some people in the US want to leave the immegrants, who are mostly Mexicans, for various reasons. Firstly because they think that there are already too many unemployed persons in the United States and that the immigrants take away the work from them. Other Americans say that the immigrants should stay because they do the work they don't want to do. And framers want the immigrants to stay, because they work harder for less money. That's particularly because of the different life circumstances: when you work for 5 dollars a day, you're rich in their eyes, but in the US that's worth nothing. And that's it! You can not live on five dollars a day! So the situation now (as far as I know, maybe I'm wrong) is that the immigrants work hard, apparently do the work others don't want to do, and get nothing but a more than unfair fee for it. So as long as they are needed here they can stay and work, but are not allowed to live and then suddenly they have to go back to the country they came from. And that's of course not okay.
And it is right that "we are all immigrants" like protastans said, because the people who actually lived in America are less than 1% of the current population. But, however the situation looks really like at the moment, the youth must not have to pay for it!

FREE: Augsburg

There are lots of places I love in my hometown. In summer everybody's sitting on the "Rathausplatz", it's a square in front of the city hall. You just chill with your friends and cold drinks from Pow Wow and sometimes there's a stage with local  bands or dancegroups or other special events. In winter there is the "Augsburger Christkindls Markt". My favourite café is Henrys. It's usually crowded and especially in autum it's difficult to get a table, because it is too cold or rainy to sit outside then. It is also a bit expensive, but the coffee & food is excellent and it has a nice flair. Another coffeehouse and also a good place to eat breakfast is "aran". Aran means bread in a different language and the name is up to the range. They offer slices with various spreads, sweet and savory. The location is special, because the café is placed in an huge, historic hall with high walls and a big, wooden table in the middle. But because of the dimension it is often noisy there. Who looks for a calmer place should go to the Baguette Company on "Moritzplatz". Upstairs they have some nice seats. If you want to go to a typical cafe of Augsburg "Dichtl" is the best. They have a offer of a variety of cakes. My favourite restaurants are Vapiano (an Italian chain with various noodles and delicious desserts), Anna (it is conveniently located in the main shopping street but in a quiet and usually sunny backyard) and the "Milchbar" on the marketplace (they have soo delicious milkproducts like rice pudding, yeast dumpling and "Kaiserschmarrn"). For brunching "Thalia" is the best place. It's an old, beautiful theater and every sunday they have a great buffet in a large, bright room next to it where you can eat everything from sweet pancakes to eggs with bacon. Thereafter you can watch a movie for little money.
The best places for shopping are downtown or for rainy days, the City Gallery where you have all popular chains side by side. Famous buildings are the "Perlachturm", it's a tower next to the city hall from which you have a great view over Augsburg, the Golden Hall in the city hall and, of course, the "Augsburger Puppenkiste" the only place in the world where you can watch a show of the puppets on strings. I was there often as a child with my grandma, but not anymore since then. That's it so far about my hometown.






Panoramic view from the Perlachturm on the Rathausplatz




Augsburger Christmast Market




The Golden Hall in the city hall


 

Augsburger Puppenkiste

ME: The Definitive Characteristic Of Humanity

What differs us from other creatures? That's a good question, but not easy to answer.
I would say that the definitive characteristic of humanity is that we are led by our emotions.
Everything we do is because of a feeling.
Of course also other creatures like animals have feelings. They feel pain if they are injured and feel hungry when they have nothing to eat. But they aren't led by their feelings, they are led by their instincts.
We make decisions by our feelings. For example has someone planned to study in his hometown, but now he suddenly realizes that he would like to see the world and concludes thereupon to work and travel one year in Australia first.
Other creatures, I'm comparing with animals, because they are most similar to humans, would never do this. They act - like I already said- on their instincts. They eat when they are hungry, sleep when they are tired and they are looking for a shelter when it's getting cold and they make a hibernating or move to the south. Not because they're got the travel bug, but to survive.
For the human from my example would it be more convenient to stay in his hometown, he has enough to eat, his family and a roof over his head. And nevertheless he goes away, because he craves for something new.
We humans dream and plan. We let us guide by our feelings and do things against all rationality and without any pretended sense only because of a feeling.
A picture can bring us to tears and a sunbeam to sing.
We don't live, like animals, only in the present, even if we would like to do it like "Live the moment". We always think of what was and what will be.
When we live in a rainy, grey town just the thought of a sunset at Pacific can make us happy.
When the human can't have something he imagines it or draws it and can also be satisfied with it.
At one morning we stand up and feeld bad and then we have a bad day and nothing works out the way it should. At the next morning we wake up and we are in a good mood and at once everything everything works. Because we are dependent on our emotions, they are a part of us and they are this what distinguishes us from other creatures.
Through our emotions we are capable of incredible things. Of hate, jealousy or revenge one human is able to kill another and at the same time he can love a human so much that we give him (or her) everything.
Our feelings let us do wonderful but also cruel things. Often because of the feelings to another human, or else the pursuit of power and wealth. We know that we have enough to live in comfort and nevertheless says our feeling that we could have more. And some people want this and enforce it.
When animals have a hideout, that is big enough for them, they would never come to the idea to draw on a second or third one.
But unlike animals, that are addicted to their instincts, do we have rationality. We can, based on our knowledge and our experience, picture the effects of an action and decide against it.
But we can use this also in a negative way, if we for example, have hunger we can abort it, because we have the feeling that we are too thick. Or we have the need to sleep, but we can resist the fatigue, because we want to party. This can go so far that a human dies. But that are extreme situations, naturally our emotions lead us the right way, 'cause the human is a life form, he wants to live and have a nice life. What that means depends on each individual human.
A piece of chocolate can make us happy, the smile of a friend gives us courage and a song makes us dance.
Another wonderful character of the human is the feeling of hope. We can go way for miles and miles, because we believe in something/someone bigger ans because of that we feel better, because we're hoping.
Even in desperate situations we can keep alive 'cause the feeling of hope don't let us give in.
Even if there's nothing, precisely nothing, the human can carry on, because there's a light in us, hope, and it leads us.
Dreaming, planning, hoping. That are the wonderful characters of humans.
All our thoughts and actions are led by our emotions. That's what I think is the definitive character of humanity.

