From waffles to trick or treating

It’s finally Halloween and it’s also Saturween! Elea and I got to sleep in and started the day with a typical American breakfast: waffles with maple syrup, a cookie and a Diet Coke.

After we got ready, we jumped into my host sister’s car and drove to Spirit Halloween to get some final Halloween costume accessories. We were overwhelmed by this big store and all of the different kinds of costumes, some of them were frightening.

Then we headed to the best part of the day. We went to Goodwill, a second-hand shop. All three of us went crazy and spent hours searching for clothes and having fun with finding new things. In the end, we all got a lot of cool things and maybe spent a bit too much money, but Stephen, the cashier, had a wonderful sense of humour and even thanked us in German for coming to the store and wished us a lot of fun on our journey.

After spending too much time in the store, we had to get home quickly to get ready for Halloween. Nearly all the Austrians and their hosts came to my host family’s house to have a snack and fun before going trick-or-treating. We went out in groups and experienced our first American trick-or-treating. We were all amazed by the lovely old people who decorated their houses and had a lot of fun with giving kids and us candy. Everyone was so cold that we went home and spent some time in the living room. It was an amazing first American Halloween.

-Valerie

Friday before Halloween

On Friday the 30th, i woke up early since i had to prepare a presentation for the upcoming lessons, in which i was gonna talk about famous austrian actors. I held it a total of 3 times, each in a different german class and it went pretty well overall thanks to enough preperation beforehand.

When i got back home from school at around 3pm, i decided to just go for a quick walk and a workout because i did not have as much time since i was gonna watch a football game later that day which i had to integrate into my schedule. 

I arrived in school at 7, where the football game was held. It was overall pretty fun, even though i gotta admit that it is more about the atmosphere, people etc than about the actual game itself, from my perspective at least. There were many things happening that game, for example one guy appearently got knocked unconcious and a cheerleader hurt her ankle when missing a move. Unfortunately our school lost the game, though it was still pretty fun.

I arrived back home later that night and just went for a quick night hike with my host at a small hill. I got back at around 11:30 and went to bed right after. 

-Maximilian Hetz

A Day Between School and Halloween

Today we got the chance to visit Peterborough Elementary School and spend some time with the younger students. It was a day full of new experiences, interesting conversations and, of course, lots of walking!

We started our day at 7:30 a.m. and walked for about 1 hour and 20 minutes along the road to Peterborough Elementary School. On our way, we passed the library in downtown Peterborough, which is said to be the oldest public library in the United States. Quite an interesting thing to see during our morning walk!

When we finally arrived at the school, some teachers welcomed us very warmly. After that, we got together in our groups and were sent to different classrooms. Our group got the opportunity to present the story of The Gruffalo to a first-grade class. The kids were really interested, and afterwards, we split up to answer all their questions. It was so much fun talking to them and seeing how curious they were!

Later, our whole class met again, and we walked from the elementary school to downtown Peterborough. There, we had some free time to explore the town. Some of us went to a café, where we enjoyed a Chai Latte or a Matcha. We also went out for lunch. Everyone could spend the free time however they wanted until we met again at around 1 p.m. to walk back to school.

But the day wasn’t over yet! In the afternoon, two of my friends and I met up with our host families to carve pumpkins for Halloween. Afterwards, we all had dinner together and enjoyed a Seven-Layer Salad. To finish the day, we sat around a campfire and enjoyed the evening together.

It started with a long morning walk and ended with pumpkins, good food and a campfire. Another day full of new experiences and memories!

Marie Bernroider

A Day at Franklin Pierce University

College life in America: Big campuses, dorms, sports and a cafeteria with food for everyone. Sounds like a movie? – Well, today we got to experience it ourselves!

At around 10 a.m., our class and I arrived at Franklin Pierce University. We started the day with a short insight into an anatomy class. It was really interesting to see what a real college lesson looks like. At 11:30 a.m., we went to the cafeteria for lunch. And guess what? The food had a Halloween theme! There was a huge variety of food, so everyone could find something they liked. And the best part? You could always go back for more!

After lunch, some seniors divided us into two groups and showed us around the whole campus. We got to see different classrooms, halls and dorms and learned more about what student life in America looks like. Later, we listened to a short presentation about how to apply to college and how to prepare for studying in the United States.

But there was also time for some interactive activities! At around 2 p.m., we spent 45 minutes in the gym, where we could play tennis, soccer, table tennis and even billiards. It was a great opportunity to try different activities with our classmates.

Afterwards, we took part in a scavenger hunt. We were divided into groups again and had to solve different questions and complete tasks around the university. It was a fun way to explore the buildings even more!

At 4 p.m., there was a soccer game played by the university’s own team, which we got the opportunity to watch until our host picked us up.

It may have started with a university lesson, but it ended as a fun and unforgettable day full of new experiences. And who knows? Maybe one day, one of us will actually study at an American college!

-Marie Lechner

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A Spooky Taco Tuesday

 Greetings from the United States! Have you ever heard of a tradition called Taco Tuesday? Today was really exciting, because my classmates and I actually got to experience our very first Taco Tuesday.

