My first two weeks

August 8 we were at the airport in Hanover to check in. The next morning at 7.30am I left Hanover and started in the direction of Calgary. 12 hours later I landed in Calgary. In order to get my visa I had to pass the immigration. Because the computer system broke down they had to send it to me. My host mum Rosemary picked me up from the airport and I was so tired. It was only 12.30pm because of the time zones (so we are 8 hours later than Germany). At the beginning I had to get used to the time change, and now I am. She showed me her home. I live near downtown so it takes me 20 minutes to walk there. Calgary has about 1,000,000 inhabitants and I really like its architecture. :) It is subdivided in four areas (Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and Southeast) and I live in the SW. The Rocky Mountains are only 80km away and on a clear day you can even see them! Downtown was really confusing the first time. But...the streets all have numbers so that you can find your way really easy. And the people of Calgary made a great invention! All buildings in downtown are connected with bridges, the so called +15, so that in winter you do not have to go outside! Luckily, the last two weeks were sunny and I did not use it a lot. That is the most confusing ever. The streets are really clean and all people are so nice and helpful.
My room is blue and really cute. Opposite of our house is the Elbow River and you can have a nice walk down to Stanley Park. My host mum is so nice and has got a cat that is called Sox. That is a pretty friendly cat! So Rosemary is my counselor and I will move to my host family at the beginning of September. They live near her and they have two sons.
The first days I was thirsty all the time because the air is dry in Calgary. But I get used to it little by little.
My first school day is on August 27 and I am really excited to go there. My school is Western Canada High School and it has about 2000 students. That's quite a lot! It is in downtown so I can walk there. Yesterday I registered at school (I go to grade 10) and I chose my classes - English, Social, Science, PE, Maths, Design, Foods and Arts (if one course is full my alternatives are Drama and French). And I hope joining the basketball team. I will get my schedule on Thursday. I already know a girl from grade 11 and a girl from grade 10. I hope to get to know lots of new people during the school year.
Every week I have to go to the Rotary meetings. My host club is the RC of Calgary (downtown) and it has about 280 members. That is a lot! I had to say something on the podium. We meet for lunch at 12pm until 13.30pm and several people give a talk. At the beginning I had problems to understand the speakers. Anyway, now I get the red file. :) As well, speaking is not that difficult as I thought. And everyone asks the same questions (Where are you from?, Where do you go to school?, Do you enjoy Canada?,), so I do not have to think about the answers. And sometimes I think: ‘The last sentences I thought in English.’ And yesterday I wanted to count something and then I recognized that I had count in English. :D I already watched two movies in English and I read ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’. That is a really good book! The Canadians have kind of American Accent and some words are different from what I have learned (in school we learn more British English). For Example the Canadians say ‘sidewalk’ and the British say ‘pavement’. But I like that they only have one word for ‘Sie’ and ‘Du’. That makes it so much easier! ;)
Everything is bigger here; so like malls, cars, buildings, …
When you buy something you have to be aware that the taxes are not included in the price. So when you pay at the cashes you have a strange experience. :D So did I the first times. But fortunately the taxes are ‘only’ 5%. And in a supermarket the cashier put your items in a bag! Electric stuff is cheaper than in Germany but foods are so much more expensive…And 1€ is $1.45.
The food is not that different from German food. Only that they eat meat more often. Usually Canadians do not use their knifes and then the left hand is under the table. And do not forget to put the serviette on your lap! In the morning we eat cereal and we have our warm meal in the evening at about 6 o'clock. You can get the water from the fridge (Canadians usually drink water without gas). In a restaurant you get as much water as you want for free! I really like that because I have to drink a lot when I eat. :D And you write down how much tip you give on the receipt. Once I cooked Schnitzel for my host mum and on Sunday I tried bison/buffalo. I do not like that flavor…but I gained from that experience.

Most Canadians travel to South America, Asia or Europe because they would pay the same price for traveling within Canada.
In Alberta you are allowed to do your driver’s license at the age of 14 and you can drive on your own at the age of 16. That is pretty early. But I am not allowed to do mine because I am an exchange student. The drivers here are really friendly to pedestrians. :) Drivers are always allowed to turn to the right and every of them keeps in the speed limit! Everyone who was to Germany says to me: 'It is so much fun to drive on the Autobahn' because here you are not allowed to drive that far.

August 14 to August 16 I was in Kamp Kiwanis and I met all the other exchange students from Rotary who come from all over the world (Switzerland, The Netherlands, 2x France, Norway, Sweden, 2x Finland, Hungary, Russia, Turkey, India, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, 3x Brazil). We learned Country Dance and were at Heritage Park in Calgary. That was so much fun. The Canadians do not have a long history but it was quite interesting.
I went to Calgary Tower to see the city. That was amazing!
On Sunday Night I was at Global Fest 2009 with the student from Taiwan. That is a firework competition and I enjoyed it a lot. So that time it was Mexico's turn. It was so gorgeous!!
And then I was in downtown several times and just enjoyed the day and the architecture.
Some Rotarians asked me to go hiking with them and I am looking forward to do that.

Because of this great deal of impressions it seems to me not like two weeks, but like an eternity!