After a two week break, school started back up again, but it feels a little different.  I'm starting to understand more of my classes, making homework and studying a little bit easier and the classes more interesting.  I've also begun getting my first quarter grades.  Although they are nothing like my grades back in the US, but I have to remind myself that I'm here to learn German and be immersed in German culture not to learn Calculus.  But I'm pretty proud of myself as I'm passing all of my classes and I've gotten some pretty good grades, like a 1+ (A+) in Sport (the average grade in that class was around a 2+/ B+) and 1 in the class I was the most nervous about...English. ;)

These past few weeks have been like a roller coaster, with some days going great and others leaving me frustrated.  Some days went great and I talked a lot, understood my classes, and/or had a good sport practice, but others were frustrating.  I felt awkward and I easily became frustrated with myself (most of the time it was because I didn't speak as much as I wanted to.)  Sometimes, these feelings just felt like I took a step backwards.  But then a friend dropped me a Facebook message, telling me that "you learn the most in the most frustrating of times" and that really inspired me and helped me pull through. And low and behold, she was right! Something suddenly "clicked" two days ago!
 
I was talking with some friends after school and all the sudden, in mid-sentence, I noticed that something was different about this conversation.  I was following the conversation subconsciously and speaking like I would with friends in English (just more simplistically.)  Everything felt natural and that feeling was incredible.  I can tell that I've come a long way and I've accomplished a whole lot for being here in such a short time.  So that puts a smile on my face.

Since then (which has only been 2 days,) my days have been much, much better and I've begun to relax more and speak more in groups and I feel like I can contribute something to conversations.

I'm also beginning to get in the holiday spirit and beginning to make plans with friends to bake, go to Weihnachtsmärkte (famous, little Christmas markets found all over Germany,) shop and go to Christmas parties!

Happy (early) Thanksgiving to everyone back home! Eat some pumpkin pie for me!