Hi guys,

I know it is a long time ago when I wrote my last report on my homepage but now I have some time and I can tell you about my Christmas vacation in California, my Christmas here in the USA and some other stuff, what I did the last weeks. But at first I want to wish you a happy New Year and I hope all your wishes come true and all people do what they resolved to do for the new year *smile* Also I wanted do say THANK YOU to this people who send me packets during Christmas time with little presents. Thank you Mum and Dad, my grandmas, Bernd, Family Kierey, Sonja und Klaus… also thank you so much for so many Christmas card :-)

Ok now to my vacation trip to California with my host family Kacia, Wade and Michael. On Sunday December 17 we drove with the car about 11 hours to California. The ride was ok especially since I don’t like to drive such long ways but I slept almost the whole ride and so it was ok. As we arrived in California we drove to Los Angeles and looked around Hollywood. It was amazing to see all the things I would usually see only out of the movies… like the streets with the stars from the movie “Pretty Woman”. Then we drove to our hotel where we spend three nights, the hotel was about 45min away from Hollywood but only a 5min walk away from Disney Land in California. Our hotel room was pretty cool, it was like a little flat with two separate room, one for my host family and my host brother and one for me, with a very comfortable bed. Also we had a little kitchen because we had self supply for our food and a bathroom. I was so happy when we arrived there because I knew tonight I can sleep in a bed and not in the uncomfortable van *laugh* The first night we went out for dinner in a restaurant right next to our hotel and I ate a really good salad. After that I went for a walk with Kacia to look around the neighborhood. Because of the long drive we all went very early to bed so that we was ready the next day to go at 8.30 in the morning to Disney Land. For the next two days we had compi-tickets for Disney Land and California Adventure.
At first we went to Disney Land and took the Horse-Drawn Streetcars to look around Disney Land than we took some roller coaster like the Space Mountain and Matterhorn Bobsleds. After that we decided to go to California Adventure and walk around there. Both parks were very fun but also it was very arduous because we walked the whole day. On the way to the entry of the two parks you have a shopping mile called ‘Downtown Disney’, there you have a lot of Disney stores, restaurants, cosmetic stores and much more, so this is a good place to go shopping and spend a lot of money there *laugh*
After the two days I can say that I like California Adventure better, because there you have a lot more rides for people in our age or older in Disney Land you have more rides for little kids and a lot of stuff with Mickey Mouse, but this is what little kids like.















My host family and I in front of the Mickey Mouse sign (left) - My host family and I in the Horse-Drawn Streetcar (right)















My host family and I on the Hollywood Street in California Adventure (left) - I in front of the huge Christmas tree... with all my presents *smile* (right)
















Me in front of the Fantasycastle (left) - my host parents Wade, Kacia and I in the Ferris wheel (right)

After the second day at Disney Land we drove up to San Francisco and arrived our hotel at about 5pm. Because it was raining outside we decided to go somewhere to eat and walk around San Francisco the next day. The next day we took a cable car and looked around the beautiful city. We went to the harbor, saw the ’Fisherman’s Wharf’, went to a museum and took some pictures. Then we went back to our car and drove to the very famous Golden Gate Bridge… this was a very unbelievable moment for me, because it was amazing to see the big, huge bridge… I never thought in my life that I would see this bridge in real life and not just out of movies or somewhere else. We took some pictures and then we drove to our last hotel near to the Redwoods, the biggest trees in the world. The next morning we went to breakfast and then drove to see the big huge trees… these trees are sooo big you can drive with your car thru the tree so big they are . Yeah after this we went back to our house in Vancouver Washington which we arrived on December 23 at about 7pm. And what did Frances do? She went running *smile*
This was a very good trip and very good experience which I will never forget and always remember.














I in front of the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles (left) - Amazing view of the street in San Francisco (right)




The 'Fishermans Wharf' sign in San Francisco (left) - The famous chocolate shop named 'Ghirardelli' in San Francisco (right)







I in both pictures in front of the famous 'Golden Gate Bridge'



























I and in the backround the skyline of San Franciso (left) - I next to the informationboard about the biggest trees in the world (right)
















I sitting on the bench in the cable car (left) - The tower of Los Angeles (right)





I trying to touch the end of the tree (left) - I in front of the van which is driving trhu the redwood tree (right)










