A bonding weekend in the Eifel
Like there had never been a seven month break
Amerikanische Sitten in der Eifel: Deutsche und amerikanische Schüler grillen Marshmallows
5.7.2012 - The weekend after we arrived in Hürth with our host families, we had the opportunity to spend a bonding weekend together at Reiterhof in the Eifel with our exchange partners. We all arrived at the farm around nine in the morning on Saturday and we remained there until the next morning. We rode horses on a beautiful trail, played Frisbee, kicked around a soccer ball, taught the German students how to play the card game "BS", cooked up some sausages and burgers for a Barbeque, sang songs and told jokes around a campfire, ate "German s'mores" (with German chocolate and butter cookies in place of Graham crackers!!!), and mostly talked and laughed and really bonded with each other.
The best part of the night for me was the "Nachtwanderung". We had to walk in small groups down a trail with only glow sticks to light our way. Little did we know that Frau King, Mr. Wolcott, Herr Bizer and Frau Hembach were all hiding in the woods waiting to scare us! The screams and the sounds of laughter echoed everywhere!
After so many months of not seeing each other, we all feared that it would be awkward to have to spend a weekend together. The amazing thing was, not one person acted like there had ever been a seven month break between the first and second parts of the exchange -- we were all able to just pick back up right where we left off.
I remember standing outside after everyone had gone in for bed and being completely overwhelmed by the feeling that we are all so lucky to have had this opportunity and that (although we are divided by an ocean), we make up one big family. We all look out for each other, joke around with each other, help each other, make each other laugh, and it's hard to find such a strong bond with so many different people anywhere else. It is such an incredible feeling to know that I have so many friends, not only from my own country, but in another country as well; friends, that I will hopefully have for the rest of my life.
Allie DiMaria