(Insert title here. I can't think of anything interesting.)

     In case you were starting to wonder, yes, I am still alive.  I've been settling into my new school, meeting new people, and that's been keeping me pretty busy.  Now I'm waiting before we go to church at 2 p.m. and so I thought I'd quick type something up.
     School has been nice.  I'm starting to get to know a few of my classmates, so that makes it easier for me when I'm there.  And class is actually relatively easy.  I'm in the 10th grade (can't remember if I said that already, so I'll say it again) and so I've already learned most of the material that we're learning in class.  Like, in Biology, we're learning about cells and why the nucleus is so important.  And in Math, we're doing sine and cosine.  It's nice, 'cuz then I can focus on trying to learn the language, and not have to worry about learning new stuff AND language!  This picture here is an example of something that I do actually have to work on--Erdkunde (ummm, Geography?  But we also learn about weather patterns in the world and economies in different countries. So... not Geography).  After Herbstferien (fall break) in October we're going to have a test over all the countries of the world.  We'll have to be able to give the name and capital of each when we're given a blank map.  So, I'm studying for that!  'Cuz I don't wanna embarass myself and make it look like Americans don't care about the rest of the world (some people have already asked me stuff like "So, when you said you're going to Germany, did a lot of people ask you where that was?")

        This is the bulletin board in my room.  I put up some pictures I brought, and some that my host family had received earlier that they gave me so I have something to hang up.  I've also got stuff on my shelves, but it's actually not too much...
        On Friday I ran a 10K race.  59:06 was my time.  Not too bad, considering I only had one week to train for it, I thought.  Though I wouldn't have complained if I got something around 50.  Ah well, I shouldn't have expected too much, I suppose.   I had to run it alone, 'cuz I couldn't find anyone else who runs and who wanted to do 10K.
        Yesterday Papa, Mathilde, Jonathon, and I went sailing again.  There wasn't any wind, though, so we ended up paddling most of the time or swimming.  It was nice though.  I was really sore from the race, so it was great to have an afternoon to just relax.
       Today after church there's a church garage sale, and I'm helping out there.  Mama kinda volunteered all of us.  I guess that whenever there's something going on at the church, she's usually the one who helps organize it and who is in charge of finding volunteers.  But I like volunteering, so...  it'll be nice to be doing something again.
     You can't begin to imagine how hard it is for me to type so much.  I've begun to spell things wrong, and I start typing a wrong word or something.  Sometime I'll have to just type and not use the backspace, then you can see firsthand how bad it's gotten to be!!!
     Mathilde really likes playing Sequence.  She can't pronounce the name, though, so she calls it "das neue amerikanische Spiel" (the new American game).  Sometimes I get sad while I'm playing 'cuz it reminds me of sitting at home and playing with Margie, Scott, Mom, and Dad.  It's so strange to think that we won't play it together again until next summer!!!
     Well, now we're about to leave for church.  So, until next time!  It might be a while, because now there's really not too much going on, it's just day to day life.  And I don't think you're really too interested in hearing the same story all the time.