RE: USA - Germany

"When people always ask me, what the biggest difference between the US and Luxembourg is, it's always hard to answer because there are so many differences. Food, laws, school, weather, attitude of the people and much more are different from the things in California."
Claire


I know I already wrote about this theme in my introduction but there are so many differences between Germany and the US, just like Claire said. Probably I should write California - Germany, because I haven't been anywhere else in the US yet... Anyway, in my last post I wrote about the schools so I'll continue with food. Firstly, in the US everything is bigger, like Claire wrote too, e.g. the smallest coffeecup here is "tall", in Germany however "tall" is the biggest one. Or scoops of ice cream, pizzas... (a whole pizza in Germany costs as much as one slice here , but it has a different consistency, it's thinner and not with so much fat.) Generally there's not so much fast food in Germany. What I really miss here is a bakery with fresh wholewheat bread, buns, pretzels, croissants... But instead we have not as many Starbucks as here. In Augsburg we haven't a single one. Free water in restaurants is also unusual, you sometimes get it for free with a cup of coffee, but only in noble cafes.
Like the food it's also with cars: the smallest one here is one of the biggest in Germany. A funny thing is that my dad said in Germany how wasteful the Americans are, because they drive with open windows and turned on air conditioning and now he's doing the same. :) That isn't good of course, but it's always getting pretty hot in the car...
The weather is very different too, it's not as hot and sunny as here and we have much more rain. Oh and we have snow!
Like Claire said, the attitude of the people here is very different than of Germans. Not all, of course, but in general. In California everyone is so relaxed and open-minded. Like, when I went to a cafe with my family and we spoke German to each other, they said "Where are you guys from?" and after we told them "Welcome to the United States". Also on my first day of school here, everyone was so friendly, helpful and interested. And first of all you notice it in sports: When somebody almost score a goal they say "Good job" here, but in Germany you often hear a "Boo". I hope I can change my attitude here and come back to Germany with a more positive thinking!

CE: Google+ vs Facebook

Goole+ contra facebook, the big fight in the cyber world. I don't really care about this, but I use google a lot and the last time I opened it, there was a link for Google+, the new social network offered by google. When I'm on the internet I have always an open side from google, mostly google translator, google reader & blogger and also my homepage is google.de. But I'm not a member of Google+ and I think I won't be. Actually I'm against social networks, because I think who you are there, that's not the real you and people sometimes seem so different when you just look at their pages. But now that I'm far away from all my friends in Germany I'm glad to be on facebook, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to stay in contact with them. I also use skype, of course, but cause of the time difference I'm able to skype with them only weekends. In the video it says that Google+ offers a video call for up to ten people for free, but I'm not sure if it really works that well... well I think I won't use Google+, but I said the same about facebook and now I have it, so... But I prefer writing letters and postcards even if it takes more time, because it's more personal.

BC: In The Dark

I am alone. Alone in the dark, in a closed room with no key to open the door. I am scared, I feel like someone's compressing my throat and I can hardly breath. I am on the verge of screaming, but I can't. The fear holds me off. What if there's someone in the room, hiding behind a shelf with a knife in his hand, only a few foot away from me? A cold shower's running over my back. No one's in the house, who could hear me. I am all alone in the cellar. Wasn't there a noise? I'm not able to move. Stop! Stop thinking such a crap, you're alone in this room and it's dark, but that's no problem. You just have to find the key that you've dropped when you wind up in the spider's web. The spider. What if it's right in front of me? I feel like running but I am petrified. Calm down.