 At 17:30 we met at Greenfield Inn, a cozy historic bed and breakfast, run by a local family. They set up a taco bar for us, where we could build our own dinner and get drinks. We started with either a soft- or hard taco shell and then loaded them up with chicken, beans, guacamole, cheese, and vegetables. Since everything was so good, we of course had to try a few different combinations.

After finishing our fantastic food, we took a short walk through the neighborhood to look at the Halloween decorations. In Austria, Halloween is a pretty small holiday, but here it is a huge deal. Almost every house has glowing pumpkins, spooky figures, or at least some sort of decoration. My highlight was definitely the fully decorated house, including a giant pirate ship.

It is very interesting to see how different life and traditions here are. I'm having a great time trying new foods and exploring the culture with my class, and I can't wait to see what else we will experience during the rest of our exchange.

-Mario

Field Trip Day: Pancake Breakfast & Apple Picking & making Apple Crisp

Today was a really amazing day! I would like to share everything we did with you. One of my favourite parts was getting to enjoy the absolutely amazing nature here during our car rides and of course the extremely delicious food we had today. The nature here in New Hampshire is really beautiful and I love looking at all the scenery. It is quite different from what I am used to seeing in Austria.   

One of the highlights of the day was having huge and very tasty pancakes for breakfast at Parker‘s Maple Barn in Mason. After we finished eating, we had the chance to visit a little gift shop next to the Maple Barn, where we could buy local products and souvenirs for our families or for ourselves. There were lots of nice things to choose from, especially the famous maple syrup and all the different sweet treats made from maple.  

After that, we went apple picking later used the apples to make apple crisp. However, on our way there, we also got to see the house of the famous Uncle Sam who lived in this region. For those who don’t know, Uncle Sam is the national personification of the United States and it’s federal government. So we stopped for a quick look at took some pictures.  

Then we arrived at Washburn’s Windy Hill where we picked apples. The place was absolutely beautiful! It was a perfect oppurtunity to enjoy the outdoors and experience something that is very popular here in New Hampshire, especially during the fall season. After we had finished and filled a big bag with lots of  perfect bright red apples, we also had the chance to buy some snacks and also pumpkins for those who wants to carve them for Halloween this weekend.  

After that we made our way home, where we finally made apple crisp. It was really fun and interesting to make. The recipe is quite easy, although it took some time to prepare and the time it was in the oven. In the end, it was definetely worth it because the apple crisp tasted delicious! 

Later we had a litte more time to relax, chill, talk and also play some games together. It was nice to have some time to unwind after a busy day.  

Overall, it was a wonderful, interesting and also pretty exhausting day. I really enjoyed everything we did, from eating pancakes and exploring the beautiful countryside to picking apples and making our own apple crisp. It was a great experience and I am absolutely happy that I chose that field trip where I had the opportunity to take part in such a typical fall activity here in New Hampshire. 

Luca Haidenberger 

From “Schneewittchen” to the “ Cougars”

 How could a Monday start badly if you get greeted by a breathtaking sunrise (moon included) and a hot chocolate from Dunkin’? But even though it‘s Monday and the week has just started, this is for some of us already the last full school day. In our first block we had German, where all the Americans had to perform “Schneewittchen & die sieben Zwerge”. Our job was to correct their mistakes, especially if they pronounced words wrong (which definitely happened more than once). Another period I remember from today was Mr Haider’s History class, where they were all over the trade in the Indian Ocean in 1200-1450 CE.

Not to be forgotten is our short visit at the ‘Bagel Mill bakery’ a secret spot from Mr Baier with definitely one of the best bagels I’ve ever tried. 

What would be a “need-to-do” for you if you ever went overseas? For me and Valerie it was to experience a soccer practise - in the typical high-school-vibe and full on american. Unexpected we ended up next to the boy’s training, so we got to train with a ball for the two of us besides the “Cougars”(the name for their sport teams).

Another highlight of my exchange that I want to mention is being with an American family who has four golden retrievers. They are so cute and it’s a completely new experience for me to come home and be awaited by a bunch of dogs.

~elea 

An American Sunday

Fluffy pancakes topped with maple syrup for breakfast, playing basketball in the driveway, and meeting up with friends from high school: sounds like a movie, right? Well, that's just what Sundays in the US really look like. Today was our second Sunday since arriving in beautiful New Hampshire, and I'm gonna take you through our day.

Because we got home late yesterday, my host and I started our Sunday by sleeping in. After getting up, the smell of pancakes greeted us, which made starting our day way easier. The pancakes were great, just like you would imagine American pancakes to be. Topped with fruit and maple syrup, those were probably some of the best pancakes I've ever had.

After a successful start to our day, I decided that I didn't want to waste any time, so we went outside and challenged each other to a game of basketball. Since I absolutely dominated the game at first and felt sorry for Logan (my host), I let him catch up—which didn't work out that well, because in the end, he beat me. After that, we went back inside because my host had to do some homework (yes, they have that over here too) and we wanted to grab a bite to eat before leaving.

