The highlight of my trip was our 2 days spent in Leipzig with Laura (the German GAP). Laura asked months ago if I would like to spend Easter with her and her family, and I happily accepted the invitation. I was really excited to spend time with Laura and her family and was also extremely nervous because her Mom, Oma, & Opa don't speak English.
Laura has been giving me German lessons since January - just for fun. These lessons became very important very quickly when I decided to join her family for Easter. My knowledge is very basic and I definitely don't know many verbs or vocab in general. I was prepared with some basic phrases:
Danke - thank you
Bitte - please
Entschuldigung - excuse me (sorry)
Ja - yes
My adorable Kinder egg |
Saturday was spent with Laura's Oma & Opa (grandparents). We had a wonderful meal and some one-sided conversation (I understood very little without translation on this day). Her grandparents were incredibly sweet and welcoming. We ate a wonderful meal, and had our Kinder eggs. Then, I learned we would get to search for Easter baskets! I wasn't expecting it at all, I mean I had my Kinder egg already! My bag was labeled "Amerika" and Shauni's was labeled "New Zealand". It was full of German chocolate and a pretty mug. It was so thoughtful and sweet!
The next day we had another Easter with Laura's mom. Again, we discovered that we would need to search for our basket as well as another gift. I searched and searched. On the bookshelf. Behind the couch (I saw something but didn't think it was mine). Behind the pictures. FOUND IT! A pink basket full of chocolatey wonderfulness. Shauni and I struggled with our second gift so we played hot and cold. Went behind the couch and there it was! I clearly didn't read very well the first time.
I am now the proud owner of a copy of Goethe's "Faust"! I have the German on one side of the page and English on the other. My work is cut out for me.
I am completely floored by the love and hospitality I was shown in Leipzig. It was a wonderful holiday even through the misunderstandings and language barrier.
My Easter Love |
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