Some things.

German gym class is separated by gender- in my school, at least. I think I kind of like it- everyone seems a lot more relaxed and there's not that constant need to impress. People wear baggy t-shirts and ugly sport pants and take off all their jewelry, and then they actually participate in class. Right now we're doing volleyball- nobody's very good, which makes me feel better about being such a lame volleyball player.

German girls that are really good friends sometimes kiss each other on the lips, depending on their friend group. One of my new friends (I hope!), Sharifa, always kisses her best friends goodbye. It is a little weird for me just because it is so different from America, but it's not bad at all.

German students seem to be a lot more self-driven in class. The teacher will leave the classroom for ten minutes at a time, and everyone will continue doing their work, asking each other questions and actually trying to get as much done as they can. Even in extracurricular-type classes, like Musik or Kunst or Sport, everyone participates and tries their best. In Musik we actually have to sing, sometimes alone, and everyone knows how to read music and we're learning about why certain key signatures play well together... or something like that.

I went to a disko for the first time tonight! With Katie, Austin, and some of Katie's German friends. It was ridiculous- people were smoking, it was SO loud, and there were just lights and confetti and people jumping everywhere- quite crazy! But I got there pretty late because I came after rowing practice, and had to leave around 10:15 because a) I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand it and b) I have a midnight curfew and I don't trust the night buses to be on time. Plus I had to un-check my bag and jacket out of the coatrooms... Yes, two different rooms, because the first one I went took my jacket and then told me that I needed another chip thing for my bag, so I had to go back upstairs and buy another chip, and then they said that coatroom was full so I went back upstairs again and stood in line to put my bag in. So then I had my bag in one and my jacket in the other... sehr convenient. As I told Daniela when I got home (and she seemed very glad to hear this), it was fun but not one of my favorite hobbies, and I like more to be home reading or going to sleep early. (Mind you, that was translated directly from the German that I spoke- my vocabulary is not terribly extensive at the current point so I'm making do with what I've got).

I miss you all!