Second week of school, more aches and pains

Today was the second day of the second week of Gymnasium. So far these two days have been better for me overall, mostly because I'm getting used to the dynamics there, I think. It is still (obviously) extremely difficult for me to follow the classes, even the simpler ones. Everyone is still very nice and helpful, but it's clear that all the kids are very close and I feel a little like an outsider. Also, sometimes I feel bad struggling with German when they all speak English so well, and sometimes they have the understandable attitude of "Why can't we just translate for you, it would make everything so much simpler?".

I am so emotional, all the time -- I have to hold back tears every time the smallest detail reminds me of home. For example, on Thursday or Friday, we had to write imaginary letters for French class. This girl named Anette, who takes Latin, was reading one, trying to decifer it. It reminded me of the good ol' days when we would all eat lunch outside and talk about how annoyed we were with French class (probably within earshot of M. Troyan), and Rafa would read our Franco-American-themed paragraphs. And there was always a group of people playing Frisbee or strumming guitars or something, and it made me so, so sad to be at school and not elsewhere. Like the song says, "PATHS kids at the window/Laughing off their ass/At the scary hippie kids/Strummin' on the grass." Or whatever the song (written by our very own Mark and Mama D) says -- all that sticks in my mind is the ingenius first line: "We're high school freshmen parents, and we don't take no shit. It's a freaky hippie high school and we're down with it."

The main issues for me yesterday and today were simply exhaustion. I hate to complain, but here I am absolutely exhausted 90% of the time, mostly because of the language, but also because I have not been getting enough sleep lately. That and the fact that I am very achy; I still have weird stomach pains, plus weirdly achy muscles in my chest, and shoulder/back things partially from carrying a huge backpack each day. It's really strange for me, and it feels a little unfair that I'm getting hit with this stuff all at once! I've tried stretches, but it only provides temporary relief, and breathing deeply only makes it hurt worse. My mom and Mana insist it's probably the stress, which I think is true, but I am so paranoid about weird symptoms, I can never forget about it, which probably intensifies the problem if it is indeed stress.

I went to a cafe in Pforzheim today, and it was a little weird, but not a bad cup of coffee. I wanted to take a picture to document the experience, but I didn't have my camera with me! Next time, of course. Also, I'm going to make a map of some kind illustrating all the places I've been in Pforzheim to look at when I feel like I am in the middle of nowhere.

Next week is school vacation, yay! I have no plans, since Hans-Peter and Regina must work, but I'm going to try to organize a trip or something with other AFS students, or maybe go on my own. We'll see.