The next morning we slept in a little bit and then we met down stairs to open our stockings. Stockings are socks where the American people put some little presents in, they do it the day before Christmas, and here in the USA is Christmas on December 25 so they open the stockings on December 24 (Christmas day in Germany). After that we went in the living room to open our other presents but this we did only, because my little host brother is every Christmas at his Mom’s house and so they open their present on December 24. After opening all our presents we had a big breakfast with eggs and cinnamon rolls (Zimtrollen). Also coffee and orange juice with a little bit champagne. After breakfast I called with my parents and I was so happy to see all this people like my parents, my grandmas, my aunt Ilka and the most exciting thing was that my boyfriend was also there, so we could call too *happy*
At about 4pm we drove to my host dad’s parents and ate dinner with their whole family, gave some presents and sit together and talk. At night we drove Michael to his mums house and went back home. The next day was the Christmas day. Wade, Ellie ( a friend of mine) and I went to Wade’s brothers’ house to celebrate Christmas with them. Kacia couldn’t come with us because she had to work so we went alone. There we had some lunch together and played the exchange gift game with the whole family, which involved about 22 people, so this was fun. At night we went to Kacia’s parents to open presents there. The last Christmas day here in the USA, December 26 we went to Wade’s mums house, ate some crackers with cheese and sit together, opened presents and played some games… yeah this was Christmas here in the USA and I got so many presents which I never expected. I was so pleased for all this, it makes me happy because it was my first Christmas without my parents but they were all so nice to me that I didn’t have much time to think about missing my family.

The days between Christmas and New Years Eve I hung out with some friends, met a girl from Germany. She came from Dresden too, was an exchange student seven years ago and is now working here in the USA. It was exciting to talk to her and listen to what she thought about her exchange year and what she wants to do now etc. Also I went to a movie with Julia, Madeleine and Ellie.
My New Year’s Eve was ok, but you can’t compare it with Germany. Julia, Madeleine, Elli and I went ice skating right next to our school, it was fun but after this my feet hurt so much that I wished I hadn’t done it. After ice skating we went together to the year closure hockey game from the Winter Hawks, but they lost in the last period, which was very sad because the whole period before we had one more goal then the other team and then … its not good, because this happens a lot to this team. Yeah…after the hockey game we went to a friend’s house who had a New Year’s party there. We ate some pizza, hang out, listen to music, played some games and just talked. It was ok but in compare to Germany a little bit boring. They don’t have really much firework here, just a little bit but it was over after 5 min past midnight.















Madeleine, Elli and I at the ice skating hall (leftt) - All the people at the hockey game (right)






Elli, Julia and Madeleine at the ice skating hall (left) - Julia and Madelein (host siblings) thats all about love :-) (right)


Yes, this was mostly what I did the last few weeks. This week is the last week of bowling and then the bowling season is over. I think its very sad because I really liked bowling and I had a lot of fun with the girls and the team spirit at the matches was amazing. We were a good team. But maybe I will be lucky and I am one of the 7 best girls from our bowling team, if yes then I can bowl two more weeks. Because in three weeks there are League tournaments every school picks the five best bowlers (two extra if something happen) to be in the tournament. So maybe my average is good enough and I can bowl. I will see and let you know.
Lacrosse starts in March, this is like soccer but you have a net in your hand and with this net you need to catch the ball and then throw a goal. I think it sounds like fun and it involves a lot of running and exercises. I am excited for it to begin.
Also in two weeks the first school semester is over and the second and last semester starts what means that the finals (Halbjahresabschlussprüfung) is coming soon. The last days we got a lot of homework and we need to write in almost every class a best work paper, this is about one assignment where you think this is your best work what you did in this class during this semester. For the best work papers you need to write why you think it is your best work, how it compares to other assignments, what are the requirements of this assignment, how much time were you given to complete this assignment and many more… so this is just annoying but I think all high school student think this
Mhh, what could I tell you? I think this was mostly all what I did the last few week here in the USA. Yeah, I still go running every day, I love it when I get things in the mail, like letters or postcard, I like it to read English books… I think this is all…
I wish you all a good start in the year 2007, have fun and don’t forget me, ok? Maybe I find some to write you soon a group mail about what happened here. Just be surprised. Ok guys, I will talk to you soon. I miss you!!!


Love, Franzi

P.S.: I hope you were able to understand the english, but I promised to write english and german articles on my homepage and today was time for an english article.

Since yesterday January 11, 2007 we have a new member in our family. His name is Elvis- Frankie and he is a 8 months old Rat- Terrier. Very cute :-) My dearest wish to have a dog has come true :-)

This is our dog Elvis- Frankie