Well I've officially been home for 9 days now. Very strange indeed. But first I'll get you up to date with what happened in my last few days in Germany...
My last day at school was a horrible mix of indifference and then realising that I'll probably never see this building and these people again - cue tears. We brought a cake to school and just before we left, girls lined up to give me hugs and wish me well :)
It was such a beautiful day that day - bright blue skies, sun, snow and ice on the ground. Lea and I decided to go for a walk along the Isar River.
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| In case you can't see, we're holding big chunks of ice that had settled in between the pebbles. |
We had to leave the house at 7.30am the next morning to get out to the airport. After a little bit of overweight-bag panic, we had breakfast (they'd gone to the bakers that morning to get the really good Bretzels. Yum.) where the family gave me a little present and a card, which said some really really nice things and Lea had drawn little pictures all over it to remind me of all the little things in Germany. I had a bit of a cry :) Unfortunately Lea couldn't come to the airport as she had a Physics test and the teacher wouldn't let her :( But I gave her and Paul hugs goodbye and Lissi and Johnny and I left our apartment for the very last time.
The 45 minute car ride was very strange. I couldn't believe that I wouldn't be seeing all those little things again - the Allianz Arena, the Marienplatz and so on. I was a wee bit weepy. We got to the airport and, as promised, two of my good friends had actually come along! I know they'd said they would, but I was nevertheless so shocked and humbled that friends came to wish me goodbye on the other side of town at 8.30am.
Then I said my tearful goodbyes, and promises to return, and promises on their part to come and visit me. I gave some big hugs to my host parents, of course - they'd done so much for me. I just hope we can do the same for Lea when she's here! It was about 36 hours between lifting off in Munich and touching down in Wellington, and I only slept about 4 hours. The flights were, naturally, uneventful, apart from the Scottish and Welsh Sevens teams being with us from London to Wellington. Oh, and the group being split up at Heathrow, because the group leader decided to change terminals with only half of her charges. Fab.
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| AND WE'VE LANDED |
Over the next few days, I caught up with family and friends, and, true to form, went swimming in the ocean on my second day in the country, even though it was freezing. I'd missed my sea!
Now that I've been back for a week, I'm kind of disappointed how quickly I've settled back into normal life. It feels like I've had this amazing dream, but that's all it was, and I never really left. I miss the people there so much, and I really really really want to go back. But Lea will be here in less than two weeks, which I'm super excited for, and I know that this year is going to be a biggie. My last year! I'm already involved in heaps of organisation. It's going to go so fast!
I already miss Germany terribly, but I know that just means that I'll be sure to get back there someday. I'm talking to a few of my friends via email and Facebook, and hopefully we'll be able to keep that up. I'm just so lucky - for being able to do this in the first place, for being placed with such an incredible host family, for making such amazing friends. For having such a wonderful time. Thank you to everyone who made this possible, and made it the experience that it was. It was so, so, so worth it.
Für den letzten Mal: Liebe Grüße euch alle. Ich freue mich auf euch wiedersehen, wenn es möglich ist, in Deutschland und auch euch die noch in Neuseeland sind, die ich noch nicht gesehen habe. :)
For the last time: love you all. I'm looking forward to seeing you all again, when it's possible, in Germany and also those who are in NZ, who I haven't yet seen.
Camille xxx
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