Successful First Week

Hallo! Yesterday and today we had Cross Cultural Communication sessions instead of class. This is where we divided into groups and met with a teacher. We learned and talked about cultural differences and how to react and adjust to other cultures. We learned a lot about the cultures of our classmates from Indonesia, Mexico, India and Portugal. The quote our teacher told us that really hit home was, "The fish does not know he is in water until he is out of it" We felt this was very true because before this trip none of us really knew what else was out there and by doing this trip we have learned a lot about ourselves and about our own culture. Even though these sessions were really long, they were very beneficial.
So even though it was about 80 degrees the whole week before we were here, it has been rainy on and off and about 65 most days. This is not the weather I packed for, but today I was finally able to go buy a few sweaters!
Last night was the Welcome Party for all the foreign students studying abroad in Germany put on by the program leaders of Hochschule University. I had a blast, and so did everyone else. At first when we looked in the door we thought we were entering a prom of formal dance but once we went in it was so much fun. It was held in an area of town we hadn't explored yet. (These are the pictures of "BREMEN" and us by the water.) It was so much fun to watch the German girls dance. It was very different. Everyone sort of dances by themselves but together. There is no "grinding." They played American music. (Most music I have heard here is American or a variation of it.) Soon our whole group was on the dance floor blending in with the other students from all over. All it took to get us out there was for them to play Spice Girls "I'll Tell Ya What I Want" and the Backstreet Boys.
It has been a very successful first week and I am having so much fun! I hope everyone is having as good a summer as I am. Early tomorrow morning I will be heading out by train to the Amsterdam and the Netherlands! I will not be taking my laptop so if I don't respond or blog until then that is why. I am a little nervous about going, but almost everyone else on the trip is going so we should be fine sticking together. Everyone have a good weekend and I'll tell you all about Amsterdam Sunday or Monday! :)