It all started with an empty bag of chips. I was watching TV, when I noticed that the the bag of chips was empty and because I was hungry, I stood up to go to the pantry. I grabbed the key and went to the basement. While I was unlocking the door, I heard the voices on the TV. I turned on the light and went inside. The door slammed. Our pantry is pretty big with lots of shelves that are full of stuff, so it took me a while to find the right shelf. Exactly in this moment when I saw the chips at the top of the shelf the light went out. It was pitch-dark and silent. No more noise from the TV. After I had recognized that it was a blackout I ran scared and hurried up to get to the door. I felt my way from one shelf to the next when I suddenly grabbed into a spider's web. I screamed, dropped the key and jumped back into a shelf. All things fell out. I heard a glass bursting and something hit my foot. I jumped back again and slipped. Aww, my foot. I touched my ankle and felt something liquid, clammy... eek, what was that? It smelled like... tomatosoup. I made a step forward.

And that's where I am now. Okay, where's the key? I touch the shelf beside me. Is this the shelf with the chips? Damn, why did I jumped back? Stop. The shelf with the chips was the... third one by the door. So let's go to the door and from there back to the third shelf. But wait. The key felt when I grabbed into the spider's web and that was... Gosh, I'll never find the key! If I had at least a flashlight. Come on! I make another step forward. My foot knocks against something. I bend down and touch the object... it feels cold and metallic... but it's too big for a key. A can opener! I stuck it in my pocket, maybe I'll need it later. I make two steps forward and stumble over a round thing. I fall to the ground. Aww, my ankle, again! I sample the floor around me. Nothing except cold, hard stone. But wait. My fingers hit against something metallic, scraggly - the key!  It takes a load off my mind. With new energy I stand up and make my way through the room. The end of the shelf, space, next shelf, space... wall! I sample the wall and come across another one. I'm in a corner. Behind me is the last shelf so I have to go to the right. One step, two steps, three.. I touch wood. The door! Now I need the keyhole. There's the door latch so the keyhole has to be under it. There it is! I breathe deeply. Yeah, I found it! I put the key into the lock and - suddenly the light comes on. For a short moment I am dazzled but then I realize what happened. The light's on! I look around. I've made a mess! Boxes, open bags, a broken glas and tomatosoup were scattered all over the floor. Let's get out of here! I turn the key and open the door. Surprise! In front of me stands my mother. That's too much. I fling my arms around my mother's neck and start to cry.

FREE: Germany

I'll tell you something about my home country, because I think that most of you don't know so much about it.
The capital is Berlin, but honestly I've never been there. Going there is one of the first things I'll do when I'm back in Germany. Probably the most popular city is Munich and because I live in Augsburg (what's about half an hour away) I'm there almost every weekend. At the moment there's the "Oktoberfest", also known as the "Wiesn". All women wear a "Dirndl" and the men "Lederhosen", the typically Bavarian costume. The main activity is drinking original German beer. :) Beside the Oktoberfest, the "Nürnberger/ Augsburger Christkindlsmarkt" is also very popular. He takes place from the 21. november to the 24. december. It's a big Christmas market and it's known for its German "Bratwürste" and "Glühwein" and of course the "Nürnberger Lebkuchen". Another typical German dish is "Spätzle mit Soß". Hamburg and Cologne are also familiar cities. I love Hamburg, because it's the most beautiful port city in Germany and there's the only "Urban Outfitters" and many other great shops. :) Blankenese is a pretty residential area. I also like my hometown Augsburg of course. There is still much more to say about Germany, maybe in my next free post. :)

RE: My Future

"Some people have their futures planned out and know exactly what they're going to do after high school. Then there are the people who don't even want to think about their future till Senior year."
 Jennifer

That's a good topic to write about. I already thought about my future, but I don't know excatly what I'm going to do after high school. Well, nobody knows, life hardly ever goes the way you planned it. So I'd like to study at a university in London, even though I know that's hard and expensive. I haven't caught up on anything yet, but I love the city and the people there. Another wish for my future is to travel around the world. I'd like to see Ireland, Norway, Finland, Greece, Rome, Amsterdam, India, Canada, New York, Iceland, Africa and Luxembourg. And I'd like to work and travel in Australia for one year after school. You see, there are so many ways I'd like to go and it'll probably be different anyway. So after I've gained experiences and got to know other cultures and languages I would like to move to Sweden and start a family there. And my children should be educated bilingually. :) Well, right now I'm glad to be in America and the things I want to do next are getting finally 16 and enjoying my life!

