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Nov 30, 2011

music

Hello there,
It's definitely been a while... I guess there was just nothing to say. My life slipped right back into its routine after my two weeks of American freedom. I'm all caught up in school again, with finals right after midterms. But these are my last semester finals before the grad exams next year so there is a little light at the end of the tunnel ;)

My dear friend Jessi, who I miss so incredibly much, shared a link on facebook today. That's how I came across this cute couple who make great music that really comes from the heart! I got chills and and a couple songs almost made me cry. I didn't have the time to check in there more closely but I will as soon as possible.


Also, my mom heard this song on the radio and found out who the singer is. I like his music a lot, too. It's a different kind of music than what Elenowen do but still great. It's been on repeat for a while now ;)


I've been working out a lot lately. I started playing Volleyball which I love. I also went to the court club a lot and I'm sore pretty much all the time. But that's a good sign, isn't it? It feels good to be moving again.
At the court club I heard a song on the radio and when I found it on youtube it gave me chills. So sad. But Ed Sheeran writes beautiful songs, too. I like him. A few days after I found him on youtube, I saw him on tv in a morning show! Funny coincidence, huh? Well, anyways.. Here's my so far favorite song of him:



Well, I need to get back to studying...
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
- Mark Twain

Love, Eileen

Nov 18, 2011

The Hunger Games

Hello there,
How are you all? I've been doing pretty good. Just very tired. I guess jetting through a few time zones was a little too much. Oh well, it'll get better.

I did take my social studies final on Monday and I really don't think it went that well. I didn't have enough time and I didn't understand the text we got to analyze right away and it just didn't go that well... Well, we'll see how it goes.

Anyways, it's weekend!! I have a lot of homework and studying and catching up on other school stuff to do but I am also planning on baking Christmas cookies with my grandparents this weekend! Yay! :) Also I found a "Bratapfelkuchen"-Backmischung (I suppose you could call it a baked apple cake mix, I'm not sure though). I'm really excited to try that and see how it tastes.

While in the States I bought a book called Fire by Kristin Cashore in the amazing book store Barnes&Noble. So obviously I read it in English and let me tell ya: It is literally fabulous! I love it! Already finished it Wednesday night and I was just shocked that it was over. I don't mean the ending because it was a great ending, just how I like it. But the fact that I couldn't keep on reading really crushed me. I am still very sad. I might have to start it again. ;)
What's the book about? Here's a summery I found on-line. I'm too lazy to write one myself ;)

  It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.
This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she has the unique ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of innocent people. Especially when she has so many of her own.
Then Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City. The royal family needs her help to uncover the plot against the king. Far away from home, Fire begins to realize there's more to her power than she ever dreamed. Her power could save the kingdom.
If only she weren't afraid of becoming the monster her father was.
This book is just amazing and I can recommend it to pretty much everyone. I think the German version is out already, too. I think it's called "Die Flammende". Personally I rather like to read books in English, when they were written in it. By translating books, a lot of things and especially emotions get lost.
Yeah... So go out, buy it, and read it! ;) You won't be disappointed!

This blog's title was actually dedicated to the amazing author Suzanne Collins and her amazing triology The Hunger Games. I suppose a lot of you at least heard of them. In German they're called "Die Tribute von Panem". So anyways, I love these books, too. I love the language because just like in Fire, it is different from most other books. I can't really explain it. Just check it out ;).
Here's a summary:
   The Hunger Games is set in an unspecified future time when things have gone pretty spectacularly badly for humanity. The world, or the bit of it we can see, is dominated by a ruling caste who live in luxury in a city called the Capitol. The rest of us live like peasants in 12 districts that are strictly cordoned off from the Capitol and one another. Life in the districts sucks: it's mostly hard labor--mining coal and farming and working in factories--in dismal conditions.
To make things even dismaler, once a year each district is required to give up two of its children, chosen by lottery, and enter them in the Hunger Games. The kids are dropped into an enormous arena strewn with traps and hazards, with a heap of weapons and supplies in the middle. The last child alive wins a lifetime of luxury and celebrity. The action is filmed and broadcast to the entire world.
We experience this ordeal through the eyes of Katniss, a resident of District 12, a harsh, cold region mostly given over to coal-mining. She is a passionate 16-year-old who hates the Capitol and is devoted to her family; she volunteers for the Games to take the place of her sister, whose name came up in the lottery. Katniss is a skilled hunter and sheer death with a bow and arrow. She doesn't like to kill. But she doesn't want to die either.

