Football!

I have been very busy lately adjusting to a new family, new 10th grade class and a new daily schedule. Truthfully, my new host family hasn't been hard at all to adapt to. The Puenders have been very welcoming and I already feel like a family member. I am very comfortable here in Nienhagen with them. The adjustment in school has been a bit more of a challenge. In my old 10th grade class most of our days ended around 3:00pm or earlier. Now, in my host brother Philipp's 10th grade class, my school days end very early on Mondays and Fridays, which is nice, but Tuesdays through Thursdays I attend classes until 4:35pm. That is a very long school day.

Adding to the length of my day, on Mondays and Wednesdays I now am a part of SV Nienhagen's Leichtatletik team. Leichtatletik, literally translated as light athletics, is what we call track and field in America. During the cold months of the year, our training consists of a lot of running and strength training. I've done circuit training before, but after every training muscles I didn't even know I had are sore. If I don't have six-pack abs when I return I'll be disappointed. Also on Mondays, I have flag football at my school Gymnasium Ernestinum. Just another activity to keep me out of trouble. :)

Mondays and Wednesdays are occupied by Leichtatletik and flag football, but my Tuesdays and Thursdays are full as well. By chance, a week ago I heard that a close family friend of the Pünders was beginning to play American Football in Hannover. His dad had personal training in Hannover when the Hannover Grizzlies also had practice, so getting a ride from Nienhagen to the field was no problem. Immediately curious, I asked for details and then for permission to tag along. Philipp and Fabian, who are also very interested in the best sport in the world, decided to come along as well. So, long story short, I'm playing football once again and I am so happy. Even though football in America and Germany are obviously on a different level, there's no feeling like making a textbook tackle. I will update my blog about the progress of my team throughout the course of the year. Go Grizzlies!

Now I'm not only mentally tired everyday, but physically exhausted as well. However it's more of a positive exhaustion than anything else. How lucky am I to be living in Germany with two host brothers who love American Football?

Go Grizzlies!

#66-Brings back good memories