I have been studying the German language for three years at my school, Central Valley High School. Every year, there is a national exam we take. I took this exam, the National German Exam, and scored in the 98th percentile. I was shocked because I had a chance to travel overseas to Germany on a $5000 scholarship. The application process was writing an imaginary letter to a host family in German and a German-speaking interview over the phone. If I won, I would be living in Germany with a host family for one whole month.
I remember the day I got the news. I read my e-mail and noticed there was one out of the ordinary. When I opened it, all I saw was the word “congratulations” and I knew that I had been given an opportunity that very few people at my age get to enjoy. It seemed like the very next week I was saying goodbye to my friends and family in Spokane, Washington to go fly on the longest airplane ride of my life.
There was only one thing about the plane ride over to Germany that bugged me. On our way to and from Germany, the organization had split up our group on two different flights. This was my only complaint about the entire trip. Despite this, jet lag had begun to take over once I arrived in Germany. I met my host family as I got off the plane. Even as they were taking me home, I had begun to grow weary of all the differences of Germany. Everything was so strange to me. My host family was very welcoming and hospitable. For the next month I would be living with them in Nuremberg, Germany.
I was also, going to attend school in this foreign land. Sometimes I went with my German host brother and other times the school had set up special lessons for our group of American students. In total, there were 13 American students in my group. Only 39 kids across America won the scholarship. At first, it was hard for me to interact with the other kids because I’m so shy. As we spent more and more time with each other, however, I got more accustomed with them.
Our third week in Germany we, as a group, were all going to stay in Berlin, the capital of Germany, for a week. We spent all day and everyday together as a group seeing the sights of Germany. I saw the Brandenburg Gate, some parts of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and many other interesting sights of German culture. There was one guy that I would always hang out with on the trip. His name was Clark and we got a long so well because we shared an interest in music. It meant a lot to me having a buddy on the trip made it a lot easier for me to dispel my homesickness.
After Berlin, our group was extremely close. We were like a family. I did not anticipate getting so close to the people in my group. Half of us were teary-eyed when the day finally came when we had to say goodbye to our new friends, myself included. I will never forget any of them and the experiences we shared.
Going to Germany has made me become more independent. I had to walk to school by myself sometimes and Clark and I even navigated us through Berlin alone. All in all, my trip to Germany was an opportunity of a lifetime and I will never forget the memories I made.
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One of the most expensive parts of the trip is the accomodations. Our family has a timeshare in Williamsburg and we get discounts on our maintenance for recommending others to stay for 3 nights at one of their 2 bedroom apartment with kitchen & take a 90 minute tour. The accomodations are great & free after you set your watch and listen for 90 minutes. Our link is on craigslist: http://raleigh.craigslist.org/vac/2518503559.html
NOTE: Yo u DON"T have to or want to buy into a timeshare, but if you do, you have 3 days to back out of it with no penalty. If you really are interested in buying, there are many foreclosures online that you can find.
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What should the letter of consent say if I, a single parent, am taking my daughter to Germany, but then crossing other borders into bordering countries on our vacation? I may not know specifically what other countries we will be visiting until we get into Europe (we are staying with friends in Germany and they will be taking us around Europe for a bit).
It's best to be as specific as possible, because these letters include the dates and destinations for your trip. We would suggest that you note the full date range (from… to ….. and make it a bit longer just in case), then you put down as many countries as you think are possible. List Germany and all the contiguous countries and add a few more, better more than not mentioning one you will visit.
Also, you should carry 2 notarized copies of the Permission to Travel Letter (put one with your passport to show at Immigration and flight check-in; keep the 2nd one in the child's luggage in case you lose one or an Immigration official wants to keep it). Enjoy your trip!
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San Miguel de Allende is a truly magnificent location, and is becoming a locale of choice for American and Canadian expats. There is a highly developed infrastructure that supports a very large and sophisticated English speaking community here. Culture abounds, and there is extremely active social calendar. There are easily forty or more art galleries in town. The climate is among the best, with warm, dry temperatures year round. Real estate here is among the most beautiful in the world, and your dollar can buy you so much more house than in North America. I lead exciting home buyer trips to San Miguel. Join me on one of these exciting tours to view and buy real estate in San Miguel.
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I know this is an older post, but I just saw it. My kids are 6, 7 and 15 and old pros at road trips. I LOVE road trips and have been known to take "road trip" vacations in which no video games/dvds/electronics are allowed and we pack the tent (to save money on hotels) and just drive to random spots and camp out along the way. If you pack a cooler it can be an affordable vacation if you only pay for gas, food from the supermarket and a few odds and ends. Historic landmarks, national parks, or places like Washington D.C. are full of fun cheap spots to bring the kids! My kids love this and handle being in a car forever very well, we play games, sing, talk, etc. Plus we aren't afraid to take deters and go see things like the worlds biggest chair! It's a bunch of fun!
Sounds like you know how to have fun, and like your kids really get along well. that's the biggest challenge we find in a long trip with a crowded backseat. When everyone starts to 'express' themselves it can get hairy!I love the idea of picking random spots to camp out in. You must be really resourceful!
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My childrens mother gave my 8 and 9 year old daughters to me to raise 2 years ago. She hasn't seen them in 2 years. She wants a 2 week visit with them in another state. I need a form to have her sign to make sure she returns the children to me by a certain date.
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Always bring a small container of new little toys and a little treat for each child to have in the car or on the plane.
We do this with our sons…we purposely get some new toys and treats that fit into a small container so it is easy for them to carry it on their own. The novelty of new little things keeps it fab fresh and fun for them, which keeps it peaceful and happy for my hubby and me. A little bag of crackers or cookies, a small bottle of water, and a few little toys to play with keeps them happy. If we fly, we even try to find some gum that they may not have had before, as it keeps it interesting for them to try something new.
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We shall be judged more by what we do at home than what we preach abroad. What made you want to look up abroad?
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