October was a very busy month, with many different Oktoberfest celebrations going on in nearby towns and cities (even though the real Oktoberfest is in Munich). Bremen, for example, had a huge Freimarkt set up for the length of October. There were huge rides, games, tons of food booths, many drinking tents, and even multiple – simultaneous – full-scale concerts inside tents! Some other exchange students and I walked around for about forty-five minutes, thinking we had been through it all, but we had only made it to the opposite side! The pictures here are from another part of town completely (though still Freimarkt).
I also got to visit the Dangast Flomarkt (Flea market), another fair/market in Oldenburg, the Zetelermarkt in Zetel, and the usual local artisan market in Oldenburg (which had a local cheese vendor with lots of free samples. Too many, probably).
Fabiola’s birthday was the 31st of October, which was a Monday, but we took the train into Bremen and watched Dr Strange (in German) with some of our other exchange student friends at the giant Cinemax there. We’ve also made some German friends through the rockband that we’ve been hanging out with on the weekends lately.
I’ve had time to explore Varel a bit more, and have biked to the ocean a few more times as well. It’s been getting chilly (we had our first – brief – snowfall/frosting a few days ago which made me very happy) but that hasn’t stopped me (or anyone else) from biking everywhere.
I made Nanaimo bars for my host family, and a maple-walnut cake for my class (some teachers here require you to bring baking for the entire class when your phone goes off in class – thanks Rotary 5060 exchange student group chat). It was a bit intimidating to make desserts when they have such amazing and fresh baking here, but they seemed to like them. I’ve also now officially had homemade, straight-out-of-the-oven Apfelstruedel AND Apfelkuchen (with vanilla sauce) here. Sadly, no pictures (for obvious reasons ha ha).
Some more miscellaneous news:
- Fabiola and I finally started German lessons! Obviously I can already speak a bit, but I have a language test December 3rd for which my cringe-worthy small talk won’t cut it. The teacher is very nice and it’s just us (Fabiola and I) she is teaching which is perfect.
- I got accepted to go on the Rotary-organized Ski trip! It’s a week in January spent at a downhill ski resort in Austria.
- Fabiola and I found a LINDT chocolate factory outlet outside of Bremen. They had 21 different types/flavours of Lindor balls, Lindt chocolate mousse and cake mixes, Lindt hazelnut spread (so Lindt Nutella!) and No Pictures Allowed just to name a few things there.
Things here seem so normal to me now, I actually completely forgot I had this blog (and almost forgot to write this entry – oops).
Hope all of you are having a great time at whatever you’re doing, wherever you happen to be! Thank you to everyone back in District 5060! DANKESCHOEN!
Bis zum nächsten Mal!
– Hannah
Varel - Deutschland 
Oui, c’est moi encore une fois! Hey Hannah, your narrative and your photos are all great! Well done. I particularly like the colours and of course the looks of the tasty treats. Fall looks like a beautiful time there. The weather here has been pretty good too. Some snow in the hills but nothing down here yet. Rain, clouds, sun… I’d better touch wood. I’d be pleased with no snow down here. I was pleased to read in an earlier blog of yours that you were playing badminton and volleyball? How do you like those activities? We are in the thick of volleyball playoffs here in Salmon Arm. Colin’s team ended up third overall in the district but were quickly stopped in their tracks by Revelstoke. The SMS grade 8 girls came first in the district and I am about to ref their games this evening before seeing your parents at the garage. As for badminton, you’ll have to challenge Monsieur David or Colin to a match… They are both pretty good.
Take good care!
Marianne xo
And because I’m anal-retentive about spelling/grammar – the sixth line should have no question mark after “volleyball” and a later line should read “…Colin’s team ended up third overall in the district but WAS quickly stopped in ITS tracks…” Does anal-retentive have a hyphen???? haha!
Loved the market shots and all your descriptions! It sounds fabulous! I’m glad you and Fabiola are getting German lessons. I”d assumed you were already taking them! Sometimes you can develop bad speaking habits until you’re taught properly. The chocolate sounds awesome. I’ll be right over…
No Photos Allowed in the Lindt shop? What!!? Why is that? Are they afraid the photos may cause motor vehicle accidents if they are sent to someone driving? Or those far away will lose their will to live knowing they will never have access to the chocolate? I guess it’s hard for them to control where the photos get sent and/or they can’t insist they are accompanied with suitable warning labels. ‘Warning This Photo May Make You Salivate Uncontrollably’. Oh well, I will just have to use my imagination. Mmmmm…