Back to Germany!

I spent the last two weeks before school started this year in Germany! And this was totally thanks to my mom. Ever since we left the military and moved away from Germany when I was 11 she has felt that it's super important for me to not lose the language. (hmm, possibly for my mission?!?) Anyway, we suddenly realized that this summer might be my last chance for a trip back. So very much spur of the moment and last minute we checked in with an old elementary school friend of mine, and then bought tickets to send me over!

 

I'll be honest, I wasn't really sure how excited to be about this trip. I knew my German was rusty, I was going to stay with a girl and her family who I had only seen once or twice since elementary school, and I was going to be missing the last weeks of my summer vacation to go to school in FREEZING Germany.

Oh how wrong I was! Well ok, yes my German was rusty to start, and it was verrrrry cold, but Carina and her family were so nice and welcoming I felt at home straight away, and they took time to do all kinds of awesome stuff with me, and she goes to an all girl's school so that wasn't bad at all! :D

a sneaky picture to prove I was at an ALL GIRLS school haha

Exploring the old city castle and cathedral on a Sunday afternoon.

2nd Grade class reunion!

Our nightly "Tischtennis" and "Tischkicker" games

  

 Felling and chopping firewood

and sooo much more! It was a perfect way to end my summer vacation :D

Wanganui River

Possibly our most fun trip of the summer was this week-long expedition down the Whanganui River. It was a combined effort with with our friends the Sutherland's and Jack Boon, both of whom we know through adventure racing. 145km of river, it combined some of the coolest river gorge scenery I've ever seen with some pretty intense rapids to make for an awesome adventure.

         

Highlights for me were...

Having all of our food work out, because I was had been in charge of all the menus, grocery shopping etc.

A unexplored mud cave and the ensuing mud battle,

Spending one night on a Maori "marai" and recieving a "powhiri" or traditional welcoming ceremony,

 

And especially all the cliff jumping! It was on this trip that the Sutherland boys taught us the essential kiwi skill of "popping a fat manu", which is basically type of bomb that produces a very satisfying huge splash.