This week has gone from cold to colder, with wind and rain almost every day. I'm trying to decide if the weather has something to do with me finally getting sick. Typical head cold for the past few days, but unlike at home, I really can't do anything for it here. And I'm still going to school as usual, but I kind of wish I wasn't. But just like when I'm at home, I still just kind of deal with it, and go as normal. 

Earlier this week I got to Skype with my real mom, sister, and dad for the 2nd time since I got here, exactly seven weeks ago. It really was great to talk to all of them. There's not quite anyone here that I'm that close to yet in comparison to my family, and it was nice to almost catch up with what's going on in their lives, and also my little sisters new life in high school (which I still can't really believe she's old enough for..). We talked for over 3 hours, which for me, definitely flew by. I understand how my sister must've felt. Being connected back home for a while, but when you finally hit the red button; you're left alone, without your family, in silence. It wasn't necessarily a 'bad' thing, but it was much different than I remember it being on the other side of the calls. One of the Exchange Students in my district here told me that he Skype's with his family almost every day. Granted I was able to learn German before I came here, so it's easier to communicate here, I'm happy with Skyping or really talking on a less frequent basis. I think that it's probably a lot better (at least for me); so I'm tied into my new family and friends much better, instead of my computer. 

Also during the past few weeks, I've had my first private German lessons with a friend of my host mom's who's gotten to study languages. My first lesson was with another girl in the district who's from Colombia, but my second was just Frau Fröhlich and I. The beginning of the lesson's was just an overall assessment, but she said that my German was already very good, and she was surprised at how much I could speak and understand. Our lessons are about 20 minutes from my school (by foot), and we've read, written, spoken, sang, and of course laughed. I already like going to the German lessons (1-2 hours), and I'm also beginning to read short Märchen (fairytales) for us to work with. I think that I was one of the only Exchange Students in the area that didn't actually attend a language course provided by Rotary, but I'm glad now that I'm getting extra help to hopefully get me speaking and understand everything so much faster!

Just a little while ago we got a call that my Rotary allowance was finally in my account here for July, August, and September. Later this month we have our first Rotary Orientation, and I've been making plans with Exchange Students, and my friends from school. Now if only I wasn't sick!