So now a movie has been made of the first book. I was freaking out when I heard of it but since the trailors are out I'm not so sure of it anymore. Here it is.
Most of all I am disappointed of the actors they chose for the main characters Katniss, Peeta and Gale. They are not what I imagined at all. And also the whole layout and the feel of it that I could catch from the movie are not really what I expected. I'm probably being too judgmental too early but I'm honestly not sure if I'll watch the movie. Usually movies aren't as good as the books their stories are from and I really don't want to ruin my own perfect version of it. So we'll see but the chances that I'll watch it are pretty slim...

Well, that's it for now. It's been too long, I know.

Love, Eileen

Nov 4, 2011

the next step

Hello there,
I've been back in the US for almost a week now. I love it here.
I have to admit that I wasn't too happy the first few days. I felt lost because I didn't (and still don't really) know the area and it was just all so confusing and I guess overwhelming, too. Also I had problems speaking English. I guess I thought it'd be easier than it actually is.

Wednesday we drove around the area and went to some high schools for my sister who would be a junior next year. She really liked one high school that actually doesn't have the best image but when we went there it was the high school with the nicest, friendliest and most helpful staff! The school looked really great and we immedietly felt at home. Also we found some very nice communities close to that high school which we liked a lot right away. I guess we found our new home ;)

Anyways, I guess that feeling of being at home made me feel a lot better and more confident about our decision to move here. I didn't doubt the decision itself but I wasn't sure if it all worked out the way we want it to.

So yesterday we went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for me. We had an info session thingy and then a campus tour. I really like this University! The campus is beautiful and all the people were so nice! Got some questions answered and I feel a lot more confident with going to college here. I was actually very afraid because I had no clue what to expect. I didn't grow up here where everyone knows what to expect after high school, what college would be like and stuff. So that was really great. I can definitely see myself studying and UNC.




Beautiful, isn't it?

The problem is though that all freshmen have to live on campus. That is very expensive and I'm not sure if I want to move out right after moving here. Monday we have an appointment with some lawyers to talk about our visas and such and I'll find out then if I am able to work here or not and so on.

I have three options right now:
1st: If I can work without going to college (which is not very likely) I would just take a year off and just work, save money and relax from studying all the time.
2nd: If I do have to go to college in order to work, I will probably start at a community college for the first year, work, save money, and start earning credits.
3rd: If I can't work at all.. well I'm not sure. I guess I'd apply for UNC, too and also scholarships and financing aid.
So I have these three options and I can hopefully already narrow them down to two, or even better one, on Monday after the meeting with the lawyers.

I'm sure everything will work out how God planned it for me. I trust Him to guide me and find the best solution for me. Prayers would be great anyway ;)

Love, Eileen

NFL Football game

Hello there,
I need to catch up on my blog. It's been a while.
I'm actually in the fabuluos US right now. Raleigh area, North Carolina, and I'm lovin' it!
First of all, it's so beautiful here! The trees are all shades of reds and yellows and oranges and greens. The people are so nice here and I just love the atmosphere.

The first day here we already went to a Football game! Carolina Panthers vs. the Minnesota Vikings. What a game! Sadly we (Panthers of course) lost but still, it was so much fun!! We sat way up high but had a great view! People were going crazy and it was just awesome!! I really love Football.

Some pictures of the flight



At the game




Yep, that's where we sat! Like I said, waaaaay up high ;)


I'm so happy here :) I guess I'm actually American :D haha

Love, Eileen