Mid-March I got to go on a ski trip with my host family, where we spent a week at the Hintertux Glacier ski area in Austria! Once again, we got seven days of beautiful sunshine and great skiing. Being situated on a glacier, the entire ski area was above the tree line, so it really was skiing in the mountains, surrounded by beautiful peaks the entire day. I could understand people despite their Austrian accents, which I find are quite cute. When I would overhear someone in the gondola speaking high-German, I would get the same feeling I feel when someone speaks English in Germany; feeling that we have the same home, or at least relieved that understanding is easier.
Kaiserschmarrn
Tourtiere
In Varel, I have joined a woman’s soccer team (which is super fun, and fits in my schedule around badminton and band practices), made a delicious Tourtiere for my host family, and became an exchange student “-Aunt”. One of my host sisters gave birth, and I got to see the newborn baby the next day.
The evening the baby came was the same one that my host parents had reserved us a table at a very fancy cheese fondue place out of town (which we didn’t end up going to of course), so that weekend we ended up making our own cheese fondue. It was fantastic, and we ate it with a bunch of family members who were there to visit the baby.
Last Friday the Banff Mountain Film Festival was showing in Bremen, which was just as awesome as it usually is in Canada, although also with German subtitles and local sponsors. The German couple next to me had actually met each other in Banff, and then found out about the film once they were both back in Germany. I had to miss the last film (about paragliding?) in order to make my train, but overall it was great to see something so familiar on the other side of the world, with some of the exact types of people who see it in Canada (*cough cough* hippies).
Next month I go on a Rotary-organized trip in Bavaria, the southern part of Germany which we didn’t have time to cover on the Germany tour. I’m super excited, and glad I get to see that area before going home.
Hi Hannie Bananie, Fabulous blog post. I can’t get over those beautiful photos from Austria. What an amazing place to ski. I shared that short video you took a while back of going over the edge of the Mtn in the gondola. Kiran said she got sea sick. Hee hee Exciting to see a new baby! They re such amazing creatures. How old is you host sister? Could you send a photo of your host parents and/or you? I haven’t seen your sweet face for so long and I miss you ! Can’t wait to see you in May. I’m busy working at a full time Locum at the moment so no time for Mtn biking😢. I saw Chad Baker’s mom in the clinic today and she asked how you were doing. She’s actually from Austria originally herself. She said chad is just working and hanging out but said wistfully that she wanted him to travel like you! Anyway I’m so glad to hear about your adventures and that you’re so involved. A la prochaine! Xx Love mom
Fascinating news, Hannah, about language, new babies, fondue & tortiere, and Banff FF!! So sad I missed the one on paragliding…I would have taken Ted to Germany for that! 😉
Keep ‘funning’ it up, dear girl.
Hugs and kisses.
Auntie Mo xoxoxo
Hi Hannah. Wonderful writing and photos as usual. I heard about your April Fool’s joke you played on your parents. You naughty young lady! Enjoy your continued travels!
Marianne xo
Varel - Deutschland 
Schoene Berge! Und ist dass Pulverschee? Du bist sehr auf das Essen kozentriert!
Hi Hannie Bananie, Fabulous blog post. I can’t get over those beautiful photos from Austria. What an amazing place to ski. I shared that short video you took a while back of going over the edge of the Mtn in the gondola. Kiran said she got sea sick. Hee hee Exciting to see a new baby! They re such amazing creatures. How old is you host sister? Could you send a photo of your host parents and/or you? I haven’t seen your sweet face for so long and I miss you ! Can’t wait to see you in May. I’m busy working at a full time Locum at the moment so no time for Mtn biking😢. I saw Chad Baker’s mom in the clinic today and she asked how you were doing. She’s actually from Austria originally herself. She said chad is just working and hanging out but said wistfully that she wanted him to travel like you! Anyway I’m so glad to hear about your adventures and that you’re so involved. A la prochaine! Xx Love mom
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Fascinating news, Hannah, about language, new babies, fondue & tortiere, and Banff FF!! So sad I missed the one on paragliding…I would have taken Ted to Germany for that! 😉
Keep ‘funning’ it up, dear girl.
Hugs and kisses.
Auntie Mo xoxoxo
Hi Hannah. Wonderful writing and photos as usual. I heard about your April Fool’s joke you played on your parents. You naughty young lady! Enjoy your continued travels!
Marianne xo