CE: Houses build for nothing !

I chose this video as my current event post, because I think it's so weird that they're building houses and now no one lives there! So, for what reason did they build them? As investments, ha, that's sick. I mean there are so many people in our world who have no home. So why, please, don't they build houses for them? Where this people need them! Well, on one hand I think it's a good idea to build a city in the desert, to use this space, but on the other hand: How get they water there? I think this is really money consuming and I'm not sure if it's useful. But doing all these expenditures and now this city is EMPTY is not just wasteful, it's rediciolus, because the houses won't look new forever! If no one's living there they will expire. There are so many people in need and I really can't understand why some rich guys let build houses as investments instead of helping those people! I don't want to imagine how much this project costed and how much work was needed and all this for nothing!

FREE: Sweden

I was thinking along time about which theme I should choose for the free post..now I decided to write about Sweden, because it's my favourite country and Leonie's post has given me the idea. :) Well... I was in Sweden in 2009, so it's a bit ago, but I remember it well. I always wanted to go there, because I have a friend who's from Sweden and I read all the Astrid Lindgren books when I was a child. :) But I became really interested in it when I had to do a presentation for school about Sweden. I love the food there, like swedish pancakes or "Köttbullar", oh, and I love Ikea! :) Well, so I was very excited about the trip. It was not exactly as I imagined, but it was still great. Maybe even greater than I thought.We travelled around with a camper, so we saw many parts of Sweden. The landscape is really beautiful with all its lakes and forests and the seaside. And I like the red houses, which are typically for Sweden. I have just precious memories of the time I spent in Sweden.We mostly stayed at beautiful lakes, but we were in Stockholm, too. I love Stockholm! One H&M next to another. ;) H&M is from Sweden, so that's another reason why I love it. But that's of course not the only reason why I like Stockholm. It's so colorful and cheerful there. And although I can see on the pictures I took that it was rainy, I treasured sunny days. :) And I like the different styles there, the lovely buildings, the tiny cafes, the nice museums and the people... well, honestly I thought that there are only blond folks. :D But there were people from many different cultures, of course! And I like the language. I started to learn swedish with a friend in Germany and when we're good enough we want to go to Stockholm. At the moment I just know things like: "Jag heter Lotta. Vad heter du?" That means "My name's Lotta. What is your name?" I also want to visit Göteborg and Malmö and I'd like to be there when they celebrate midsummer.

BE: About Me

Hi Everybody! Welcome to my Blog. I'm Lotta. My whole name is Carlotta, but I'd like to be called Lotta. :) I'm from Germany, but I'm staying in the US for half a year. So my writing goal for this year is to get better in English! ;)

Hobbies:
My hobbies are dancing hiphop, listening to music, playing piano and taking pictures.
I'd like to learn how to play guitar! I have a guitar, but it's in Germany so I'm not able to play at the moment. The only thing I can play is "Hänschen Klein", a simple german kids song. :D
And I like to surf. In the last holidays I was in Cornwall (that's in England) and I had my first surflesson there. It was fun, so I'd like to surf here in California, too, and hopefully I'm getting better. Because in Munich ( a City in Germany) there's a wave in the Isar, called the "Munich Wave", where you can also surf, but only when you're really good.
Dancing
I do this since I was a child. I started with ballet, like many little girls. :) Then I changed to Jazz Dance and later to hiphop. That's what I like best and I'm still doing it today. The last year I tried ballet again, but I found out that it is not my thing and so I stopped it. I think if you want to be good in dancing ballet you have to start in childhood and do it constantly.
Taking Pictures
I'm into that for like two or three years now. I love taking pictures with friends but also from interesting things or landscapes, cities, other people, styles... But actually my camera is not working so I'd like to have a new one, but the really good ones are expensive.. And I'd like to get an instant camera, because I think it's cool to have the pictures printed  immediately. And because the film's so expensive every photo is special and personally. I also like looking at photos of other young photographers on flickr. This inspires me for my own pictures. I'd really like to become a photographer, but I don't want to take pictures only from weddings or models, like the most do. That's kinda boring.. I'd like to travel around and take the pictures that I want to take. :)

Germany - America:
There are lots of differences between Germany and America. For example the school: My school in Germany is from the 5th to the 12th grade and there are just 600 pupils. So our school is smaller and we do not have that much space for athletics. We have only two little gyms and one running track. That's it. :) We have no swimming pool or a tennis court. I think that's because most students do their sport outside of school in sports clubs. Sport isn't such a school thing like here. It's what you do as a hobby. And in Germany you have to pay money for each sports club. I prefer how it is in America.