Okay, now that things have finally calmed down I can finally write about my wonderful experience in Germany! When we arrived to the airport Shawna's cousin (Roland) met us there so we could take the train to his house. This was very comforting because I myself speak no German at all and I had no idea where I was. Roland could not have been nicer! He talked to his neighbors before we arrived and set up a place for us to stay since his nieghbors had a guesthouse.

For our first day we went to a medieval city. Every thing in this little town looked straight out of a movie. The architexture was truely amazing. Every house there was made out of wood unlike the houses that are built today. While I was walking around I felt like I was in Beauty and the Beast and people were going to be singing to me while I walked down the streets. Along with the housing being different the streets were so narrow! I was a shock a car could even fit down them.

The next day we adventured off without Roland and went to the nearby zoo. I was a little nervous for this since I didn't know my way around and not being able to speak German I thought I would surely get lost. But even not being able to speak German I felt so welcomed and people were trying to talk to us even though they spoke very little English. The zoo not only housed many unique animals but had many green houses for different plants and flowers which were beautiful! The zoo itself was very clean and very pretty. The exhibits were not like the ones back home where animals are up high on a hill or what seems like miles away. All the animals were very close and you could almost touch, which I thought was very neat.

On the third day we went to a castle and pumpkin festival. We didn't go into the castle but the outside was more than enough to see. There were gardens all around filled with beautiful roses and other flowers. The pumpkin festival was on the same property of the castle. Since I have been abroad this was the first time I actually felt like I was at "home". Fall is my favorite season back in Pittsburgh and Ireland doesn't have the prettiest fall lol.. Germany however had an awesome fall! All the leaves were changing and this pumpkin festival put the icing on the cake. They had a 800 pound pumpkin that a man from America was craving. The only thing missing was the pumpkin pie!

The fourth and finally day was definitely one that I"ll remember for the rest of my life. We took a trip to Heidelberg and this is where my great-grandmother lived before moving to the states. Every picture from my great-grandmother shows a river, castle and a bridge. While on our way to Heidelberg we found the river the whole way there!! Then as soon we go into the town I saw the castle. We actually were able to walk through the castle. From the top of the castle we could see the whole city, it was truly beautiful and it was there I got to see the bridge. After the castle we did some shopping and I got some presents for my family. This was probably my favorite moment of Germany.

This trip was exactly what I needed! Being in a family setting and playing games as a little family nightly really helped with my home sickness. I have also realized what great of an opportunity this truly is for me. I may never get the chance to come back over to Europe so I plan on traveling and living life to the fullest for my remained of time over here.