Since it was not only a beautiful day but also my friend Leo's birthday (Happy Birthday, Leo!), some of my friends, their hosts, and I met at the house of Philip's host, Anthony. From there, we all went to a nearby mountain. The "hike" to the top took about 20 minutes, but once we reached it, we had some truly breathtaking views. However, we didn't have too much time, as soccer practice was scheduled for some of our hosts. So, we all decided to head back to Anthony's place. Once we arrived, we spent the rest of our day playing pool and FIFA in Anthony's basement.

It definitely was a great day, and I hope there are still lots of great days like this ahead of us!

- Jonas Bidner 

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Just a regular day

I woke up at about 9:30 am and went downstairs to have breakfast. My Host Mom got fresh pastry from a nearby bakery and it was very delicious. After that we planned to go for a little walk in the woods and I decided to invite luca to go as well. It was really spontaneous and we had to pick him up at his place. He lives about 20 minutes away from us in the middle of nowhere. Then we drove to the path and the scenery was very beautiful with all the orange and brown leafes. At first we walked along boardwalks over a swamp like area and then inside a forest. Eventually we reached a small lake where we sat down on tree trunks. After a small break we headed back to our car.

After the little walk we went back home and luca wanted to stay at our house for a hangout. Mom made small sandwiches and cut some fresh fruits, before we went down to the basement. There we played ping-pong and kicked a ball around. At the end we ate pizza from dominos before luca's host parents picked him up.

-Philip Krenn

A day in Merrimack

Today was a fun day full of shopping. Our day started at 9 o’clock when we were picked up from school. We had about a 50-minute drive to our first destination: Target. We had one hour to look around and buy the things we needed or wanted. After Target, we headed to the main destination of our trip. Merrimack Premium Outlets. Most of us started by visiting the Levi’s store, where some people bought a pair of jeans or even two.

After that, we split up into smaller groups to explore the different stores and do some shopping. Once everyone was finished, we went to Chick-fil-A for lunch. For most of us, it was our first time trying it, which made it a completely new experience. After lunch, we headed back to ConVal, where our host families picked us up. Deklin and I went to Ava Marie Chocolates and met up with Luca and Kiran to eat some ice cream. Before dinner, I also got to meet Deklin’s sister, who is usually away at college. To end the day, most of us met up around a campfire after dinner. We made s’mores and had a lot of fun! 

-Ian Gfällner

Another „normal“ high school day

The stereotypes of a high school student: Getting ready for sports classes, stopping at Dunkin after school and just sitting in the back of your car to hang out. Sounds like a movie? - Well, that’s a normal day here. 

After school we went to the second oldest organic farm in the United States. Since one of our host students' dad owns it, we got a very exclusive tour through the whole area. Only for the five of us. We learned a lot about organic growing vegetables but also about how to grow them during the winter time. “It’s a very good alternative and will get even more important in the future.” After this interesting trip, we also got to drive a golf cart! It was so much fun. 

But there was also another highlight on this day: Fortunately, Ronald Dahl’s granddaughter lives close to the organic farm and is also friends with the farmer. You don’t know who Ronald Dahl is? But you’ll probably know Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So, we actually got to meet his granddaughter. The huge area she lives in, had also a barn where chickens, bunnies and three cows live! I think it’s not really common to have cows just as “a pet to pet”. After we had seen and also petted the animals, we got surprised by the granddaughter coming in with four new baby chickens. They looked so tiny and cute! 

It may have started like a “normal” high school day, but it ended as a great and unforgettable day of my life.

~Mavie

Our hike at the thumbs up!

 OUR HIKE AT THE THUMBS UP!

Today was the fourth full day of our time in the U.S. Some friends of mine and I went on a field trip where we hiked up Thumb Mountain. We were picked up by the host family organizing the trip at 9:30 am and headed straight to the trail.

After we had completed the first part of the hike, which was pretty unchallenging, we stopped at a beautiful, small lake to eat some lunch and to recover a little bit. After a 15 minute break we decided that it was time to continue our hike. The second part of the hike was much more challenging then the first one. The trail became steeper, slipperier and more exhausting than it was before. But we were determined to make it to the top without doing a second break. And it paid off! When we finally reached the top, we couldn't believe how great the view was from up there. But after taking some pictures together and recovering from the hiking, it was time to get down again. Because the way down wasn't as spectacular and interesting, we started spending our time with talking and playing some "Who am I?". 

After the long hike, we were all pretty hungry, so we went to a local café to get some lunch. And it was delicious! We were able to choose from a wide range of sandwiches, burgers and sweets. Aftwerwards, we drove back to the highschool to meet up with our hosts again. 

But that still wasn't everything there was to do today! In the afternoon, some of us joined the "Conval Soccer Boys" for their practice and got a taste of how the "Cougars" play. Even though it was a very busy day it was very enjoyable and a great experience! -Ruben Ernst