Multicultural Meeting

New post yeah!

As you all know I signed in for Cross Country (= XC). We have practice every day, sometimes before school from 6:30 until 7 or after school. We do different stuff: Sprint Training - 6 times 200 meter sprint, running on a street or running cross country (around trees in the grass) for 20 minutes. We have something called "Cross Country Meet"once or twice a week. It's kind of a competition with other schools. Last Monday I had my first meet ever, in West Liberty. I ran 24:05 Minutes for 2.5 Miles (what would be about 4.3 Kilometers) and was the fourth out to eleven girls.
On Thursday the same week I ran in Fort Madison. The track itself was really good - no hills and nothing tricky, but it was so hot that it became very hard (97 degrees Fahrenheit). When I run it's always like this: The first five minutes are pretty good (I don't start fast. I have the same rhythm all the time so I pass many people who lose their energy), then I start getting tired, but can still run well and the last ten minutes are horrible, because my knees start to hurt (I have some mysterious knee problems) and I nearly have to throw up. My goal is it to cross the finish line so I don't mind people running with me and starting sprinting the last meters and  challenging me...
Sadly I forgot to ask for my time, but I think it was about 25 or 26 minutes.
I was in the newspaper, because of XC!

The best thing about the last week was definitely that I got a Homecoming Date. Rotary doesn't allow the following things, the 6D's: No Drinking, Driving, Decoration (Tattoos & Piercings), Downloading, Drugs and Dating. Buuuuuut! They allow a Homecoming and Prom Date what is a good thing.
Anyways, I have a Homecoming Date now!!! I'm so happy! His name is Lucas and he's an exchange student from Brazil ^^ You can see him on the pictures of my last blog post. He's not at my school, but he will come to my city to go to Homecoming with me and he had to decide between an awesome concert of Jack Johnson and my Homecoming and guess what - he's still my Date ;)
I ordered my dress and my shoes yesterday and can't wait to get them. Homecoming is in two weeks on October 5th so you will see pictures of my outfit later, because I want him to be surprised, so I won't post it now.

Yesterday we had a Meeting again with ALL of the exchange students, because it was a required meeting. I love being united with the exchangies (how I call us). When I'm with them I talk so much in every language I know and I can't stop. I talk English, talk a little bit Italian with my italian friends (I can understand about 60% when they are talking to each other) and I actually met a super nice girl from Germany with whom I speak German of course. It's funny, because when we talk to each other, we sometimes start the sentence in English or ask something in English before we realize that we can talk in German. Once we were talking in German and Giulia (from Italy) came and wanted to join our conversation and she was like "could you stop that? It's weird to hear you talking in German, Hannah".
It's cool to talk German again (Question I've been asked: "Are you fluent in German" - "Actually not, it's just my mother tongue"). Talking on Skype is good, but it's a lot different to talk to a real person. I enjoyed it.
I learned some Portuguese (Olá, meu nome é Hannah, eu tenho 15 aos de idade e sou uma intecambista em Iowa. Eu te amo. Você é muito gatinha - What means: Hello, my name is Hannah, I am 15 years old and an exchange student in Iowa. I love you. You are really cute) and Federico said he will teach me more Italian.

Today (22.September) was my best friend's birthday. I spent days on working on her present and was awake until half past 3 yesterday morning to finish it. It's a unique present made with love and I hope she likes it. I was sad about not spending this special day with her as it's her 16. birthday what is a big deal in Austria. For those who don't know it (important Austria-Knowledge): The drinking age (beer and whine) and the smoking age is 16. You can stay out until forever and you can go to I would say 50% percent of the bars and clubs. I can't post a picture of my present yet, because she will receive it in a few days and I don't want to ruin the surprise as she is following my blog, but I will do it maybe the next time.

IMPORTANT:
The food update will be on the blog probably next weekend, so stay tuned!

XC girls - Emme, Mariah & Maggie

From left to the right:

Paula (Germany), Tae-Sung alias Timmy (Korea), María (Spain), Augusto (Brazil), Franziska (Germany), Silvia (Italy), Me (Austria), Carlos (Spain), Marta (Italy), Claudia (Italy), Laís (Brazil), Federico (Italy), Bertrand (France), Lucas (Brazil), Madeleine (France), Giulia (Italy), Alejandro (Mexico)

This girl...

German-Power!!!!!

Wonderful picture of me and Claudia -.-

Some girlies

This is actually one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen in my life!

It's María from Spain!

Ma boys!

Aren't we pretty!